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The Queen of Last Hopes The Story of Margaret of Anjou Susan Higginbotham Books

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The Queen of Last Hopes The Story of Margaret of Anjou Susan Higginbotham Books

Higginbotham chose a different path in writing up this story about Margaret of Anjou by having the story mostly told through Margaret's voice but there are chapters in other character's voices, including her son and husband. I'm always sad about stories where people are married in their mid teens and have to make decisions that can throw countries into civil war, as was the case here. Margaret of Anjou was sent to England at the age of 15 -- from a poor but titled family related to the King of France, who uses her as a pawn to somehow gain peace between the two countries.

But soon, when England and France do not find peace and England loses battles, civil strife occurs. And it doesn't help that Henry Vi is touched with a bit of madness as was his grandfather. But the worst is that he is woefully unprepared for rule and has no instinct for the intrigue that surrounds him. Margaret is the same, and worse, because it takes her eight years to bring forth the one child of their union. When he is born, she is slandered from all sides who believe that the child must be someone else's because of the madness of her husband. While they try to hold the tide against those who would take the throne from them, things go from bad to worse. This is a kingdom without a standing army and many shifting loyalties. For Queen Margaret, there is only the need to protect her husband and her son but she has become the liability for those she loves.

While I found it an interesting story, and Higginbotham undoubtedly did her homework on the story and the characters, I never got to the point of where I felt for Margaret. In many ways, I felt she and the other main players remained one-dimensional characters. I did not feel that I was invested in the book, the characters or got the reasons for the War of the Roses. It had to be more to it than the length of time for Margaret to get pregnant, that England lost some battles (the country never appeared to be on the verge of invasion by France), or that Henry spent a period being mad. Most of that would not have swung the general populace against them.

The clues may be farther buried into the War of the Roses, which was a battle between Britain's competing royal bloodlines: Henry's House of Lancaster and Richard, Duke of York, and his heir, Edward, for the House of Plantagenet. The decisive battle came down to Henry Tudor (Lancastrian) and Richard III on the field of Bosworth Field. Henry VII then married Elizabeth of York, uniting the two sides. It is those competing bloodlines -- that aren't really talked about in Higginbotham's book -- and the weakness of Henry VI, that probably created the situation in which Margaret married. There was no winning for Margaret and never much of a chance. Without this context and the lack of a more three-dimensional character, the book became less engrossing for me. I wanted more.


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The Queen of Last Hopes The Story of Margaret of Anjou Susan Higginbotham Books Reviews

I was excited to read this book when I read the description. History is often one sided and we usually only see the story from the perspective of the winner. Because of this I am always looking for alternate versions told from a different perspective. This book provides a different perspective on Margaret of Anjou, one of the most hated Queens in England's history. She has always been portrayed as a power hungry she devil who most likely cheated on her husband and tried to take power for herself not out of a desire to protect her husband's throne when he was unfit to rule, but for her own selfish nature. This book tries to show Margaret as a loyal wife who loved her husband deeply and only wanted to protect him, though she had been unfaithful to him towards the end. I have always believed that the truth in history is somewhere in between the story told by the losers and the story told by the winners. This story didn't skate the middle ground but went a little to far over to the other side. I would have liked a more neutral perspective, but the only negative thing that was told about her was her affair with another man that took place while she and her son were on the run from the Yorkist forces. This book was average in every way and I don't think I will read anything else by this author unless the book was deeply discounted.
I was first introduced to this author earlier this year, and I’ve been working through her stuff throughout. She has a real gift for historical fiction that I’ve had pleasure in experiencing. This addition is no exception.

Again, she is able to give life to her historical figures like few others can. I was especially impressed with Henry. History likes to forget him as the mad, weak king. You’re left with an image of a muttering, sad wreck of a man staring off into space and not acknowledging anyone or anything. Yet, there was so much more to him. Yes, that happened for a time, but overall he was just a gentle soul who really wasn’t made for the harsh times he lived in. I liked seeing his depth of courage and his quietly solid convictions that Susan portrayed.

Then, of course, there’s Margaret. Young, inexperienced for the position she was thrust into, but brave and loyal to the end, she brings the reader into her struggle and life with an iron will in a velvet glove. If ever there was a woman in history who deserved the name of “she-wolf”, it was her (and I mean that as a compliment). Sucking me into her struggle and tumultuous life from page one, her characterization is to die for.

There’s the great setting and building up of the political situation of the turbulent Wars of the Roses as well. The reader gets a real sense for what’s happening where and how it affects all the different parties involved. I was able to keep everything straight which is a hard thing to do in this time period for me. The author brings to life the great battles and struggles along with the intimate life at court.

Another great winner from Higginbotham, I loved Margaret’s and Henry’s characters; they really breathed with life. The author also excels with the setting and historical details. I look forward to exploring this author’s other works and any future ones. I know that she has one coming out in 2016 that’s already on my most-anticipated list. Highly recommended for historical fiction lovers, especially for those who love the crazy world of the Wars of the Roses.
Higginbotham chose a different path in writing up this story about Margaret of Anjou by having the story mostly told through Margaret's voice but there are chapters in other character's voices, including her son and husband. I'm always sad about stories where people are married in their mid teens and have to make decisions that can throw countries into civil war, as was the case here. Margaret of Anjou was sent to England at the age of 15 -- from a poor but titled family related to the King of France, who uses her as a pawn to somehow gain peace between the two countries.

But soon, when England and France do not find peace and England loses battles, civil strife occurs. And it doesn't help that Henry Vi is touched with a bit of madness as was his grandfather. But the worst is that he is woefully unprepared for rule and has no instinct for the intrigue that surrounds him. Margaret is the same, and worse, because it takes her eight years to bring forth the one child of their union. When he is born, she is slandered from all sides who believe that the child must be someone else's because of the madness of her husband. While they try to hold the tide against those who would take the throne from them, things go from bad to worse. This is a kingdom without a standing army and many shifting loyalties. For Queen Margaret, there is only the need to protect her husband and her son but she has become the liability for those she loves.

While I found it an interesting story, and Higginbotham undoubtedly did her homework on the story and the characters, I never got to the point of where I felt for Margaret. In many ways, I felt she and the other main players remained one-dimensional characters. I did not feel that I was invested in the book, the characters or got the reasons for the War of the Roses. It had to be more to it than the length of time for Margaret to get pregnant, that England lost some battles (the country never appeared to be on the verge of invasion by France), or that Henry spent a period being mad. Most of that would not have swung the general populace against them.

The clues may be farther buried into the War of the Roses, which was a battle between Britain's competing royal bloodlines Henry's House of Lancaster and Richard, Duke of York, and his heir, Edward, for the House of Plantagenet. The decisive battle came down to Henry Tudor (Lancastrian) and Richard III on the field of Bosworth Field. Henry VII then married Elizabeth of York, uniting the two sides. It is those competing bloodlines -- that aren't really talked about in Higginbotham's book -- and the weakness of Henry VI, that probably created the situation in which Margaret married. There was no winning for Margaret and never much of a chance. Without this context and the lack of a more three-dimensional character, the book became less engrossing for me. I wanted more.