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Tudor Court #4
The Forgotten Queen
From her earliest days, Margaret Tudor knows she will not have the luxury of choosing a husband. Her duty is to gain alliances for England. Barely out of girlhood, Margaret is married by proxy to James IV and travels to Edinburgh to become Queen of Scotland.
Despite her doubts, Margaret falls under the spell of her adopted home. But while Jamie is an affectionate husband, he is not a faithful one. And nothing can guarantee Margaret’s safety when Jamie leads an army against her own brother, Henry VIII. In the wake of loss she falls prey to an ambitious earl and brings Scotland to the brink of anarchy. Beset by betrayal and secret alliances, Margaret has one aim—to preserve the crown of Scotland for her son, no matter what the cost.
Despite her doubts, Margaret falls under the spell of her adopted home. But while Jamie is an affectionate husband, he is not a faithful one. And nothing can guarantee Margaret’s safety when Jamie leads an army against her own brother, Henry VIII. In the wake of loss she falls prey to an ambitious earl and brings Scotland to the brink of anarchy. Beset by betrayal and secret alliances, Margaret has one aim—to preserve the crown of Scotland for her son, no matter what the cost.
318 pages, Paperback
First published January 29, 2013
68 people are currently reading
2856 people want to read
About the author
D.L. Bogdan
4 books101 followersD.L Bogan is a history major, aiming for a master's so that she might lecture one day. She is also a musician with classical voice training who has been playing keyboards and singing in bands since she was 18. She also enjoys reading, traveling, summer activities, spending time with family and friends, and researching her next novel! She makes her home in central Wisconsin.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 123 reviews
April 21, 2014
Oh dear, I seem to be having a run of bad books recently. I picked up this book because I was intrigued by the premise. Whilst historical fiction on the Tudors seems to be a penny a dozen these days, all trying to jump on the bandwagon, novels about Margaret Tudor, elder sister of King Henry VIII and Queen of Scotland, are few and far between. With all the focus on the stereotypical image of the gluttonous Henry and his farcical merry-go-round of six wives, his two sisters and their impact on history are often overlooked. So I was quite interested in the idea of reading a novel about Margaret’s life, and her struggles in Scotland – at the time notoriously difficult to rule, with power much less in the hands of the monarch, as it was in England, and much more in the hands of powerful lords and clan leaders. Unfortunately, the premise was the only thing I felt this book had going for it.
Let’s start with the language used. Firstly, it’s a minor point, but I do wish that certain historical fiction authors would stop using “d’you” in their novels. It’s fine in Harry Potter; the characters that use it in Harry Potter are teens in the 20th century. It’s not fine in a historical setting. Knock it off. It makes the character sound like a 20th century teen. Also, a further tip on use of language in historical novels; do not have characters say “write me” instead of "write to me". That immediately screams Americanism and jars me out of the historical setting. Minor language annoyances aside, I think Bonnette has made a bit of a misstep in choosing to convey Scottish accent phonetically. If a character speaks with a Scottish accent in this novel, we’re drowned in a wash of “dinna”, “canna” and “didna”. This is generally strongly advised against in writing courses because the spelling and grammar gymnastics it requires can be distracting and confusing to the reader at best and potentially offensive at worst. Instead, if a writer wants to convey an accent, the idea is that they should merely describe it in narrative as a quick aside, e.g.; “her Jamaican lilt”, “his Yorkshire burr” etc, because the reader’s imagination will supply the rest, and an accent should never be the most important thing about a character. I have to say agree with that advice. Finally, Bonnette really overused the character-fade-to-black trick. Margaret “plunged into blackness” (p. 82), “blackness claimed me” (p. 82), “Jamie’s voice resonate through my darkness” (p. 82), “blackness… blackness…” (p. 82), “engulfed in darkness once more” (p. 89), “Darkness… oh this darkness…” (p. 89), “I was enfolded in the darkness” (p. 89), “I was alone in the darkness” (p. 89), “the darkness consumed me” (p. 89), “I was engulfed in darkness once more” (p. 98), “I yielded to the darkness” (p. 102), “sweet blackness, that longed-for blackness that would sweep me away on a tide of dreams, enveloped me” (p. 172), “my only relief came in the blackness” (p. 173), “I gave way once again to the dread blackness” (p. 227). Yeah, okay, okay, I get it. Please STOP.
Put bad storycraft on top of bad language, and this novel unfortunately fails under the weight of several smaller errors. For example, King Henry VII tells Margaret she is destined to unite England and Scotland in one crown, because he saw it in a dream. There’s a difference in a story between subtle foreshadowing and blatant hindsight. Real life people in history had no idea what would happen in their future, any more than we do now, yet characters in some historical novels, such as this one and, notably, Philippa Gregory’s novels, make predictions and prophecies with uncanny accuracy. Why? Because it’s not prophecy, it’s hindsight. It doesn’t make the characters seem oh-so-special snowflakes with some grand destiny, it makes the author seem like they can’t write well because the characters are given far too much prescience and the tension is sucked right out of the story.
By far the biggest problem The Tudor Princess has, however, are two intertwined problems. Bad pacing and too much telling instead of showing. On page 50 Margaret is crying because her horses have died and she’s remembering losing her mother and infant siblings. On page 51 her husband promises to buy her shiny new horses and organise all sorts of entertainments for her, and two pages later she’s literally “squealing” with excitement and happiness. One moment Margaret’s getting married and three pages later she’s been married two years. On page 83 the birth of Margaret’s son is celebrated, and on the very next page we are told; “The bells that heralded my son’s birth tolled out their heavy mourning song a year later after the baby, my baby, whom I held and rocked and kissed, died at Stirling.” On page 96 another baby is born, and on page 97 we are told he dies nine months later. You get the idea. Margaret’s life story feels skimmed over, not explored in any depth or feeling. As a reader I simply wasn’t given the opportunity to care for any of these characters, not when they barely exist and are despatched in one line. That just doesn’t move me, that doesn’t tug at my heartstrings or make me feel in any way invested in what happens to these characters at all. When exciting or moving events occur off-screen, so to speak, and are related back to us the readers in a one line summary, you’re basically cutting out the heart of the story. This is the meat of your plot! A writer wants to get their readers engaged in the events and characters of the story, and readers want to read a story they care about. When the events occur “off-screen” they lose a great deal of immediacy and feeling, and even worse when events are summarised and characters go from one emotion to the next and months and years pass in one page. In my opinion this bad pacing and telling rather than showing are together the most critical problem in The Tudor Princess, and largely responsible for why it failed as a good read for me.
Perhaps if we had been shown these events, I would have cared more about Margaret and what happened to her. As it is, not only do I fail to identify with any of her joys or sorrows, but in addition the character of Margaret actually comes off as an unlikeable person. Distracted from her woes faster than you can say “oooh, shiny”, constantly throwing a pity party for her looks (when she’s young she’s not full-figured enough, when she’s old she’s too fat; she’s even charmed into marriage because she’s so delighted with a man finding her beautiful), laments leaving behind her friends but never bothers to make any others (her ladies, all besides one, we are told are all silly fools), and the one friend she does make she treats abominably;
‘Your Grace, I mean, I would like to retire from court life. I would like to go home.’
‘Home?’ I screwed up my face in confusion. ‘What do you mean, home? Your home is with me.’
Ellen bowed her head. ‘I would like to go to the Lindsays. It was Marjorie Lindsay who took me in as a child, and I have … family there. I would like to retire with them.’
‘But, Ellen, that is just foolish,’ I said, incredulous that she should suggest such a preposterous thing when we had so much to do. ‘Whom will I consult on gowns? You know I hate my other ladies; I have no use for any of them , they are all flighty, falsehearted fools. I need you. And the Lindsays, you dinna really know them, not like you know me. You wouldn’t be happy there… we shall go on as if this unpleasant topic has never been discussed.’
In short, the character is self-centred and egotistical, and frankly when her last husband tells her this point blank and reprimands her for never having bothered to really get to know or care for her supposed friend, for never having noticed how ill her friend was, I was cheering him on. I'm sure that Margaret, as a privileged woman of her day and as a human being could indeed be greedy and selfish, but I’m equally sure that she was a much more subtle and complex character than this, and I think it would be fair to say this one-dimensional portrayal doesn’t come close to doing the real Margaret justice.
3 out of 10
January 25, 2013
My eyes are burning and my bones are aching from staying glued to this book so many hours in the past two days! What a wonderful walk through history and romance it is. I was so taken up in the story from the first chapter as the young Margaret was swept by her father, Henry VII into her role as a mighty queen in purpose, to bond the great countries of England and Scotland. Margaret was just a little girl, and her life had already become larger than imaginable. I was breathless and anxious along with her.
D. L. Bogdan has a way of keeping the action moving while she entwines us with a perfect love story fit for the often delicate queen. Margaret is strong in spirit, but tender of heart, that is. And, Bogdan achieves the perfect balance of that character in her. Mother, queen, sister and lover/wife, this Queen of the Scots is a gracious blend of womanhood. I completely fell for her brilliance and gentleness. As mother to the Scottish dynasty, she was loving and staunchly protective, traits that brought out the best in a young King James who was to eventually serve to unite the kingdoms of Scotland, England and France.
This is a novel written with close attention to history, but not in the least boring or difficult to glide through. It's a glorious love story on many levels. Bogdan is a writer of much power, and her work is both insightful and entertaining at the same time.
I strongly recommend this one to historical fiction lovers. It's a novel that will not disappoint!
D. L. Bogdan has a way of keeping the action moving while she entwines us with a perfect love story fit for the often delicate queen. Margaret is strong in spirit, but tender of heart, that is. And, Bogdan achieves the perfect balance of that character in her. Mother, queen, sister and lover/wife, this Queen of the Scots is a gracious blend of womanhood. I completely fell for her brilliance and gentleness. As mother to the Scottish dynasty, she was loving and staunchly protective, traits that brought out the best in a young King James who was to eventually serve to unite the kingdoms of Scotland, England and France.
This is a novel written with close attention to history, but not in the least boring or difficult to glide through. It's a glorious love story on many levels. Bogdan is a writer of much power, and her work is both insightful and entertaining at the same time.
I strongly recommend this one to historical fiction lovers. It's a novel that will not disappoint!
January 24, 2013
The story of Margaret, older sister of Henry VIII is possibly a less familiar one than that of his younger sister, Mary, and it’s that fact which initially attracted me to this book. In fact, I think I’ve only read one other book about her – Jean Plaidy’s The Thistle and the Rose, which I read probably more than thirty years ago.
So I was interested in reacquainting myself with her story.
Margaret led a turbulent life that was frequently beset by tragedy. Like many females born into prominent families, she was used as a bargaining tool, a means of cementing alliances, to which end she was married to King James IV of Scotland at the age of 13.
As a young girl, Margaret is shown to be intelligent and lively. The early part of her life is dealt with very quickly, but before she leaves for Scotland, her father, Henry VII tells her that he has a dream that through her, the kingdoms of England and Scotland will be united, which of course does come to pass, although not in the way he had expected. (Margaret’s great-grandson, James VI became James I of the United Kingdom in 1603 upon the death of Elizabeth I).
Margaret’s husband is twenty-years her senior, handsome and kind; and she falls for him immediately. They were married for eleven years, (during which time and she bore him six children, only one of whom survived infancy), but those years are almost completely glossed over in the book and we do not really get to see or learn much of James at all, other than that his religious fervour is a frequent cause of discord between him and Margaret, and that he is not a faithful husband. Seeing their relationship from only one side serves only to distance James from the reader and I thought made Margaret frequently seem petulant and childish.
Margaret does grow throughout the story, but finds it difficult to work out where her loyalties lie; and her desire – incompatible with her position - to be loved for herself and not for her status as queen, leads her to make some unwise decisions when it comes to her personal life. She is often selfish and extravagant, and seems to have an enormous capacity for self-deception; but she is utterly determined to do the best for her son and to secure his throne.
In terms of the writing, the book is an easy read – although I did find the author’s insistence at using “canna” (cannot) and “dinna” (did not) to somehow denote a Scottish accent incredibly annoying. There was an overuse of exclamation marks in the first part of the book which was similarly irritating. There was also a tendency for the author to suddenly jump forward a couple of years without any indication of which year it was, which I felt made for confusion.
There seems to be a trend in Historical Fiction at the moment to write using a first person narrative, and that is the case here. I’ve said in previous reviews that this is not my favourite style of narration and I have yet to read a book to make me change my mind. I can understand that it is perhaps thought to bring a greater degree of intimacy and immediacy to the reader, but in my opinion, that advantage is not nearly enough to compensate for the things that are lost by confining the story to a single point of view. This period in history is full of conflicts between nations, power-struggles between factions and within families – the courts of Europe were awash with intrigue and political machinations which are often as mind-boggling as they are fascinating – so unless the writer is going to continually slip into “as you know, Bob” dialogue, (which does happen here) first person narration can severely limit the scope of the story.
Margaret’s story is a fascinating one and one that certainly merits further exploration. This book might serve as an introduction to her life, but it didn’t draw me in and make me feel ‘connected’ to the story. I will say, however, that if you are interested in Margaret’s life, and don’t find first person narration as objectionable as I do, then you might find The Forgotten Queen to your taste.
Published by Kensington Books, 29 January 2013.
With thanks to Kensington Books and NetGalley for the review copy.
So I was interested in reacquainting myself with her story.
Margaret led a turbulent life that was frequently beset by tragedy. Like many females born into prominent families, she was used as a bargaining tool, a means of cementing alliances, to which end she was married to King James IV of Scotland at the age of 13.
As a young girl, Margaret is shown to be intelligent and lively. The early part of her life is dealt with very quickly, but before she leaves for Scotland, her father, Henry VII tells her that he has a dream that through her, the kingdoms of England and Scotland will be united, which of course does come to pass, although not in the way he had expected. (Margaret’s great-grandson, James VI became James I of the United Kingdom in 1603 upon the death of Elizabeth I).
Margaret’s husband is twenty-years her senior, handsome and kind; and she falls for him immediately. They were married for eleven years, (during which time and she bore him six children, only one of whom survived infancy), but those years are almost completely glossed over in the book and we do not really get to see or learn much of James at all, other than that his religious fervour is a frequent cause of discord between him and Margaret, and that he is not a faithful husband. Seeing their relationship from only one side serves only to distance James from the reader and I thought made Margaret frequently seem petulant and childish.
Margaret does grow throughout the story, but finds it difficult to work out where her loyalties lie; and her desire – incompatible with her position - to be loved for herself and not for her status as queen, leads her to make some unwise decisions when it comes to her personal life. She is often selfish and extravagant, and seems to have an enormous capacity for self-deception; but she is utterly determined to do the best for her son and to secure his throne.
In terms of the writing, the book is an easy read – although I did find the author’s insistence at using “canna” (cannot) and “dinna” (did not) to somehow denote a Scottish accent incredibly annoying. There was an overuse of exclamation marks in the first part of the book which was similarly irritating. There was also a tendency for the author to suddenly jump forward a couple of years without any indication of which year it was, which I felt made for confusion.
There seems to be a trend in Historical Fiction at the moment to write using a first person narrative, and that is the case here. I’ve said in previous reviews that this is not my favourite style of narration and I have yet to read a book to make me change my mind. I can understand that it is perhaps thought to bring a greater degree of intimacy and immediacy to the reader, but in my opinion, that advantage is not nearly enough to compensate for the things that are lost by confining the story to a single point of view. This period in history is full of conflicts between nations, power-struggles between factions and within families – the courts of Europe were awash with intrigue and political machinations which are often as mind-boggling as they are fascinating – so unless the writer is going to continually slip into “as you know, Bob” dialogue, (which does happen here) first person narration can severely limit the scope of the story.
Margaret’s story is a fascinating one and one that certainly merits further exploration. This book might serve as an introduction to her life, but it didn’t draw me in and make me feel ‘connected’ to the story. I will say, however, that if you are interested in Margaret’s life, and don’t find first person narration as objectionable as I do, then you might find The Forgotten Queen to your taste.
Published by Kensington Books, 29 January 2013.
With thanks to Kensington Books and NetGalley for the review copy.
February 10, 2013
**Warning: Mild spoilers ahead!**
Something is wrong with me, or at least wrong with the books I’ve been reading lately. My past 3 or 4 books were 2 stars, I need to stop that trend! Unfortunately, this book is not going to be the one to end the streak. I wanted it to be, so desperately. The cover is amazing, I am so in love with that dress that I wanted to read the book simply for that. The synopsis also grabbed my attention. Everyone has read books about the infamous Tudors. Henry VIII, Anne Boleyn, Princess Catherine, all of these are names that most people would recognize. Margaret is the oft overlooked Tudor that I can’t recall having too many books written about her. In retrospect, there seems to be a very good reason for that.
Initially, I thought that I would quite like Margaret. She was spunky and fiery, with a bit of an attitude on her too. Her journey to the altar (by proxy) at the age of 13 to the King of Scotland, who was 20 years her senior, was a sweet introduction to the story and her character. I liked that she understood her role in a royal family of being a queen and producing a royal family, while trying to bring two kingdoms together. She was being proactive and determined to do her part for both England and Scotland. I also enjoyed seeing her struggles to acclimate to a new country and discovering exactly what being a queen entailed. Unfortunately, Margaret went from spunky and intelligent to selfish and narcissistic in a hurry. I found myself furious with her so many times that I stopped counting. EVERYTHING was about her! And when things stopped revolving around her for half a second she threw a fit and did something stupid, like firing a cannon at her husband. She humiliated herself often but then got angry at every perceived slight that “shamed” her, no honey you are doing a wonderful job of that yourself.
I am not done unloading about Margaret here, she was also a horrible narrator because it was alllllll about the Margaret show. Her child dies, it’s shoved aside when she gets a new dress and is so excited about it. Her favorite servant dies and she is stunned that the woman had family and other interests besides hearing her self-indulgent rants all the time. Her husband lies to her, deceives her, cheats on her, steals from her, and abandons her. Yet she lets him take her son (the crowned king!) for a visit. And then is absolutely shocked that he won’t give him back! What the holy mother of God did you think would happen?! He’s scum and has always had aspirations to control the king so you just hand the king over!? Her late husband tells her, you must remain unmarried or they will challenge you for the crown. She remarries and then is stunned when they challenge her for the crown!! AAAAHHHH!! I can’t talk about Margaret anymore or I’m going to have a rage induced stroke.
Jamie was the complete opposite in terms of character, I really liked him a lot. He was kind, considerate, intelligent, and looked to the future in a way befitting of a king. I thought that this was the character I’d hate, marrying a 13-year-old and bringing her to Scotland at 14. But I didn’t. He recognized that she was just a girl and probably had no idea what being a wife and queen meant and was patient with her missteps. It didn’t take me long to figure out that Jamie genuinely and honestly loved Margaret even if he was far from the perfect husband. He did everything he could to make her happy but it didn’t end up working because she still nagged at him about everything. I felt sorry for him by the end simply for having to deal with her.
The plot also presented me a lot of trouble, mainly because I wasn’t sure that there was one. It was over 300 pages of a narcissistic rant that was all about Margaret. That got boring really quick. There was almost no mention of the intrigue of the time, nations in turmoil, her brother’s court in shambles, Scotland under siege from within, nothing of any import for the time at all. All about Margaret and what made Margaret happy or unhappy. I also pray that the formatting was fixed for the final copy because the ARC was practically unreadable. In one sentence, a son was alive and well and being christened. Literally in the next sentence, with no segue, the same son is dead and they are at his funeral. I have zero idea how much time passed in between the two events. Topics were mentioned and changed at will and with no explanation, segue, or even a paragraph break to tell me what was going on. At one point, two whole years passed from the time we ended one paragraph to when we started the next. It was so confusing. I hope this was only a problem with the ARC because if the final copy is like that, God help anyone who reads it.
I cannot recommend this book. It nearly killed me just to finish it and I considered putting it down and giving up more than a dozen times. Unless you are a massive fan of the author then I fear your reading experience will echo mine.
Thank you Kensington for providing me an ARC of this book via NetGalley. It was provided in exchange for an honest review.
This and other reviews at Stefani's World of Words
Something is wrong with me, or at least wrong with the books I’ve been reading lately. My past 3 or 4 books were 2 stars, I need to stop that trend! Unfortunately, this book is not going to be the one to end the streak. I wanted it to be, so desperately. The cover is amazing, I am so in love with that dress that I wanted to read the book simply for that. The synopsis also grabbed my attention. Everyone has read books about the infamous Tudors. Henry VIII, Anne Boleyn, Princess Catherine, all of these are names that most people would recognize. Margaret is the oft overlooked Tudor that I can’t recall having too many books written about her. In retrospect, there seems to be a very good reason for that.
Initially, I thought that I would quite like Margaret. She was spunky and fiery, with a bit of an attitude on her too. Her journey to the altar (by proxy) at the age of 13 to the King of Scotland, who was 20 years her senior, was a sweet introduction to the story and her character. I liked that she understood her role in a royal family of being a queen and producing a royal family, while trying to bring two kingdoms together. She was being proactive and determined to do her part for both England and Scotland. I also enjoyed seeing her struggles to acclimate to a new country and discovering exactly what being a queen entailed. Unfortunately, Margaret went from spunky and intelligent to selfish and narcissistic in a hurry. I found myself furious with her so many times that I stopped counting. EVERYTHING was about her! And when things stopped revolving around her for half a second she threw a fit and did something stupid, like firing a cannon at her husband. She humiliated herself often but then got angry at every perceived slight that “shamed” her, no honey you are doing a wonderful job of that yourself.
I am not done unloading about Margaret here, she was also a horrible narrator because it was alllllll about the Margaret show. Her child dies, it’s shoved aside when she gets a new dress and is so excited about it. Her favorite servant dies and she is stunned that the woman had family and other interests besides hearing her self-indulgent rants all the time. Her husband lies to her, deceives her, cheats on her, steals from her, and abandons her. Yet she lets him take her son (the crowned king!) for a visit. And then is absolutely shocked that he won’t give him back! What the holy mother of God did you think would happen?! He’s scum and has always had aspirations to control the king so you just hand the king over!? Her late husband tells her, you must remain unmarried or they will challenge you for the crown. She remarries and then is stunned when they challenge her for the crown!! AAAAHHHH!! I can’t talk about Margaret anymore or I’m going to have a rage induced stroke.
Jamie was the complete opposite in terms of character, I really liked him a lot. He was kind, considerate, intelligent, and looked to the future in a way befitting of a king. I thought that this was the character I’d hate, marrying a 13-year-old and bringing her to Scotland at 14. But I didn’t. He recognized that she was just a girl and probably had no idea what being a wife and queen meant and was patient with her missteps. It didn’t take me long to figure out that Jamie genuinely and honestly loved Margaret even if he was far from the perfect husband. He did everything he could to make her happy but it didn’t end up working because she still nagged at him about everything. I felt sorry for him by the end simply for having to deal with her.
The plot also presented me a lot of trouble, mainly because I wasn’t sure that there was one. It was over 300 pages of a narcissistic rant that was all about Margaret. That got boring really quick. There was almost no mention of the intrigue of the time, nations in turmoil, her brother’s court in shambles, Scotland under siege from within, nothing of any import for the time at all. All about Margaret and what made Margaret happy or unhappy. I also pray that the formatting was fixed for the final copy because the ARC was practically unreadable. In one sentence, a son was alive and well and being christened. Literally in the next sentence, with no segue, the same son is dead and they are at his funeral. I have zero idea how much time passed in between the two events. Topics were mentioned and changed at will and with no explanation, segue, or even a paragraph break to tell me what was going on. At one point, two whole years passed from the time we ended one paragraph to when we started the next. It was so confusing. I hope this was only a problem with the ARC because if the final copy is like that, God help anyone who reads it.
I cannot recommend this book. It nearly killed me just to finish it and I considered putting it down and giving up more than a dozen times. Unless you are a massive fan of the author then I fear your reading experience will echo mine.
Thank you Kensington for providing me an ARC of this book via NetGalley. It was provided in exchange for an honest review.
This and other reviews at Stefani's World of Words
March 25, 2013
What a fantastic historical novel! I enjoyed every minute of it. Part of it was due to the fact that I have never read much historically about Margaret Tudor and the rest was because of Bogdan's masterful storytelling.
Margaret Tudor is portrayed here as a multifaceted figure. She sets out to become queen of Scotland at the tender age of fourteen and yet she overcomes her doubts and proves herself to be a strong and proud woman--very much a queen. And yet, in her steadfast quest to see her son crowned, she seems to cast others aside along the way, unknowing in her own way, but realizing too late what she has lost. Despite her faults, I found myself endeared to Margaret. I shed tears several times throughout the book. As she faced the many sorrowful events in her life, I faced them with her. Much of the trials Margaret faces are largely due to her status as a woman. Women did not have many options or much power in those days. Perhaps Margaret best summed it up herself when she reflected, "The world did not belong to women, except for what they could do to further their men." Margaret's life was very much tied up in furthering men, often with heartbreaking consequences.
Another aspect of the novel I enjoyed was Bogdan's portrayal of Henry VIII, Margaret's younger brother. The way he is depicted in this book is very much how I imagined he would have behaved from what I've learned of him in previous readings. Margaret says about him, "Well, Henry has a code of conduct for the rest of the world to follow, then a separate code for himself." Spot on!
In the author's note, Bogdan explains that this work, like her others, is a "dramatic interpretation meant to entertain." That being said, I never felt the entertaining aspect of the book took away from a feel of historical authenticity. As she did with The Sumerton Women, Bogdan has once again written a fine historical novel.
Margaret Tudor is portrayed here as a multifaceted figure. She sets out to become queen of Scotland at the tender age of fourteen and yet she overcomes her doubts and proves herself to be a strong and proud woman--very much a queen. And yet, in her steadfast quest to see her son crowned, she seems to cast others aside along the way, unknowing in her own way, but realizing too late what she has lost. Despite her faults, I found myself endeared to Margaret. I shed tears several times throughout the book. As she faced the many sorrowful events in her life, I faced them with her. Much of the trials Margaret faces are largely due to her status as a woman. Women did not have many options or much power in those days. Perhaps Margaret best summed it up herself when she reflected, "The world did not belong to women, except for what they could do to further their men." Margaret's life was very much tied up in furthering men, often with heartbreaking consequences.
Another aspect of the novel I enjoyed was Bogdan's portrayal of Henry VIII, Margaret's younger brother. The way he is depicted in this book is very much how I imagined he would have behaved from what I've learned of him in previous readings. Margaret says about him, "Well, Henry has a code of conduct for the rest of the world to follow, then a separate code for himself." Spot on!
In the author's note, Bogdan explains that this work, like her others, is a "dramatic interpretation meant to entertain." That being said, I never felt the entertaining aspect of the book took away from a feel of historical authenticity. As she did with The Sumerton Women, Bogdan has once again written a fine historical novel.
January 21, 2013
Reviewed for www.luxuryreading.com.
Being a huge fan of Tudor historical fiction, I am always pleasantly surprised when an author can bring to my attention a previously little known person from this much discussed sphere. This is exactly what D.L. Bogdan has done in The Forgotten Queen, giving voice to the lesser discussed sibling of Henry VIII, Margaret Tudor. With the trademark pride and stubbornness of the Tudors, Margaret worked tirelessly as a Princess of England and Queen of Scotland to bring her two countries together in peace, something never done before.
Ms. Bogdan’s Margaret is somehow very relatable and very unique at the same time. Having a seemingly endless string of babies born that die young, three husbands that are all unfaithful to her and a deep seeded want for a more normal life with a loving husband and happy, healthy children, it is hard not to feel compassion for this woman that seems to want what so many of us want in our own lives. She is at the same time extravagant, selfish and self loathing in turns, making her a very real, very complex character. She makes me think of a soft sort of metal, bendable but never breaking.
Having previously only vaguely known of Margaret as the grandmother of Mary, Queen of Scots, it was wonderful getting to know her as so much more: a wife, a mother, a Queen, a champion of both England and Scotland. The Forgotten Queen ensures that she will now be anything but forgotten to me.
Being a huge fan of Tudor historical fiction, I am always pleasantly surprised when an author can bring to my attention a previously little known person from this much discussed sphere. This is exactly what D.L. Bogdan has done in The Forgotten Queen, giving voice to the lesser discussed sibling of Henry VIII, Margaret Tudor. With the trademark pride and stubbornness of the Tudors, Margaret worked tirelessly as a Princess of England and Queen of Scotland to bring her two countries together in peace, something never done before.
Ms. Bogdan’s Margaret is somehow very relatable and very unique at the same time. Having a seemingly endless string of babies born that die young, three husbands that are all unfaithful to her and a deep seeded want for a more normal life with a loving husband and happy, healthy children, it is hard not to feel compassion for this woman that seems to want what so many of us want in our own lives. She is at the same time extravagant, selfish and self loathing in turns, making her a very real, very complex character. She makes me think of a soft sort of metal, bendable but never breaking.
Having previously only vaguely known of Margaret as the grandmother of Mary, Queen of Scots, it was wonderful getting to know her as so much more: a wife, a mother, a Queen, a champion of both England and Scotland. The Forgotten Queen ensures that she will now be anything but forgotten to me.
April 9, 2023
I found this to be an interesting book. Much is written about Henry VIII, but less about his sisters. Well written, the characters jumped to life, providing a fascinating look into the Tudor monarchy. Overall, highly recommended. Full review you can find on my blog: https://poetryofreading.blogspot.com
February 1, 2013
The first part of this read like a Wikipedia search for Margaret Tudor... last 100 pgs were much better and let you get a glimpse into the kind of woman she was!!! It was too short and impersonal for me!!!
May 16, 2014
Ah you Tudors, we never will tire of reading stories about your wicked ways. If it isn't Philippa Gregory crunching out novels about how you were all hunched and ugly Neanderthals who despised chivalry and viciously slaughtered the golden-haired and learned members of the noble House of York, then it's Jonathon Rhys Meyers prancing about not looking anything like obese enough to be Henry VIII. Then of course, there are novels like this one. The novels that have their moments but also have some rather obvious wobbles. Margaret Tudor has not had her life fictionalised quite as frequently as other members of the Tudor clan, so Bonnette has an advantage here in that she is plotting territory not nearly so well-trodden as say the story of Henry VIII's wives or Elizabeth I's many possible lovers. Indeed, in the television series, poor Margaret was conflated with the character of her sister Mary and cast as the King of France's murderer. Although my beloved cousin was a fan, I could only ever watch The Tudors with borderline physical pain. There were times when I had similar difficulties reading this novel.
I have always been a little bit of a fan of Margaret Tudor. I first read Maria Perry's wonderful biography of her and her sister Mary when I was twelve, I noticed in the bibliography that Bonnette used it as one of her sources. It is a strange thing how the romance and drama of someone's life can speak so clearly from the pages of a non-fiction text and then be rendered so utterly flat in what is intended to be a historical romance. Partly, Margaret's life does not fit terribly comfortably into the structure of a romance novel. In order to keep some semblance of accuracy, one has to acknowledge the failure of her second and third marriages. She never did achieve lasting romantic happiness even if she, like her siblings, was prepared to go to extreme lengths to seek it. In your average romance, the widowed heroine should find in her second partner a man who will be a true father to her orphaned children and then live out her days in contentment. Unfortunately, life does not always follow these accepted Hollywood plots - Margaret thought twice that she had achieved this but she had not.
Margaret Tudor
Still, a more nimble writer might have been able to smooth over these plot difficulties with convincing characterisation. Margaret Tudor does mature from the child princess in the Tudor court to the middle-aged woman at the end of the novel but the prose is always slightly awkward. Bonnette seems to be trying to use period language by having Margaret lament her 'sorry estate' every time something goes wrong but then she also throws in phrases like 'keeping track' and 'miffed' which jar. It also irritated me enormously how often Bonnette used the verb 'cooed' instead of said. Margaret was forever cooing to her children, her lovers or else she was being cooed at. Personally, I loathe the word and feel that it instantly renders a character idiotic. Worst of all however was the way that as soon as Margaret arrives in Scotland, after a brief exclamation of horror over the Scottish accent, she immediately adopts one and so for the entire rest of the novel, we have to endure Margaret saying 'dinnae' and 'canna' at every opportunity. It grated. Every. Single. Time.
For my full review:
http://girlwithherheadinabook.blogspo...
I have always been a little bit of a fan of Margaret Tudor. I first read Maria Perry's wonderful biography of her and her sister Mary when I was twelve, I noticed in the bibliography that Bonnette used it as one of her sources. It is a strange thing how the romance and drama of someone's life can speak so clearly from the pages of a non-fiction text and then be rendered so utterly flat in what is intended to be a historical romance. Partly, Margaret's life does not fit terribly comfortably into the structure of a romance novel. In order to keep some semblance of accuracy, one has to acknowledge the failure of her second and third marriages. She never did achieve lasting romantic happiness even if she, like her siblings, was prepared to go to extreme lengths to seek it. In your average romance, the widowed heroine should find in her second partner a man who will be a true father to her orphaned children and then live out her days in contentment. Unfortunately, life does not always follow these accepted Hollywood plots - Margaret thought twice that she had achieved this but she had not.
Margaret Tudor
Still, a more nimble writer might have been able to smooth over these plot difficulties with convincing characterisation. Margaret Tudor does mature from the child princess in the Tudor court to the middle-aged woman at the end of the novel but the prose is always slightly awkward. Bonnette seems to be trying to use period language by having Margaret lament her 'sorry estate' every time something goes wrong but then she also throws in phrases like 'keeping track' and 'miffed' which jar. It also irritated me enormously how often Bonnette used the verb 'cooed' instead of said. Margaret was forever cooing to her children, her lovers or else she was being cooed at. Personally, I loathe the word and feel that it instantly renders a character idiotic. Worst of all however was the way that as soon as Margaret arrives in Scotland, after a brief exclamation of horror over the Scottish accent, she immediately adopts one and so for the entire rest of the novel, we have to endure Margaret saying 'dinnae' and 'canna' at every opportunity. It grated. Every. Single. Time.
For my full review:
http://girlwithherheadinabook.blogspo...
July 8, 2013
The Forgotten Queen by D.L. Bogdan is a Kensington Publication. The release for the book was January 2013.
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the digital copy of this book.
The Forgotten Queen is a historical novel about Margaret Tudor, Henry the 8th's older sister. Margaret becomes a bride at the ripe old age of 12, married by proxy to King James of Scotland. At the age of thirteen she is on her way to Scotland to become the queen. Margaret adores James, but it's a little while before he views her as woman. They suffer many heartbreaks, until at the age of 23 Margaret finds herself a widow, betrayed by her own brother and left with virtually no trustworthy counsel and must take on the role of Queen Regent until her son comes of age. It's at this point Margaret goes off course and makes one crucial mistake after another. Her heartbreak, her loneliness, her role thrust on her although she never desired it, and the toll so many losses takes on her, makes her yet another queen during the Tudor period that suffers a tragic life. Although, we do see glimpses of her sense of entitlement at times, the duty that must always come first is a burden to Margaret. All she ever really wanted was to love and be loved and have a family. Her endless pursuit of this causes her more heartbreak than happiness.
This is an interesting portrayal of this queen that we rarely hear spoken of or written about. Times were hard in those days and people were ruthless. I can't imagine being a woman in that time and having the duties and responsibilities Margaret had, but none of the respect and power the men had. Yes, she schemed and yes, she was unhappy no matter where she managed to land. She was restless, disillusioned, and worn out by loss. She was far from perfect and self absorbed a great deal of the time. However, she wasn't prepared for the death of her first husband and didn't really know how to move forward at such a young age, especially since most of the time she was pregnant and giving birth. She was both successful and a failure at parenting. She was never successful at marriage or relationships with men, even with her brother Henry. We do get the feeling though that she did make it to a time in her life when things did slow down for her and she found some sort of peace with Harry and the role she played in her son's life.
This was a very absorbing read. The Tudor period is just filled with schemes, power struggles, wars, great romances, and tragic deaths.
If you like this period of history, you will really enjoy this book. A fascinating life story.
Overall this one gets an A
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the digital copy of this book.
The Forgotten Queen is a historical novel about Margaret Tudor, Henry the 8th's older sister. Margaret becomes a bride at the ripe old age of 12, married by proxy to King James of Scotland. At the age of thirteen she is on her way to Scotland to become the queen. Margaret adores James, but it's a little while before he views her as woman. They suffer many heartbreaks, until at the age of 23 Margaret finds herself a widow, betrayed by her own brother and left with virtually no trustworthy counsel and must take on the role of Queen Regent until her son comes of age. It's at this point Margaret goes off course and makes one crucial mistake after another. Her heartbreak, her loneliness, her role thrust on her although she never desired it, and the toll so many losses takes on her, makes her yet another queen during the Tudor period that suffers a tragic life. Although, we do see glimpses of her sense of entitlement at times, the duty that must always come first is a burden to Margaret. All she ever really wanted was to love and be loved and have a family. Her endless pursuit of this causes her more heartbreak than happiness.
This is an interesting portrayal of this queen that we rarely hear spoken of or written about. Times were hard in those days and people were ruthless. I can't imagine being a woman in that time and having the duties and responsibilities Margaret had, but none of the respect and power the men had. Yes, she schemed and yes, she was unhappy no matter where she managed to land. She was restless, disillusioned, and worn out by loss. She was far from perfect and self absorbed a great deal of the time. However, she wasn't prepared for the death of her first husband and didn't really know how to move forward at such a young age, especially since most of the time she was pregnant and giving birth. She was both successful and a failure at parenting. She was never successful at marriage or relationships with men, even with her brother Henry. We do get the feeling though that she did make it to a time in her life when things did slow down for her and she found some sort of peace with Harry and the role she played in her son's life.
This was a very absorbing read. The Tudor period is just filled with schemes, power struggles, wars, great romances, and tragic deaths.
If you like this period of history, you will really enjoy this book. A fascinating life story.
Overall this one gets an A
February 1, 2013
The Tudors were a fiery, memorable family. Headstrong, passionate, often foolhardy, restless… this describes the forgotten Tudor, Queen Margaret of Scotland. She was Henry VIII’s older sister, but more importantly, she was the mother of King James V of Scotland, the father of Mary, Queen of Scots. She tried to set into motion peace between England in Scotland, which would finally be realized with her great-grandson James.
Margaret leaves England at an early age to wed the King of Scotland. Though they have a loving relationship, Margaret can never understand why he must always have a mistress. She sees this as a personal affront, but when he dies a few years into their marriage, leaving her a pregnant widow, she misses him dearly. Through several regents, Margaret tries to hold Scotland together. She realizes much too late that her second husband, the Earl of Angus, is greedy and grasping, and by then Scotland is in an uproar.
Margaret lived a long life, having many children. Only two survived infancy, the future King James V and the neglected Lady Margaret Douglas. Bogdan’s Margaret is impetuous, selfish, passionate, lonely, and full of regrets. Yet she never stops dreaming, or hoping for the best for her adopted homeland of Scotland.
This is an excellent, fast-paced story. Margaret is a fully developed character who was at times infuriating, and at others pitiful. The love Margaret must have felt for her country comes through in Bogdan’s lovely descriptions of the country and in Margaret’s feelings about it. Highly recommended.
My review courtesy of the Historical Novel Society.
Margaret leaves England at an early age to wed the King of Scotland. Though they have a loving relationship, Margaret can never understand why he must always have a mistress. She sees this as a personal affront, but when he dies a few years into their marriage, leaving her a pregnant widow, she misses him dearly. Through several regents, Margaret tries to hold Scotland together. She realizes much too late that her second husband, the Earl of Angus, is greedy and grasping, and by then Scotland is in an uproar.
Margaret lived a long life, having many children. Only two survived infancy, the future King James V and the neglected Lady Margaret Douglas. Bogdan’s Margaret is impetuous, selfish, passionate, lonely, and full of regrets. Yet she never stops dreaming, or hoping for the best for her adopted homeland of Scotland.
This is an excellent, fast-paced story. Margaret is a fully developed character who was at times infuriating, and at others pitiful. The love Margaret must have felt for her country comes through in Bogdan’s lovely descriptions of the country and in Margaret’s feelings about it. Highly recommended.
My review courtesy of the Historical Novel Society.
January 2, 2013
This is the story of Margaret Tudor, Henry VIII's slightly less famous sister. Margaret married Jamie, King of Scotland. Margaret's father tells her to remember that she will always be a Tudor first and the Queen of Scotland second. This idea gets Margaret into quite a bit of trouble as she loses her first husband and must fight to maintain regency in lieu of her son.
Margaret has a way of getting herself into trouble by not recognizing that she cannot be a Tudor first and Queen of Scotland second. When her first husband dies, Margaret seems to ignore his advice that every man will be out to win the "queen" and not Margaret herself. She marries quickly qithout the advice of the council and gets herself into an unfavorable situation.
Throughout this entire book, I felt like Margaret simply refused to see the truth, that she would have to pick between England and Scotland at some point. I found her to be very whiny and have an everyone-is-against-me attitude. Bogdan portrays Margaret very well, especially since mostly Henry and Mary are usually covered. I really enjoyed Bogdan's writing.
Margaret has a way of getting herself into trouble by not recognizing that she cannot be a Tudor first and Queen of Scotland second. When her first husband dies, Margaret seems to ignore his advice that every man will be out to win the "queen" and not Margaret herself. She marries quickly qithout the advice of the council and gets herself into an unfavorable situation.
Throughout this entire book, I felt like Margaret simply refused to see the truth, that she would have to pick between England and Scotland at some point. I found her to be very whiny and have an everyone-is-against-me attitude. Bogdan portrays Margaret very well, especially since mostly Henry and Mary are usually covered. I really enjoyed Bogdan's writing.
January 31, 2013
I enjoy reading about the kings and queens of old, and was excited about this novel about the little known Queen Margaret of Scotland. Author D.L. Bogdan does a wonderful job of taking her readers deep into the heart of the English royal family, with all the scandals, machinations, and drama that they are so famous for. There is romance, adventure, mystery and a bit of humor throughout this tale that along with a fast-moving plot and a great cast of characters makes this book a great read.
This story of the strong and brave Margaret was captivating, and I think anyone who has an interest in English history, the Tudors, and royalty will be enthralled with this fascinating story.
This story of the strong and brave Margaret was captivating, and I think anyone who has an interest in English history, the Tudors, and royalty will be enthralled with this fascinating story.
February 13, 2013
I really, thoroughly, enjoyed this book! A great story of Margaret Tudor, princess of England, Queen of Scotland, and sister to Henry VIII. I loved this because I have not read much about Margaret, or her life, and I was captivated from start to finish. This author paints a fascinating story full of scandal and court intrigue. I could not put it down, Everything I have read by D.L.Bogdan so far has been a winner, and I can't wait to read much more by her in the future!
April 23, 2015
3.5
An interesting novel. Entertaining and fast-paced, but no without a few missteps. It's always nice to get a fresh perspective on the Tudor dynasty, and using Princess Margaret for a narrator helps a lot in that regard. Ejoyable, an easy historical read, The Forgotten Queen is a sold effort.
Review and giveaway to come as part of the blog tour on the 30th!
An interesting novel. Entertaining and fast-paced, but no without a few missteps. It's always nice to get a fresh perspective on the Tudor dynasty, and using Princess Margaret for a narrator helps a lot in that regard. Ejoyable, an easy historical read, The Forgotten Queen is a sold effort.
Review and giveaway to come as part of the blog tour on the 30th!
January 5, 2020
4 out of 5 stars
I love Tudor history and books on all those members of the dynasty. This is based around Henry VIII sister Margaret Tudor and she is someone who i didn’t know much about. Yes this is fiction but it’s based around facts on this ladies life. We start off as her a child with her siblings, she loved her brother Arthur the best and that relationship is so sweet. Like all princesses she was taken from her family young and married off before she was even a woman. I loved her strength yes her dream of true love. This is such a great book and now I’ve found other royal family members I wish to know more about such as Mary Douglas which was her daughter by her second husband. I’m so glad I read this and will definitely look for more by this author.
I love Tudor history and books on all those members of the dynasty. This is based around Henry VIII sister Margaret Tudor and she is someone who i didn’t know much about. Yes this is fiction but it’s based around facts on this ladies life. We start off as her a child with her siblings, she loved her brother Arthur the best and that relationship is so sweet. Like all princesses she was taken from her family young and married off before she was even a woman. I loved her strength yes her dream of true love. This is such a great book and now I’ve found other royal family members I wish to know more about such as Mary Douglas which was her daughter by her second husband. I’m so glad I read this and will definitely look for more by this author.
November 19, 2021
I enjoyed this final book in the series which was about Margaret Tudor and told by her. Once again, a very engaging story with lots of dialogue (which I love). Character development was well done and the story flows. I rated it four stars instead of five because the book makes out Margaret to be very selfish and self absorbed and I don't believe she was that. I love Margaret Tudor so it is a little personal "oh no she didn't" for me. Still it's a very good read. Looking forward for more from this author.
July 30, 2016
This is a LibraryThing Member Giveaway which I started shortly after I received it, and, ironically, forgot about. I am doing my best to clean up my needs-to-be-read list, after several months of the abyss, so I started over.
It's not really fair that I forgot about it, as it's a heck of a story: Margaret, older sister of he who will become Henry VIII, is sent to be the bride of James of Scotland, leaving all she knows, leaving her family with the knowledge that she well might never see them again, the trials and tribulations of living in a foreign, barely-English-speaking, "barbaric" land, knowing that her husband the king has children by other women, and of course the usual ordeal of the royal wife trying – and often failing – to provide her husband and her country with an heir – and so on. The agonies of that alone, especially since the book is from Margaret's first-person point of view should have bought the main character tremendous sympathy.
But they didn't. Instead of experiencing more and more compassion and commiseration with Margaret, I just liked her less and less as the book went on, till I wanted to throw a small party when I finally finished the book. This Margaret was histrionic, juvenile (understandable when she was a child, though I foolishly still expect to learn that royal children have been raised to handle themselves better), marvelously self-centered, hypocritical … what else? Fickle. Needy. A smothering mother for one child, and absolutely absentee for another, seeing nothing wrong with it. Ludicrously easily distracted by fripperies and parties. In short, one of the most annoying characters I've read in a while.
It actually seemed like the author was just as annoyed with Margaret at times, which is pretty funny on several levels. Even Margaret in narration refers to herself as hysterical. She certainly feels sorry for herself: "Surely no one could have as impressive a catalogue of regrets as I!" Yeah, 'cause the poor got nothin' to complain about.
King James IV of Scotland is depicted as some combination of Prince Charming, Don Juan, and that albino monk from The DaVinci Code - and that's criminal. Just the small amount of background research I did for this review makes it so obvious that he was an amazing human being: patron of the arts and alchemists and sciences, polyglot, intellectual, gun manufacturer. He sounds fascinating. Very little of that came through.
The writing was, for the most part, very readable and held interest (despite my months-long lapse), but there were some missteps that just made me tired.
"…His eyes wide with terror. He was afraid, I realized at once." - Captain Obvious is obvious
"Each long-suffering plod of the exhausted horse's hooves, each step we rode along the way was a torturous hindrance to my goal." How is a step forward, however weary, a hindrance?
"I like you… I enjoy being together." I don't know, maybe this is correct, but "I enjoy being together"?
One line I did find amusing, and I believe it was intended to be: "Eat your peacock, darling, and stop fretting like an old woman."
The biggest problem I had with the writing, though, was something I never understand in historical fiction: textual anachronisms. There was nothing so egregious as an "okay" tossed out, praise be, but there was a consistent use of modern phrasings that got completely under my skin. There were so many that I have to acknowledge the possibility that the author purposely used contemporary language to enhance the readability. While I get that it would be unreadable if the language was authentic to 1500 England and Scotland, I can't help taking issue with the inclusion of phrases like:
"She's playing you"
"You are reaching"
going it alone
that he should dare play that card
"in on" a secret
When all's said and done, I'm not sure about the title. I presume that Margaret Tudor/Stewart/etc is said forgotten queen, but she hardly seems to have let herself be forgotten in her lifetime. She was constantly making a her presence and needs known, pestering her brother Henry VIII to remember what she was due and to work with her husband, her son's regent, her son. She never let up. Then she was in constant communication with those running Scotland, and then constantly shoving her oar in with her son, giving unwanted advice. I was not sorry for her, but for Scotland.
It's not really fair that I forgot about it, as it's a heck of a story: Margaret, older sister of he who will become Henry VIII, is sent to be the bride of James of Scotland, leaving all she knows, leaving her family with the knowledge that she well might never see them again, the trials and tribulations of living in a foreign, barely-English-speaking, "barbaric" land, knowing that her husband the king has children by other women, and of course the usual ordeal of the royal wife trying – and often failing – to provide her husband and her country with an heir – and so on. The agonies of that alone, especially since the book is from Margaret's first-person point of view should have bought the main character tremendous sympathy.
But they didn't. Instead of experiencing more and more compassion and commiseration with Margaret, I just liked her less and less as the book went on, till I wanted to throw a small party when I finally finished the book. This Margaret was histrionic, juvenile (understandable when she was a child, though I foolishly still expect to learn that royal children have been raised to handle themselves better), marvelously self-centered, hypocritical … what else? Fickle. Needy. A smothering mother for one child, and absolutely absentee for another, seeing nothing wrong with it. Ludicrously easily distracted by fripperies and parties. In short, one of the most annoying characters I've read in a while.
It actually seemed like the author was just as annoyed with Margaret at times, which is pretty funny on several levels. Even Margaret in narration refers to herself as hysterical. She certainly feels sorry for herself: "Surely no one could have as impressive a catalogue of regrets as I!" Yeah, 'cause the poor got nothin' to complain about.
King James IV of Scotland is depicted as some combination of Prince Charming, Don Juan, and that albino monk from The DaVinci Code - and that's criminal. Just the small amount of background research I did for this review makes it so obvious that he was an amazing human being: patron of the arts and alchemists and sciences, polyglot, intellectual, gun manufacturer. He sounds fascinating. Very little of that came through.
The writing was, for the most part, very readable and held interest (despite my months-long lapse), but there were some missteps that just made me tired.
"…His eyes wide with terror. He was afraid, I realized at once." - Captain Obvious is obvious
"Each long-suffering plod of the exhausted horse's hooves, each step we rode along the way was a torturous hindrance to my goal." How is a step forward, however weary, a hindrance?
"I like you… I enjoy being together." I don't know, maybe this is correct, but "I enjoy being together"?
One line I did find amusing, and I believe it was intended to be: "Eat your peacock, darling, and stop fretting like an old woman."
The biggest problem I had with the writing, though, was something I never understand in historical fiction: textual anachronisms. There was nothing so egregious as an "okay" tossed out, praise be, but there was a consistent use of modern phrasings that got completely under my skin. There were so many that I have to acknowledge the possibility that the author purposely used contemporary language to enhance the readability. While I get that it would be unreadable if the language was authentic to 1500 England and Scotland, I can't help taking issue with the inclusion of phrases like:
"She's playing you"
"You are reaching"
going it alone
that he should dare play that card
"in on" a secret
When all's said and done, I'm not sure about the title. I presume that Margaret Tudor/Stewart/etc is said forgotten queen, but she hardly seems to have let herself be forgotten in her lifetime. She was constantly making a her presence and needs known, pestering her brother Henry VIII to remember what she was due and to work with her husband, her son's regent, her son. She never let up. Then she was in constant communication with those running Scotland, and then constantly shoving her oar in with her son, giving unwanted advice. I was not sorry for her, but for Scotland.
January 21, 2013
Henry VIII is an imposing figure in history as well as being popular fodder for historical fiction books. Sure, many of us have read about Henry's brother, Arthur, as he was married to Katherine of Aragon before Henry married her. I don't think I've ever read a book about one of Henry's sisters though. This book is told from the perspective of Margaret Tudor, Henry's sister who goes to Scotland and becomes queen. Her life is not without drama though and I loved reading about her! I love the Tudors and I loved that I finally got a chance to see a new-to-me member of the Tudor family in this great book.
I really did like Margaret. She's likeable even when she is making really bad decisions, which she does quite a bit. Even though she goes to Scotland at a very young age, she still wants to keep the Tudor part of her alive, which I totally understand but she never realizes that in order to thrive in her new country, she has to forge a new personality and a new life for herself in Scotland. I found myself rooting for her to make different decisions regarding herself and her family.
Also, in this book, we get a glimpse of a younger Henry VIII, who still seems like sort of a miserable human being. He's a nasty child whose modus operandi when he doesn't get his way seemed to be to stomp his feet. He's a nasty brother when his sister comes to seek shelter in England after things go badly for her in Scotland. Because the book is written from Margaret's perspective, we get the intimate picture of Henry VIII from someone who knew him well, a sibling!
I did find myself wishing that there had been a clearer delineation of time throughout the book. At least in the ARC that I read, there wasn't a firm delineation of time, which made it sort of difficult to follow along with how much time had passed!
I really loved the writing of this book. This will have been the second Bogdan book that I have read and I continued to be thrilled with the great historical detail and Bogdan's way with words. You can tell that the author has a really good ear for conversations which translates perfectly to the page.
I really did like Margaret. She's likeable even when she is making really bad decisions, which she does quite a bit. Even though she goes to Scotland at a very young age, she still wants to keep the Tudor part of her alive, which I totally understand but she never realizes that in order to thrive in her new country, she has to forge a new personality and a new life for herself in Scotland. I found myself rooting for her to make different decisions regarding herself and her family.
Also, in this book, we get a glimpse of a younger Henry VIII, who still seems like sort of a miserable human being. He's a nasty child whose modus operandi when he doesn't get his way seemed to be to stomp his feet. He's a nasty brother when his sister comes to seek shelter in England after things go badly for her in Scotland. Because the book is written from Margaret's perspective, we get the intimate picture of Henry VIII from someone who knew him well, a sibling!
I did find myself wishing that there had been a clearer delineation of time throughout the book. At least in the ARC that I read, there wasn't a firm delineation of time, which made it sort of difficult to follow along with how much time had passed!
I really loved the writing of this book. This will have been the second Bogdan book that I have read and I continued to be thrilled with the great historical detail and Bogdan's way with words. You can tell that the author has a really good ear for conversations which translates perfectly to the page.
March 28, 2014
My previous review under my other account: "It's very difficult for an author to do well rounded characters when the central focus is on one character, let alone when it's written in first person. But D.L. Bogdan my respects to her and her writing, she managed to do just that. Margaret of Scotland is transformed into a woman we can all relate to her because she is not perfect, she is flawed, confused, yet her mistakes are not only due to her but also because of the men around her and the situation she's often put in and she has to endure.
The characters, even her rivals come as very well rounded, for example Catherine of Aragon. She starts as the Princess' friend, when Margaret is not yet Queen of Scotland then their relationship declines when she offers to give to her husband, Margaret's surviving brother Henry VIII, James' bloodied body but instead sends his coat at Henry's insistence. Margaret hates her, she cannot forgive her and her reasons are well understood and we can sympathize with her, yet Catherine is not depicted as a villain out to get her but instead we have a very well rounded character. The same goes for Angus, Harry whom she later makes peace with, and every other character, they are all shown having their reasons and motivations for doing what they do, and it is something very difficult to depict in a novel but DL Bogdan has done it brilliantly and for that and also her research, this book deserves five stars."
This was my opinion then and it is still now. It is a brilliantly written book and I commend the author for giving everyone a fair time, since, it is very hard when you are writing first person point of view to do this to other characters that the person narrating the story may not look well on, in this case Margaret Tudor (eldest daughter of Henry VII and Elizabeth of York) who is that narrator.
The characters do not come as two dimensional or one, but very multi-dimensional, also the character has done her research of the time, soe she has taken into account the mentality of the period, and therefore Margaret comes as a multi-dimensional character, a woman of her times as the others she runs into or that are close to her.
The characters, even her rivals come as very well rounded, for example Catherine of Aragon. She starts as the Princess' friend, when Margaret is not yet Queen of Scotland then their relationship declines when she offers to give to her husband, Margaret's surviving brother Henry VIII, James' bloodied body but instead sends his coat at Henry's insistence. Margaret hates her, she cannot forgive her and her reasons are well understood and we can sympathize with her, yet Catherine is not depicted as a villain out to get her but instead we have a very well rounded character. The same goes for Angus, Harry whom she later makes peace with, and every other character, they are all shown having their reasons and motivations for doing what they do, and it is something very difficult to depict in a novel but DL Bogdan has done it brilliantly and for that and also her research, this book deserves five stars."
This was my opinion then and it is still now. It is a brilliantly written book and I commend the author for giving everyone a fair time, since, it is very hard when you are writing first person point of view to do this to other characters that the person narrating the story may not look well on, in this case Margaret Tudor (eldest daughter of Henry VII and Elizabeth of York) who is that narrator.
The characters do not come as two dimensional or one, but very multi-dimensional, also the character has done her research of the time, soe she has taken into account the mentality of the period, and therefore Margaret comes as a multi-dimensional character, a woman of her times as the others she runs into or that are close to her.
March 16, 2013
This was quite an interesting read. I wasnt really sure which way the turns were going to take. Margaret Tudor was more than just the queen of Scotland. She was an ambitious woman whose reign was cut short by the death of her husband. Although she was regent for a short while, she fell victim to the Earl of Angus and his plans for Scotland.
Margaret struck me as a person who did not feel herself complete unless she had someone by her side. Her first marriage to King James was from all accounts a happy one. Whether they really loved each other or were just good friends throughout their short marriage isnt really known, but after his death, she was distraught and alone. While her young son assumed the throne, she was cast in the role of regent. She married twice more, although neither one was a really happy marriage.
Her life was quite interesting, and the book brought her from obscurity, showing how she tried to make her mark, and make it she did. Had she not married the Earl of Angus, things in Scotland might have been quite different and some of the bloodshed might have been avoided. Her friendships with men who were first her enemies is quite remarkable. Her Tudor determination for what she felt was best is something of legend. I couldnt help but compare her to her grandmother, Margaret Beaufort. Margaret Beaufort is someone who I feel isnt quite innocent in some of the goings on in England, but her drive to put her son on the throne of England was something that she fought and manipulated people for all of her life. She definitely instilled some hard lessons on her grandchildren and whether they would have admitted it or not, those lessons stuck with them throughout their lives. For all of her piety (true or not) it did not really stick with her grandchildren, but the lengths that she would go to in achieving her wants and goals were unbounded.
Margaret Tudor was a remarkable woman, daring to go against conventional thought of the time to get what she wanted. Good read!
Margaret struck me as a person who did not feel herself complete unless she had someone by her side. Her first marriage to King James was from all accounts a happy one. Whether they really loved each other or were just good friends throughout their short marriage isnt really known, but after his death, she was distraught and alone. While her young son assumed the throne, she was cast in the role of regent. She married twice more, although neither one was a really happy marriage.
Her life was quite interesting, and the book brought her from obscurity, showing how she tried to make her mark, and make it she did. Had she not married the Earl of Angus, things in Scotland might have been quite different and some of the bloodshed might have been avoided. Her friendships with men who were first her enemies is quite remarkable. Her Tudor determination for what she felt was best is something of legend. I couldnt help but compare her to her grandmother, Margaret Beaufort. Margaret Beaufort is someone who I feel isnt quite innocent in some of the goings on in England, but her drive to put her son on the throne of England was something that she fought and manipulated people for all of her life. She definitely instilled some hard lessons on her grandchildren and whether they would have admitted it or not, those lessons stuck with them throughout their lives. For all of her piety (true or not) it did not really stick with her grandchildren, but the lengths that she would go to in achieving her wants and goals were unbounded.
Margaret Tudor was a remarkable woman, daring to go against conventional thought of the time to get what she wanted. Good read!
January 11, 2013
When most think of a Sister to King Henry VIII they think of Mary, who married Charles Brandon. Indeed D.L Bogdan named the book aptly in choosing to call it the Forgotten Queen. Upon the opening of this novel we are thrust right into the world of a Princess who like most is never really going to be able to steer her own destiny. Raised to be a Lady, to have children and be a Wife who will wed who she is told. Ah, but we also learn quickly Margaret Tudor is every inch the Tudor as we know them, fiery, temperamental and stubborn.
I truly enjoyed this walk in the shoes of a Tudor that I did knot know much about.There are many historical facts that D.L Bogdan touches on (I did a little research while reading), and of course with any work of fiction some liberties have been taken. That said what is presenting really is a gripping story of a Woman who is a Queen and desperate to be loved. A woman who makes many wrong steps in her life and yet she truly does seem to mean well when she makes each of them. A woman like any woman who loves her children and fought nearly her whole life for her Son's throne and for peace between her homeland of birth and the homeland she adopted.
Margaret Tudor is a character or person as you like that caused a lot of conflict within me. At times I adored her and I understood the plights she was in, and the choices she was forced to make. At other times I wanted to grab her and shake her hard because she was being so selfish. It was at those times that I reminded myself, where any royals really unselfish? They were raised to rule, and raised to think of themselves as god's anointed and the most important person in the land. Prepare yourself for a up and down ride with this book and prepare yourself to be enlightened to some not as strongly sung parts of history and you will enjoy it.
I truly enjoyed this walk in the shoes of a Tudor that I did knot know much about.There are many historical facts that D.L Bogdan touches on (I did a little research while reading), and of course with any work of fiction some liberties have been taken. That said what is presenting really is a gripping story of a Woman who is a Queen and desperate to be loved. A woman who makes many wrong steps in her life and yet she truly does seem to mean well when she makes each of them. A woman like any woman who loves her children and fought nearly her whole life for her Son's throne and for peace between her homeland of birth and the homeland she adopted.
Margaret Tudor is a character or person as you like that caused a lot of conflict within me. At times I adored her and I understood the plights she was in, and the choices she was forced to make. At other times I wanted to grab her and shake her hard because she was being so selfish. It was at those times that I reminded myself, where any royals really unselfish? They were raised to rule, and raised to think of themselves as god's anointed and the most important person in the land. Prepare yourself for a up and down ride with this book and prepare yourself to be enlightened to some not as strongly sung parts of history and you will enjoy it.
March 17, 2013
This fictionalised account of the life of Margaret Tudor starts with the realisation that she is to be used a political pawn to unite the countries of England and Scotland. Dispatched to Scotland as a young teenager, Margaret makes the best of her marriage to King James IV, and despite his infidelities and weak nature, she falls for his inherent charm. When she is widowed after the Battle of Flodden, Margaret must learn how to survive in a man’s world, and even as she seeks to protect her baby son, now James V, there are powerful men who would seek to destroy her. Margaret’s fearsome determination and self-absorption, do not make her very endearing, and I suspect that of all the Tudor siblings, Margaret was perhaps more like her brother, King Henry VIII, whose capricious and volatile nature is well documented. There is no doubt that Margaret was neither very good at marriage or motherhood, and the unpredictability of her troubled life makes for fascinating reading.
Overall, I thought the story was well written, the skill of the author encourages an emotional investment in the characters and even as Margaret comes across as both narcissistic and vainglorious, there is an element of sympathy for a woman who seemed to be strangely out of step with the world around her. The historical feel of the era is well captured, and it was refreshing to read about one of the lesser documented Tudor princesses.
My thanks to NetGalley and Kensington Books for an ecopy of this book to review.
Overall, I thought the story was well written, the skill of the author encourages an emotional investment in the characters and even as Margaret comes across as both narcissistic and vainglorious, there is an element of sympathy for a woman who seemed to be strangely out of step with the world around her. The historical feel of the era is well captured, and it was refreshing to read about one of the lesser documented Tudor princesses.
My thanks to NetGalley and Kensington Books for an ecopy of this book to review.
January 30, 2013
So much is often written about Henry VIII and his wives that his older sister Margaret Tudor tends to be pushed into his shadow.
Not so in this novel. Meet Margaret Tudor, daughter of Henry VII and sister to Crown Prince Arthur and his younger brother Henry and their younger sister Mary.
Margaret is sent to Scotland as a mere girl in a political marriage to King James IV. She grows accustomed to Scotland's language and clan factions, and tries to be wife and mother as well as Queen Consort.
It is not easy. James feels so responsible for much in his life that he undergoes frequent penitential sufferings. But he loves Margaret and they try to work together to make lasting peace between France, England and Scotland.
Things of course do not go so well. The reader lives through the days of history, as James is defeated in battle and Margaret becomes Queen Regent, only to find her Regency threatened and lost, her position fragile.
Through it all, Margaret tries her best to remain Queen while also wanting so much to simply be woman. She is not a perfect heroine--she is stubborn and proud, sometimes when she might better be served by humility. She does not listen or look carefully at those around her, even while loving them dearly--she never sees the long illness of her "best" friend, nor knows that this friend has a child.
This novel provides a fascinating view of Margaret Tudor, a woman and Queen rarely depicted in the Tudor stories.
Not so in this novel. Meet Margaret Tudor, daughter of Henry VII and sister to Crown Prince Arthur and his younger brother Henry and their younger sister Mary.
Margaret is sent to Scotland as a mere girl in a political marriage to King James IV. She grows accustomed to Scotland's language and clan factions, and tries to be wife and mother as well as Queen Consort.
It is not easy. James feels so responsible for much in his life that he undergoes frequent penitential sufferings. But he loves Margaret and they try to work together to make lasting peace between France, England and Scotland.
Things of course do not go so well. The reader lives through the days of history, as James is defeated in battle and Margaret becomes Queen Regent, only to find her Regency threatened and lost, her position fragile.
Through it all, Margaret tries her best to remain Queen while also wanting so much to simply be woman. She is not a perfect heroine--she is stubborn and proud, sometimes when she might better be served by humility. She does not listen or look carefully at those around her, even while loving them dearly--she never sees the long illness of her "best" friend, nor knows that this friend has a child.
This novel provides a fascinating view of Margaret Tudor, a woman and Queen rarely depicted in the Tudor stories.
March 9, 2013
It's very difficult for an author to do well rounded characters when the central focus is on one character, let alone when it's written in first person. But D.L. Bogdan my respects to her and her writing, she managed to do just that. Margaret of Scotland is transformed into a woman we can all relate to her because she is not perfect, she is flawed, confused, yet her mistakes are not only due to her but also because of the men around her and the situation she's often put in and she has to endure.
The characters, even her rivals come as very well rounded, for example Catherine of Aragon. She starts as the Princess' friend, when Margaret is not yet Queen of Scotland then their relationship declines when she offers to give to her husband, Margaret's surviving brother Henry VIII, James' bloodied body but instead sends his coat at Henry's insistence. Margaret hates her, she cannot forgive her and her reasons are well understood and we can sympathize with her, yet Catherine is not depicted as a villain out to get her but instead we have a very well rounded character. The same goes for Angus, Harry whom she later makes peace with, and every other character, they are all shown having their reasons and motivations for doing what they do, and it is something very difficult to depict in a novel but DL Bogdan has done it brilliantly and for that and also her research, this book deserves five stars.
The characters, even her rivals come as very well rounded, for example Catherine of Aragon. She starts as the Princess' friend, when Margaret is not yet Queen of Scotland then their relationship declines when she offers to give to her husband, Margaret's surviving brother Henry VIII, James' bloodied body but instead sends his coat at Henry's insistence. Margaret hates her, she cannot forgive her and her reasons are well understood and we can sympathize with her, yet Catherine is not depicted as a villain out to get her but instead we have a very well rounded character. The same goes for Angus, Harry whom she later makes peace with, and every other character, they are all shown having their reasons and motivations for doing what they do, and it is something very difficult to depict in a novel but DL Bogdan has done it brilliantly and for that and also her research, this book deserves five stars.
December 24, 2012
Hopefully the formatting of the introduction of this ebook will be cleaned up before General release. Once into the actual book it seems to be fine.
The earlier years involving the death of Arthur and then their mother are rushed through but I suppose enough has already been written about those events and this book is really concerned with Margaret and her journey becoming queen of Scotland.
Into the fourth chapter and the formatting has gone very askew. Margaret is being portrayed as a spoilt, impetuous little girl.
Her marriage and life with James seems all about watching James punish himself and her cope alone with watching her children die while she's still a child herself.
Her stupidity with regards to her second marriage seems ridiculous and the formatting gets no better.
By this point I was really struggling with finishing the book but I did and the ending was fine. I was just glad to be done frankly. I didn't feel any particular sympathy or connection with any of the characters.
The earlier years involving the death of Arthur and then their mother are rushed through but I suppose enough has already been written about those events and this book is really concerned with Margaret and her journey becoming queen of Scotland.
Into the fourth chapter and the formatting has gone very askew. Margaret is being portrayed as a spoilt, impetuous little girl.
Her marriage and life with James seems all about watching James punish himself and her cope alone with watching her children die while she's still a child herself.
Her stupidity with regards to her second marriage seems ridiculous and the formatting gets no better.
By this point I was really struggling with finishing the book but I did and the ending was fine. I was just glad to be done frankly. I didn't feel any particular sympathy or connection with any of the characters.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 28, 2013
A very fine book and a good read by an author whose books I greatly admire. I learned a great deal about Margaret Tudor during the time I spent with her her learning her life history.
Margaret was not a terribly sympathetic heroine, but I came to understand her quite well. She was raised to be a "peacemaker" for her royal family who strove to rise above the past and was essentially sent to Scotland as a sacrifice for that peace. Although that is the fate of many royal princesses, Margaret seemed particularly forlorn and emotionally fragile.
Her son, King Jamie of Scotland, ended up being her main life's work, despite having a daughter who lived to adulthood. Never being understood or valued as a female or a princess, Margaret in her turn undervalued her daughter and finally herself.
The author did not polish Margaret Tudor a great deal, what she saw in her was what I got. I feel it was an accurate portrayal given what she knew and did not know about the times as well as the persons involved.
Very enjoyable and happily read!
Margaret was not a terribly sympathetic heroine, but I came to understand her quite well. She was raised to be a "peacemaker" for her royal family who strove to rise above the past and was essentially sent to Scotland as a sacrifice for that peace. Although that is the fate of many royal princesses, Margaret seemed particularly forlorn and emotionally fragile.
Her son, King Jamie of Scotland, ended up being her main life's work, despite having a daughter who lived to adulthood. Never being understood or valued as a female or a princess, Margaret in her turn undervalued her daughter and finally herself.
The author did not polish Margaret Tudor a great deal, what she saw in her was what I got. I feel it was an accurate portrayal given what she knew and did not know about the times as well as the persons involved.
Very enjoyable and happily read!
March 28, 2013
Easily one of the better historical novels out there, this Tudor-era story spins not the tale of Henry VIII, but of his sister Margaret, the eventual grandmother to Mary, Queen of Scots. D.L. Bogdan brings the Scottish Court to life, telling the pivotal early Tudor court events from a side point of view, all the while having Margaret, the ever-impetuous, passionate Margaret, tell the story.
Bogdan's Margaret Tudor is a dreamer who is soon shaped by the harsh realities of losing her husband, King James IV at Flodden, then being stuck in the position of having to make peace between her adopted home and her mother country, preserve the crown of Scotland for her son, the soon-to-be James V, and find some sort of personal happiness for herself. None of these are easy endeavors, especially for a queen, and especially for a woman who is, thanks to her position in life, not free to choose her happiness. But, with all the Tudor shrewdness, Margaret manages to find her way through.
Definitely recommending this to anyone with a zen for royal fiction.
Bogdan's Margaret Tudor is a dreamer who is soon shaped by the harsh realities of losing her husband, King James IV at Flodden, then being stuck in the position of having to make peace between her adopted home and her mother country, preserve the crown of Scotland for her son, the soon-to-be James V, and find some sort of personal happiness for herself. None of these are easy endeavors, especially for a queen, and especially for a woman who is, thanks to her position in life, not free to choose her happiness. But, with all the Tudor shrewdness, Margaret manages to find her way through.
Definitely recommending this to anyone with a zen for royal fiction.
October 31, 2016
Writing and history: 4 stars - because if anyone can write a decent book about someone so unlikable they deserve kudos.
Main Character: 1 star - only 1 star for the ability to fill their lungs with air, because honestly, if she was really like this I'm surprised she didn't end up in the Tower. This has got to be the whiniest, most naive, silly, narcissistic, useless royal person that ever existed. She bounces from one stupid decision to another and then wonders why she ends up alone?
Plot: 2-3 stars - this is assuming that Margaret Tudor was really like this and it was the author's intent to make her so completely hopeless and unlikable. If that wasn't the author's intent then scratch the above and make it 0 stars.
All of you people that rated it 4-5 stars are absolutely nuts.
There, done.
Main Character: 1 star - only 1 star for the ability to fill their lungs with air, because honestly, if she was really like this I'm surprised she didn't end up in the Tower. This has got to be the whiniest, most naive, silly, narcissistic, useless royal person that ever existed. She bounces from one stupid decision to another and then wonders why she ends up alone?
Plot: 2-3 stars - this is assuming that Margaret Tudor was really like this and it was the author's intent to make her so completely hopeless and unlikable. If that wasn't the author's intent then scratch the above and make it 0 stars.
All of you people that rated it 4-5 stars are absolutely nuts.
There, done.
May 20, 2014
"The Tudor Princess" is the story of Henry VIII's older, less well known sister Margaret who was sent to Scotland at a young age to wed the Scots king, a marriage known as the union of 'The Thistle and the Rose'. Margaret falls for the king, James, and endures miscarriages and the loss of several young children before they finally have an heir who survives. The king is then killed in battle and Margaret is left to negotiate the very complicated landscape of Scottish politics as well as two further marriages. I liked this book, especially the early part of the story, but there was so much information packed into it that sometimes it felt a little cluttered.
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