Watching an adaptation rather than reading the book always feels like cheating, but sometimes I can't resist. There are just too many great stories out there and so many different ways to tell them well. Besides, when the screenwriter is Anthony Horowitz and he's adapting his own novel, 'Magpie Murders', you know you're in safe hands. Or as safe as they can be when there's a villain on the loose...
Showing posts with label bbc. Show all posts
Showing posts with label bbc. Show all posts
18 April 2023
19 July 2020
Ctrl Alt Delete: Back to Nineteen Eighty-Four
'Nineteen Eighty-Four' by George Orwell (Penguin Modern Classic edition, 2000)
One of the few fun features of lockdown has been getting a look inside people's homes during video calls. After a short while, it became obvious that people were curating the rooms they broadcast from. "I'm a family man!" cried the wall of kids photos and crayon drawings. "I've got incredible taste!" boasted a minimalist display of just one, large, abstract artwork. "I'm an intellectual!" crowed bookcases of leather-bound classics. The only problem is that bookshelves cannot be trusted. As many well publicised surveys have proven over the past decade, not only are shelves littered with unread volumes, but people happily lie about reading some of the world's most prestigious works. George Orwell's infamous novel 'Nineteen Eighty-Four' is often listed among them - ironic for a book themed around truth.
06 May 2019
Mr Bright Side
'Always Look on the Bright Side of Life: A Sortabiography' by Eric Idle (Weidenfeld and Nicolson, 2018)
After the intensity of 'The Five', I needed something more frivolous and optimistic. As it turns out, you can't really get more optimistic than Monty Python's Eric Idle.
'Always Look on the Bright Side of Life' is a scamper through the highs and lows (but mostly the highs) of the life of Eric Idle. After a childhood marred by the early loss of his father and an unpleasant spell at boarding school, Idle gained a place at Cambridge University in the 1960s, that now-legendary cradle of intellectuals and alternative comedy. In this Big Bang of confidence and creative energy, many significant cultural figures mixed, with groups forming, splitting and reforming, until the infamous Pythons gravitated together and stuck. Over the next 50 years, due to hard work and a positive attitude, Idle's career as a performer and writer thrived. As well as professional success in film, theatre and television, he became friends with many like-minded people (who also happen to be celebrities), including George Harrison and Robin Williams. 'Always Look on the Bright Side of Life' is a life story and a love story, about friendship as well as fame, humanity as well as humour. There is laughter, there are tears, but, somehow, there is always a bright side.
After the intensity of 'The Five', I needed something more frivolous and optimistic. As it turns out, you can't really get more optimistic than Monty Python's Eric Idle.
10 June 2017
Stormy Weather
Last week I finished 'The Angry Tide' by Winston Graham, the seventh Poldark novel. Normally I'm a bit of a sucker for a good book cover, but for some reason I didn't pay much attention to this one. Wish I had as I'd have been much better prepared for this book's revelations...
It's the last years of the 1700s and still waters run deep for the Poldarks and Warleggans. While both Ross and George appear prosperous and content, old rivalries continue to simmer beneath the surface and it's not long before they burst forth. While the enduringly bitter George seizes chances to conspire and strike against the Poldarks and their associates, an opportunity of another kind may mean a ray of hope for the unrequited lovers Morwenna and Drake. But best laid plans often go astray, especially in the storm ravaged Cornish peninsula...
I might be being a bit harsh, but I felt that 'The Angry Tide' took a while to get going, but once it did, boy did it go! Winston Graham shows himself to be a master plotter, deftly setting the scene and building the tension before letting the deluge go. I found this book almost impossible to put down, as wave after wave peaked and troughed until the story's devastating climax is reached.
Graham also shows himself to be an expert at the art of misdirection - just when I thought I knew which way things would go, the current took me elsewhere.
Along with the 'The Black Moon', I think this is the best of the series so far and that fans of historical fiction or family saga will love it too. I can't wait to get started on 'The Stranger from the Sea' - but I think it'll have to wait until after the new BBC series!
Related Posts
Ross Poldark
Demelza
Jeremy Poldark
Warleggan
The Black Moon
The Four Swans
 |
| 'The Angry Tide' by Winston Graham (2008, Pan Macmillan) |
I might be being a bit harsh, but I felt that 'The Angry Tide' took a while to get going, but once it did, boy did it go! Winston Graham shows himself to be a master plotter, deftly setting the scene and building the tension before letting the deluge go. I found this book almost impossible to put down, as wave after wave peaked and troughed until the story's devastating climax is reached.
Graham also shows himself to be an expert at the art of misdirection - just when I thought I knew which way things would go, the current took me elsewhere.
Along with the 'The Black Moon', I think this is the best of the series so far and that fans of historical fiction or family saga will love it too. I can't wait to get started on 'The Stranger from the Sea' - but I think it'll have to wait until after the new BBC series!
Related Posts
Ross Poldark
Demelza
Jeremy Poldark
Warleggan
The Black Moon
The Four Swans
31 December 2016
Secrets and Lies and a Man to Despise
I've now read six of Winston Graham's twelve Poldark novels, the latest being 'The Four Swans' and I'm already chomping at the bit for both the next book and BBC series.
Still waters run deep in 'The Four Swans'. While his mine's prosperity should mean the end of all Ross Poldark's worries, instead the political machinations of others and a naval officer's infatuation with his wife Demelza give him much cause for concern. George Warleggan looks like he's reaching the heights of power and influence, but Aunt Agatha's final curse has made him doubt the woman he prized and married. Meanwhile, Demelza's unfortunate brothers Sam and Drake are naively trying to live quiet lives and the lecherous Rev. Osborne Whitworth is failing to practise what he preaches. As truth, love and lies tangles each relationship, will anyone break free to find happiness?
By its very nature, a series of books must be populated by a swathe of characters otherwise there just aren't enough plot lines to go around. But it does make summarising what happened in one particular novel quite challenging! The paragraph above barely hints at what's going on, but, to be fair, all you really need to know is that if you enjoyed the previous books, you'll enjoy this one.
Although... If you thought Rev. Whitworth couldn't get any worse, it turns out he can. Never have I wanted a character to come to a sticky end as much as Rev. Whitworth. I keep being told by people who've read the whole series that he'll get his comeuppance, but I'm not sure how much longer I can wait for it to happen! I know that Graham is representing 18th century attitudes to women, but rarely has a character made me so angry. Goodness knows how the BBC are going to cope with his plot line in series three bearing in mind what happened with 'that scene' in series two!
Anyway, overall, 'The Four Swans' is of the same, high quality as the previous Poldark novels and will give fans much to mull over. It's as engrossing as the other books and progresses the stories of all the key characters. I ended it wanting more, but that's fine because there are another six books to go!
Now, back to the shelves!
Related Posts
'Ross Poldark' (Book One)
'Demelza' (Book Two)
'Warleggan' (Book Four)
'The Black Moon' (Book Five)
 |
| 'The Four Swans' by Winston Graham (2008, Pan Macmillan) |
By its very nature, a series of books must be populated by a swathe of characters otherwise there just aren't enough plot lines to go around. But it does make summarising what happened in one particular novel quite challenging! The paragraph above barely hints at what's going on, but, to be fair, all you really need to know is that if you enjoyed the previous books, you'll enjoy this one.
Although... If you thought Rev. Whitworth couldn't get any worse, it turns out he can. Never have I wanted a character to come to a sticky end as much as Rev. Whitworth. I keep being told by people who've read the whole series that he'll get his comeuppance, but I'm not sure how much longer I can wait for it to happen! I know that Graham is representing 18th century attitudes to women, but rarely has a character made me so angry. Goodness knows how the BBC are going to cope with his plot line in series three bearing in mind what happened with 'that scene' in series two!
Anyway, overall, 'The Four Swans' is of the same, high quality as the previous Poldark novels and will give fans much to mull over. It's as engrossing as the other books and progresses the stories of all the key characters. I ended it wanting more, but that's fine because there are another six books to go!
Now, back to the shelves!
Related Posts
'Ross Poldark' (Book One)
'Demelza' (Book Two)
'Warleggan' (Book Four)
'The Black Moon' (Book Five)
25 September 2015
Girls on Film
Finishing 'The Kingmaker's Daughter' by Philippa Gregory meant I felt ready to watch the BBC series 'The White Queen', starring Rebecca Ferguson (Elizabeth Woodville), Amanda Hale (Margaret Beaufort, 'The Red Queen') and Faye Marsay (Anne Neville, 'The Kingmaker's Daughter').
Originally broadcast on BBC One in 2013, 'The White Queen' is based on three of the Cousins' War novels, 'The White Queen', 'The Red Queen' and 'The Kingmaker's Daughter'. It brings to life a dark and complex world of conspiracies, alliances and dynastic ambition, not to mention all the books' key players.
I'm really glad that I waited until I'd read all three of the source novels before watching this. The reason why films and TV series often fail to convince readers is simply because their writers can't squeeze everything in a book(s) into a few hours of screen time. This leaves them with a tough choice; cut chunks of the original story or squeeze everything in without covering it properly. My memory may be letting me down, but I'm pretty sure that the makers of 'The White Queen' went for the latter option, which meant that it was actually a really useful reminder of what happened in the books rather than a standalone piece in its own right. It may not be what the BBC originally intended, but I feel well prepared for 'The White Princess' and her successors now!
On the whole, I thought the casting was strong and the actors did a good job. Rebecca Ferguson and the other leading ladies were excellent, but Max Irons (Edward IV) didn't work for me and James Frain (Earl of Warwick) wasn't my image of the Kingmaker at all. Frain's a great actor who I've enjoyed in many other films and programmes, but I feel he's at his best when playing slippery politicians rather than bullish warriors. I just couldn't imagine him having the physical power to wield a sword in battle, which was slightly distracting. Just like the books, it was an interesting ensemble piece, however, and it worked because the collective talent present was so strong. I've spent so much time on IMDb checking people I'd seen somewhere before!
A lot of work had clearly gone into the gorgeous costumes and the use of colour was thoughtful. Several times I found myself wishing I could wear a few of the stunning gowns - both luxurious and warm looking! But where were the hats? Duchess Cecily had a couple of nice bits of headgear,but on the whole they seemed to be completely absent, which seemed a bit odd when they got so many mentions in the books.
The other element I usually like in a historical drama is the locations. 'The White Queen' was filmed in Belgium and provided some stunning backgrounds. The set piece coronations and court scenes offered a glimpse of medieval glamour and made rooms that seem spartan by today's standards rich and opulent, full of brightly coloured glass and richly embroidered hangings. But all too often it felt restricted and fairy tale-esque and none of the exteriors really felt like, well, England.
On the whole, I enjoyed 'The White Queen', but it'll probably be a while before I watch it again. It was a useful revision tool, but on the whole felt too clean and tidy to have the sense of time and place that I always bang on about in historical novels. On the one hand, I completely understand that the tumble-down structures we see today aren't the highly painted and richly furnished castles and churches our ancestors would've recognised, but equally everything looked a bit too fresh out of the box to be completely believable in this programme.
I've heard rumours that a new series based on 'The White Princess' may follow. I think I would watch it, but I really do need to read the books first!
Now, back to the books!
Related Links
Official BBC One Website
IMDb site
Philippa Gregory Official Website
Originally broadcast on BBC One in 2013, 'The White Queen' is based on three of the Cousins' War novels, 'The White Queen', 'The Red Queen' and 'The Kingmaker's Daughter'. It brings to life a dark and complex world of conspiracies, alliances and dynastic ambition, not to mention all the books' key players.
I'm really glad that I waited until I'd read all three of the source novels before watching this. The reason why films and TV series often fail to convince readers is simply because their writers can't squeeze everything in a book(s) into a few hours of screen time. This leaves them with a tough choice; cut chunks of the original story or squeeze everything in without covering it properly. My memory may be letting me down, but I'm pretty sure that the makers of 'The White Queen' went for the latter option, which meant that it was actually a really useful reminder of what happened in the books rather than a standalone piece in its own right. It may not be what the BBC originally intended, but I feel well prepared for 'The White Princess' and her successors now!
On the whole, I thought the casting was strong and the actors did a good job. Rebecca Ferguson and the other leading ladies were excellent, but Max Irons (Edward IV) didn't work for me and James Frain (Earl of Warwick) wasn't my image of the Kingmaker at all. Frain's a great actor who I've enjoyed in many other films and programmes, but I feel he's at his best when playing slippery politicians rather than bullish warriors. I just couldn't imagine him having the physical power to wield a sword in battle, which was slightly distracting. Just like the books, it was an interesting ensemble piece, however, and it worked because the collective talent present was so strong. I've spent so much time on IMDb checking people I'd seen somewhere before!
A lot of work had clearly gone into the gorgeous costumes and the use of colour was thoughtful. Several times I found myself wishing I could wear a few of the stunning gowns - both luxurious and warm looking! But where were the hats? Duchess Cecily had a couple of nice bits of headgear,but on the whole they seemed to be completely absent, which seemed a bit odd when they got so many mentions in the books.
The other element I usually like in a historical drama is the locations. 'The White Queen' was filmed in Belgium and provided some stunning backgrounds. The set piece coronations and court scenes offered a glimpse of medieval glamour and made rooms that seem spartan by today's standards rich and opulent, full of brightly coloured glass and richly embroidered hangings. But all too often it felt restricted and fairy tale-esque and none of the exteriors really felt like, well, England.
On the whole, I enjoyed 'The White Queen', but it'll probably be a while before I watch it again. It was a useful revision tool, but on the whole felt too clean and tidy to have the sense of time and place that I always bang on about in historical novels. On the one hand, I completely understand that the tumble-down structures we see today aren't the highly painted and richly furnished castles and churches our ancestors would've recognised, but equally everything looked a bit too fresh out of the box to be completely believable in this programme.
I've heard rumours that a new series based on 'The White Princess' may follow. I think I would watch it, but I really do need to read the books first!
Now, back to the books!
Related Links
Official BBC One Website
IMDb site
Philippa Gregory Official Website
05 June 2015
Gag About
I love the comedy on Radio Four and Radio Four Extra. From the wicked wordplay of 'Just a Minute' to the affectionate farce of 'Cabin Pressure', these stations have kept me entertained for hours at home and on my travels. Two of my favourite programmes are Mark Steel's 'Lectures', which look at historical figures with awe, fascination and an eye for the human behind the name, and 'In Town', which kind of does the same thing for British towns and cities. So I was delighted when I discovered that there was a book to go with 'Mark Steel's In Town'.
Mark Steel has criss-crossed the country performing stand up inspired by the many different and unique places he's visited. But this is a travelogue with a difference. Instead of despairing at the sameness of modern high streets and telling jokes which make audiences laugh at broad, shared experiences, he's been on the hunt for each place's passion and individuality. From Penzance to Kent, Orkney to Portland and Merthyr Tydfil to Norwich, the comic and writer finds local stories of heroes and villains, explosive celebrations and historic eccentricity. Above all, he discovers that all is not lost and that people and communities are defiantly idiosyncratic, despite the best efforts of big retail businesses and growing standardisation.
This is a great book to dip in and out of, but, to be honest, it was a bit tough to read as a whole. Mr Steel often writes as he speaks, so some of the sentences ran over so many lines that I had to go back and read them again to make sure I'd not missed anything. Fortunately, I could get around this by imagining him actually saying them, but this might be a bit hard for anyone who doesn't know what he sounds like!
It was also very tempting to just skip to the places I know. Because there's no overarching structure as such, i.e. Mr Steel is not trying to win a bet or reach a specific destination, I suppose there was nothing to stop me doing this, but I always want to do each book justice.
Overall, this book was OK and I really feel that Mr Steel's hopeful message - that despite bland modern standardisation, many communities remain as defiantly different as ever - is an important one, but, really, it's the shows that make this come across best. So, the next time Mark Steel's in town, why don't you pop along and see him for yourself?
Now, what next..?
Related Links
Back Catalogue of 'The Mark Steel Lectures'
Current Series of 'Mark Steel's In Town'
Mark Steel has criss-crossed the country performing stand up inspired by the many different and unique places he's visited. But this is a travelogue with a difference. Instead of despairing at the sameness of modern high streets and telling jokes which make audiences laugh at broad, shared experiences, he's been on the hunt for each place's passion and individuality. From Penzance to Kent, Orkney to Portland and Merthyr Tydfil to Norwich, the comic and writer finds local stories of heroes and villains, explosive celebrations and historic eccentricity. Above all, he discovers that all is not lost and that people and communities are defiantly idiosyncratic, despite the best efforts of big retail businesses and growing standardisation.
This is a great book to dip in and out of, but, to be honest, it was a bit tough to read as a whole. Mr Steel often writes as he speaks, so some of the sentences ran over so many lines that I had to go back and read them again to make sure I'd not missed anything. Fortunately, I could get around this by imagining him actually saying them, but this might be a bit hard for anyone who doesn't know what he sounds like!
It was also very tempting to just skip to the places I know. Because there's no overarching structure as such, i.e. Mr Steel is not trying to win a bet or reach a specific destination, I suppose there was nothing to stop me doing this, but I always want to do each book justice.
Overall, this book was OK and I really feel that Mr Steel's hopeful message - that despite bland modern standardisation, many communities remain as defiantly different as ever - is an important one, but, really, it's the shows that make this come across best. So, the next time Mark Steel's in town, why don't you pop along and see him for yourself?
Now, what next..?
Related Links
Back Catalogue of 'The Mark Steel Lectures'
Current Series of 'Mark Steel's In Town'
30 July 2013
The Bland Queen
I have finally finished 'The White Queen' by Philippa Gregory, the second in the 'Cousins at War' series of books (chronologically anyway!).
'The White Queen' picks up where 'The Lady of the Rivers' finished, with Jaquetta's (Lady Rivers') daughter Elizabeth Woodville heading out to meet King Edward IV at the roadside. Elizabeth is a noted beauty and Edward a notorious womaniser, so it's not surprising that romance (or lust depending on how you look at it) follows. The couple marry in secret, an act which has terrible repercussions, bringing war back to the country once more. Whether married for love or political ambition, Elizabeth, now the White Queen of York, finds herself on a journey that sees her become by turns first lady of the land and outlaw in sanctuary fearing for her life and the lives of her children. So where will the White Queen's Wheel of Fortune stop turning?
I'm sorry to say that I didn't really begin to get into this book until about two thirds of the way through. The first part is basically historical fiction romance porn, full of lust and illicit love affairs, the second part sees Elizabeth a long way from the action (at this point I wanted to follow her husband's narrative, not hers) and finally, in the third part, the White Queen starts to get fleshed out a bit and become a real, interesting character.
The final chapters see her hiding in sanctuary with her children, at which point conflict begins to develop between her and her eldest daughter, all based around Elizabeth's 'ambition'. To be honest, I hadn't noticed that she was ambitious until this point, just that she was a pawn of her mother (who has changed a lot since 'The Lady of the Rivers'). But once she'd been told she is ambitious, Elizabeth seemed keen to make up for lost time. As well as being ambitious, Elizabeth is also shown to be hopelessly politically naive, which makes it much easier to see her as a human being and even begin to relate to her. Before that, I couldn't get any sort of grip on her motivations and it made it hard to like/dislike/care about her.
There also seems to be a lot of padding in this book, a lot of phrases and ideas repeated within pages just in different words. I got absolutely sick of hearing about Elizabeth's hat coming off and her hair being unpinned and falling down. Also, the habit of modern language slipping through which I first noticed in 'The Other Queen' has reared its ugly head again. Note to editors: If a sentence ends with 'here' and when you delete it the meaning stays the same, then delete it.
Sadly, this book feels like a first draft. There is a really great story in here and it's an OK read if you've got the time to spend on it, but I know Ms Gregory can do better and it's really disappointing to read something that just doesn't hit the usual mark. Then again, it's often things going wrong that make you appreciate it when they go right. So bring on the Red Queen!
'The White Queen' picks up where 'The Lady of the Rivers' finished, with Jaquetta's (Lady Rivers') daughter Elizabeth Woodville heading out to meet King Edward IV at the roadside. Elizabeth is a noted beauty and Edward a notorious womaniser, so it's not surprising that romance (or lust depending on how you look at it) follows. The couple marry in secret, an act which has terrible repercussions, bringing war back to the country once more. Whether married for love or political ambition, Elizabeth, now the White Queen of York, finds herself on a journey that sees her become by turns first lady of the land and outlaw in sanctuary fearing for her life and the lives of her children. So where will the White Queen's Wheel of Fortune stop turning?
 |
| 'The White Queen' by Philippa Gregory (Simon & Schuster UK Ltd, 2009) |
The final chapters see her hiding in sanctuary with her children, at which point conflict begins to develop between her and her eldest daughter, all based around Elizabeth's 'ambition'. To be honest, I hadn't noticed that she was ambitious until this point, just that she was a pawn of her mother (who has changed a lot since 'The Lady of the Rivers'). But once she'd been told she is ambitious, Elizabeth seemed keen to make up for lost time. As well as being ambitious, Elizabeth is also shown to be hopelessly politically naive, which makes it much easier to see her as a human being and even begin to relate to her. Before that, I couldn't get any sort of grip on her motivations and it made it hard to like/dislike/care about her.
There also seems to be a lot of padding in this book, a lot of phrases and ideas repeated within pages just in different words. I got absolutely sick of hearing about Elizabeth's hat coming off and her hair being unpinned and falling down. Also, the habit of modern language slipping through which I first noticed in 'The Other Queen' has reared its ugly head again. Note to editors: If a sentence ends with 'here' and when you delete it the meaning stays the same, then delete it.
Sadly, this book feels like a first draft. There is a really great story in here and it's an OK read if you've got the time to spend on it, but I know Ms Gregory can do better and it's really disappointing to read something that just doesn't hit the usual mark. Then again, it's often things going wrong that make you appreciate it when they go right. So bring on the Red Queen!
08 July 2013
Rivers Run Through It
See what happens when I get a bit determined? A 497 page book read in nine days flat. Result!
I've just finished reading 'The Lady of the Rivers', chronologically the first in Philippa Gregory's 'Cousins at War' series. I was getting a bit washed out by the flood of promotion around the BBC series based on the books, so thought I'd better get started on the novels so I could watch it!
The lady of the title is Jacquetta, a daughter of the House of Luxembourg, a family which traces its source to a union between a man and the water sprite Melusina. These unusual origins are said to give the Luxembourg women the gift of foresight, bringing Jacquetta to the attention of the Duke of Bedford, King Henry VI of England's commander in France. Bedford marries Jacquetta to use her in his alchemical experiments and no more, leaving her feeling unhappy and confused. The waters are muddied further when she begins to have feelings for one of the Duke's retinue, Richard Woodville. When the tide of war turns and the Duke and his household return to England, they find a king whose direction changes with his advisor and an increasingly disgruntled ruling class. Will Bedford convince the King to fund the fight in France? Can Jacquetta find love and retain her honour? Could disagreement between royal cousins really lead to war?
You have no idea how hard it was for me not to say more in that paragraph. This is really only the very start of a book which took me on an unexpected journey through the early years of the Wars of the Roses, as we call them today. All I really know about them is that Henry VII brought them to an end through battle and marriage. As such, even though this is clearly historical fiction, 'The Lady of the Rivers' gave me a taste of the era and an overview of the key events that has made me want to read more. This is just as well as there are another three books in the series already and at least one more on the way.
Which leads me onto a bit of a niggle I have. As readers can see from the family tree at the front of the paperback edition, Jacquetta is rather 'productive', giving birth to 14 children by the end of the novel. Somehow she carries these babies successfully while riding horses, getting caught up with the boisterous London mob and stressing about her husband, children and Queen. Clearly, she was made of stern stuff!
As I say, though, this really was just a drop in the ocean, much like the alchemy near the start of the book. There was a point at which I thought "Where on Earth is this going?" because I was a bit worried that the themes of magic and alchemy were going to drain the book's feel of realism. Talk to any Philippa Gregory fan and they'll tell you that they love the way she evokes the past and makes it feel realistic, so it worried me a bit that the novel might be slipping into 'Lord of the Rings' territory!
I needn't have worried on either count, though, as 'The Lady of the Rivers' is an absorbing book introducing fascinating historical figures and a time period I really would like to know more about. Not only am I hoping that the other books in the series will help to start bridging the gap in my knowledge, I hope that the people they introduce will be equally intriguing and I'll get so swept up in the flow of the story that I'll read them just as quickly!
Now, to 'The White Queen'!
I've just finished reading 'The Lady of the Rivers', chronologically the first in Philippa Gregory's 'Cousins at War' series. I was getting a bit washed out by the flood of promotion around the BBC series based on the books, so thought I'd better get started on the novels so I could watch it!
 |
| 'The Lady of the Rivers' by Philppa Gregory (Simon & Schuster UK, 2012) |
You have no idea how hard it was for me not to say more in that paragraph. This is really only the very start of a book which took me on an unexpected journey through the early years of the Wars of the Roses, as we call them today. All I really know about them is that Henry VII brought them to an end through battle and marriage. As such, even though this is clearly historical fiction, 'The Lady of the Rivers' gave me a taste of the era and an overview of the key events that has made me want to read more. This is just as well as there are another three books in the series already and at least one more on the way.
Which leads me onto a bit of a niggle I have. As readers can see from the family tree at the front of the paperback edition, Jacquetta is rather 'productive', giving birth to 14 children by the end of the novel. Somehow she carries these babies successfully while riding horses, getting caught up with the boisterous London mob and stressing about her husband, children and Queen. Clearly, she was made of stern stuff!
As I say, though, this really was just a drop in the ocean, much like the alchemy near the start of the book. There was a point at which I thought "Where on Earth is this going?" because I was a bit worried that the themes of magic and alchemy were going to drain the book's feel of realism. Talk to any Philippa Gregory fan and they'll tell you that they love the way she evokes the past and makes it feel realistic, so it worried me a bit that the novel might be slipping into 'Lord of the Rings' territory!
I needn't have worried on either count, though, as 'The Lady of the Rivers' is an absorbing book introducing fascinating historical figures and a time period I really would like to know more about. Not only am I hoping that the other books in the series will help to start bridging the gap in my knowledge, I hope that the people they introduce will be equally intriguing and I'll get so swept up in the flow of the story that I'll read them just as quickly!
Now, to 'The White Queen'!
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