The Red Queen: Book Review

Summary:

Margaret Beaufort has grown up with the certainty that she has been chosen to do God's will. Since she is denied her true desire to join a convent, Margaret decides that God must want her to put her son Henry on the throne. Although, always denying vanity and insisting she does only God's work, Margaret is vain, jealous, and self-serving--always longing for the day when people will have to call her, My Lady, the King's Mother and when she will sign her name: Margaret R--for Margaret Regina--Margaret the Queen.

Overview:

I really enjoyed this book. The political machinations of pre-Tudor England are delightfully complex and yet relatable as described by the plotters themselves. Even though the main character was strongly unlikeable, you can completely understand how her mind works. Plus, she was never unlikeable in the "Ugh, I can't stand to read about this person" way but more in the "Ha, ha, something bad just happened to her, let's see how she weasels out of this" way. Gregory has a talent for making even unlikeable characters interesting. All of the other characters have their own agendas that you understand completely from how the author paints their personalities, and they are as rich and vibrant on the page as if they had stepped directly out of history. I know that Gregory embellishes, exaggerates, and sometimes downright changes things (though nothing big that I've noticed). But it is fiction and there's only so much we can know about these people. Gregory's tales are compelling enough wonder how much is true,and to wish or hope that some of it is true because by the end I always feel like I know these people.

However, I should note this is not a book if you're looking for a romance like those of The Other Bolyen girl or The White Queen. But I wasn't for once, so it was the perfect time for me to read this. Margaret does love, but she doesn't have time for it and love stays firmly in the background in this book.

8 / 10 stars * * * * * * * *

Spoilers:

I loved the portrayals of Margaret's husbands. They were all so distinct. I completely understood why a pious 13-year-old would be disgusted by the chore of begetting Edmund Tudor's heir. My heart broke for the gentle Sir Henry Stafford who wanted nothing more but to be left out of the war while his kindness and affection for Margaret was only rewarded with her scorning his practicality. At the same time, I also I loved the cunning duplicity and amorality of Thomas Stanley.

I thought the end was very well done. Even though I didn't like Margaret at all, I was glad that she finally got to sign her name, Margaret R. Perhaps going on the journey with her made me feel as if I too got to sign my name as queen. Or perhaps it's just a respect for someone so ambitious even if I don't like them.