The King's Daughter was quite good. There is so little written about "the invisible queen," so you can look at it two ways: Sandra Worth either had a really difficult time crafting Elizabeth of York's story or an incredibly easy one. Of course, she had to stay true to well-documented events surrounding Edward IV, Richard III and Henry VI's reigns and did an excellent job of that. The theory that she supports in her novel about the two princes in the tower is a very interesting one...

Overall, some great historical fiction. Sandra Worth is becoming a favorite on the shelf.

Perhaps I've been spoiled by the last book I just read, The Sunne in Splendour, but I found this exploration of Elizabeth of York's life lacking.

The writing was clunky and awkward. Mostly modern language had strange, Shakespearean sentences sporadically sprinkled about for seemingly no reason. Though well researched, the insertion of history into Elizabeth's story usually consisted of the action grinding to a halt while Elizabeth (the book is written in 1st person) gives the reader the who's who of the War of the Roses. She also uses the same stylistic tools over and over again; Henry must have stormed out of Elizabeth's room with a quip about her father 6 times, and if I was told, rather than shown, one more time about how much Elizabeth hated confrontation I was going to scream. Also, the Perkin Warbeck thing dragged on for EVER AND EVER. I'm sure it did so in real life, but she was not able to keep the tension and fear up for the reader.

Most people enjoy writing and reading historical fiction for the "what ifs?" and so I won't say anything about the less likely spins she has on various mysteries. However, I read historical fiction for the "whys?" I enjoy delving into possible motivations we can only indirectly infer from a person's actions. Ms. Worth does not really attempt to do this at all. Because of this, all of her characters are either GOOD or BAD.

GOOD: Richard, Anne, Edward IV, Elizabeth, De Puebla, Arthur
BAD: Elizabeth Woodville, Margaret Beaufort, Bishop Morton, Harry (future Henry VIII)

Now I'm not claiming that these people on the "bad" list were actually wonderful, saintly people, but everyone has their reasons, even if they're terrible greedy ones, and it's often the reasons that makes a person interesting. Without an exploration of this, many of her characters became two-dimensional cards.

The only remotely ambiguous character is Henry VII himself, but only to the slightest degree, and there are still many questions about the man left unanswered. Like: if he truly didn't give two shakes about Elizabeth, then why was he seemingly faithful to her, or at least very very quiet about his affairs? This was not the behavior of most kings.

I would say the most disappointing characterization was the future Henry VIII, because it was such a cheap shot, and to make Arthur good and perfect and sensitive and Harry a sociopath was too cliche and shallow to be taken seriously.

This was not a downright TERRIBLE book, mostly because she never goes out to left field in terms of the research and history, but there are many many better books out there exploring this time period and these characters. (I would also like to point out that on Goodreads, 2 stars equals "It was ok" which is exactly how I feel about this book.)

I first started reading this book with the intention to read a few pages to see if I wanted this to be the next book for reading. Before I knew it, I was on page 75. The story pulled me right in. It was hard for me to lay down the book for sleep as I wanted to know more.

The King's Daughter is told from the perspective of King Edward IV's daughter - Elizabeth. She starts her narration from her tender age of 5 and moves forward. There is a handy Family chart placed in the front of the book. I must say, thank God for the chart as all the players involved becomes complex...I lost track a couple if times in regards to who is who. My goodness, the King/Queen business of the late 1400s and onward is a tricky business of trying to stay one step ahead of those who wish to overthrow and behead. So not the life for me.

As the story progress, I became completely drawn in to where I could not put the book down at all. Why was I so drawn in?
Elizabeth tugged on my emotions. She was a girl/woman who accepted her lot/fate in life-she accepted her duty as a royal even though it did not bring her personal happiness. Elizabeth endeared herself to me for her undying love for her Father and for her deep feelings that she must conduct herself with dignity and choose her words wisely. She was fully aware that she was in a position that could greatly impact those around her...the lives of those she loves. There were many times that I wish she was more forthright. However, I fear if she was forthright it would have been the doom for her. I wonder, if she stood up to her Mother, would things have been different? I felt great sorrow for Elizabeth as she did not feel she could make no other choices than she did. Even when the outcomes were not to her liking, Elizabeth continued to make her choices based on what she thought would do the most good for the crown, for the people, for her family...

I find myself fascinated by the Royals during this 1400-1600 time period. I find myself in awe of their power..in awe and revolted. I find myself feeling sorrow for those women who could do much good but are powerless. They seem to have constraints put upon them that if they were to do other than expected - their lives would be put in the mercy of those in power. The Kings I found to be interesting but the one that interested me the most was King Richard III. I truly would like to know more of him as this book put him in a good light rather than the dark light he has been portrayed.


To read my full review:
http://ibeeeg.blogspot.com/2009/04/kings-daughter-by-sandra-worth.html

Well, there's not much else I can add to the (mostly) glowing reviews of this book, but I thoroughly enjoyed it. It was my first real look at the reigns of Richard III and Henry VII. I've read MANY books about Henry VIII and his wives, and court, but it was nice to finally get the story of where he came from. While I don't fully agree with all the author's portrayals, she did do a great job of telling Elizabeth's story in what I imagine would be very close to her own voice.

I won't summarize this since it's already been done so many times here, but Elizabeth is a very realistic and sympathetic woman who blossoms into a gentle and loving Queen...the polar opposite of her mother, Queen Elizabeth Woodville. She manages to balance out her always suspicious and ruthless husband, King Henry VII. I'm not sure I buy Elizabeth's pinning for Richard III her entire adult life, but this is a fiction book, so Ms. Worth is able to stretch some ideas a bit. Also, I am a believer of the little princes being killed in the tower, but she almost makes you believe that Perkin Warbeck is, in fact, Prince Richard.

Overall, I definitely recommend this. I like the first-person format, even if it can be a bit stifling at times. The story moves quickly and is one that I believe most Tudor-ear fans will relish.

I had high expectations for this book.
I waited a few months for it, and I'm sorely disappointed.

Worth portrayed a totally different Elizabeth than the majority of Elizabeth's I've been exposed to.

She was very annoying and meek. I hated how she compared

Spoiler

Richard with Henry

at everything. I also hated how

Spoiler

she loved a man who numerously rejected her because he loved another (his wife)

.

Arthur was the best. I only finished this book, because I loved the short glimpses of Arthur.

Seventeen year old Elizabeth of York loved and adored her father. She and him were very close. So she had no reason to doubt that her father's predecessor would be a just and trust worthy man, especially when that man is her uncle. Richard of Gloucester has barely become the new ruler of England and already hings are going very badly for Elizabeth and her family.

First Elizabeth learns that her father was a bigamist; which you can imagine made Elizabeth very irate as she thought her and her father had no secrets between them. With this new piece of information, the problem arises now that Elizabeth, her brothers and sisters are all illegitimate children and now no longer eligible to be considered for the throne. As if being declared a bastard isn't bad enough; Elizabeth's brother are taken into Richard's custody and supposedly killed.

How can Elizabeth ever respect a king who could be so cruel to his relatives? While assisting the Queen in her court, Elizabeth comes to understand and respect her uncle as king of England. Elizabeth matures was more beyond her years to turn into the lovely. beautiful mother to King Henry the eighth.

The King's Daughter by Sandra Worth is the first book I have read by this author. I have to tell you that I was very impressed. I found this book to be very true and accurate to what actually transpired back in that time. The King's Daughter is like reading a history lesson but much more exciting as well as enjoyable. Sandra Worth's writing is so realistic that I felt like I was Elizabeth. As far as historical novels go, The King's Daughter has got to be one of the best I have read in a while. I will be recommending Ms. Worth to all my friends. I plan on check out all the rest of Ms. Worth's books in the Rose of York trilogy.

Too incredibly tedious to continue spending time on.

Elizabeth of York did not have the fairy tale upbringing of most princesses. She was born to Edward, King of England and her mother Queen Elizabeth, or known to most as Elizabeth Woodville. Much of her childhood was spent in sanctuary, where her mother, a power and greed driven woman, stayed until she knew she could come out, either by safe return of her husband, or assurances from King Richard that he was not responsible for the deaths of her sons.

When Elizabeth of York became queen of England, she did so after the death of her Uncle, Richard II, who she had loved dearly, and after the death of his wife Queen Anne, had hoped to marry. Instead she married the man who defeated her uncle, Henry Tudor, or Henry VII. As much as he did to disclaim it, Tudor only married her to solidify his claim to the throne. She was for all accounts an invisible queen, shadowed by his mother, Margaret Beaufort, who commandeered everything and felt she deserved much more. Elizabeth lived her entire reign under the watchful eye of this woman, and her spies who reported every move that she made. When she finally died, it is reported that she cried out Richards name in her dying breath.


Elizabeth of York is really an interesting person. She defied her mothers tactics of governing and instead did what she could to gain her husbands ear, yet everything was passed through his domineering mother, but she got her way once in a while, and was able to plead for those who could not plead for themselves. She was beloved by all the people in England, and much of her example for queen, I believe came from Anne Neville, married to Richard II. She did as much as she could to ease the suffering of her people, that she endeared herself to them forever. Elizabeth as a lady in waiting to Queen Anne picked up much from her, and chose to leave her mothers teachings by the wayside. She had been imprisoned to long to desire to return to it. Had Margaret Beaufort not been so overbearing, and stepped back as she should, I believe that Elizabeth would have been a great queen and left a better legacy to England than the slight shadow that she imprinted upon England.

I first started reading this book with the intention to read a few pages to see if I wanted this to be the next book for reading. Before I knew it, I was on page 75. The story pulled me right in. It was hard for me to lay down the book for sleep as I wanted to know more.

The King's Daughter is told from the perspective of King Edward IV's daughter - Elizabeth. She starts her narration from her tender age of 5 and moves forward. There is a handy Family chart placed in the front of the book. I must say, thank God for the chart as all the players involved becomes complex...I lost track a couple if times in regards to who is who. My goodness, the King/Queen business of the late 1400s and onward is a tricky business of trying to stay one step ahead of those who wish to overthrow and behead. So not the life for me.

As the story progress, I became completely drawn in to where I could not put the book down at all. Why was I so drawn in?
Elizabeth tugged on my emotions. She was a girl/woman who accepted her lot/fate in life-she accepted her duty as a royal even though it did not bring her personal happiness. Elizabeth endeared herself to me for her undying love for her Father and for her deep feelings that she must conduct herself with dignity and choose her words wisely. She was fully aware that she was in a position that could greatly impact those around her...the lives of those she loves. There were many times that I wish she was more forthright. However, I fear if she was forthright it would have been the doom for her. I wonder, if she stood up to her Mother, would things have been different? I felt great sorrow for Elizabeth as she did not feel she could make no other choices than she did. Even when the outcomes were not to her liking, Elizabeth continued to make her choices based on what she thought would do the most good for the crown, for the people, for her family...

I find myself fascinated by the Royals during this 1400-1600 time period. I find myself in awe of their power..in awe and revolted. I find myself feeling sorrow for those women who could do much good but are powerless. They seem to have constraints put upon them that if they were to do other than expected - their lives would be put in the mercy of those in power. The Kings I found to be interesting but the one that interested me the most was King Richard III. I truly would like to know more of him as this book put him in a good light rather than the dark light he has been portrayed.


To read my full review:
http://ibeeeg.blogspot.com/2009/04/kings-daughter-by-sandra-worth.html