What do you think?
Rate this book
War of the Roses #1
The Innocent
The year is 1450, a dangerous time in medieval Britain. Civil unrest is at its peak and the legitimacy of the royal family is suspect. Meanwhile, deep in the forests of western England, a baby is born. Powerful forces plot to kill both mother and child, but somehow the newborn girl survives. Her name is Anne.
Fifteen years later, England emerges into a fragile but hopeful new age, with the charismatic young King Edward IV on the throne. Anne, now a young peasant girl, joins the household of a wealthy London merchant. Her unusual beauty provokes jealousy, lust, and intrigue, but Anne has a special quality that saves a vast knowledge of healing herbs. News of her extraordinary gift spreads, and she is called upon to save the ailing queen. Soon after, Anne is moved into the palace, where she finds her destiny with the man who will become the greatest love of her life -- the king himself.
Fifteen years later, England emerges into a fragile but hopeful new age, with the charismatic young King Edward IV on the throne. Anne, now a young peasant girl, joins the household of a wealthy London merchant. Her unusual beauty provokes jealousy, lust, and intrigue, but Anne has a special quality that saves a vast knowledge of healing herbs. News of her extraordinary gift spreads, and she is called upon to save the ailing queen. Soon after, Anne is moved into the palace, where she finds her destiny with the man who will become the greatest love of her life -- the king himself.
406 pages, Paperback
First published March 30, 2004
62 people are currently reading
4130 people want to read
About the author
Posie Graeme-Evans
7 books240 followersPosie Graeme-Evans has worked in the Australian film and television industry for the last twenty-five years as an editor, director, and producer on hundreds of prime-time television programs, including McLeod's Daughters and Hi-5. She lives in Sydney with her husband and creative partner, Andrew Blaxland.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 159 reviews
September 3, 2011
Will paste my review of the whole series (or as much of it as I was able to read) from Amazon here. This is the only book I've read that's moved me sufficiently to write an Amazon review.
I was very pleased to finally acquire this book, having heard of it several years ago. Although I'm not an expert in history, I have read a lot of books concerning this period, and always look forward to reading more. My pleasure soon turned to dismay as I started reading. Through the first few chapters I had a growing but unspecific feeling of unease - something about the prose didn't ring true. It was nothing I could put my finger on; aspects of the writing didn't feel authentic.
I persevered.
Eventually I stumbled across details that I knew were wrong. For instance, in this period the term "Your Majesty" to address the King or Queen had not yet been introduced. This didn't come about until the time of the Tudors. Plantagenet monarchs were content to be addressed as "Your Grace". Next, Edward IV was several times described as wearing a collar of interlinked S's. Unlikely. Yorkist collars tended to consist of roses and suns - the interlinked S collars were favoured by the Lancastrian nobility. Then in book 2 of the series we were asked to believe there was a Jewish money-lender in Whitby. As this story is set slap bang in the middle of the three hundred and fifty year period during which all Jews were banned from England, I find this hard to believe. Book 3 (which I've read, living as I do outside the US) would have us believe a crescent moon sailed the sky for an entire night. I ask "On which planet?!" A crescent moon when new is seen only at the start of the night, and when waning is only seen in the hours before dawn. The only moon that is seen all night is a full moon.
These known inaccuracies ruined the book for me. I found myself questioning every detail I read. Was it true? Was it authentic? Or was it just a flight of fancy or wishful thinking on behalf of the author? In the end I was unable to finish the 3rd book in the series because I found myself irritated to the point that I no longer cared about the fates of the characters. I'm only grateful that I got the books out of the library rather than spending hard earned cash on them.
I'm left wondering how such glaring errors could make their way into a published book...or am I expecting too much that a work of historical fiction should reflect its setting accurately?
I was very pleased to finally acquire this book, having heard of it several years ago. Although I'm not an expert in history, I have read a lot of books concerning this period, and always look forward to reading more. My pleasure soon turned to dismay as I started reading. Through the first few chapters I had a growing but unspecific feeling of unease - something about the prose didn't ring true. It was nothing I could put my finger on; aspects of the writing didn't feel authentic.
I persevered.
Eventually I stumbled across details that I knew were wrong. For instance, in this period the term "Your Majesty" to address the King or Queen had not yet been introduced. This didn't come about until the time of the Tudors. Plantagenet monarchs were content to be addressed as "Your Grace". Next, Edward IV was several times described as wearing a collar of interlinked S's. Unlikely. Yorkist collars tended to consist of roses and suns - the interlinked S collars were favoured by the Lancastrian nobility. Then in book 2 of the series we were asked to believe there was a Jewish money-lender in Whitby. As this story is set slap bang in the middle of the three hundred and fifty year period during which all Jews were banned from England, I find this hard to believe. Book 3 (which I've read, living as I do outside the US) would have us believe a crescent moon sailed the sky for an entire night. I ask "On which planet?!" A crescent moon when new is seen only at the start of the night, and when waning is only seen in the hours before dawn. The only moon that is seen all night is a full moon.
These known inaccuracies ruined the book for me. I found myself questioning every detail I read. Was it true? Was it authentic? Or was it just a flight of fancy or wishful thinking on behalf of the author? In the end I was unable to finish the 3rd book in the series because I found myself irritated to the point that I no longer cared about the fates of the characters. I'm only grateful that I got the books out of the library rather than spending hard earned cash on them.
I'm left wondering how such glaring errors could make their way into a published book...or am I expecting too much that a work of historical fiction should reflect its setting accurately?
January 15, 2013
Caveat: I'm not well versed in Medieval English history, & I refuse to spend hours trolling for factoids and/or critiquing any tweaks of what really happened. Quite honestly, I don't care. As far as I'm concerned, historical fiction has the freedom to play with facts. I don't demand perfect homages to history; I merely demand an engaging story, decent-or-better writing, & characters that capture my attention.
...Which is what the author provided. I make no excuses. I have no shame. :P
That being said, anyone who picks up The Innocent & expects a demure treatment of royal English history -- the joke's on you, because that's NOT what this book is about. The basic plot of The Innocent is a fictional young lady's rise from peasant to servant to Edward IV's lover to bastard daughter of Henry VI. But it's not just her newfound royal heritage that shatters Anne's conception of the world. Along the way, she's forced to witness the corruption & ruination of innocence in a variety of forms, ranging from her own expectations of a HEA to the sexual treatment of those in service to the politics of women using their bodies to manipulate for power, not mere pleasure. What are the responsibilities of one who is unwillingly dragged into the clash of the court? Is there ever such a thing as true innocence in love or politics?
Quite simply, there's a thread of gritty, bodice-ripping trashiness in this novel. It's obvious the author was having a good time with the melodramatic antics of her characters, but it's equally obvious that many readers were misled by the demure soft-focus cover. Don't be one of those people. It's a sexualized historical melodrama that centers on a fictional character -- so that bothers you, skip it.
I can't lie; the book isn't without flaws. For better or worse, there's a hint of Old Magic & herbal lore sprinkled throughout. Some chapters dragged (particularly the ones where Anne tried so hard to avoid Edward) & it really needed a tree of royal marriage & alliances to help those of us who aren't well acquainted with players in The War of the Roses. That said, the biggest annoyance is Anne's uber-eye-rolling Mary Sue status. Her saving grace is that she really is a NICE person; even when you're sighing at the incredible, implausible, utterly sticky-sweet nature of her personality, you can't wish the poor girl ill. She's not one of those emo Bella Swan doormats that you want to shove from a cliff -- Anne tries to help her friends & keep out of trouble, but she can't seem to get three steps ahead. I can't say I share her fascination with the Ultra Masculine Sexpot known as Edward IV. But hey...at least he's not Charles II of Spain. (Just imagine THAT cornering you alone in the hallway. Woof.)
Overall, this was a fun read. I can see myself visiting it again someday. There are two more books, but this one offers enough closure to be satisfying on its own.
...Which is what the author provided. I make no excuses. I have no shame. :P
That being said, anyone who picks up The Innocent & expects a demure treatment of royal English history -- the joke's on you, because that's NOT what this book is about. The basic plot of The Innocent is a fictional young lady's rise from peasant to servant to Edward IV's lover to bastard daughter of Henry VI. But it's not just her newfound royal heritage that shatters Anne's conception of the world. Along the way, she's forced to witness the corruption & ruination of innocence in a variety of forms, ranging from her own expectations of a HEA to the sexual treatment of those in service to the politics of women using their bodies to manipulate for power, not mere pleasure. What are the responsibilities of one who is unwillingly dragged into the clash of the court? Is there ever such a thing as true innocence in love or politics?
Quite simply, there's a thread of gritty, bodice-ripping trashiness in this novel. It's obvious the author was having a good time with the melodramatic antics of her characters, but it's equally obvious that many readers were misled by the demure soft-focus cover. Don't be one of those people. It's a sexualized historical melodrama that centers on a fictional character -- so that bothers you, skip it.
I can't lie; the book isn't without flaws. For better or worse, there's a hint of Old Magic & herbal lore sprinkled throughout. Some chapters dragged (particularly the ones where Anne tried so hard to avoid Edward) & it really needed a tree of royal marriage & alliances to help those of us who aren't well acquainted with players in The War of the Roses. That said, the biggest annoyance is Anne's uber-eye-rolling Mary Sue status. Her saving grace is that she really is a NICE person; even when you're sighing at the incredible, implausible, utterly sticky-sweet nature of her personality, you can't wish the poor girl ill. She's not one of those emo Bella Swan doormats that you want to shove from a cliff -- Anne tries to help her friends & keep out of trouble, but she can't seem to get three steps ahead. I can't say I share her fascination with the Ultra Masculine Sexpot known as Edward IV. But hey...at least he's not Charles II of Spain. (Just imagine THAT cornering you alone in the hallway. Woof.)
Overall, this was a fun read. I can see myself visiting it again someday. There are two more books, but this one offers enough closure to be satisfying on its own.
July 8, 2012
This is a Romance Novel with a thin backdrop of a very diluted 15th century England where Edward the IV is king.
Anne, a young peasant girl, comes to London where she is able to...
leap tall buildings in a single bound
...not exactly but pretty close.
Anne is amazingly skilled with herbs and is able to apply her skills where no one else can. She assists in the healing of her employer and then goes on to offer her aid to the queen.
There are so many logic defying turns in this story that by the end I really couldn't wait for it to be done. It was as if the entire story was contrived for the sole purpose of bringing us to the conclusion of this book.
There was a lot of sex, I don't mind sex in my fiction as long as it's believable and tastefully done. But this sex wasn't believable for these characters. I don't fault the writer for including the rape scene and the abuse at the hands of the masochistic pervert. I thought that part of the story actually gave the book some drama and tension but it was resolved very quickly and somewhat simply and then that story line was finished.
The relationships between the characters do not ring true, the events that unfold do not ring true. The characters reactions to events are contrived. Deborah who has known Anne's heritage all along suddenly wants to bow to her now that her parentage has been revealed to the reader? It doesn't make any sense. And the woman who was present for Anne's birth forgot about her? Again I didn't find it believable and there's more I didn't find believable but I can't say exactly what without revealing too much of what happens. There is a mystical theme that felt forced and underdeveloped, it just wasn't well done.
The characters are flat and suffer from 'flip-flop' where they contemplate a situation, make a decision to do one thing and then actually do the complete opposite which usually involves sex. I never felt that Anne did anything because she actually wanted to, it felt like she did it because Posie Graeme-Evans made her do it.
The story itself falls flat from beginning to end. There are just too many things that don't make any sense. I will say that some of the details were done well, the lice and the smells and sounds of London.
If you don't mind logic and common sense lacking in the books you read you might just like this story. If you really just like a lot of sex in your fiction pick this one up.
If you are a critical reader I would suggest you keep looking for your next favorite book, you might want to try Sharon Kay Penman's 'Sunne In Splendour' which is so well done.
Anne, a young peasant girl, comes to London where she is able to...
leap tall buildings in a single bound
...not exactly but pretty close.
Anne is amazingly skilled with herbs and is able to apply her skills where no one else can. She assists in the healing of her employer and then goes on to offer her aid to the queen.
There are so many logic defying turns in this story that by the end I really couldn't wait for it to be done. It was as if the entire story was contrived for the sole purpose of bringing us to the conclusion of this book.
There was a lot of sex, I don't mind sex in my fiction as long as it's believable and tastefully done. But this sex wasn't believable for these characters. I don't fault the writer for including the rape scene and the abuse at the hands of the masochistic pervert. I thought that part of the story actually gave the book some drama and tension but it was resolved very quickly and somewhat simply and then that story line was finished.
The relationships between the characters do not ring true, the events that unfold do not ring true. The characters reactions to events are contrived. Deborah who has known Anne's heritage all along suddenly wants to bow to her now that her parentage has been revealed to the reader? It doesn't make any sense. And the woman who was present for Anne's birth forgot about her? Again I didn't find it believable and there's more I didn't find believable but I can't say exactly what without revealing too much of what happens. There is a mystical theme that felt forced and underdeveloped, it just wasn't well done.
The characters are flat and suffer from 'flip-flop' where they contemplate a situation, make a decision to do one thing and then actually do the complete opposite which usually involves sex. I never felt that Anne did anything because she actually wanted to, it felt like she did it because Posie Graeme-Evans made her do it.
The story itself falls flat from beginning to end. There are just too many things that don't make any sense. I will say that some of the details were done well, the lice and the smells and sounds of London.
If you don't mind logic and common sense lacking in the books you read you might just like this story. If you really just like a lot of sex in your fiction pick this one up.
If you are a critical reader I would suggest you keep looking for your next favorite book, you might want to try Sharon Kay Penman's 'Sunne In Splendour' which is so well done.
July 18, 2013
I’m afraid that I cannot write a complete review of this book as I could not finish it. Already put off by the sloppy writing, fantastical characterisation and implausible plotting, I had to put the book aside when I got to the pornographic sex.
Born under strange circumstances, Anne is brought up in Arcadian innocence in an enchanted forest, learning about the healing power of herbs. When she reaches her teenage years, she is taken from this isolated and idyllic life directly into the heart of the city of London and put into the household of a powerful merchant with links to the court. The merchant’s wife is dying of a mysterious disease which all the best doctors in London cannot cure, but after very little persuasion, the master of the house happily follows his newest maidservant’s advice to dismiss all these eminent doctors and allow her to take sole charge of his wife. Of course, the woman is miraculously cured and one can already anticipate how Anne will come to the King’s attention. Meanwhile, one of Anne’s fellow maids has become pregnant as the result of a sadomasochistic sexual relationship, complete with whips, with the son of the house. Is it any wonder I felt no need to continue?
I had to ask myself how could this amateurish effort have been published and go on to spawn a whole series. I guess the old saw is still valid: You’ll never go broke underestimating the taste of the public. And who is the author that she should so well understand this fact? She was just an executive of Australia’s major commercial television network which is owned by one of the country’s biggest companies with extensive holdings in publishing. Does that answer my question? And to add insult to injury, soon after this book’s publication, her publishers, Simon & Schuster, announced they would no longer publish new Australian authors. What a swansong!
Born under strange circumstances, Anne is brought up in Arcadian innocence in an enchanted forest, learning about the healing power of herbs. When she reaches her teenage years, she is taken from this isolated and idyllic life directly into the heart of the city of London and put into the household of a powerful merchant with links to the court. The merchant’s wife is dying of a mysterious disease which all the best doctors in London cannot cure, but after very little persuasion, the master of the house happily follows his newest maidservant’s advice to dismiss all these eminent doctors and allow her to take sole charge of his wife. Of course, the woman is miraculously cured and one can already anticipate how Anne will come to the King’s attention. Meanwhile, one of Anne’s fellow maids has become pregnant as the result of a sadomasochistic sexual relationship, complete with whips, with the son of the house. Is it any wonder I felt no need to continue?
I had to ask myself how could this amateurish effort have been published and go on to spawn a whole series. I guess the old saw is still valid: You’ll never go broke underestimating the taste of the public. And who is the author that she should so well understand this fact? She was just an executive of Australia’s major commercial television network which is owned by one of the country’s biggest companies with extensive holdings in publishing. Does that answer my question? And to add insult to injury, soon after this book’s publication, her publishers, Simon & Schuster, announced they would no longer publish new Australian authors. What a swansong!
November 20, 2016
This novel is a lesson to all HF authors on what not to do. Not only does the author disregard both historical progression and historical minutiae and insert a fantasy of her own but her plotting is on a level of unfeasibility and wild imagining that makes Bernard Cornwell look positively restrained and cautious! It opens with a young girl in end stage labour being pursued with murderous intent by soldiers. It is not immediately clear why this is so - why they wish to seize the putative child - and when we do find out it is an even more ludicrous notion. I imagine this author believes that Princess Diana was murdered by MI5 (or whoever), that Elvis lives and breathes and that Dan Brown writes factual books. She may also have given birth by proxy.
I have to say, she has a very vivid imagination! Anyway, she had stretched my willing suspension of disbelief faculty to snapping point within the first chapter. And that was without any historical criticism though the book is littered with errors like leaves in an autumn wood.
I confess to skim reading (in horror) due to being a) nosy enough to want to know whose child it was and b) because it was like watching a car crash. I won't be reading any more of the series - or anything else by this author, who is Australian and much talked about here as a good writer.
*stunned mullet look*
To those who kindly read my maunderings - this is another one not to read if you want a soupçon of authenticity.
I have to say, she has a very vivid imagination! Anyway, she had stretched my willing suspension of disbelief faculty to snapping point within the first chapter. And that was without any historical criticism though the book is littered with errors like leaves in an autumn wood.
I confess to skim reading (in horror) due to being a) nosy enough to want to know whose child it was and b) because it was like watching a car crash. I won't be reading any more of the series - or anything else by this author, who is Australian and much talked about here as a good writer.
*stunned mullet look*
To those who kindly read my maunderings - this is another one not to read if you want a soupçon of authenticity.
February 6, 2012
I was so horribly disappointed in this book. Its more fiction than history, and uses the historical figures as a pale background to a Mary Sue character. Anne is just too perfect, I didn't get the chemistry between her and Edward, and everything from the point where Anne made me want to give up on the book.
There was a good way to create this character: this who falls for the King, but The Innocent did not live up to the expectations or the hype. The book ends abruptly and cliff hangs into the second book. Unfortunately, after 406 pages, I simply did not care about Anne enough to slog through another book.
Two stars for okay writing. One compliment I'd give to Graeme-Evans was her description of the atmosphere of London. The smell, the trash and the bugs don't often make it into historical fictions and I was glad to see it included in The Innocent.
There was a good way to create this character: this who falls for the King, but The Innocent did not live up to the expectations or the hype. The book ends abruptly and cliff hangs into the second book. Unfortunately, after 406 pages, I simply did not care about Anne enough to slog through another book.
Two stars for okay writing. One compliment I'd give to Graeme-Evans was her description of the atmosphere of London. The smell, the trash and the bugs don't often make it into historical fictions and I was glad to see it included in The Innocent.
Read
August 8, 2022Not finished and will be consigning it to the Op Shop pile.
August 5, 2011
Where do I start with this book? Well, recently I've had a problem with not finding a book that can hold my interest. I think I went through about four or five books before I found this little gem. It not only held my interest, but I was so hooked that I read it in two days. I even put down the other book that I was reading to read Posie Graeme-Evans' The Innocent. I wouldn't say the book is amazing, but it definitely caught my attention.
The Innocent follows the life of the mysterious Anne. She was born in the forests of England in the 1450s in the midst of a bloody civil war. Fifteen years later she enters the house of Sir Matthew to work as a servant for his wife, Lady Margaret. It isn't long, however, until Anne is pulled into the politics and escapades of the household and is forced down the path to adulthood.
After Anne uses her knowledge of herbs to help Lady Margaret, word spreads to King Edward IV, and she is brought to his household to help the queen through the labors of childbirth. It isn't long, of course, until the king takes special notice of Anne and sets out to take her innocence.
Even though this book does take a little while to pick up steam, when it does -it's pretty steamy. I was a little surprised by the inclusion of so many sexual comments and scenes because it didn't really seem like what I signed up for after reading the back -but at least most of them seemed to serve a purpose (if slightly overdone). The story particularly picked up in the final third of the book when the focus shifted from romance to political intrigue. I've always been a bigger fan of that than romance, so I was on the edge of my seat when it finally happened.
The real star of this novel, however, was the pure, effortless skill woven into Graeme-Evans' prose. It was very easy to read, had short, manageable chapters and details so vivid I could see everything. I was particularly amazed by the writing in this book. Even though the plot and characters weren't amazing, Graeme-Evans is able to convey crystal-clear scenes with astonishing details (this woman definitely did her research!) and just enough words to get the point across without taking away from the plot.
However, there are a few small issues that keep this novel from being great. First, some of the characters become a little inconsistent in personality throughout the novel and tend to be a little flat -of course, this isn't too noticeable, but would definitely help strengthen the novel. It also seems like it takes a long time to get to the plot that was originally advertised with the book, so I felt a little bit like I had to wade through too much before I got to what I was expecting.
Overall, The Innocent is an enjoyable, though improbable, historical romance novel that is something of a cross between Ken Follett Pillars of the Earth and Philippa Gregory's Tudor Court novels set in the 15th century. It'll appeal to history lovers and readers who appreciate good world building and intricate detail. An enjoyable and fun read that'll keep you going and leave you wanting more.
The Innocent follows the life of the mysterious Anne. She was born in the forests of England in the 1450s in the midst of a bloody civil war. Fifteen years later she enters the house of Sir Matthew to work as a servant for his wife, Lady Margaret. It isn't long, however, until Anne is pulled into the politics and escapades of the household and is forced down the path to adulthood.
After Anne uses her knowledge of herbs to help Lady Margaret, word spreads to King Edward IV, and she is brought to his household to help the queen through the labors of childbirth. It isn't long, of course, until the king takes special notice of Anne and sets out to take her innocence.
Even though this book does take a little while to pick up steam, when it does -it's pretty steamy. I was a little surprised by the inclusion of so many sexual comments and scenes because it didn't really seem like what I signed up for after reading the back -but at least most of them seemed to serve a purpose (if slightly overdone). The story particularly picked up in the final third of the book when the focus shifted from romance to political intrigue. I've always been a bigger fan of that than romance, so I was on the edge of my seat when it finally happened.
The real star of this novel, however, was the pure, effortless skill woven into Graeme-Evans' prose. It was very easy to read, had short, manageable chapters and details so vivid I could see everything. I was particularly amazed by the writing in this book. Even though the plot and characters weren't amazing, Graeme-Evans is able to convey crystal-clear scenes with astonishing details (this woman definitely did her research!) and just enough words to get the point across without taking away from the plot.
However, there are a few small issues that keep this novel from being great. First, some of the characters become a little inconsistent in personality throughout the novel and tend to be a little flat -of course, this isn't too noticeable, but would definitely help strengthen the novel. It also seems like it takes a long time to get to the plot that was originally advertised with the book, so I felt a little bit like I had to wade through too much before I got to what I was expecting.
Overall, The Innocent is an enjoyable, though improbable, historical romance novel that is something of a cross between Ken Follett Pillars of the Earth and Philippa Gregory's Tudor Court novels set in the 15th century. It'll appeal to history lovers and readers who appreciate good world building and intricate detail. An enjoyable and fun read that'll keep you going and leave you wanting more.
April 30, 2009
First and foremost, don’t read this book expecting historical accuracy, for if you do, you’ll be sorely disappointed. That being said, THE INNOCENT is a twisting, bosom-heaving, emotional, gasping historical fiction read! The author gorgeously places us into the heads of all the characters, however minor, so that we are able to get a sense of their thoughts and feelings, their conflicts and uncertainties. I don’t know much at all about Medieval England, but I am far from disappointed here: our closeness to the characters makes for an extremely believable court intrigue, a space full of secrets, hidden desires, backstabbing, and political unrest…delicious!
However, I was most bothered by some of the characters and their relationships with one another. The protagonist, Anne, was just too perfect, the perfectly helpless damsel in distress whose occasional bursts of confidence and assuredness seemed fake in light of her more consistent ability to not have a spine. I couldn’t believe that her breathtaking beauty could really sustain everyone’s interest in her for prolonged periods of time.
Similarly, I found the romance between Anne and King Edward unrealistic. Their eyes meet, they take in each other’s beauties…and then they’re forever obsessed with each other? I got no inkling of the chemistry between them, just an unfathomable draw of—what, hormones? Pheromones?—driving them together in spite of everything.
Despite those issues I have with the book, I’d still recommend THE INNOCENT to a variety of readers. Even if you don’t know or often read books about Medieval England, Posie Graeme-Evans’ writing ability is still something to take note of. You will be sucked into the characters’ stories, and only unwillingly will you put the book down.
However, I was most bothered by some of the characters and their relationships with one another. The protagonist, Anne, was just too perfect, the perfectly helpless damsel in distress whose occasional bursts of confidence and assuredness seemed fake in light of her more consistent ability to not have a spine. I couldn’t believe that her breathtaking beauty could really sustain everyone’s interest in her for prolonged periods of time.
Similarly, I found the romance between Anne and King Edward unrealistic. Their eyes meet, they take in each other’s beauties…and then they’re forever obsessed with each other? I got no inkling of the chemistry between them, just an unfathomable draw of—what, hormones? Pheromones?—driving them together in spite of everything.
Despite those issues I have with the book, I’d still recommend THE INNOCENT to a variety of readers. Even if you don’t know or often read books about Medieval England, Posie Graeme-Evans’ writing ability is still something to take note of. You will be sucked into the characters’ stories, and only unwillingly will you put the book down.
January 3, 2019
The first part was intense I was definitely sitting on the edge of my seat but that's not enough because everything else was ridiculous.
April 30, 2015
The Innocent is the story of the red-headed and all-round perfect peasant girl with a mysterious past Anne de Bohun and her rather ludicrous escapades through the politically tangled era of the Wars of the Roses. This is a rather peculiar book, a sort of hybrid chimera; equal parts historical fiction and trashy, melodramatic and rather depraved sexual intrigue and romance. It harbours to a certain taste for Harlequin-styled novels IMHO.
In fact, I would go so far to say that this book is absolutely TRASH-TASTIC!
This isn't a terrible book. The writing is competent and brimming with energy. Fast-paced and sharply plotted, The Innocent is a quick and easy read; nothing is over complicated. I actually read this novel in less then four days. I was genuinely gripped by the narrative and intrigue to a certain point until the story gradually petered out. So in terms of writing and pacing, I can confidently say that these were the novel's strongest characteristics.
However, in terms of plot, characterisation, generally plausibility, historical accuracy and the romantic aspects, this text falls horribly short. Spectacularly short. These various failings contributed to the low score of 2.5 stars that I gave and hampered my ability to fully enjoy or even believe the events of this novel.
Sigh.
The plot to say the least is melodramatic, anachronistic and often borders on the ridiculous. The Innocent focuses on the tumultuous life of the young Anne de Bohun as she moves from the secluded forest of her childhood to the troubled and back-stabbing royal court of King Edward IV and his Queen, Elizabeth Woodville. At times, I was required to suspend belief in various incidences.
1. the reader is asked to accept that Anne, a poor, obscure peasant girl, can read and write in French, English and Latin, has advanced knowledge of herbs and of medicine and has the ability to see into the future. Naturally, in a time when even noble women were rarely educated, we are expected to accept that Anne has been so highly educated for one so low-born. I don't need to go into detail about the seeing into the future stupidity. Its a lazy way of showing what historical events will happen.
2. In the prologue, a two women, one of whom is nine months pregnant and in labour, mount a startled war house and ride off into the night. War horses, of this era, were as big as draft horses, nearly 16 hands high. They had to be! These were the mounts that carried Knights into battle. They were often stallions and notoriously difficult to handle. The author expects us to believe that these two women successfully rode a war horse with no difficulty.
3. THIS IS HIGHLY SPOILERISH. MAJOR PLOT POINTS DISCUSSED.
ARE YOU SURE YOU WANT TO GO ON?
OK THEN.
Anne is revealed to be the bastard daughter of Henry VI and a noblewoman named Alyce de Bohun, born after her mother is attacked the servants of the childless Margaret of Anjou, Henry's fearsome wife. Anne is raised in secret and only learns of her heritage when it (somehow) places her in grave danger. I have several problems with this plot point. Henry VI was a timid, principled and kindly man with a strong religious bent; better suited as a monk than a king. He was a faithful husband to Margaret of Anjou and a loving father to their only child, Edward of Lancaster. The mere idea of him cheating of his wife is hard to accept. He loathed lewd talk and once fled in shock upon seeing a trope of half naked female dancers brought to entertain him. This idea of his fathering a bastard is melodramatic in the extreme and played solely for shock value. Also, the idea that a bastard of Henry VI could pose such a threat to Margaret of Anjou and then King Edward IV is utterly blown out of proportion. There is no way that Anne could have succeeded to the English throne or even posed a possible alternative as monarch. Accusations of bastardy were hurled both at Margaret of Anjou's son and Edward IV in order to claim that they had absolutely no legitimate right to the throne and to contest their status as rightful heir. Bastards were NEVER considered as viable heirs to the crown. EVER. So much of Anne's supposed importance is not possible in any aspect. To tell otherwise is historically dishonest.
The characterisation of this novel was fraught with little ambiguity and complexity. Anne and Edward IV are prime examples of this. Anne for all intents and purposes is a classic Mary-Sue; a feisty, sweet mannered and angelic red-headed young girl who is lusted after by all men and who gains the animosity of several female characters. A Mary-Sue is perfection incarnate. She can do no wrong, can perform tasks expertly and with no difficulty or practise and gains universal admiration. Anne conforms so devoutly to the Mary-Sue characteristic that I'm rather dismayed that a published author wrote such a heroine. Edward IV is another issue. The promiscuous, power-saavy, highly intelligent and charismatic king is the novels strongest character but even he suffers from weak characterisation. It was frankly aggravating to witness this play-boy of a king fall hopelessly and inexplicitly in love with Anne. I mean what did he see in Anne? They meet only a few times yet proclaimed true love and had such tearful farewells that I nearly rolled my eyes out of my head. The romance seemed so out of place and utterly unbelievable. I couldn't buy it for a second. Other characters such as the horrible sexual sadist Piers and the poor wretched Aveline are fleshed out greatly and are far more believable sadly, despite their unpleasantness and eventual ends.
The last point I'll discuss is the abundance of sex, weird BDSM practices and people watching other people doing 'it'. This, for me, was the oddest and most uncomfortable part of the book. The sex was mildly graphic and in the case of Piers and Aveline, is highly abusive and masochistic. It occurs in nearly every chapter with Piers raping Aveline regularly and sexual degrading Anne, Edward watching his friend Hastings doing it with a laundress and Anne and Edward consummating their relationship in Westminster Abbey of all places. The over reliance on sex added to the novel's detriment. I don't object to it morally, I just found the emphasis on it a bit bothersome at times.
Historically, the novel sticks to the known facts for the majority of the time. The politics is very lightly done and at times barely noticeable. I think the future King Richard III appears in one chapter. The wars of the roses and the dynastic conflicts that twisted contemporary events and caused betrayals, escapes, brutal battle, land and sea invasions are glossed over to the reader's frustration. This novel focuses on the romantic and sexual intrigue of Anne and rarely descends into political discussion. Historical romantics would probably be happier with the Innocent. I feel this would have turned into a stronger novel if the focus had been on politics instead of romance.
All in all, I give the Innocent 5/10 stars. Well-written, with a Mary-Sue character, light historical detail, rather graphic sex scenes, a discernable lack of politics and an over reliance on ridiculous plot elements, the Innocent isn't for everyone.
This is all my personal opinion.
In fact, I would go so far to say that this book is absolutely TRASH-TASTIC!
This isn't a terrible book. The writing is competent and brimming with energy. Fast-paced and sharply plotted, The Innocent is a quick and easy read; nothing is over complicated. I actually read this novel in less then four days. I was genuinely gripped by the narrative and intrigue to a certain point until the story gradually petered out. So in terms of writing and pacing, I can confidently say that these were the novel's strongest characteristics.
However, in terms of plot, characterisation, generally plausibility, historical accuracy and the romantic aspects, this text falls horribly short. Spectacularly short. These various failings contributed to the low score of 2.5 stars that I gave and hampered my ability to fully enjoy or even believe the events of this novel.
Sigh.
The plot to say the least is melodramatic, anachronistic and often borders on the ridiculous. The Innocent focuses on the tumultuous life of the young Anne de Bohun as she moves from the secluded forest of her childhood to the troubled and back-stabbing royal court of King Edward IV and his Queen, Elizabeth Woodville. At times, I was required to suspend belief in various incidences.
1. the reader is asked to accept that Anne, a poor, obscure peasant girl, can read and write in French, English and Latin, has advanced knowledge of herbs and of medicine and has the ability to see into the future. Naturally, in a time when even noble women were rarely educated, we are expected to accept that Anne has been so highly educated for one so low-born. I don't need to go into detail about the seeing into the future stupidity. Its a lazy way of showing what historical events will happen.
2. In the prologue, a two women, one of whom is nine months pregnant and in labour, mount a startled war house and ride off into the night. War horses, of this era, were as big as draft horses, nearly 16 hands high. They had to be! These were the mounts that carried Knights into battle. They were often stallions and notoriously difficult to handle. The author expects us to believe that these two women successfully rode a war horse with no difficulty.
3. THIS IS HIGHLY SPOILERISH. MAJOR PLOT POINTS DISCUSSED.
ARE YOU SURE YOU WANT TO GO ON?
OK THEN.
Anne is revealed to be the bastard daughter of Henry VI and a noblewoman named Alyce de Bohun, born after her mother is attacked the servants of the childless Margaret of Anjou, Henry's fearsome wife. Anne is raised in secret and only learns of her heritage when it (somehow) places her in grave danger. I have several problems with this plot point. Henry VI was a timid, principled and kindly man with a strong religious bent; better suited as a monk than a king. He was a faithful husband to Margaret of Anjou and a loving father to their only child, Edward of Lancaster. The mere idea of him cheating of his wife is hard to accept. He loathed lewd talk and once fled in shock upon seeing a trope of half naked female dancers brought to entertain him. This idea of his fathering a bastard is melodramatic in the extreme and played solely for shock value. Also, the idea that a bastard of Henry VI could pose such a threat to Margaret of Anjou and then King Edward IV is utterly blown out of proportion. There is no way that Anne could have succeeded to the English throne or even posed a possible alternative as monarch. Accusations of bastardy were hurled both at Margaret of Anjou's son and Edward IV in order to claim that they had absolutely no legitimate right to the throne and to contest their status as rightful heir. Bastards were NEVER considered as viable heirs to the crown. EVER. So much of Anne's supposed importance is not possible in any aspect. To tell otherwise is historically dishonest.
The characterisation of this novel was fraught with little ambiguity and complexity. Anne and Edward IV are prime examples of this. Anne for all intents and purposes is a classic Mary-Sue; a feisty, sweet mannered and angelic red-headed young girl who is lusted after by all men and who gains the animosity of several female characters. A Mary-Sue is perfection incarnate. She can do no wrong, can perform tasks expertly and with no difficulty or practise and gains universal admiration. Anne conforms so devoutly to the Mary-Sue characteristic that I'm rather dismayed that a published author wrote such a heroine. Edward IV is another issue. The promiscuous, power-saavy, highly intelligent and charismatic king is the novels strongest character but even he suffers from weak characterisation. It was frankly aggravating to witness this play-boy of a king fall hopelessly and inexplicitly in love with Anne. I mean what did he see in Anne? They meet only a few times yet proclaimed true love and had such tearful farewells that I nearly rolled my eyes out of my head. The romance seemed so out of place and utterly unbelievable. I couldn't buy it for a second. Other characters such as the horrible sexual sadist Piers and the poor wretched Aveline are fleshed out greatly and are far more believable sadly, despite their unpleasantness and eventual ends.
The last point I'll discuss is the abundance of sex, weird BDSM practices and people watching other people doing 'it'. This, for me, was the oddest and most uncomfortable part of the book. The sex was mildly graphic and in the case of Piers and Aveline, is highly abusive and masochistic. It occurs in nearly every chapter with Piers raping Aveline regularly and sexual degrading Anne, Edward watching his friend Hastings doing it with a laundress and Anne and Edward consummating their relationship in Westminster Abbey of all places. The over reliance on sex added to the novel's detriment. I don't object to it morally, I just found the emphasis on it a bit bothersome at times.
Historically, the novel sticks to the known facts for the majority of the time. The politics is very lightly done and at times barely noticeable. I think the future King Richard III appears in one chapter. The wars of the roses and the dynastic conflicts that twisted contemporary events and caused betrayals, escapes, brutal battle, land and sea invasions are glossed over to the reader's frustration. This novel focuses on the romantic and sexual intrigue of Anne and rarely descends into political discussion. Historical romantics would probably be happier with the Innocent. I feel this would have turned into a stronger novel if the focus had been on politics instead of romance.
All in all, I give the Innocent 5/10 stars. Well-written, with a Mary-Sue character, light historical detail, rather graphic sex scenes, a discernable lack of politics and an over reliance on ridiculous plot elements, the Innocent isn't for everyone.
This is all my personal opinion.
May 7, 2024
I liked Anne as a character although her sudden poise after learning about her ancestry seemed rather far-fetched. I felt the entire story-line with Piers was completely unnecessary and could have easily been omitted to spare everyone his sadistic rape scenes. Also, the bedroom scenes with the king turned the story into an erotic romance. And yet I still gave this 3 stars because all the bedroom scenes aside-consensual or not-I was still entertained by Anne's story as her history catches up with her.
June 2, 2020
A little escapism during turbulent times is always a welcome diversion. This book struck me as “Pillars of the Earth” meets “The Tudors” tv series. It starts out slow yet interesting before really picking up and grabbing you. Definitely not as rich or well-researched as a Ken Follett novel, but a quick, entertaining read. I’ll finish the series.
February 26, 2022
Beautiful, i loved it!
January 22, 2011
The Innocent has been in my TBR pile for quite some time. It is set during the period of the War of The Roses and I've read quite a few books with the same setting so, while I am often curious about that period, I also fear that my expectations will be too high and I tend to postpone picking them up unless they are recommended by friends.
The story starts in 1450 with a birth, the baby lives but the mother dies in labour. We find out that she was being protected by Royal Guards till they were ambushed in a forest.
Fast forward fifteen years and Anne, a young girl, is brought by her foster mother to the city to work as a servant in merchant's house. Her knowledge of herbs saves the merchant's wife who was dying and eventually her healing gift brings her to the attention of the court's doctor and she plays a role in helping Edward IV's Queen giving birth to their first daughter.
At court Anne attracts the King's eye and in time she discovers she is not just little Anne but actually a bastard daughter of the previous King, Henry VI, and a young gentlewoman. While she struggles not to give in to the attraction between her and the King she also has to deal with the fact that she is now an eventual threat to his throne and that she has gained a few enemies along the way.
I have to say that I found this an entertaining and fast read, it's not heavy in historical detail and the story focuses much more in Anne's everyday life and feelings so I would think of this more as historical romance than historical fiction, especially the second half of the story. However I did have some problems with Anne.
She seemed too perfect. A fifteen year old girl who can heal better than doctors, evade unwanted advances, became friends with those she serves and still maintain a wide eyed innocence seemed a bit unreal. Then, she finds her way to court still maintaining the same innocence, gaining other's admiration and managing to attract the King just with a glance and a touch or two. And the King, who is known for his numerous meaningless affairs, manages to fall in love with her deeply. I don't know about you but to me it seemed too much of a good thing happening to one person.
One other thing that bothered me was the change in her after she discovers she is a royal bastard. It's almost as that gave her instant maturity. She starts thinking that she has a role in the politics of the time and that she has to think of her future according to her new bloodlines. It's not that I think she might not have had a role but she is only an illegitimate daughter. I'm not sure if she would be such a big threat to Edward's crown.
Still, as I said, it makes for an entertaining read, if you think you won't be bothered by these aspects this may well be the book for you. This is the first book in a trilogy and I am undecided whether I should track down the other two or not...
Grade: 3.5/5
The story starts in 1450 with a birth, the baby lives but the mother dies in labour. We find out that she was being protected by Royal Guards till they were ambushed in a forest.
Fast forward fifteen years and Anne, a young girl, is brought by her foster mother to the city to work as a servant in merchant's house. Her knowledge of herbs saves the merchant's wife who was dying and eventually her healing gift brings her to the attention of the court's doctor and she plays a role in helping Edward IV's Queen giving birth to their first daughter.
At court Anne attracts the King's eye and in time she discovers she is not just little Anne but actually a bastard daughter of the previous King, Henry VI, and a young gentlewoman. While she struggles not to give in to the attraction between her and the King she also has to deal with the fact that she is now an eventual threat to his throne and that she has gained a few enemies along the way.
I have to say that I found this an entertaining and fast read, it's not heavy in historical detail and the story focuses much more in Anne's everyday life and feelings so I would think of this more as historical romance than historical fiction, especially the second half of the story. However I did have some problems with Anne.
She seemed too perfect. A fifteen year old girl who can heal better than doctors, evade unwanted advances, became friends with those she serves and still maintain a wide eyed innocence seemed a bit unreal. Then, she finds her way to court still maintaining the same innocence, gaining other's admiration and managing to attract the King just with a glance and a touch or two. And the King, who is known for his numerous meaningless affairs, manages to fall in love with her deeply. I don't know about you but to me it seemed too much of a good thing happening to one person.
One other thing that bothered me was the change in her after she discovers she is a royal bastard. It's almost as that gave her instant maturity. She starts thinking that she has a role in the politics of the time and that she has to think of her future according to her new bloodlines. It's not that I think she might not have had a role but she is only an illegitimate daughter. I'm not sure if she would be such a big threat to Edward's crown.
Still, as I said, it makes for an entertaining read, if you think you won't be bothered by these aspects this may well be the book for you. This is the first book in a trilogy and I am undecided whether I should track down the other two or not...
Grade: 3.5/5
February 13, 2011
15 year old Anne is being taken by her foster mother to work as a servant in merchant's house. She has good knowledge of herbs and after Anne saves the merchant’s wife, her knowledge brings her to the attention of the court's doctor.The doctor brings Anne to court to help the queen giving birth to their first child. While being there she attracts the king’s eye and discovers the truth about her parents.
Oh boy, where am I gonna start? First of all, if you’re gonna read this for historical accurancy, don’t bother.
My first problem is with Anne. She is just too perfect. Every man falls for her, even the king who is known for his many fleeting affairs just falls in love with after few glances. Of course she can heal better than the doctors, evade the merchant’s son who loves to spend his time raping the servant girls, staying annoyingly innocent and being nice to everyone.
In the beginning of the book the merchan’t son, Piers, has some rather gross sex scenes with this girl which I could have lived unknowing. And we also learn that Edward IV finds watching other people having sex erotic and appearantly so does Anne after peeking from the door where Hastings is with some laundress *insert eye roll here*
And the truth about her parents? Her father is none other than Henry VI. Because he’s known to be chasing girls between praying and his bouts of madness... And it’s rather understandable that after Margaret finds out the girl is pregnant she tries to assasinate her. This whole thing was little too much on the melodramatic side for my liking.
And after Anne finds out about her father, she rather instantly finds maturity and kind of a royal bearing. And after months of evading Edward she jumps to his bed after finding who she is. Because it’s much more logical doing adultery when you are royal bastard than a mere servant...
And why illegitimate daughter might be such a big threat to Edward is totally beyond me.
But I liked William Hastings. And I think that’s the first time so there was at least one thing I liked
Oh boy, where am I gonna start? First of all, if you’re gonna read this for historical accurancy, don’t bother.
My first problem is with Anne. She is just too perfect. Every man falls for her, even the king who is known for his many fleeting affairs just falls in love with after few glances. Of course she can heal better than the doctors, evade the merchant’s son who loves to spend his time raping the servant girls, staying annoyingly innocent and being nice to everyone.
In the beginning of the book the merchan’t son, Piers, has some rather gross sex scenes with this girl which I could have lived unknowing. And we also learn that Edward IV finds watching other people having sex erotic and appearantly so does Anne after peeking from the door where Hastings is with some laundress *insert eye roll here*
And the truth about her parents? Her father is none other than Henry VI. Because he’s known to be chasing girls between praying and his bouts of madness... And it’s rather understandable that after Margaret finds out the girl is pregnant she tries to assasinate her. This whole thing was little too much on the melodramatic side for my liking.
And after Anne finds out about her father, she rather instantly finds maturity and kind of a royal bearing. And after months of evading Edward she jumps to his bed after finding who she is. Because it’s much more logical doing adultery when you are royal bastard than a mere servant...
And why illegitimate daughter might be such a big threat to Edward is totally beyond me.
But I liked William Hastings. And I think that’s the first time so there was at least one thing I liked
July 22, 2021
I rate it 3.5 stars. I have a hard time finding myself really liking or caring about the main character Anne. She is just too goody goody for me. Jane Shore makes a connection with Anne and it stays in the back of my mind where she is going to fit into all of this. History says that Edward IV loved Jane..... so???? I did like the authors details to architecture, fashion and food. The book is entertaining enough to get me to read the other two books in the series.
January 9, 2021
A really solid historical fiction- and the best surprise was that it’s actually a trilogy? Good writing style and flow through the whole book and characters I could root for. Most likely gonna go find the next two books and read those. Is it my favorite? No. But it’s worth reading to fill some time.
June 26, 2015
Very entertaining. Looking forward the Second book in the trilogy.
December 3, 2017
Actual rating:2.5 stars
I’m going to say this before I start the actual review:I don’t like historical fiction.I’ve never liked historical fiction.I don’t think I’ll ever like historical fiction.
As this is a heavy historical fiction itself,it comes with many subject topics I feel icky about reading.Rape (which is ACCEPTED and EXPECTED),Abuse (from the family’s own uncontrollable Son),religion(although this does play a MAJOR factor in many good decisions made),and lastly,stupid,dramatic Romeo Juliet romance.
The story starts off with a Lady of status being killed and The Maid of that Lady bringing the baby to a random home in the forest to be hidden away and to be adopted by a woman name Deborah.
The next chapter follows a fifteen-year-old teenagers named Anne going into London to serve the Blessing House,with her foster Mother Deborah bringing her there.
The events that unfolded at Blessing House were ones that you really could see coming.Since the sypnosis already says that the unforbidden romance happens between the King and Anne,so we have to somehow move Anne to the palace right?
Margaret is the kind and understanding Lady that Anne serves and is the cool rational Breeze to Lord Matthew’s strong,sometimes irrational flame.
So some gruesome deaths happen that leave the household shaken for a while,and at one point Anne is asked specially by Doctor Moss to help in the labour pains of the Queen.
The moment I saw the first explicit sex scene between the King and his servent,how Elizabeth knows the king always wants sex in change for her requests,and the rumours that the King sleeps with other women,I knew Anne was going to go down that path and be a plaything for the King.
The King and William Hastings,his Best Friend were just young shitty disloyal husbands who take advantage of the vanity of every young woman in the palace.So it’s safe to say that I did not like the king or any one that surrounded him.
Elizabeth,the Queen who everyone hates and someone the King has to be highly aware of,plays a power role in this series I think.She has has her own powerful backing and the way she commands people makes her SEEM powerful;which I think is quite enough if you want someone to listen to you.She does many things to people in this book mostly because of jealousy,but I’m looking forward to seeing how she reacts when politics come into play.(but probs not gonna read the sequel OOPS)
The thing that made it into a 2-ish star instead of an Okay 3 was when 66% into the book where the big reveal (not to us) to Anne was made and her life would have a 180 degree change in course.She was supposed to have a dramatic reaction.Please,if you’re told that you’re not who you actually are and is part of something that could change the tides between national rivalries would you just take it as it as and not be shellshocked? Anne literally just took it like someone was telling her to wash laundry.Towards the end of the book,she suddenly had all these plans which I was wondering where they all came from?I don’t think Anne is capable of coming up with these political ideas when she has ZERO experience.
The innocent is an average piece of fiction in my eyes.It has a romance that ruins everything,distasteful happenings and I wouldn’t continue with the sequel.There are better books worth my time.
I’m going to say this before I start the actual review:I don’t like historical fiction.I’ve never liked historical fiction.I don’t think I’ll ever like historical fiction.
As this is a heavy historical fiction itself,it comes with many subject topics I feel icky about reading.Rape (which is ACCEPTED and EXPECTED),Abuse (from the family’s own uncontrollable Son),religion(although this does play a MAJOR factor in many good decisions made),and lastly,stupid,dramatic Romeo Juliet romance.
The story starts off with a Lady of status being killed and The Maid of that Lady bringing the baby to a random home in the forest to be hidden away and to be adopted by a woman name Deborah.
The next chapter follows a fifteen-year-old teenagers named Anne going into London to serve the Blessing House,with her foster Mother Deborah bringing her there.
The events that unfolded at Blessing House were ones that you really could see coming.Since the sypnosis already says that the unforbidden romance happens between the King and Anne,so we have to somehow move Anne to the palace right?
Margaret is the kind and understanding Lady that Anne serves and is the cool rational Breeze to Lord Matthew’s strong,sometimes irrational flame.
So some gruesome deaths happen that leave the household shaken for a while,and at one point Anne is asked specially by Doctor Moss to help in the labour pains of the Queen.
The moment I saw the first explicit sex scene between the King and his servent,how Elizabeth knows the king always wants sex in change for her requests,and the rumours that the King sleeps with other women,I knew Anne was going to go down that path and be a plaything for the King.
The King and William Hastings,his Best Friend were just young shitty disloyal husbands who take advantage of the vanity of every young woman in the palace.So it’s safe to say that I did not like the king or any one that surrounded him.
Elizabeth,the Queen who everyone hates and someone the King has to be highly aware of,plays a power role in this series I think.She has has her own powerful backing and the way she commands people makes her SEEM powerful;which I think is quite enough if you want someone to listen to you.She does many things to people in this book mostly because of jealousy,but I’m looking forward to seeing how she reacts when politics come into play.(but probs not gonna read the sequel OOPS)
The thing that made it into a 2-ish star instead of an Okay 3 was when 66% into the book where the big reveal (not to us) to Anne was made and her life would have a 180 degree change in course.She was supposed to have a dramatic reaction.Please,if you’re told that you’re not who you actually are and is part of something that could change the tides between national rivalries would you just take it as it as and not be shellshocked? Anne literally just took it like someone was telling her to wash laundry.Towards the end of the book,she suddenly had all these plans which I was wondering where they all came from?I don’t think Anne is capable of coming up with these political ideas when she has ZERO experience.
The innocent is an average piece of fiction in my eyes.It has a romance that ruins everything,distasteful happenings and I wouldn’t continue with the sequel.There are better books worth my time.
Read
September 6, 2025I’ve returned to The Innocent every year for nearly 15 years, and it remains one of my all-time favorite love stories. This first book in Posie Graeme-Evans’ trilogy has the heart of a Romeo and Juliet tale with two people drawn together despite impossible circumstances. Yet unlike Shakespeare’s tragedy, this story doesn’t end in despair. Instead, it’s filled with hope, longing, and bittersweet tension, as Anne and her King navigate a love that can never fully be realized.
Graeme-Evans’ storytelling is compelling and immersive; once I pick it up, I find it impossible to put down. The characters are the true anchor of this novel. Anne is easy to root for being strong, resilient, and full of quiet strength. The Queen is written to be disliked, sharpening our sympathy for Anne, while the King’s impulsivity makes him frustrating at times but forgivable, given his youth and the intensity of the story’s world. Together, these dynamics create a cast that feels alive, flawed, and unforgettable.
As a romance, The Innocent doesn’t rely on grand declarations. Instead, it thrives on the slow burn of stolen glances, whispered words, and forbidden longing which is exactly what keeps me coming back to it year after year. It’s not a fairy-tale romance — it’s better: it’s complicated, bittersweet, and deeply human.
Book Vibes
Song Match: "illicit affairs" by Taylor Swift - secret, forbidden love told in aching whispers
Spice Level: 🌶️ Mild — emotional intensity far outweighs physical intimacy
Snack Pairing: Crusty bread with honey butter — simple, comforting, timeless
Ice Cream Flavor: Vanilla bean with honey drizzle — classic, a little wistful, quietly sweet
Perfect Reading Spot: A cozy window seat on a rainy afternoon, where the world feels hushed and you can sink fully into Anne’s story
Graeme-Evans’ storytelling is compelling and immersive; once I pick it up, I find it impossible to put down. The characters are the true anchor of this novel. Anne is easy to root for being strong, resilient, and full of quiet strength. The Queen is written to be disliked, sharpening our sympathy for Anne, while the King’s impulsivity makes him frustrating at times but forgivable, given his youth and the intensity of the story’s world. Together, these dynamics create a cast that feels alive, flawed, and unforgettable.
As a romance, The Innocent doesn’t rely on grand declarations. Instead, it thrives on the slow burn of stolen glances, whispered words, and forbidden longing which is exactly what keeps me coming back to it year after year. It’s not a fairy-tale romance — it’s better: it’s complicated, bittersweet, and deeply human.
Book Vibes
Song Match: "illicit affairs" by Taylor Swift - secret, forbidden love told in aching whispers
Spice Level: 🌶️ Mild — emotional intensity far outweighs physical intimacy
Snack Pairing: Crusty bread with honey butter — simple, comforting, timeless
Ice Cream Flavor: Vanilla bean with honey drizzle — classic, a little wistful, quietly sweet
Perfect Reading Spot: A cozy window seat on a rainy afternoon, where the world feels hushed and you can sink fully into Anne’s story
February 10, 2025
The year is 1450, a dangerous time in medieval Britain. Civil unrest is at its peak and the legitimacy of the royal family is suspect. Meanwhile, deep in the forests of western England, a baby is born. Powerful forces plot to kill both mother and child, but somehow the newborn girl survives. Her name is Anne.
Fifteen years later, England emerges into a fragile but hopeful new age, with the charismatic young King Edward IV on the throne. Anne, now a young peasant girl, joins the household of a wealthy London merchant. Her unusual beauty provokes jealousy, lust, and intrigue, but Anne has a special quality that saves her: a vast knowledge of healing herbs. News of her extraordinary gift spreads, and she is called upon to save the ailing queen. Soon after, Anne is moved into the palace, where she finds her destiny with the man who will become the greatest love of her life -- the king himself.
My Thoughts:
I started reading this book and found I was enjoying the book. I felt it was very much in the vain of early Philippa Gregory what with the historical theme and I didn’t mind the bodice ripping at all.
As the book went on I felt it was becoming a bit of a yarn and I felt myself losing interest and found I was getting rather bored with it. Anne was annoying and I was fed up with being told how beautiful she was and how all the male characters whom came across her wanted her.
This isn’t the best book out there and altough Philippa Gregory can be a bit repeatative she is a far better author if you want to read historical. I don’t think that there is enough in this book for me to want to read the other two in the series. ‘The Wise Woman’ by Philippa Gregory is such a better read.
Fifteen years later, England emerges into a fragile but hopeful new age, with the charismatic young King Edward IV on the throne. Anne, now a young peasant girl, joins the household of a wealthy London merchant. Her unusual beauty provokes jealousy, lust, and intrigue, but Anne has a special quality that saves her: a vast knowledge of healing herbs. News of her extraordinary gift spreads, and she is called upon to save the ailing queen. Soon after, Anne is moved into the palace, where she finds her destiny with the man who will become the greatest love of her life -- the king himself.
My Thoughts:
I started reading this book and found I was enjoying the book. I felt it was very much in the vain of early Philippa Gregory what with the historical theme and I didn’t mind the bodice ripping at all.
As the book went on I felt it was becoming a bit of a yarn and I felt myself losing interest and found I was getting rather bored with it. Anne was annoying and I was fed up with being told how beautiful she was and how all the male characters whom came across her wanted her.
This isn’t the best book out there and altough Philippa Gregory can be a bit repeatative she is a far better author if you want to read historical. I don’t think that there is enough in this book for me to want to read the other two in the series. ‘The Wise Woman’ by Philippa Gregory is such a better read.
August 16, 2020
Oh, no. This is awful. The prologue alone was ridiculous: A woman drags a girl who is in labour and can hardly move through a forest, pulls her up onto a grown-ass horse (who is she, the Hulk?), gallops away with the girl and escapes soldiers, and then manages to birth a breach baby in the middle of the forest, with no previous experience. I'm sorry, but... what?
And then the first chapter! Other readers have mentioned that Anne is a Mary Sue, and I thought maybe they were exaggerating until I actually started reading this thing. Anne literally has no personality, except stunning everyone with her sparkly doe-eyed innocence. I'm not kidding. Here is a quote:
Then something strange happened. Something uncanny. The girl smiled, a radiant smile, and it so transformed her face that the man and his housekeeper were astonished- for a moment it seemed as if she were bathed in light from another source. Mathew even looked around to see where that light might be coming from.
Again, I'm sorry but... what? People do not generate light when they smile. There is no reason for Mathew to look around. Is this fantasy? Sci-fi? No, it'shistorical fiction trashy romance. People do not radiate light. Seriously, what is happening?
Add to that the jarringly awkward words thrown in every couple of sentences (please don't make me look into this book for examples, I refuse to spend any more time on it), and what other reviewers are labelling horrible masochistic sex... And it's just a big fat nope from me. How this ever got published as historical fiction is beyond me; it should be a tacky romance instead.
DNF. Clearly.
And then the first chapter! Other readers have mentioned that Anne is a Mary Sue, and I thought maybe they were exaggerating until I actually started reading this thing. Anne literally has no personality, except stunning everyone with her sparkly doe-eyed innocence. I'm not kidding. Here is a quote:
Then something strange happened. Something uncanny. The girl smiled, a radiant smile, and it so transformed her face that the man and his housekeeper were astonished- for a moment it seemed as if she were bathed in light from another source. Mathew even looked around to see where that light might be coming from.
Again, I'm sorry but... what? People do not generate light when they smile. There is no reason for Mathew to look around. Is this fantasy? Sci-fi? No, it's
Add to that the jarringly awkward words thrown in every couple of sentences (please don't make me look into this book for examples, I refuse to spend any more time on it), and what other reviewers are labelling horrible masochistic sex... And it's just a big fat nope from me. How this ever got published as historical fiction is beyond me; it should be a tacky romance instead.
DNF. Clearly.
February 15, 2024
This book took me by surprise.
I was pleasantly impressed by the character Anne. Her knowledge in herbs and the other Gods ? It added an element of mystery to her character as I could not fully predict where the author would take her.
Aveline. Heart breaking end but real. Fuck Piers, I’m so glad he got what he deserved.
Lady Margaret!!! She has a SOUL. thank goodness!!! A warm hearted ally in the Blessing House for dear Anne, praise be.
King Edward. Charming, stunning, as arrogant as a King of that era, who was “chosen by God” to rule, would have been.
Doctor Moss… babes, get your mind out of the gutter. In fact, every man of that era needs to RELAX and stop being tempted by the “sins of the flesh.” Maybe she’s just a woman existing? Not trying to tempt you with her body and ‘suggestive’ body language.
The cliffhanger at the end intrigued me and I’d love to see Anne turn to blackmail and deceit before she rises as an unsavoury character (like a witch!?) but I’m not sure if the author wants her to stay a kind faced and regal woman.
I enjoyed the consistent theme of Christianity and how it shaped the way the nobility ruled their people and themselves, how priests were given heavy influence upon decisions of a Lord? Crazy. I felt that the story was well built into that year of 1465 and those that followed, a fun little devouring read !
I was pleasantly impressed by the character Anne. Her knowledge in herbs and the other Gods ? It added an element of mystery to her character as I could not fully predict where the author would take her.
Aveline. Heart breaking end but real. Fuck Piers, I’m so glad he got what he deserved.
Lady Margaret!!! She has a SOUL. thank goodness!!! A warm hearted ally in the Blessing House for dear Anne, praise be.
King Edward. Charming, stunning, as arrogant as a King of that era, who was “chosen by God” to rule, would have been.
Doctor Moss… babes, get your mind out of the gutter. In fact, every man of that era needs to RELAX and stop being tempted by the “sins of the flesh.” Maybe she’s just a woman existing? Not trying to tempt you with her body and ‘suggestive’ body language.
The cliffhanger at the end intrigued me and I’d love to see Anne turn to blackmail and deceit before she rises as an unsavoury character (like a witch!?) but I’m not sure if the author wants her to stay a kind faced and regal woman.
I enjoyed the consistent theme of Christianity and how it shaped the way the nobility ruled their people and themselves, how priests were given heavy influence upon decisions of a Lord? Crazy. I felt that the story was well built into that year of 1465 and those that followed, a fun little devouring read !
August 4, 2017
Well I confess I'm not actually finished reading this book yet, but I'm in the last stretch of it so I thought I'd review anyway.
I think basically the overall problem with this book is it feels like several different books kind of got mashed into one story. The beginning seems like it should some kind of "maybe magic, maybe mundane" plot, with scrying and visions of the future, and a mysterious forest woman teaching an orphan about healing herbs and stuff. Then we have a sort of fish out of water plot, as the orphan becomes a body servant in a well-to-do household, and must deal with jealousies from other servants, and unwanted attention from the son of the Master of the house. Then we get a court intrigue plot, wherein our heroine is now body servant to the Queen, and has to deal with yet more jealousies from her fellow servants, and worse - or better - unwanted attention from the King! And then it gets kind of ridiculous from there.
One of the more ridiculous things is the constant comments about the heroine. From the beginning we know that despite being poor, she's oddly beautiful, and has a grace about her like she's a member of the nobility. As the book goes on, we get more frequent mentions of how stunningly beautiful she is, and so humble! I don't mind this initially, but the part of the book I'm in now seems to be almost entirely people saying "Wow, she's so beautiful! The most beautiful woman in the room! Wow!" and it's getting boring. People are just fawning over her constantly, meanwhile the king is off trying to stop a rebellion and that barely even gets mentioned.
I can't speak to the historical inaccuracies of the book, because I personally didn't notice them. I'm not an expert of this time period, and if you aren't either, you shouldn't be bothered by any of those particular details.
If you're a fan of Elizabeth Woodville (or Wydville, or whatever), look elsewhere. She does not come off very well in this book. I've certainly seen her characterized worse, and the book does say part of her temperament is her being uncomfortable due to her pregnancies, but wow, she's awful. It does feel a bit like the author was purposely making Elizabeth come off badly so we'd better root for the heroine and Edward to get together, because them having known each other a whole 10 minutes, it must be true love, I guess!
The plot twist regarding the truth of the heroine's birth, and the fallout from it, is... well, I'd say a bit on the silly side. I don't mind that part much, though.
Overall, I feel like the first part of the book - which feels a bit like Downton Abbey but in the 1460s and a little more violent - deserves perhaps a 5, while the latter part of the book - which feels extremely tedious and padded out with repetitive scenes wherein we're told the protagonist is lovely yet so unassuming and humble and kind - would deserve perhaps a 2, so I averaged it out to 3 stars here.
Unless the end of this book is truly horrible, I'm intending to read at least the second book in the trilogy, and I hope that's an improvement, or else I won't be reading the third book. Bu I've already purchased both books anyway.
Edit: Have finished the book. Definitely the ending is a disappointment compared to the intriguing beginning. There's no real build-up or explanation for why Edward is so in love with Anne, Anne adjusts to her new identity entirely too quickly to make much sense, and everyone around her adjusts way too quickly to it as well, and the repetition of people commenting on how elegant and beautiful yet so kind and humble Anne is really gets annoying towards the last 1/4 of the book. I'll be reading the next book in the series, but I hope it's better.
I think basically the overall problem with this book is it feels like several different books kind of got mashed into one story. The beginning seems like it should some kind of "maybe magic, maybe mundane" plot, with scrying and visions of the future, and a mysterious forest woman teaching an orphan about healing herbs and stuff. Then we have a sort of fish out of water plot, as the orphan becomes a body servant in a well-to-do household, and must deal with jealousies from other servants, and unwanted attention from the son of the Master of the house. Then we get a court intrigue plot, wherein our heroine is now body servant to the Queen, and has to deal with yet more jealousies from her fellow servants, and worse - or better - unwanted attention from the King! And then it gets kind of ridiculous from there.
One of the more ridiculous things is the constant comments about the heroine. From the beginning we know that despite being poor, she's oddly beautiful, and has a grace about her like she's a member of the nobility. As the book goes on, we get more frequent mentions of how stunningly beautiful she is, and so humble! I don't mind this initially, but the part of the book I'm in now seems to be almost entirely people saying "Wow, she's so beautiful! The most beautiful woman in the room! Wow!" and it's getting boring. People are just fawning over her constantly, meanwhile the king is off trying to stop a rebellion and that barely even gets mentioned.
I can't speak to the historical inaccuracies of the book, because I personally didn't notice them. I'm not an expert of this time period, and if you aren't either, you shouldn't be bothered by any of those particular details.
If you're a fan of Elizabeth Woodville (or Wydville, or whatever), look elsewhere. She does not come off very well in this book. I've certainly seen her characterized worse, and the book does say part of her temperament is her being uncomfortable due to her pregnancies, but wow, she's awful. It does feel a bit like the author was purposely making Elizabeth come off badly so we'd better root for the heroine and Edward to get together, because them having known each other a whole 10 minutes, it must be true love, I guess!
The plot twist regarding the truth of the heroine's birth, and the fallout from it, is... well, I'd say a bit on the silly side. I don't mind that part much, though.
Overall, I feel like the first part of the book - which feels a bit like Downton Abbey but in the 1460s and a little more violent - deserves perhaps a 5, while the latter part of the book - which feels extremely tedious and padded out with repetitive scenes wherein we're told the protagonist is lovely yet so unassuming and humble and kind - would deserve perhaps a 2, so I averaged it out to 3 stars here.
Unless the end of this book is truly horrible, I'm intending to read at least the second book in the trilogy, and I hope that's an improvement, or else I won't be reading the third book. Bu I've already purchased both books anyway.
Edit: Have finished the book. Definitely the ending is a disappointment compared to the intriguing beginning. There's no real build-up or explanation for why Edward is so in love with Anne, Anne adjusts to her new identity entirely too quickly to make much sense, and everyone around her adjusts way too quickly to it as well, and the repetition of people commenting on how elegant and beautiful yet so kind and humble Anne is really gets annoying towards the last 1/4 of the book. I'll be reading the next book in the series, but I hope it's better.
October 24, 2021
I really wanted to like this book more than I did. In general, I enjoy historical fiction and learning about the period the story covers. But this book had issues - I think the author was trying to tell too many different stories, with too many points of view, and I also think she couldn't decide whether she was writing a romance or historical fiction. The story jumped too much between the different characters and the different styles. I also thought the storyline early on that involved rape, brutality, and a suicide, was completely unnecessary in that it did not in my view advance the story line in any way - not sure why it was there. Overall, the book felt rather disjointed and too long. There were some good passages, and there are some great elements to the story, but I feel as though it needed editing. I am not sure I will continue reading this series.
November 13, 2021
I saw that other reviewers disliked how historically inaccurate this is; that doesn't bother me. It's historical fiction; authors can use artistic license as much as they like in my opinion (within reason, anyway)
However, this IS trash, but for other reasons. Mostly because it doesn't read like a novel, it reads like fanfiction. Bad fanfiction. A fourteen-year-old-just-discovering-smut fanfiction.
The main character is the worst Mary Sue I've seen for a long time, and all the characters are so poorly developed and written that they're also unlikeable. The only one with any depth is such a prick that you hate him anyway.
A lot of the book is wasted space too. It only gets semi interesting right towards the end, and practically everything before then could have been edited out. Unfortunately the semi interesting plot isn't enough to continue reading this dumpster fire.
However, this IS trash, but for other reasons. Mostly because it doesn't read like a novel, it reads like fanfiction. Bad fanfiction. A fourteen-year-old-just-discovering-smut fanfiction.
The main character is the worst Mary Sue I've seen for a long time, and all the characters are so poorly developed and written that they're also unlikeable. The only one with any depth is such a prick that you hate him anyway.
A lot of the book is wasted space too. It only gets semi interesting right towards the end, and practically everything before then could have been edited out. Unfortunately the semi interesting plot isn't enough to continue reading this dumpster fire.
October 20, 2020
I hadn’t ever heard of this author before, but I am so glad I found this book in a thrift store! Graeme-Evans is an excellent author, and created a world that was rich in historical accuracy as well as compelling characters.
This book is the first in a trilogy set in the 15th century, and centres around a girl working within the King’s household. It has a thrilling love interest, as well as a strong female character who has a surprising determination about her. This book ends in a cliff-hanger, making you immediately want to read the second, so I would recommend having the next book before starting, so you’re not held in suspense like me.
This book is the first in a trilogy set in the 15th century, and centres around a girl working within the King’s household. It has a thrilling love interest, as well as a strong female character who has a surprising determination about her. This book ends in a cliff-hanger, making you immediately want to read the second, so I would recommend having the next book before starting, so you’re not held in suspense like me.
April 5, 2022
Was intrigued by the idea of a young, unknown woman with a knowledge of healing herbs. Unfortunately everything about the protagonist was too convenient; no specifics about any of that knowledge were given, and frankly she seemed nearly too perfect to be believable. The plot fell victim to the same tired, old trope about the Woodvilles being grasping, greedy unworthies, despite the clear bias in Warwick’s slander of the family. Seemed like the writer had too many ideas and tried to cram them all into one book without really figuring out logical ties between them.
March 22, 2019
A straightforward read.
Pleasant prose, with a well-presented protagonist.
Willing to forgive the historical inaccuracies, because this is fiction, after all. They all play fast and loose with whatever era of history they are working in.
Not as in love with this as The Dressmaker by the same author, but I currently have the rest of the trilogy out from the library, so will continue to read on and find out what happens to Anne.
Pleasant prose, with a well-presented protagonist.
Willing to forgive the historical inaccuracies, because this is fiction, after all. They all play fast and loose with whatever era of history they are working in.
Not as in love with this as The Dressmaker by the same author, but I currently have the rest of the trilogy out from the library, so will continue to read on and find out what happens to Anne.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 159 reviews