The Queen's Rival

Name: The Queen's Rival
Brand: Harper UK
Availability: InStock
Author: Anne O'Brien
ISBN: 9780008225520

Author: Anne O'Brien

Narrator: Elaine Claxton

Unabridged: 15 hr 31 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Publisher: HQ

Published: 09/03/2020

Categories: Fiction, Historical Fiction, Romance, Literary Fiction, Suspense & Thriller

Synopsis

The forgotten story of Cecily Neville, Duchess of York. A strong woman who claimed the throne for her family in a time of war… ‘A compelling story of divided loyalties and family betrayals. Dramatic and highly evocative’ Woman & Home England, 1459. One family united by blood. Torn apart by war… The Wars of the Roses storm through the country, and Cecily Neville, Duchess of York, plots to topple the weak-minded King Henry VI from the throne. But when the Yorkists are defeated at the battle of Ludford Bridge, Cecily’s family flee and abandon her to face a marauding Lancastrian army on her own. Stripped of her lands and imprisoned in Tonbridge Castle, the Duchess begins to spin a web of deceit. One that will eventually lead to treason, to the fall of King Henry VI, and to her eldest son being crowned King Edward IV. ‘O’Brien manages to reinvent historical fiction’ ‘This thrilling historical novel has it all – high politics, drama, emotion, excellent writing … It's a rollercoaster of a read’ ‘Dramatic and highly evocative’

Reviews

Goodreads review by Deyanira on August 13, 2021

Unsuccessful telling The book tells the story of Cecily Neville who was indeed the rival to Margaret of Anjou although not for her own willing , Cecily was considered the right queen for the house of York while Margaret was the queen to the Lancasters, Cecily was in the middle of the war of two rose......more

Goodreads review by Oh on May 04, 2021

Any serious historical fiction addict will have one or two novels by Anne O’Brien on their bookcase, and I am no exception. However, although I have a copy of Queen of the North on my bookshelf, I have never gotten around to reading it. Don’t get me wrong, I have every intention of reading it, just......more

Goodreads review by Pauline on May 24, 2022

This is a novel about Cecily Neville that uses an epistolary style, in part. In the prologue Cecily addresses a note to her son Diccon who is marking his seventh birthday. She warns him not to write in the Book of Hours she has given him and to be careful with his father’s gift, a knife. Other notes......more

Goodreads review by Lois on June 23, 2022

I did not care for the style this was written in.......more

Quotes

‘A compelling story of divided loyalties and family betrayals. Dramatic and highly evocative’ Woman & Home ‘O'Brien manages to reinvent historical fiction by thrusting an untold story into the spotlight’ My Weekly ‘Dramatic and highly evocative’ Woman’s Weekly ‘This thrilling historical novel has it all – high politics, drama, emotion, excellent writing … It's a rollercoaster of a read’ Carol McGrath ‘Anne O’Brien leads us on a deftly woven journey through the endlessly fascinating life of Cecily Neville, Duchess of York. Impeccable research shines through in the depth of detail to pull the reader into the highs and lows of the House of York’s journeys around Fortune’s Wheel’ Matt Lewis Praise for Anne O’Brien: ‘One of the best writers around … she outdoes even Philippa Gregory’ ‘O’Brien is a terrific story teller’ ‘O’Brien cleverly intertwines the personal and political in this enjoyable, gripping tale’ ‘A gripping story of love, heartache and political intrigue’ ‘The characters are larger than life … and the author a compulsive storyteller’ ‘[A] fast-paced historical novel’ ‘This book has everything – royalty, scandal, fascinating historical politics’ ‘O’Brien’s page-turner vividly brings to life the restriction of women, and the compassion and strength of this real-life figure from medieval times’ ‘A gripping historical drama’ ‘Historical fiction at its best’ ‘Packed with drama, danger, romance and history … the perfect reading choice for the long winter nights’