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The Plantagenet and Tudor Novels #1
Royal Witch: The new gripping novel from the international bestselling author of BOLEYN TRAITOR and THE WHITE QUEEN
Ambition. Sorcery. Treason. How far will one woman dare to go?
The stunning new novel from the international bestselling author.
Eleanor Cobham arrived at court with nothing - her greatest hope was simply to marry well.
But her ambition carried her further than any woman before her had dared. She wanted to rule her own destiny. To rule England itself.
They say she summoned the devil himself to secure her fate.
They say she plotted to murder a king.
Now, it's time to finally hear her story.
This is the tale of the woman they called witch. Who would have called herself queen.
The stunning new novel from the international bestselling author.
Eleanor Cobham arrived at court with nothing - her greatest hope was simply to marry well.
But her ambition carried her further than any woman before her had dared. She wanted to rule her own destiny. To rule England itself.
They say she summoned the devil himself to secure her fate.
They say she plotted to murder a king.
Now, it's time to finally hear her story.
This is the tale of the woman they called witch. Who would have called herself queen.
519 pages, Kindle Edition
Expected publication October 20, 2026
About the author
Philippa Gregory
118 books37.8k followersDR PHILIPPA GREGORY studied history at the University of Sussex and was awarded a PhD by the University of Edinburgh where she is a Regent and was made Alumna of the Year in 2009. She holds an honorary degree from Teesside University, and is a fellow of the Universities of Sussex and Cardiff. Philippa is a member of the Society of Authors and in 2016, was presented with the Outstanding Contribution to Historical Fiction Award by the Historical Writers’ Association. In 2018, she was awarded an Honorary Platinum Award by Neilsen for achieving significant lifetime sales across her entire book output. In 2021, she was awarded a CBE for services to literature and to her charity Gardens for the Gambia. and was elected as a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society.
She welcomes visitors to her site www.PhilippaGregory.com.
Philippa's Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/PhilippaGregoryOfficial
She welcomes visitors to her site www.PhilippaGregory.com.
Philippa's Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/PhilippaGregoryOfficial
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 75 reviews
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Eleanor Cobham was an English noblewoman, first the mistress, and then the second wife of Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester.
She arrived at court with nothing - it was either the court or the nunnery, and she was determined she wasn’t going to any nunnery. Eleanor was extremely ambitious but devious to boot!
It is said that she made a pact with the devil in order to secure her future, a future that she hoped would one day see her reign as Queen of England, alongside her husband as King. She also plotted to murder a king to further secure that future.
Little is really known of Eleanor’s life, therefore poetic license is used to embroider a well written tale. And what an extraordinary tale this is, a historical novel of ambition, sorcery, betrayal, and survival. Eleanor wasn’t a character that I liked, but nevertheless the eponymous “Royal Witch “ was absolutely fascinating, and made for a terrific read.
*Thank you to Netgalley and HarperCollins UK, HarperFiction for my ARC in exchange for an honest unbiased review*
She arrived at court with nothing - it was either the court or the nunnery, and she was determined she wasn’t going to any nunnery. Eleanor was extremely ambitious but devious to boot!
It is said that she made a pact with the devil in order to secure her future, a future that she hoped would one day see her reign as Queen of England, alongside her husband as King. She also plotted to murder a king to further secure that future.
Little is really known of Eleanor’s life, therefore poetic license is used to embroider a well written tale. And what an extraordinary tale this is, a historical novel of ambition, sorcery, betrayal, and survival. Eleanor wasn’t a character that I liked, but nevertheless the eponymous “Royal Witch “ was absolutely fascinating, and made for a terrific read.
*Thank you to Netgalley and HarperCollins UK, HarperFiction for my ARC in exchange for an honest unbiased review*
September 17, 2026
Philippa Gregory has done it again, with her meticulously researched historical fiction that brings what could be nonfiction to life. As usual, she shines a light on the marginalized women whose true stories were lost to history or they were named witches and burned.
Eleanor Cobham was promised by her dying mother to a life in the cloisters, but she refuses to be trapped in a nunnery. She has far greater ambitions than that despite her humble beginnings. She finds work as a lady's maid to Jacqueline, a noble woman with lands in France who is trying to muster an army to restore her title. But life at court is not the easy pick of rich suitors that Eleanor dreamed of, nor her fantasies of chivalry. She has a flirtation with a groom who's served an English duke and the queen, but theirs is an unrequited love affair and hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.
When women are elevated in historical retellings, I often find them annoying, power-hungry and unlikable, and Eleanor was no exception. But those same qualities in a male character and we don't say the same things, we call him morally grey or sexy. I found Eleanor to be a bitter, vain social climber who was also a terribly unlikable Pick-Me girl, but it is a testament to Ms. Gregory's writing that I found her compelling anyway. I saw in her a relentless, determined woman full of sauciness, who at first wanted nothing more than to use her looks to ensnare a hapless noble to marry her, then she wanted courtly love like in the stories, and when she realized that neither of those were in her destiny, she coldly and calculatingly used everyone around her to rise on her own accord to second-in-line to the queen herself.
But ambition and greed was her Achilles heel, and you can guess how all that turned out. The higher an impertinent woman who doesn't know her place rises, the lower she must fall. Eleanor didn't really redeem herself, though she did finally take responsibility for her actions. As she aimed for the role of Queen it became extremely hard to like or respect her, but I was impressed by her cleverness and resourcefulness. This was a woman determined to rise on her own terms, even if she had to steal her lady's husband, be the woman behind him who told him what to do, and use witchcraft to achieve her own ends. She threw everyone under the bus. Even though Owen, the groom, found true love with her rival and they had four children, when she remained unloved and without a family, and that was a compelling reason for her revenge tour, I had to keep wondering, you're expending all this energy over a situationship with a man who was mostly honest with you from the beginning?
In the end I felt sorry for her and her pursuit of power above all else, even friendship. She was never innocent, but she's a case study in that saying about power corrupting. But that also made her intriguing even as I was often annoyed by her. All the side characters were fully fleshed out as well.
This is a book that will stay with me for a long time. What an incredible look at a period of history that was difficult for women, no matter their station in life.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the advance review copy. I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Eleanor Cobham was promised by her dying mother to a life in the cloisters, but she refuses to be trapped in a nunnery. She has far greater ambitions than that despite her humble beginnings. She finds work as a lady's maid to Jacqueline, a noble woman with lands in France who is trying to muster an army to restore her title. But life at court is not the easy pick of rich suitors that Eleanor dreamed of, nor her fantasies of chivalry. She has a flirtation with a groom who's served an English duke and the queen, but theirs is an unrequited love affair and hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.
When women are elevated in historical retellings, I often find them annoying, power-hungry and unlikable, and Eleanor was no exception. But those same qualities in a male character and we don't say the same things, we call him morally grey or sexy. I found Eleanor to be a bitter, vain social climber who was also a terribly unlikable Pick-Me girl, but it is a testament to Ms. Gregory's writing that I found her compelling anyway. I saw in her a relentless, determined woman full of sauciness, who at first wanted nothing more than to use her looks to ensnare a hapless noble to marry her, then she wanted courtly love like in the stories, and when she realized that neither of those were in her destiny, she coldly and calculatingly used everyone around her to rise on her own accord to second-in-line to the queen herself.
But ambition and greed was her Achilles heel, and you can guess how all that turned out. The higher an impertinent woman who doesn't know her place rises, the lower she must fall. Eleanor didn't really redeem herself, though she did finally take responsibility for her actions. As she aimed for the role of Queen it became extremely hard to like or respect her, but I was impressed by her cleverness and resourcefulness. This was a woman determined to rise on her own terms, even if she had to steal her lady's husband, be the woman behind him who told him what to do, and use witchcraft to achieve her own ends. She threw everyone under the bus. Even though Owen, the groom, found true love with her rival and they had four children, when she remained unloved and without a family, and that was a compelling reason for her revenge tour, I had to keep wondering, you're expending all this energy over a situationship with a man who was mostly honest with you from the beginning?
In the end I felt sorry for her and her pursuit of power above all else, even friendship. She was never innocent, but she's a case study in that saying about power corrupting. But that also made her intriguing even as I was often annoyed by her. All the side characters were fully fleshed out as well.
This is a book that will stay with me for a long time. What an incredible look at a period of history that was difficult for women, no matter their station in life.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the advance review copy. I am leaving this review voluntarily.
September 3, 2026
Jacqueline d’Hainaut, Eleanor Cobham, and Margery Jourdemayne. All women neglected by history, all women unknown to me until now. Philippa Gregory has provided me and anyone who reads Royal Witch with a fascinating and well-researched book of historical fiction. These three women were unique for their time in daring to defy the roles typically expected of them by men.
Jacqueline d’Hainaut, in her bravery and determination, reminded me of Joan of Arc. She insisted on leading armies herself in attempts to win back her lands. She fought for the release from her “marriage” to John IV, Duke of Brabant to marry Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester. The legitimacy of her marriages to John and Humphrey haunted her for the rest of her life.
Margery Jourdemayne, I found to be a very interesting character, and one I sympathized with. She seemed to always hold her own with Eleanor and her insistence on not engaging in the dark arts held true. Was she wise woman or witch? So many women met with her same fate. Her end was sad, but so typical of the time. Jacqueline and Eleanor were fortunate.
Eleanor, I leave to the end, not only because she’s the “royal witch,” but also because my feelings toward her aren’t as clear-cut. At some point during her transformation, for me, she became unlikable. Definitely ambitious, but as her life continued, this ambition turned to greed. She says, “I will have everything.” Her treatment of so-called commoners was really quite despicable (but perhaps typical of all of a certain class) and she had no qualms about planning the deaths of anyone who stood in her way, no matter the age, think King Henry VI. During imprisonment she never doubts that she will be released and will still sit on the throne as Queen of England. It’s only at the very end that she allows the black dog into her chamber. I sometimes wondered if she was delusional.
I must add that the difference between these women and Queen Catherine is quite remarkable. Where Catherine does show incredible strength is in her love and devotion to her son, Henry, almost to the point of obsession. But then, truly, what else did she have?
I learned not only about these women, but also Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester, his brothers, King Henry V of England and John, Duke of Bedford. The future King Henry VI and the triangle of Eleanor, Catherine, and Owen Tudor (the beginning of the Tudor line) in itself made for a fascinating story.
Thanks to Net Gallery for the opportunity to read this incredible book.
Jacqueline d’Hainaut, in her bravery and determination, reminded me of Joan of Arc. She insisted on leading armies herself in attempts to win back her lands. She fought for the release from her “marriage” to John IV, Duke of Brabant to marry Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester. The legitimacy of her marriages to John and Humphrey haunted her for the rest of her life.
Margery Jourdemayne, I found to be a very interesting character, and one I sympathized with. She seemed to always hold her own with Eleanor and her insistence on not engaging in the dark arts held true. Was she wise woman or witch? So many women met with her same fate. Her end was sad, but so typical of the time. Jacqueline and Eleanor were fortunate.
Eleanor, I leave to the end, not only because she’s the “royal witch,” but also because my feelings toward her aren’t as clear-cut. At some point during her transformation, for me, she became unlikable. Definitely ambitious, but as her life continued, this ambition turned to greed. She says, “I will have everything.” Her treatment of so-called commoners was really quite despicable (but perhaps typical of all of a certain class) and she had no qualms about planning the deaths of anyone who stood in her way, no matter the age, think King Henry VI. During imprisonment she never doubts that she will be released and will still sit on the throne as Queen of England. It’s only at the very end that she allows the black dog into her chamber. I sometimes wondered if she was delusional.
I must add that the difference between these women and Queen Catherine is quite remarkable. Where Catherine does show incredible strength is in her love and devotion to her son, Henry, almost to the point of obsession. But then, truly, what else did she have?
I learned not only about these women, but also Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester, his brothers, King Henry V of England and John, Duke of Bedford. The future King Henry VI and the triangle of Eleanor, Catherine, and Owen Tudor (the beginning of the Tudor line) in itself made for a fascinating story.
Thanks to Net Gallery for the opportunity to read this incredible book.
Review of advance copy received from Goodreads Giveaways
Eleanor Cobham is a worthy subject and her life and imagined machinations are the focus of this novel. I admire her introduction as a person—it's in the first few pages so no spoiler—as she manipulates avoiding the nunnery. There is plenty of excitement and twists and turns throughout. I saw several of those twists and turns coming from a long way off, but others might admire our villainous heroine.
I wish I'd liked her or even found her more interesting as a villain. Over 400 pages of a whiney unimaginative character I am not meant to admire is too much. She doesn't change, not for the better or worse. Aside from that, Gregory's characters are forever speaking "gently" and droning on about "chivalry." (Yeah, okay, chivalry was timely, but reading the word at least a hundred times?) When Eleanor puts her hair down to show off, though married, I just felt irritation. Maidens wore their hair down in the period, as best I can recall from Art History decades ago, married women covered their hair, and nothing at all was made of this. The novel dithers between hinting that the magic is real and that it's all imaginary. Perhaps the last lines are meant to come down on one side of that, or perhaps the author intends to maintain the question? I liked the herbalist Margery very much, but not the title character, or much of anyone else. I suppose it will make a good movie.
I thank Goodreads Giveaways for this advance copy in exchange for my honest opinion. It's not bad, but I would not have finished it if I'd had anything better to read.
I wish I'd liked her or even found her more interesting as a villain. Over 400 pages of a whiney unimaginative character I am not meant to admire is too much. She doesn't change, not for the better or worse. Aside from that, Gregory's characters are forever speaking "gently" and droning on about "chivalry." (Yeah, okay, chivalry was timely, but reading the word at least a hundred times?) When Eleanor puts her hair down to show off, though married, I just felt irritation. Maidens wore their hair down in the period, as best I can recall from Art History decades ago, married women covered their hair, and nothing at all was made of this. The novel dithers between hinting that the magic is real and that it's all imaginary. Perhaps the last lines are meant to come down on one side of that, or perhaps the author intends to maintain the question? I liked the herbalist Margery very much, but not the title character, or much of anyone else. I suppose it will make a good movie.
I thank Goodreads Giveaways for this advance copy in exchange for my honest opinion. It's not bad, but I would not have finished it if I'd had anything better to read.
August 28, 2026
Thank you to William Morrow Books and Philippa Gregory for the ARC of Royal Witch.
Royal Witch was my first Philippa Gregory novel, despite having her Tudor series sitting in my TBR for some time now, and I’m so glad this ended up being my introduction to her work. Set before the rise of the Tudors, this story shines a light on three fascinating women from history whose stories were completely new to me.
Eleanor Cobham, Jacqueline of Hainaut, and Margery Jourdemayne each navigate a world where women have very little control over their own lives. I especially loved how different their personalities and approaches to power were, with each woman showing her own version of determination, ambition, and resilience. Margery’s story in particular was heartbreaking and fascinating.
Gregory’s writing brings medieval England to life beautifully, from the royal court and political maneuvering to the realities of war and the complicated relationships that shaped the future of the monarchy. I especially enjoyed seeing the early foundations of the Tudor dynasty woven into the story.
While the pacing occasionally felt repetitive, this was still a fantastic historical read and a wonderful introduction to Gregory’s writing. I’m officially invested in diving into her Tudor novels now!
Royal Witch was my first Philippa Gregory novel, despite having her Tudor series sitting in my TBR for some time now, and I’m so glad this ended up being my introduction to her work. Set before the rise of the Tudors, this story shines a light on three fascinating women from history whose stories were completely new to me.
Eleanor Cobham, Jacqueline of Hainaut, and Margery Jourdemayne each navigate a world where women have very little control over their own lives. I especially loved how different their personalities and approaches to power were, with each woman showing her own version of determination, ambition, and resilience. Margery’s story in particular was heartbreaking and fascinating.
Gregory’s writing brings medieval England to life beautifully, from the royal court and political maneuvering to the realities of war and the complicated relationships that shaped the future of the monarchy. I especially enjoyed seeing the early foundations of the Tudor dynasty woven into the story.
While the pacing occasionally felt repetitive, this was still a fantastic historical read and a wonderful introduction to Gregory’s writing. I’m officially invested in diving into her Tudor novels now!
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August 9, 20264 ⭐️
My obsession with Philippa Gregory books continues 🫶🏻
Thank you to HarperFiction and Net Galley for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
The premise was really interesting, and it’s set very early on in the Tudor and Plantagenet series. Eleanor Cobham arrives at the royal court with nothing, aside from a desire - no, ambition - to marry well after Henry V’s victory at Agincourt.
But her ambition may take her too far, as she becomes embroiled with sorcery and dark magic, dark enough to try and overthrow a king.
I didn’t know much about Eleanor Cobham before this story, but her rise at court was incredible. I didn’t always understand her character - at times, she was naive and hopeful, yet for most of the story she was selfish and even ruthless in her motivations. The two parts conflicted unnecessarily.
The beginning of the story also dragged on a tiny bit too much, but once Eleanor had clung onto power, I was gripped.
I personally didn’t find her likeable, but that didn’t detract from the story in any way - she was a woman, fiercely determined to control her own destiny at a time where women couldn’t.
My obsession with Philippa Gregory books continues 🫶🏻
Thank you to HarperFiction and Net Galley for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
The premise was really interesting, and it’s set very early on in the Tudor and Plantagenet series. Eleanor Cobham arrives at the royal court with nothing, aside from a desire - no, ambition - to marry well after Henry V’s victory at Agincourt.
But her ambition may take her too far, as she becomes embroiled with sorcery and dark magic, dark enough to try and overthrow a king.
I didn’t know much about Eleanor Cobham before this story, but her rise at court was incredible. I didn’t always understand her character - at times, she was naive and hopeful, yet for most of the story she was selfish and even ruthless in her motivations. The two parts conflicted unnecessarily.
The beginning of the story also dragged on a tiny bit too much, but once Eleanor had clung onto power, I was gripped.
I personally didn’t find her likeable, but that didn’t detract from the story in any way - she was a woman, fiercely determined to control her own destiny at a time where women couldn’t.
September 12, 2026
Philippa Gregory is another author whose books I’ve been reading for nearly 40 years now, and she’s always been an auto-buy author of mine. To receive this proof of her latest book is a dream come true.
‘Royal Witch’ focuses on Eleanor Cobham, about whom very little has been written. She was a commoner, with no dowry, who married Duke Humphrey of Gloucester - Henry V’s youngest brother. I love reading about historical characters I haven’t met before, and this was such a captivating narrative of what her life could have been like.
Eleanor is portrayed as a very ambitious, wily and shrew-like young lady, but she’s also quite naive too. She wants to be the richest, most powerful woman in England, and will stop at nothing to get what she wants. Empathy and sympathy are not words in her vocabulary, and her quest for revenge sees her trample over anyone in her way.
The author’s vivid descriptions immediately drew me in, and I just loved being transported back 600 years to hear about Eleanor’s story and the court of the early 15th century. The narrative includes events which lead up to the first collective women’s petition, in English history, in 1428; and the battle for French sovereignty in which Joan of Arc was involved.
This book is rich in historical detail, and I enjoyed discovering other characters I’d previously been unaware of too. I’ve always thought that the women found guilty of witchcraft at this time were innocent healers or midwives, but it sounds like Eleanor really did dabble in the dark arts to achieve her aims here.
I was sent a proof copy by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
‘Royal Witch’ focuses on Eleanor Cobham, about whom very little has been written. She was a commoner, with no dowry, who married Duke Humphrey of Gloucester - Henry V’s youngest brother. I love reading about historical characters I haven’t met before, and this was such a captivating narrative of what her life could have been like.
Eleanor is portrayed as a very ambitious, wily and shrew-like young lady, but she’s also quite naive too. She wants to be the richest, most powerful woman in England, and will stop at nothing to get what she wants. Empathy and sympathy are not words in her vocabulary, and her quest for revenge sees her trample over anyone in her way.
The author’s vivid descriptions immediately drew me in, and I just loved being transported back 600 years to hear about Eleanor’s story and the court of the early 15th century. The narrative includes events which lead up to the first collective women’s petition, in English history, in 1428; and the battle for French sovereignty in which Joan of Arc was involved.
This book is rich in historical detail, and I enjoyed discovering other characters I’d previously been unaware of too. I’ve always thought that the women found guilty of witchcraft at this time were innocent healers or midwives, but it sounds like Eleanor really did dabble in the dark arts to achieve her aims here.
I was sent a proof copy by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from Edelweiss+
Eleanor didn’t know the meaning of the word “enough.” Wanting more than what she is given was always her priority. That’s why in the England of the 1400’s, the young woman who had been promised to a nunnery since birth, tricked her father on her mother’s deathbed to secure a place at court as a lady-in-waiting. There she knew her destiny would be fulfilled when she caught the eye of a noble lord, married well, and lacked for nothing-wasn’t she more beautiful than any of the other ladies, bested only by Queen Catherine of France, herself? She found that she was not in service to the Queen, but instead to Lady Jacqueline who had petitioned the king to send an army to aid her in recovering her lands stolen from her by her French husband and uncles. Eleanor was despondent. She had no choice but to follow her Lady as Jacqueline negotiated with the King of England for troops to help accomplish her mission. Luckily for Eleanor, Lady Jacqueline was an extremely unusual woman who treated her almost as a friend, rather than as a servant, and taught her how to be self-sufficient and fight for what she wanted. She was able to consult with the palace’s wise woman Mistress Jourdemayne, midwife and dispenser of herbal cures, who assured her that she would eventually possess a well -born husband and riches beyond her wildest dreams. She also found a tantalizing Welsh lover at Queen Catherine’s court.
When the English king died on a French battlefield, Henry, the baby Catherine had while he was away, was next in line to the English throne. His brothers became Protectors of the Crown, and one of them became Lady Jacqueline’s second husband. When Lady Jacqueline and Humphrey, her new husband, rode out with the troops to claim her lands, she found that the inhabitants did not want to switch allegiances to her or have a prolonged fight to win back her rights. Caught between the French and English, Lady Jacqueline stayed with the English army at her ancestral palace while her new husband came back to court in England to prepare for a joust that would settle the land dispute, and Eleanor went with him. She was tired of the gossip and ill feelings of the Queen’s other attendants, and manipulated Humphrey into finding her a husband. After the Welshman begged off, she persuaded Humphrey to denounce Jacqueline and marry her instead. With Henry prepared to assume the throne as he got older, Humphrey had no chance of wearing the crown, but their son might achieve it if Henry died. Eleanor seemed unable to conceive and the son she craved was not materializing-but there were other, darker ways to fulfill her heart’s desire…even if it involved necromancy and witchcraft to achieve it.
Gregory is known for her historical novels about women of the English courts. She poses herself a real challenge on this one-create a story featuring three historic women of the fifteenth century who were lightly mentioned in various manuscripts, but had almost no reliable information on which to base their characters. While the British and French history is indisputable and Lady Jacqueline, Eleanor Cobham, and Mistress Jourdemayne did exist, it was up to the author to flesh out their stories. Through most of the book their tale was told in an unhurried way, but as the noose got tighter, the story picked up the pace towards a harrowing ending. For those who enjoy English history or just want to read about strong women of a different age who wanted more than what was expected of them, this is a fascinating novel.
When the English king died on a French battlefield, Henry, the baby Catherine had while he was away, was next in line to the English throne. His brothers became Protectors of the Crown, and one of them became Lady Jacqueline’s second husband. When Lady Jacqueline and Humphrey, her new husband, rode out with the troops to claim her lands, she found that the inhabitants did not want to switch allegiances to her or have a prolonged fight to win back her rights. Caught between the French and English, Lady Jacqueline stayed with the English army at her ancestral palace while her new husband came back to court in England to prepare for a joust that would settle the land dispute, and Eleanor went with him. She was tired of the gossip and ill feelings of the Queen’s other attendants, and manipulated Humphrey into finding her a husband. After the Welshman begged off, she persuaded Humphrey to denounce Jacqueline and marry her instead. With Henry prepared to assume the throne as he got older, Humphrey had no chance of wearing the crown, but their son might achieve it if Henry died. Eleanor seemed unable to conceive and the son she craved was not materializing-but there were other, darker ways to fulfill her heart’s desire…even if it involved necromancy and witchcraft to achieve it.
Gregory is known for her historical novels about women of the English courts. She poses herself a real challenge on this one-create a story featuring three historic women of the fifteenth century who were lightly mentioned in various manuscripts, but had almost no reliable information on which to base their characters. While the British and French history is indisputable and Lady Jacqueline, Eleanor Cobham, and Mistress Jourdemayne did exist, it was up to the author to flesh out their stories. Through most of the book their tale was told in an unhurried way, but as the noose got tighter, the story picked up the pace towards a harrowing ending. For those who enjoy English history or just want to read about strong women of a different age who wanted more than what was expected of them, this is a fascinating novel.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
** Free Advanced Review Copy**
4.5 stars, rounded up
I am a reader who loves to let the seasonal atmosphere influence my literary choices. Oftentimes, this means that October brings to my bookshelves thriller and fantasy books full of eerie happenings and creepy mythical beings. So, when I saw the description of Philippa Gregory’s Royal Witch, I was instantly sold. Historical Fiction that combines real life occurrences with royal drama and dark magic? Yes, please!
Royal Witch brings readers into the dangerous and fascinating world of Henry V’s England, where political power, religious conflict, and personal ambition were impossible to separate. Philippa Gregory seamlessly combines historical events with her fictional stories of survival and family, resulting in a novel that explores what it was to live through one of the most turbulent periods in English history.
Eleanor Cobham, a real English noblewoman that lived during the 1400s, is the main character of Royal Witch. In this novel, her character is a woman striving to be in charge of her own destiny. Eleanor arrives at England’s Royal Court with nothing but her sharp mind, ambition, and the goal to marry well. Soon, she learns lessons and makes connections which change her focus and carry her further into the court’s echelons. How far will she go to make her ever-advancing dreams come true?
Gregory’s writing brings late medieval England to life in an extremely immersive way. It’s clear from her rock solid storytelling that her process involves meticulous research. Her main characters all existed in true World history, and she has blended these characters together in this gripping fictional saga detailing how political maneuvering, war, complicated personalities, and relationships all may have impacted the monarchy. I particularly enjoyed seeing the early foundations of the Tudor dynasty woven into the story.
As much as I read, it is a rare book that keeps me up late into the night, devouring chapter after chapter. I, very literally, could not put Royal Witch down at one night during my reading journey. At 2am, when I finally convinced myself that I had to get some sleep, I had a hard time dozing off because my brain was still going over Royal Witch’s story.
After I’d closed the covers, I was actually a little surprised by just how much I enjoyed this novel. While it started on the slower side, once the narrative got going, it became utterly fascinating. The combination of history, magic, murder, gossip, and strategy had me on the edge of my seat. Royal Witch is just creepy enough to be a great spooky season read but can absolutely be enjoyed anytime (especially if you have a gap to fill left by Game of Thrones).
And I haven’t even mentioned the twist at the end which I have been thinking about since I closed the book. I don’t do spoilers here so you’ll have to read it to see what I mean.
Thank you so much to William Morrow and Netgalley for this free advanced review copy of Royal Witch!
4.5 stars, rounded up
I am a reader who loves to let the seasonal atmosphere influence my literary choices. Oftentimes, this means that October brings to my bookshelves thriller and fantasy books full of eerie happenings and creepy mythical beings. So, when I saw the description of Philippa Gregory’s Royal Witch, I was instantly sold. Historical Fiction that combines real life occurrences with royal drama and dark magic? Yes, please!
Royal Witch brings readers into the dangerous and fascinating world of Henry V’s England, where political power, religious conflict, and personal ambition were impossible to separate. Philippa Gregory seamlessly combines historical events with her fictional stories of survival and family, resulting in a novel that explores what it was to live through one of the most turbulent periods in English history.
Eleanor Cobham, a real English noblewoman that lived during the 1400s, is the main character of Royal Witch. In this novel, her character is a woman striving to be in charge of her own destiny. Eleanor arrives at England’s Royal Court with nothing but her sharp mind, ambition, and the goal to marry well. Soon, she learns lessons and makes connections which change her focus and carry her further into the court’s echelons. How far will she go to make her ever-advancing dreams come true?
Gregory’s writing brings late medieval England to life in an extremely immersive way. It’s clear from her rock solid storytelling that her process involves meticulous research. Her main characters all existed in true World history, and she has blended these characters together in this gripping fictional saga detailing how political maneuvering, war, complicated personalities, and relationships all may have impacted the monarchy. I particularly enjoyed seeing the early foundations of the Tudor dynasty woven into the story.
As much as I read, it is a rare book that keeps me up late into the night, devouring chapter after chapter. I, very literally, could not put Royal Witch down at one night during my reading journey. At 2am, when I finally convinced myself that I had to get some sleep, I had a hard time dozing off because my brain was still going over Royal Witch’s story.
After I’d closed the covers, I was actually a little surprised by just how much I enjoyed this novel. While it started on the slower side, once the narrative got going, it became utterly fascinating. The combination of history, magic, murder, gossip, and strategy had me on the edge of my seat. Royal Witch is just creepy enough to be a great spooky season read but can absolutely be enjoyed anytime (especially if you have a gap to fill left by Game of Thrones).
And I haven’t even mentioned the twist at the end which I have been thinking about since I closed the book. I don’t do spoilers here so you’ll have to read it to see what I mean.
Thank you so much to William Morrow and Netgalley for this free advanced review copy of Royal Witch!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
An historical novel that blends female ambition, court intrigue and sorcery into a magnificent read. I couldn’t put it down.
As Gregory writes in her Author’s Note at the beginning of the novel, she wants to give voice to unknown women who have been silenced often by men and time. Not many women’s lives were recorded in medieval times, probably because if you’re not on the winning side, you don’t get much of a say. But women did have influence and in this novel Gregory brings to life three women about whom except for their names not much is really known but who were in positions of power during the reigns of Henry V and VI: Jacqueline of Hainault who sought to reclaim her family’s land in Hainault, Holland and Zeeland (now Northern France and the Netherlands) - and who lead an army; Eleanor Cobham, from a poor but minor side of royalty who lucked into a marriage with the King’s brother, Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester, but in her desire for power lost it through her dabbling in sorcery because of her acquaintance with Margery Jourdemayne, a working woman whom we only know through her accusation, trial and sentence. This is the shape of the plot line - and what a plot line it is.
Taking place during the Hundred Years War and the times of the magnificent “Hal” as Shakespeare memorialized Henry V, Gregory treats us to lush descriptions of the trappings of court life and its intrigue. We meet Eleanor shortly after her mother’s death at the court where she becomes a lady-in-waiting to Jacqueline and to then met Margery. We follow Eleanor’s rise and her constant search for knowing her future which besides Margery she learns from others. Achieving great fortune in her marriage to Gloucester, she falls - probably because jealousy is always rife - and we follow her into oblivion.
Gregory has a magical way of bringing an historical story into life; it’s well researched (her bibliography at the end was interesting) too - which are two of the reasons I gave this book five stars. My third reading is just the enjoyment I got from the story.
Another reason for the five stars is that I maintain historical fiction is important as it gives life to those we may forget or whom others wish to erase. Gregory gave life to three women I never knew about but whom I now with remember. We must keep history as it happened but not as we want it to be.
My thanks to NetGalley and William Morrow for granting me access to this ARC.
As Gregory writes in her Author’s Note at the beginning of the novel, she wants to give voice to unknown women who have been silenced often by men and time. Not many women’s lives were recorded in medieval times, probably because if you’re not on the winning side, you don’t get much of a say. But women did have influence and in this novel Gregory brings to life three women about whom except for their names not much is really known but who were in positions of power during the reigns of Henry V and VI: Jacqueline of Hainault who sought to reclaim her family’s land in Hainault, Holland and Zeeland (now Northern France and the Netherlands) - and who lead an army; Eleanor Cobham, from a poor but minor side of royalty who lucked into a marriage with the King’s brother, Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester, but in her desire for power lost it through her dabbling in sorcery because of her acquaintance with Margery Jourdemayne, a working woman whom we only know through her accusation, trial and sentence. This is the shape of the plot line - and what a plot line it is.
Taking place during the Hundred Years War and the times of the magnificent “Hal” as Shakespeare memorialized Henry V, Gregory treats us to lush descriptions of the trappings of court life and its intrigue. We meet Eleanor shortly after her mother’s death at the court where she becomes a lady-in-waiting to Jacqueline and to then met Margery. We follow Eleanor’s rise and her constant search for knowing her future which besides Margery she learns from others. Achieving great fortune in her marriage to Gloucester, she falls - probably because jealousy is always rife - and we follow her into oblivion.
Gregory has a magical way of bringing an historical story into life; it’s well researched (her bibliography at the end was interesting) too - which are two of the reasons I gave this book five stars. My third reading is just the enjoyment I got from the story.
Another reason for the five stars is that I maintain historical fiction is important as it gives life to those we may forget or whom others wish to erase. Gregory gave life to three women I never knew about but whom I now with remember. We must keep history as it happened but not as we want it to be.
My thanks to NetGalley and William Morrow for granting me access to this ARC.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I requested and received an eARC of
Royal Witch
by Philippa Gregory via NetGalley. Eleanor Cobham enters the world with nothing but her wits. Her mother urges her toward the quiet safety of a convent, yet Eleanor hungers for something far greater: power, influence, and revenge. Marriage might offer stability, but her ambitions are much higher. She joins the court of Jacqueline of Hainaut as a lady in waiting, where she promptly falls head over heels for an unsuitable man. When she later weds Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester, she believes her fortunes are secured. But upon learning that her former lover has married far above his rank, Eleanor’s desire for power and revenge become an obsession, eventually leading to accusations of witchcraft.
When it comes to historical fiction, Phillipa Gregory knows how to craft a story. From the very first page of Royal Witch I knew I wasn’t going to be able to put this book down easily. Her characterization for this imagined version of Eleanor Cobham is impeccable. She’s ruthless and more than slightly wicked, but also deeply human. I mean, honesty, would you want to be forced into a convent? She’s not exactly likeable, but she makes for a fascinating protagonist. Her obsession with Owen was quite believable. I could easily see myself being charmed by him as well. The relationship may be one entirely invented for the purpose of this novel, but it provides such an excellent hook that makes this a thrilling story to read. I genuinely couldn’t wait to see what Gregory would throw at me next.
Although Eleanor Cobham is this primary focus of Royal Witch I also found the Margery Jourdemayne and Jacqueline of Hainaut to be equally compelling forces within the novel. Jacqueline in particular made a strong impression in the first half of the narrative and I think serves as a really great contrast to Eleanor. The scenes with Margery Jourdemayne ended up being some of my favorite in the novel, particularly her prophecies that incorporated foreshadowing of real events. The pacing in this story is great. Despite the length I never felt my attention wavering or my interest waning. And the conclusion! Perfectly done. Overall, Royal Witch is a fabulous and thrilling read that combines history with imagination and melodrama in the most stunning way possible.
When it comes to historical fiction, Phillipa Gregory knows how to craft a story. From the very first page of Royal Witch I knew I wasn’t going to be able to put this book down easily. Her characterization for this imagined version of Eleanor Cobham is impeccable. She’s ruthless and more than slightly wicked, but also deeply human. I mean, honesty, would you want to be forced into a convent? She’s not exactly likeable, but she makes for a fascinating protagonist. Her obsession with Owen was quite believable. I could easily see myself being charmed by him as well. The relationship may be one entirely invented for the purpose of this novel, but it provides such an excellent hook that makes this a thrilling story to read. I genuinely couldn’t wait to see what Gregory would throw at me next.
Although Eleanor Cobham is this primary focus of Royal Witch I also found the Margery Jourdemayne and Jacqueline of Hainaut to be equally compelling forces within the novel. Jacqueline in particular made a strong impression in the first half of the narrative and I think serves as a really great contrast to Eleanor. The scenes with Margery Jourdemayne ended up being some of my favorite in the novel, particularly her prophecies that incorporated foreshadowing of real events. The pacing in this story is great. Despite the length I never felt my attention wavering or my interest waning. And the conclusion! Perfectly done. Overall, Royal Witch is a fabulous and thrilling read that combines history with imagination and melodrama in the most stunning way possible.
September 29, 2026
4.25 ⭐️
Another absolute stellar historical novel from Gregory, you know you're in safe hands with her.
We follow Eleanor Cobham who rose from lady-in-waiting to Duchess, with an unmatched ambition she finds out how woman must rise in a male dominated world.
I loved how this story showed Eleanor as a driven and politically savvy woman, always thinking about how to use others' assumptions to her advantage to manipulate the people around her. Each twist and turn revealed more and more about how far she would go to gain access to power
However, she was a difficult character to have as the primary narrator of the story, with her vanity and singlemindedness making her highly unlikeable. Even when she was wronged, she held a grudge so steadfastly that it became difficult to see her actions as justified. I can understand that this highlighted her drive, but it did seem to counter the myths about powerful women that Gregory was trying to dispel.
The whole story revolved around women trying to come into their power, and yet all seemed to fail or come across immovable issues. This diminished the strength of the story a little, although I do understand that Gregory was also staying true to history and a lot of women in those times did not have happy endings. The men did also occasionally lean into satire, with many of them being weak minded or willed. As a result, her characters did not feel as strong as they have done in previous novels.
Despite this minor critique, Gregory knows how to weave a story based on historical fact. She takes documented events and outcomes and humanises them, putting purpose and meaning behind the actions. I found myself entranced by the story and (despite knowing roughly how the key points play out) on tenterhooks as to how issues would resolve themselves. There was always another scheme, another development or twist to take Eleanor closer and then further away from her goal. I also especially enjoyed Margery Jourdemayne's interactions and learning more about Gregory's interpretation of her involvement of the story.
In all, another incredible story from Gregory, impeccably researched (as always) and I love that she continues to shine prominence on the women behind the history that has proceeded or overshadowed them in such a male dominated era.
Thank you so much to the publisher, author and NetGalley for this ARC, all views and opinions are my own ✨
Another absolute stellar historical novel from Gregory, you know you're in safe hands with her.
We follow Eleanor Cobham who rose from lady-in-waiting to Duchess, with an unmatched ambition she finds out how woman must rise in a male dominated world.
I loved how this story showed Eleanor as a driven and politically savvy woman, always thinking about how to use others' assumptions to her advantage to manipulate the people around her. Each twist and turn revealed more and more about how far she would go to gain access to power
However, she was a difficult character to have as the primary narrator of the story, with her vanity and singlemindedness making her highly unlikeable. Even when she was wronged, she held a grudge so steadfastly that it became difficult to see her actions as justified. I can understand that this highlighted her drive, but it did seem to counter the myths about powerful women that Gregory was trying to dispel.
The whole story revolved around women trying to come into their power, and yet all seemed to fail or come across immovable issues. This diminished the strength of the story a little, although I do understand that Gregory was also staying true to history and a lot of women in those times did not have happy endings. The men did also occasionally lean into satire, with many of them being weak minded or willed. As a result, her characters did not feel as strong as they have done in previous novels.
Despite this minor critique, Gregory knows how to weave a story based on historical fact. She takes documented events and outcomes and humanises them, putting purpose and meaning behind the actions. I found myself entranced by the story and (despite knowing roughly how the key points play out) on tenterhooks as to how issues would resolve themselves. There was always another scheme, another development or twist to take Eleanor closer and then further away from her goal. I also especially enjoyed Margery Jourdemayne's interactions and learning more about Gregory's interpretation of her involvement of the story.
In all, another incredible story from Gregory, impeccably researched (as always) and I love that she continues to shine prominence on the women behind the history that has proceeded or overshadowed them in such a male dominated era.
Thank you so much to the publisher, author and NetGalley for this ARC, all views and opinions are my own ✨
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I have read most of the novels in the Plantagenet and Tudor series by Philippa Gregory and was sad to think there was little still to be explored but this was a new period of history I was unfamiliar with other than it being the time of Joan of Arc found myself reading up around this with a renewed interest.
There are some strong females in this novel which is in itself interesting. I particularly liked that Jacqueline d'Hainault, the Countess that Eleanor is initially assigned to at court, has the strength of character to try and shine alongside men and to be a ruler in her own right in the 15th Century and how the culture and home that she is from (like Catherine of Aragon's home nearly 100 years later) outshines the dirty reality of contemporary England In this novel, I began to think that Eleanor was learning from this role model only to see Eleanor's ambition for power and glory to shine through. Although Eleanor is a strong character, she is not one that I particularly liked! I am not sure however, if the real- life accusations made against Eleanor were formed from her husband's need to distance himself from her or whether she really did collude to kill the young Henry VI with Margery Jourdemayne (portrayed mainly as a herbalist with intuition in the novel).
The novel weaves into it the emergence of the Tudor dynasty with Owain ap Maredudd becoming Owen Tudor to give him some legitimacy and there is still a large part of the story dedicated to Tudor's relationship with Henry VI's mother. Woven into this story is Eleanor Cobham's obsession with Tudor which may be true of the time but would be in keeping with Tudor 's reputation. It would certainly have given her reason to imprison Tudor but then Eleanor also had her eye on the prize of Queen and Tudor's family were a realistic threat to that dream. This is a family that have a big part to play in later history with the rise of the Tudor's.
What this novel shows is that this is a time where little is recorded that things change at the drop of a hat or a sudden death. There is little we can truly count as primary evidence and that there is little that can be discounted including witchcraft.
I'd recommend to anyone with a interest in the history of England.
There are some strong females in this novel which is in itself interesting. I particularly liked that Jacqueline d'Hainault, the Countess that Eleanor is initially assigned to at court, has the strength of character to try and shine alongside men and to be a ruler in her own right in the 15th Century and how the culture and home that she is from (like Catherine of Aragon's home nearly 100 years later) outshines the dirty reality of contemporary England In this novel, I began to think that Eleanor was learning from this role model only to see Eleanor's ambition for power and glory to shine through. Although Eleanor is a strong character, she is not one that I particularly liked! I am not sure however, if the real- life accusations made against Eleanor were formed from her husband's need to distance himself from her or whether she really did collude to kill the young Henry VI with Margery Jourdemayne (portrayed mainly as a herbalist with intuition in the novel).
The novel weaves into it the emergence of the Tudor dynasty with Owain ap Maredudd becoming Owen Tudor to give him some legitimacy and there is still a large part of the story dedicated to Tudor's relationship with Henry VI's mother. Woven into this story is Eleanor Cobham's obsession with Tudor which may be true of the time but would be in keeping with Tudor 's reputation. It would certainly have given her reason to imprison Tudor but then Eleanor also had her eye on the prize of Queen and Tudor's family were a realistic threat to that dream. This is a family that have a big part to play in later history with the rise of the Tudor's.
What this novel shows is that this is a time where little is recorded that things change at the drop of a hat or a sudden death. There is little we can truly count as primary evidence and that there is little that can be discounted including witchcraft.
I'd recommend to anyone with a interest in the history of England.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Phillipa Gregory has done it again! As a long term fan of hers, I was so excited to be accepted for the ARC of Royal Witch, and it was everything I hoped it would be.
Set in 1420, we follow the story of Eleanor Cobham - a beautiful but poor woman who enters court life hoping to secure a good marriage. But amongst the chaos of a kingdom both at war and without a mature King, Eleanor sees an opportunity to rise higher in station than she ever imagined - she'll just need to be ruthless and perhaps turn to the darker arts...
I'm going to go ahead and say, Eleanor is such a nuanced and deep character. I spent a good portion of the book loathing her whilst admiring her devious mind and willingness to do anything to secure her position. She starts off as lady in waiting to Jacqueline d'Hainault - a strong, honest and inspiring woman that Eleanor initially sees as a role model. But she quickly realises she wants so much more, and she will go to any length required to get what she wants. With Margery Jourdemayne - a wise woman and herbalist - as her confidant, Eleanor schemes and plots her way higher. Whilst I admired her ambition and aspirations, and deeply sympathised with the betrayals she experienced, her coldness towards the people around her and her bloodthirsty desire for revenge combined with her desire to climb higher in the court made her a very hard character to like. But for me, that was part of the appeal - I was truly invested in finding out how her story ended.
As usual from Phillipa, the book was incredibly well researched, and allowed me a glimpse into a time period I've never read about before. Absolutely brilliant as always! Thank you Netgalley and HarperCollins UK for the ARC :)
Set in 1420, we follow the story of Eleanor Cobham - a beautiful but poor woman who enters court life hoping to secure a good marriage. But amongst the chaos of a kingdom both at war and without a mature King, Eleanor sees an opportunity to rise higher in station than she ever imagined - she'll just need to be ruthless and perhaps turn to the darker arts...
I'm going to go ahead and say, Eleanor is such a nuanced and deep character. I spent a good portion of the book loathing her whilst admiring her devious mind and willingness to do anything to secure her position. She starts off as lady in waiting to Jacqueline d'Hainault - a strong, honest and inspiring woman that Eleanor initially sees as a role model. But she quickly realises she wants so much more, and she will go to any length required to get what she wants. With Margery Jourdemayne - a wise woman and herbalist - as her confidant, Eleanor schemes and plots her way higher. Whilst I admired her ambition and aspirations, and deeply sympathised with the betrayals she experienced, her coldness towards the people around her and her bloodthirsty desire for revenge combined with her desire to climb higher in the court made her a very hard character to like. But for me, that was part of the appeal - I was truly invested in finding out how her story ended.
As usual from Phillipa, the book was incredibly well researched, and allowed me a glimpse into a time period I've never read about before. Absolutely brilliant as always! Thank you Netgalley and HarperCollins UK for the ARC :)
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
1421. Eleanor Cobham goes to the Royal court as a maid to Jacqueline , the Countess of Hainaut, a fiercely independent woman who has been exiled from her homeland. Her husband has taken her lands and she wants them back. In Hainaut, a woman can hold her own lands and titles.
Eleanor has found a powerful role model, and she begins to change from a timid maid, to a very determined and single minded woman with clear ideas about her future plans.
She will marry well and enjoy riches and high status.
She will become powerful and influential, a force to be reckoned with.
Eleanor makes friends with Margery Jourdemayne, a herbalist, wise woman and midwife, all these are innocent skills, but being seen as ‘ women’s works’ have always carried the taint of witchcraft to the suspicious minds of men.
Eleanor asks for Margery’s help, supposedly to become pregnant, but there are darker factors in play. Needless to say, it doesn’t end well.
Eleanor makes friends, but greater and more powerful enemies.
She may marry well, but she loses her true love. Great ambition causes ruthlessness. She becomes embittered and cruel, thoughts of revenge and retribution are all encompassing.
Her downfall is painful and ignoble. A woman is still at the mercy of unscrupulous and faithless men.
This is a very different from the Tudor novels, there is less written history to use, so a great deal of historical fiction has been employed to fill in the gaps.
A powerful look at Feminism and the forgotten women who still managed to shine and influence history by creating family lineages that survive today.
My thanks to Netgalley and Harper Collins UK, for my advanced copy, freely given in exchange for my honest review. A four star rating.
I will post to Goodreads and Amazon UK later.
Eleanor has found a powerful role model, and she begins to change from a timid maid, to a very determined and single minded woman with clear ideas about her future plans.
She will marry well and enjoy riches and high status.
She will become powerful and influential, a force to be reckoned with.
Eleanor makes friends with Margery Jourdemayne, a herbalist, wise woman and midwife, all these are innocent skills, but being seen as ‘ women’s works’ have always carried the taint of witchcraft to the suspicious minds of men.
Eleanor asks for Margery’s help, supposedly to become pregnant, but there are darker factors in play. Needless to say, it doesn’t end well.
Eleanor makes friends, but greater and more powerful enemies.
She may marry well, but she loses her true love. Great ambition causes ruthlessness. She becomes embittered and cruel, thoughts of revenge and retribution are all encompassing.
Her downfall is painful and ignoble. A woman is still at the mercy of unscrupulous and faithless men.
This is a very different from the Tudor novels, there is less written history to use, so a great deal of historical fiction has been employed to fill in the gaps.
A powerful look at Feminism and the forgotten women who still managed to shine and influence history by creating family lineages that survive today.
My thanks to Netgalley and Harper Collins UK, for my advanced copy, freely given in exchange for my honest review. A four star rating.
I will post to Goodreads and Amazon UK later.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
4.25⭐️
I have been a fan of Philippa Gregory for so many years. Her writing is about as close as you can get to stepping inside a real-life time machine, and Royal Witch once again completely transported me.
The novel follows the life of Eleanor Cobham, whose family estate was in my home county of Surrey, which gave me an additional personal interest in her story.
Eleanor arrives at the royal court of Henry V with little more than her beauty and a hunger to improve her standing in life. Her initial innocence was refreshing to read, particularly as she experiences the splendour of court for the first time. Everything feels bright, fascinating and almost magical through her eyes.
But as Eleanor becomes accustomed to courtly life, we begin to witness that innocence give way to something far more ambitious.
Her desire for status grows increasingly consuming. She wants to marry the right man, remain firmly within royal favour and ultimately occupy one of the highest positions in the land. Along the way, we see her willingness to do whatever she believes necessary to achieve those ambitions — including embracing so-called “dark magic”.
This transformation makes Eleanor a fascinating, if not always particularly likeable, protagonist. At times I found her shallow, selfish and even cruel, which could make parts of her story uncomfortable to read. However, it is testament to Philippa Gregory's writing that my feelings towards Eleanor never negatively affected my enjoyment of the novel itself. If anything, watching her ambition gradually reshape her made her all the more compelling.
Gregory completely immersed me in the medieval unrest surrounding the English and French courts, their politics, power struggles and precarious alliances. Her commitment to historical research is evident throughout, but she has that wonderful ability to weave it into the story without making you feel as though you're reading a history textbook. Instead, the period feels vivid and tangible, giving you a real sense of what life might have been like for those navigating these dangerous royal circles.
My only reason for not awarding Royal Witch five stars was the pacing. It took a little longer than I would have liked to settle into a comfortable rhythm. Once it did, however, I found it incredibly difficult to put down.
If you enjoy historical fiction firmly rooted in real people and events, backed by meticulous research and wonderfully immersive writing, Royal Witch most definitely deserves a place on your TBR.
Thank you to Philippa Gregory, HarperCollins UK and NetGalley for providing me with an early copy of Royal Witch. All opinions expressed are my own.
I have been a fan of Philippa Gregory for so many years. Her writing is about as close as you can get to stepping inside a real-life time machine, and Royal Witch once again completely transported me.
The novel follows the life of Eleanor Cobham, whose family estate was in my home county of Surrey, which gave me an additional personal interest in her story.
Eleanor arrives at the royal court of Henry V with little more than her beauty and a hunger to improve her standing in life. Her initial innocence was refreshing to read, particularly as she experiences the splendour of court for the first time. Everything feels bright, fascinating and almost magical through her eyes.
But as Eleanor becomes accustomed to courtly life, we begin to witness that innocence give way to something far more ambitious.
Her desire for status grows increasingly consuming. She wants to marry the right man, remain firmly within royal favour and ultimately occupy one of the highest positions in the land. Along the way, we see her willingness to do whatever she believes necessary to achieve those ambitions — including embracing so-called “dark magic”.
This transformation makes Eleanor a fascinating, if not always particularly likeable, protagonist. At times I found her shallow, selfish and even cruel, which could make parts of her story uncomfortable to read. However, it is testament to Philippa Gregory's writing that my feelings towards Eleanor never negatively affected my enjoyment of the novel itself. If anything, watching her ambition gradually reshape her made her all the more compelling.
Gregory completely immersed me in the medieval unrest surrounding the English and French courts, their politics, power struggles and precarious alliances. Her commitment to historical research is evident throughout, but she has that wonderful ability to weave it into the story without making you feel as though you're reading a history textbook. Instead, the period feels vivid and tangible, giving you a real sense of what life might have been like for those navigating these dangerous royal circles.
My only reason for not awarding Royal Witch five stars was the pacing. It took a little longer than I would have liked to settle into a comfortable rhythm. Once it did, however, I found it incredibly difficult to put down.
If you enjoy historical fiction firmly rooted in real people and events, backed by meticulous research and wonderfully immersive writing, Royal Witch most definitely deserves a place on your TBR.
Thank you to Philippa Gregory, HarperCollins UK and NetGalley for providing me with an early copy of Royal Witch. All opinions expressed are my own.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
In the Author's Note at the start of the novel Philippa Gregory details to readers that this novel focuses on three relatively unknown women during the Hundred Year's War. Not much is known about them because men wrote history and their focus was not on women. The central character is Eleanor Cobham who is from a lesser side of royalty whose mother wants to spend her life in a nunnery, but instead uses the timing of her mother's death and proximity next to her to convince her father that her mother changed her mind and wants her to go to Court. At Court, Eleanor is assigned to Jacqueline of Hainault while she awaits a Papal Annulment from a husband who has cheated her. At court, Jacqueline is attempting to convince Henry to send an army to reclaim her family's land in Northern France and the Netherlands. Through Eleanor's wits while with Jacqueline, she marries the King's brother Humphrey and gains the power she has sought. Her hubris to gain more power leads Eleanor to associate with a third woman, Margery Jourdemayne, which leads to Eleanor's downfall.
Philippa Gregory is unapparelled as a Historical Fiction writer for tis time period in English History and her research shines through. That said, you do not have to be a typical HF reader to appreciate this novel. It is filled with suspense and intrigue. Eleanor is frankly not likeable, but she is fascinating and well worth the time reading this novel to learn what became of her.
Thank you HarperCollins and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this novel in return for an honest review. It was time well spent.
Philippa Gregory is unapparelled as a Historical Fiction writer for tis time period in English History and her research shines through. That said, you do not have to be a typical HF reader to appreciate this novel. It is filled with suspense and intrigue. Eleanor is frankly not likeable, but she is fascinating and well worth the time reading this novel to learn what became of her.
Thank you HarperCollins and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this novel in return for an honest review. It was time well spent.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Philippa Gregory returns to the familiar corridors of medieval power. Eleanor Cobham is another typical Gregory protagonist: ambitious, sharp-tongued, and perpetually underestimated by the men who believe they own history. The narrative moves through 1420 England with the steady momentum of a well-oiled period drama. It is a world where political survival requires both diplomacy and a willingness to dabble in the forbidden.
The pacing serves the genre well. Gregory understands that readers want the intrigue of the court, the friction of social climbing, and the inevitable descent into ruin. She relies on the standard tropes of historical fiction, but the execution remains consistent enough to keep the pages moving. Eleanor’s internal monologue provides the necessary snark to prevent the courtly politics from becoming purely dry.
Her structural decision to frame the protagonist’s rise through the lens of early sorcery adds a layer of tension that elevates the standard "woman in power" narrative. It works because it forces a confrontation between the harsh reality of medieval law and the desperate imagination of a woman excluded from true authority. It is a predictable path, but satisfying for those who enjoy watching a character burn their own future for a seat at the table.
For fans of historical soap opera, avoid if you prefer your medieval history without the dramatic license.
The pacing serves the genre well. Gregory understands that readers want the intrigue of the court, the friction of social climbing, and the inevitable descent into ruin. She relies on the standard tropes of historical fiction, but the execution remains consistent enough to keep the pages moving. Eleanor’s internal monologue provides the necessary snark to prevent the courtly politics from becoming purely dry.
Her structural decision to frame the protagonist’s rise through the lens of early sorcery adds a layer of tension that elevates the standard "woman in power" narrative. It works because it forces a confrontation between the harsh reality of medieval law and the desperate imagination of a woman excluded from true authority. It is a predictable path, but satisfying for those who enjoy watching a character burn their own future for a seat at the table.
For fans of historical soap opera, avoid if you prefer your medieval history without the dramatic license.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I just love Philippa Gregory novels. They are so lush and the history so detailed and well researched. When I saw the description for her latest book, Royal Witch, I was beyond excited and requested a review copy immediately.
Royal Witch precedes the rise of the Tudor dynasty and is about lesser known –but equally fascinating—historical figures. The primary focus is Eleanor Cobham, a lady whose ambition leads her into the folds of the royal court and then into the dangerous political machinations of that court. One thing I really appreciate about Gregory’s novels is the focus on strong female characters. While they may not always be able to direct their own path in life because of the time period and the limitations on women in the royal court, her characters are always aware of the intricacies of their position and act to influence the men, even if by subtle means. In Royal Witch, I especially appreciated learning more about Margery Jourdemayne, a midwife and herbalist, as I’ve never heard about her before. I found her story to be especially interesting and sad.
As usual, Gregory’s novel is filled with historical information that is presented in an engaging and well-paced manner that had me urgently flipping to the next page throughout. The characters are well developed and it is easy to empathize with their situations. The settings are vividly detailed and add to the emotional impact of the story line. What a delight to have read!
Royal Witch precedes the rise of the Tudor dynasty and is about lesser known –but equally fascinating—historical figures. The primary focus is Eleanor Cobham, a lady whose ambition leads her into the folds of the royal court and then into the dangerous political machinations of that court. One thing I really appreciate about Gregory’s novels is the focus on strong female characters. While they may not always be able to direct their own path in life because of the time period and the limitations on women in the royal court, her characters are always aware of the intricacies of their position and act to influence the men, even if by subtle means. In Royal Witch, I especially appreciated learning more about Margery Jourdemayne, a midwife and herbalist, as I’ve never heard about her before. I found her story to be especially interesting and sad.
As usual, Gregory’s novel is filled with historical information that is presented in an engaging and well-paced manner that had me urgently flipping to the next page throughout. The characters are well developed and it is easy to empathize with their situations. The settings are vividly detailed and add to the emotional impact of the story line. What a delight to have read!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I requested this book as an advance copy from William Morrow on NetGalley because Philippa Gregory has long been a favorite of mine. She continues to prove her talent for bringing marginalized women of history to life! Like all the other books I’ve enjoyed from her, this one is rich with descriptive settings, deeply researched historical detail, and a brilliant flair for filling in the gaps in the history that humanize the story.
One thing that fascinates me in this story is that there’s more than one women who could fit the description of witch. None of the characters are entirely lovable or innocent, yet it’s hard to really hate them either. They present with real flaws and emotional backstories that make them feel relevant.
My favorite characters were not the star of the show, but rather secondary characters who shaped the story and provided valuable insight into the world that motivated the Duchess. I learned a lot of new history through this book, including that this story touches on the origin of the Tudor line! I wasn’t expecting that, not realizing the correlation until it hit me in the story.
I have never been disappointed by one of Philippa Gregory’s books, but this one is among my favorite because of my love for Jacqueline and Margery. I never would have known who they were if not for this book and each inspired me in new and positive ways. As for Duchess Eleanor, let’s just say I have learned how not to comport myself.
One thing that fascinates me in this story is that there’s more than one women who could fit the description of witch. None of the characters are entirely lovable or innocent, yet it’s hard to really hate them either. They present with real flaws and emotional backstories that make them feel relevant.
My favorite characters were not the star of the show, but rather secondary characters who shaped the story and provided valuable insight into the world that motivated the Duchess. I learned a lot of new history through this book, including that this story touches on the origin of the Tudor line! I wasn’t expecting that, not realizing the correlation until it hit me in the story.
I have never been disappointed by one of Philippa Gregory’s books, but this one is among my favorite because of my love for Jacqueline and Margery. I never would have known who they were if not for this book and each inspired me in new and positive ways. As for Duchess Eleanor, let’s just say I have learned how not to comport myself.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
As soon as I saw the name Philippa Gregory on NetGalley I had to request this book.
The author states that the book is about the indomitable spirit of women and. Royal Witch tells of 3 such women from the 15th century.
Jacqueline of Hainault fights fiercely to reclaim the lands stolen from her by a false husband. She’s portrayed as clever, determined, and an exceptional leader—qualities that deeply influence Eleanor, who learns from Jacqueline what it truly means to fight for what you want.
Margery Jourdemayne, the seventh daughter of a seventh daughter, is a vital presence at court. She’s an influential woman whose remedies, advice, and magical items could be used for good or ill, making her both respected and feared.
Eleanor Cobham, promised to a nunnery at birth, uses her charm, beauty, and strategic mind to carve out a very different future for herself—ultimately rising to the rank of royal duchess.
No one brings the late Middle Ages and early Renaissance in England to life quite like Philippa Gregory. Her ability to weave political intrigue, historical detail, and vivid characterization is unmatched.
One detail I found especially ironic: Bella Court—the palace Eleanor and the Duke of Gloucester built—later became Greenwich Palace, where Owen Tudor’s great grandson, Henry VIII, was born. History really does love a twist.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley.
Anything by Philippa Gregory is an automatic read for me. I’ve loved her Tudor novels for years. This book was interesting as it takes place very early in Plantagenet/Tudor history. I actually had no idea who Eleanor Cobham was before reading this novel.
As always, the richness of the story and imagery brings medieval court life to the forefront of the novel. Gregory does a beautiful job giving the reader a true sense of what life would’ve actually been like for a young, ambitious, noblewomen such as Eleanor. Gregory does a fantastic job of weaving the war with France, Christianity in England and France at the time, courtly love, politics, and, most interestingly, the extreme amount of superstition and pseudo-witchcraft that was rampant among all classes of peoples in the early to mid 1400’s.
I found Eleanor to not be very likable - she’s ruthlessly ambitious, vain, dishonest, and cruel, however, none of her character flaws take away from the history of the novel. This was impeccably researched, which I expect from any Philippa Gregory novel. I enjoyed the early foundation of the Tudor dynasty this book displayed. I did feel like the book was a little slow at times, especially the last quarter of the book.
Read if you like English history, the Tudors, or the Plantagenets.
Anything by Philippa Gregory is an automatic read for me. I’ve loved her Tudor novels for years. This book was interesting as it takes place very early in Plantagenet/Tudor history. I actually had no idea who Eleanor Cobham was before reading this novel.
As always, the richness of the story and imagery brings medieval court life to the forefront of the novel. Gregory does a beautiful job giving the reader a true sense of what life would’ve actually been like for a young, ambitious, noblewomen such as Eleanor. Gregory does a fantastic job of weaving the war with France, Christianity in England and France at the time, courtly love, politics, and, most interestingly, the extreme amount of superstition and pseudo-witchcraft that was rampant among all classes of peoples in the early to mid 1400’s.
I found Eleanor to not be very likable - she’s ruthlessly ambitious, vain, dishonest, and cruel, however, none of her character flaws take away from the history of the novel. This was impeccably researched, which I expect from any Philippa Gregory novel. I enjoyed the early foundation of the Tudor dynasty this book displayed. I did feel like the book was a little slow at times, especially the last quarter of the book.
Read if you like English history, the Tudors, or the Plantagenets.
Review of advance copy received from Goodreads Giveaways
As the latest in Philippa Gregory’s Plantagenet and Tudor novels, “Royal Witch” stays true to form in storytelling and intrigue. Narrated in first-person, the novel explores Eleanor Cobham’s rise and tumultuous life at English court. Eleanor is cunning, ambitious, intelligent, and willing to consult anyone and sacrifice everything to rise in station.
While Eleanor is our protagonist, the novel — as outlined in the author’s note — also focuses on two other women maligned by history: Jacqueline of Hainault and Margery Jourdemayne. It is a delight, as always, to watch the cast aside and vilified women of history come alive in the hands of Philippa Gregory. She excels in showing us the humanity of historical figures — their vulnerability, their scheming, and their impotence in a patriarchal society.
For those who love this series, Royal Witch overlaps slightly with The Lady of the Rivers and introduces us to a different perspective on Margaret of Anjou, Jacquetta Woodville, and Joan of Arc.
All in all, this was another interesting and edifying addition to the Plantagenet and Tudor series. I can only hope for eventual novels about Margaret of Anjou (talk about vilified and cast aside!), Catherine de Valois, or Joan of Arc. But as an ardent reader of her books for the last twenty years, I look forward to her next novel regardless of topic and I will eagerly read as many others as Philippa Gregory is willing to write!
I won an ARC in a Goodreads giveaway. Thank you very much for Harper Collins for the ARC.
While Eleanor is our protagonist, the novel — as outlined in the author’s note — also focuses on two other women maligned by history: Jacqueline of Hainault and Margery Jourdemayne. It is a delight, as always, to watch the cast aside and vilified women of history come alive in the hands of Philippa Gregory. She excels in showing us the humanity of historical figures — their vulnerability, their scheming, and their impotence in a patriarchal society.
For those who love this series, Royal Witch overlaps slightly with The Lady of the Rivers and introduces us to a different perspective on Margaret of Anjou, Jacquetta Woodville, and Joan of Arc.
All in all, this was another interesting and edifying addition to the Plantagenet and Tudor series. I can only hope for eventual novels about Margaret of Anjou (talk about vilified and cast aside!), Catherine de Valois, or Joan of Arc. But as an ardent reader of her books for the last twenty years, I look forward to her next novel regardless of topic and I will eagerly read as many others as Philippa Gregory is willing to write!
I won an ARC in a Goodreads giveaway. Thank you very much for Harper Collins for the ARC.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Despite the disappointment that was The Boleyn Traitor, where Philippa Gregory unnecessarily rewrote the excellent Boleyn Inheritance and made it worse, I was still really eager to read this. As while Gregory is rather single minded when it comes to the Tudors (she thinks they are a bad lot to put it mildly)and the Reformation (ditto), she takes more varied perspectives when writing about the Plantagenets. Here we have the tale of Eleanor Cobham, married to the Duke of Gloucester, the self-styled son, brother and uncle to a king. In the author's note, Gregory admits that there is little known about Cobham's life, hence plenty of this is fiction to fill the gaps and the choices of fictional devices here may not be to everyone's taste.
All that aside, this had me gripped. A fair quibble might be that all the Bad Girl Gregory Main Characters seem to have a very similar voice, but as Charli XCX once penned, I don't care, I love it. Something else to wrestle with are Cobham's motivations. Is it just to gain power or genuine concern for the country. With hindsight, it would be easy to say both, but how accurate that is is uncertain. However, my main issue with this book is that it ends too soon, for all that she is a prickly character, I wanted to stay with Eleanor much longer.
All that aside, this had me gripped. A fair quibble might be that all the Bad Girl Gregory Main Characters seem to have a very similar voice, but as Charli XCX once penned, I don't care, I love it. Something else to wrestle with are Cobham's motivations. Is it just to gain power or genuine concern for the country. With hindsight, it would be easy to say both, but how accurate that is is uncertain. However, my main issue with this book is that it ends too soon, for all that she is a prickly character, I wanted to stay with Eleanor much longer.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Philippa Gregory knocks it out of the park again!
The Royal Witch tells the story of Eleanor Cobham, who rises from humble beginnings to high status during the reign of Henry V. It also features other women during that time, who history mostly forgets.
She is not a figure known by many, even those fascinated by history and that's why tis story is so compelling. Philippa Gregory is the best at what she does, and this book is nothing short of perfection. Gregory has an uncanny way of making you feel like you know the women you read about in her books. I feel such a strong connection to Eleanor throughout and I feel like I'm an expect on her life now that I have read the book. Gregory delivers the facts in such an easy and digestible way and she fills in the unknown parts with her own theories about what happened. I always enjoy reading Philippa Gregory books because she does such a wonderful job of keeping the facts as close to perfect as she can, so you end up really learning something without even realizing it.
Every time one of her books comes out, it's a drop everything read and Royal Witch was no different. If you enjoy historical fiction, royal novels, and stories about strong and inspirational woman, you'll love this one.
The Royal Witch tells the story of Eleanor Cobham, who rises from humble beginnings to high status during the reign of Henry V. It also features other women during that time, who history mostly forgets.
She is not a figure known by many, even those fascinated by history and that's why tis story is so compelling. Philippa Gregory is the best at what she does, and this book is nothing short of perfection. Gregory has an uncanny way of making you feel like you know the women you read about in her books. I feel such a strong connection to Eleanor throughout and I feel like I'm an expect on her life now that I have read the book. Gregory delivers the facts in such an easy and digestible way and she fills in the unknown parts with her own theories about what happened. I always enjoy reading Philippa Gregory books because she does such a wonderful job of keeping the facts as close to perfect as she can, so you end up really learning something without even realizing it.
Every time one of her books comes out, it's a drop everything read and Royal Witch was no different. If you enjoy historical fiction, royal novels, and stories about strong and inspirational woman, you'll love this one.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Royal Witch was an exciting arc to have received ,having read many of Philippa Gregory’s novels over the years, I went into Royal Witch with high expectations and once again, she delivered a truly exceptional historical read.
Phillips Gregory has an incredible talent for bringing overlooked moments in history to life, and I loved exploring the origins of the Tudor dynasty through richly developed characters, political intrigue, and meticulous historical detail. Although this period of history was less familiar to me, I was completely immersed from the very beginning.
The characterisation is one of the book’s strong points. Even the characters you find yourself disagreeing with are fascinating to follow, and I couldn’t stop turning the pages to see how their stories unfolded. The blend of ambition, power, superstition, and court politics creates a compelling and atmospheric novel that is impossible to put down.
Philippa Gregory’s writing remains as captivating as ever! beautifully researched, wonderfully immersive, and effortlessly engaging. She continues to prove why she is one of my favourite historical fiction authors and an automatic read for me. 📚✨
August 11, 2026
Royal Witch by Philippa Gregory is a great historical fiction that was exciting from right from the start.
I knew a bit about this story overall, Humphrey Duke of Gloucester the brother of Henry V, his second wife and the “witch” and sorcery charges that were placed against her, but I had never read anything further, and I didn’t even know her name. Thus I was excited to be transported back to 1420 and learn about Eleanor Cobham. A flawed “heroine” for sure. I was not sure if I liked her at first, however accepting her less stellar merits, I began to understand why she was this woman and why she had to be cunning, ruthless at times, and take risks. Some worked out for her, and unfortunately others did not. I really enjoyed finding out more about her.
4.5/5 stars
Thank you NG and William Morrow for this wonderful arc and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.
I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon, Instagram, and B&N accounts upon publication on 10/20/26.
I knew a bit about this story overall, Humphrey Duke of Gloucester the brother of Henry V, his second wife and the “witch” and sorcery charges that were placed against her, but I had never read anything further, and I didn’t even know her name. Thus I was excited to be transported back to 1420 and learn about Eleanor Cobham. A flawed “heroine” for sure. I was not sure if I liked her at first, however accepting her less stellar merits, I began to understand why she was this woman and why she had to be cunning, ruthless at times, and take risks. Some worked out for her, and unfortunately others did not. I really enjoyed finding out more about her.
4.5/5 stars
Thank you NG and William Morrow for this wonderful arc and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.
I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon, Instagram, and B&N accounts upon publication on 10/20/26.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me an advanced readers copy of Royal Witch.
I have been a massive fan of Philippa Gregory for a very long time, after reading The Other Boleyn Girl. What I loved about her writing then, was how she mixes history with fiction to depict both famous and overlooked historical figures in a way that brings them to life. This stands true when I was reading Royal Witch.
Royal Witch explores the life of Eleanor Cobham, a royal Duchess accused of witchcraft during the reign of Henry VI. I really found the way she was depicted to be interesting as she comes across as vain, selfish, disloyal and self-centred. To be honest, she's not a character I warmed to, but what I did like about the book is the way Gregory has shown how women had power and strength even during the era when it is viewed as the opposite.
What I also loved was hearing characters from her previous books spoken about within the background of Royal Witch.
I'm so glad Philippa Gregory has gone back to this era of history.
Recommended to any lover of historical fiction.
I have been a massive fan of Philippa Gregory for a very long time, after reading The Other Boleyn Girl. What I loved about her writing then, was how she mixes history with fiction to depict both famous and overlooked historical figures in a way that brings them to life. This stands true when I was reading Royal Witch.
Royal Witch explores the life of Eleanor Cobham, a royal Duchess accused of witchcraft during the reign of Henry VI. I really found the way she was depicted to be interesting as she comes across as vain, selfish, disloyal and self-centred. To be honest, she's not a character I warmed to, but what I did like about the book is the way Gregory has shown how women had power and strength even during the era when it is viewed as the opposite.
What I also loved was hearing characters from her previous books spoken about within the background of Royal Witch.
I'm so glad Philippa Gregory has gone back to this era of history.
Recommended to any lover of historical fiction.
September 25, 2026
Royal Witch — Philippa Gregory
Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Excellent. As a long-time Philippa Gregory fan I had high hopes for this one, and it more than delivered.
Eleanor Cobham's story begins in 1420, when she arrives at the court of Henry V with no great prospects beyond a decent marriage — and what follows kept me hooked from start to finish. Gregory has always been brilliant at bringing overlooked women out of the footnotes, and Eleanor is a fascinating subject: ambitious, sharp, and utterly of her time.
The research is impeccable, as ever. What I found most fascinating was seeing how life actually was back then — how precarious a woman's position could be, how quickly favour could turn. And while so much has obviously changed, you can see the threads running forward. The fears and superstitions of that world didn't simply vanish; decisions made then still shape attitudes we carry today.
A thoroughly absorbing read, and one I'd recommend to anyone who loves Gregory's work or historical fiction generally.
Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Excellent. As a long-time Philippa Gregory fan I had high hopes for this one, and it more than delivered.
Eleanor Cobham's story begins in 1420, when she arrives at the court of Henry V with no great prospects beyond a decent marriage — and what follows kept me hooked from start to finish. Gregory has always been brilliant at bringing overlooked women out of the footnotes, and Eleanor is a fascinating subject: ambitious, sharp, and utterly of her time.
The research is impeccable, as ever. What I found most fascinating was seeing how life actually was back then — how precarious a woman's position could be, how quickly favour could turn. And while so much has obviously changed, you can see the threads running forward. The fears and superstitions of that world didn't simply vanish; decisions made then still shape attitudes we carry today.
A thoroughly absorbing read, and one I'd recommend to anyone who loves Gregory's work or historical fiction generally.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
It is 1420 in England and history is about to see the birth of the "Tudor Dynasty" . Eleanor Cobham maneuvers her way out her mother's pledge that she will enter the local convent. She is not highborn, but of a good family. Her beauty allows for her father to find her a position in the royal court serving a Countess. Eleanor is determined that she will find love and a rich husband to create a family and home of her own. As she is introduced to a new life and the amazing things that the Countess has achieved, even being a woman, she learns to want more. How far can she climb and what is she willing to do, to get what she wants?
Phillipa Gregory has turned me into a fan and I will be reading a lot more of her books. The author does historical fiction well. I find myself researching the history and the amazing women she writes about. I am wanting to line the books up and match them chronologically beside the family trees and start reading! Of course that isn't necessary. Each novel stands alone. But learning history is compelling.
Phillipa Gregory has turned me into a fan and I will be reading a lot more of her books. The author does historical fiction well. I find myself researching the history and the amazing women she writes about. I am wanting to line the books up and match them chronologically beside the family trees and start reading! Of course that isn't necessary. Each novel stands alone. But learning history is compelling.
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