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13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
The author is a better writer, the book is true historical fiction, but this book feels rushed, May 30, 2006
This review is from: The Uncrowned Queen: A Novel (Paperback)
I will admit to loving the first book in this series mostly because of the fantastically titillating sex scenes. The second book I thought was ok, but not as romantic or interesting as the first. This third book, the last in the Anne series, may be the best in terms of writing style, but I felt it was quite rushed in parts. It is, however, officially a work of true historical fiction, not just romance as the first mostly was (there are only two sex scenes in this book and they are quite artistic, not very descriptive.)
The Uncrowned Queen (a title that makes no sense-the Australian title "The Beloved" really fits better) takes place in the two years that follow Edward IV being ousted from England by Margaret of Anjou and the earl of Warwick, along with his troublesome, treasonous brother George, Duke of Clarence. At the start of the book Edward is in the Netherlands for some six months before taking back his throne, at which point insane Henry VI died rather conveniently. Anne, Edward's love and mother of his first born son, is with Edward in the Netherlands, and is accused of witch craft by a doctor turned monk while helping Edward to retake his throne. Later a Norse sea captain who works for Anne's former master, Sir Mathew, declares in love with Anne and chases her, and her son Edward, the Kings son, about the Netherlands and England.
I was wondering how this book would be handled, considering that during this period Edward has a legitimate son (Anne bore his first son some three years before), probably kills Henry VI, Anne's father (though she's never met him) and dies about ten years later, fat and without morals. How the author handled all this was by glossing over most of the major parts of the book. Henry VI is barely touched upon and all of Anne's choices seem to be made in about a second, despite her seeming protests and endless hours thinking and obsessing over her pride and choices. The last hundred pages of the book is almost totally a series of critical life changing events that are only skimmed along the surface.
The relationship of Edward and Anne is extremely different in this book from what I remembered. They are very tentative with each other and prideful. Neither one will listen to the other-different from the loving and tender relationship they had in the previous books. I think Posie Graeme-Evans got very infatuated with the idea of Lief, a Norse captain who falls in love with Anne, and the primary focus of the book suffers because of that.
The parts of this book that are fully described are very good. Posie Graeme-Evans has grown to be a very good writer and Anne emerges in this book as an actual person who is quite tormented with sadness, as opposed to the Mary-Sue perfect character she seemed to be before. But those parts are few and far between. This book has the feel, in some parts, of a first or second draft that needs to be filled out. Weirdly, what are best portrayed in this book are the clothes of the people. There are endless descriptions of clothes.
All in all I liked this book, for all it's faults. I didn't really like the ending because it was rushed, and I just didn't like the way it ended. Though, I suppose it had to end somehow, and that ending was never going to be fairy tale perfect. I may read this series again someday, because I now believe Posie Graeme-Evans has serious potential as a writer of historical fiction, but I still feel this book would have been much better if she'd worked on it for a couple of months more and added maybe a hundred pages of scenes that are missing. I will be on the lookout for her work in the future though.
Ms. Graeme-Evans, my congrulations on the series and I look forward for future books of yours. Please don't be offended by my comments.
Four stars.
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10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Third in the series, July 11, 2006
This review is from: The Uncrowned Queen: A Novel (Paperback)
The Uncrowned Queen, the finalé to Posie Graeme-Evans' Anne trilogy, picks up eighteen months after The Exile. Commencing shortly after Edward Plantagenet, Edward the IV, lost the throne of England to the Lancastrian line (Henry VI and his wife, Margaret of Anjou) for several months in 1470-1471, Anne de Bohun lives on a small farm outside the walls of Brugge. In the eighteen months since Anne has seen her lover, Edward the IV, she has returned to the a more natural life, growing saffron and other medicinal herbs while tending to her growing son Edward.
Edward has fled England, driven away by the combined treachery of Richard Neville, 16th Earl of Warwick and George, Duke of Clarence, Edward's younger brother. Seeking shelter at Binnenhof with his friend Louis de Gruuthuis, the governor of the province of Holland for Charles, Duke of Burgundy, Edward hopes that Charles will lend aid to recover the English throne. Faced with a strong foe in Louis XI, King of France who is plotting with Warwick to reinstate Henry VI on the English throne, Charles faces war with France if he assists his brother-in-law Edward.
Anne, close friends with Charles's wife, is Edward's only hope to broker a deal with Charles and, as a last resort, he sends her the desperate message `The king needs you.' Charles has the means to help Edward regain his throne, but the question is, will he? Will Edward and Anne be reunited for good? The Uncrowned Queen is a memorable and dazzling end to an incredible story.
Set amidst a turbulent period in European history, Graeme-Evans has created a compelling love story which manages to hold up amidst the political drama which drives the plot. Although the character of Anne is fictitious, Edward IV is known to have had many mistresses, and fathered children with several of them so the relationship, which has developed through this trilogy, has a ring of truth.
What is most fascinating in Graeme-Evans' writing is the portrait of Richard, Duke of Gloucester, Edward's other brother. Long viewed as the scheming hunchback protrayed by Shakespeare in Richard III, Graeme-Evans portrays him as Edward's right hand and most trusted supporter. This portrait is so at odds with the conventional understanding of Richard, that it has prompted this reviewer to seek out contemporary biographies of both Richard and Edward IV to better understand this turbulent period in England's history.
The Uncrowned Queen (or The Beloved as it is titled outside of North America), while the concluding chapter in a trilogy, contains enough adventure, passion and drama to engage readers, even if they have not read the preceding two instalments of Anne's journey.
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7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
1.0 out of 5 stars
Poor example of writing, January 15, 2007
This review is from: The Uncrowned Queen: A Novel (Paperback)
Very disappointing; not worth the money. I was dismayed this book was even taken up by a publisher. Each book in the 3 series worsened in plot and quality. Fragmented plot without explanations for major changes; no development. It was as if the only thing important was that the female lead end up with a man in her life to take care of her -- and you could spot the end coming from nearly page one. Contrast this with such incredible historical fiction authors such as Janet Gleeson -- who is meticulous in her development, research in historical accuracy, and yet truly manages to be wonderfully entertaining with characters that are so well developed, one feels as if each is personally known.
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