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A Secret Alchemy
A Secret Alchemy Darwin, Emma
499 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2008
22 people are currently reading
587 people want to read
About the author
Emma Darwin
17 books62 followersEmma Darwin was born and brought up in London, but has also spent time in both Manhattan and Brussels, and later studied Drama at university. Her debut novel The Mathematics of Love (Headline Review) is probably the only novel ever to have been simultaneously listed for both the Commonwealth Writers Best First Book, and the RNA Novel of the Year prizes. Her bestselling second novel, A Secret Alchemy (Headline Review), was part of a PhD at Goldsmiths, which explored the writing of historical fiction. Her first non-fiction book, Getting Started in Writing Historical Fiction (John Murray Learning/Teach Yourself), was published in March 2016. She has been helping writers for over a decade, and has particular interests in historical fiction and creative non-fiction; she taught Creative Writing for the Open University for several years, has worked with academic writing as an RLF Fellow at Goldsmiths and the Royal College of Music, and blogs at This Itch of Writing.
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May 28, 2009Gah! I had to give up on this tosh before it antagonised me into committing an act of unspeakable petulance.
Really, really trying too hard. The main problem is that it flits from character to character before you've got your head around any of them. It then does what my mother does in real life - launches into some topic she thinks you know everything about when you haven't the FAINTEST idea what she's talking about and have no idea who Mrs McFlinty at no 78 is and REALLY don't remember the 1976 incident of the cat, the fridge and a sardine sandwich.
In short - I know a reasonable amount about this period of history. More than is healthy, probably, and I found it extremely difficult to keep adjusting to the change in narrator and historical circumstance from chapter to chapter. Anyone with zero knowledge of the Wars of the Roses, the 15th Century, Elizabeth Woodville and the Grey/Rivers would quite possibly be baffled quite a lot of the time.
And no one wants that from a book.
Really, really trying too hard. The main problem is that it flits from character to character before you've got your head around any of them. It then does what my mother does in real life - launches into some topic she thinks you know everything about when you haven't the FAINTEST idea what she's talking about and have no idea who Mrs McFlinty at no 78 is and REALLY don't remember the 1976 incident of the cat, the fridge and a sardine sandwich.
In short - I know a reasonable amount about this period of history. More than is healthy, probably, and I found it extremely difficult to keep adjusting to the change in narrator and historical circumstance from chapter to chapter. Anyone with zero knowledge of the Wars of the Roses, the 15th Century, Elizabeth Woodville and the Grey/Rivers would quite possibly be baffled quite a lot of the time.
And no one wants that from a book.
August 18, 2009
A Secret Alchemy is narrated by two historical characters, Elizabeth Woodville and her brother Anthony, and by one fictitious one, Una Pryor, a historian who's returned to England from her home in Australia to sell her English property. During her stay in England, the recently widowed Una, who's working on a book about Anthony Woodville and his reading, visits the cousins with whom she was raised and encounters the man whom she loved as an adolescent.
Anthony's story begins with the last journey of his life: he is bound for Pontefract Castle, where he knows that the future Richard III has scheduled his execution. Elizabeth tells her story from the quiet confines of Bermondsey Abbey, to which she has retired from the court of Henry VII. Neither tells his or her life story from beginning to end; instead, they each focus on a few selected episodes, such as Elizabeth's courtship by Edward IV and Anthony's exile abroad. As a result, the cast of characters is relatively small: we meet Edward IV, Edward V, a few Woodvilles, Anthony's lover, and Elizabeth's long-time attendant and confidante. There's a cameo appearance by Thomas Malory and a couple of very brief ones by the future Richard III.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading Anthony's and Elizabeth's stories, and had tears in my eyes after reading both (which doesn't happen very often, especially when I know the ending). Anthony's tale, especially the love story Darwin gives him (which I found very plausible) and his terrible grief when he realizes that his charge Edward V is at the mercy of Richard III, is very moving. Elizabeth, who's so often reduced to a caricature by historical novelists, is beautifully drawn here. She's strong-minded and courageous, yet vulnerable. There's even a touch of humor here and there, as when Elizabeth's earthy sister Margaret comments on the queen's morning sickness.
The contemporary story, Una's, was well done also. I didn't find it as compelling as the medieval ones, but Darwin did a nice job of working the historical strands and the contemporary strand into an integrated whole.
Darwin has researched her novel with care, and she provides an afterword putting the tales of Anthony and Elizabeth in their historical context.
I heartily recommend this novel.
Anthony's story begins with the last journey of his life: he is bound for Pontefract Castle, where he knows that the future Richard III has scheduled his execution. Elizabeth tells her story from the quiet confines of Bermondsey Abbey, to which she has retired from the court of Henry VII. Neither tells his or her life story from beginning to end; instead, they each focus on a few selected episodes, such as Elizabeth's courtship by Edward IV and Anthony's exile abroad. As a result, the cast of characters is relatively small: we meet Edward IV, Edward V, a few Woodvilles, Anthony's lover, and Elizabeth's long-time attendant and confidante. There's a cameo appearance by Thomas Malory and a couple of very brief ones by the future Richard III.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading Anthony's and Elizabeth's stories, and had tears in my eyes after reading both (which doesn't happen very often, especially when I know the ending). Anthony's tale, especially the love story Darwin gives him (which I found very plausible) and his terrible grief when he realizes that his charge Edward V is at the mercy of Richard III, is very moving. Elizabeth, who's so often reduced to a caricature by historical novelists, is beautifully drawn here. She's strong-minded and courageous, yet vulnerable. There's even a touch of humor here and there, as when Elizabeth's earthy sister Margaret comments on the queen's morning sickness.
The contemporary story, Una's, was well done also. I didn't find it as compelling as the medieval ones, but Darwin did a nice job of working the historical strands and the contemporary strand into an integrated whole.
Darwin has researched her novel with care, and she provides an afterword putting the tales of Anthony and Elizabeth in their historical context.
I heartily recommend this novel.
October 20, 2009
It took a lot of effort to plug through this book. I began reading with much hope...after finishing Philippa Gregory's "The White Queen," I was eager to read more about Elizabeth Woodville, the War of the Roses and get another take on the princes in the tower. I was intrigued because this book is split into three different viewpoints-- Elizabeth, her brother Anthony Woodville (who fascinates me) and a fictional modern-day English bibliographer. These plot set-ups are usually fun.
Not so much.
Elizabeth and Anthony were both completely unbelievable-- saintlike and naive, and not very interesting. The modern-day story had the most tenuous of links to the past, and wasn't very interesting on its own. The story was clunkily told throughout, and random facts and characters were thrown in without care. A reader not already familiar with the history of the time period would be hopelessly lost, and it would not be worth the effort to figure it all out at the end of the day. Very poorly written.
Fun fact though: about halfway through the book, I decided to actually read the author's bio on the back and realized that Emma Darwin is the great-great-granddaughter of Charles Darwin. Let's hope that her writing evolves a bit....
Not so much.
Elizabeth and Anthony were both completely unbelievable-- saintlike and naive, and not very interesting. The modern-day story had the most tenuous of links to the past, and wasn't very interesting on its own. The story was clunkily told throughout, and random facts and characters were thrown in without care. A reader not already familiar with the history of the time period would be hopelessly lost, and it would not be worth the effort to figure it all out at the end of the day. Very poorly written.
Fun fact though: about halfway through the book, I decided to actually read the author's bio on the back and realized that Emma Darwin is the great-great-granddaughter of Charles Darwin. Let's hope that her writing evolves a bit....
June 23, 2025
A Secret Alchemy, Emma Darwin.
Where this book really shines is in the quality of the writing – it was a pleasure to read for that alone. And if I was rating on the writing alone I would have given it 4 1/2 * but trying to give an overall rating is more difficult. Individually the two stories that it contains kept my attention, though I found the medieval one the more moving, and the link between them is, I feel, somewhat tenuous. The almost equal weighting of them meant that for me it felt like reading two separate books. Which is the reason I settled on 3 stars. I wish we could subdivide the star rating, if I could I would have given it 3 3/4
(I also found it difficult to work out how the title fitted with the story, which is probably my fault rather than the author’s, but which I nevertheless found distracting. There was one very minor reference to alchemy, but as we never got to see the end result of that I was slightly irritated by it. I'd have liked to know if the king was convinced and what chicanery had been used to do so.)
Nevertheless well worth a read, especially if you are a fan of double period books, though you may need a dictionary for some of the Latin and a few technical terms.
Where this book really shines is in the quality of the writing – it was a pleasure to read for that alone. And if I was rating on the writing alone I would have given it 4 1/2 * but trying to give an overall rating is more difficult. Individually the two stories that it contains kept my attention, though I found the medieval one the more moving, and the link between them is, I feel, somewhat tenuous. The almost equal weighting of them meant that for me it felt like reading two separate books. Which is the reason I settled on 3 stars. I wish we could subdivide the star rating, if I could I would have given it 3 3/4
(I also found it difficult to work out how the title fitted with the story, which is probably my fault rather than the author’s, but which I nevertheless found distracting. There was one very minor reference to alchemy, but as we never got to see the end result of that I was slightly irritated by it. I'd have liked to know if the king was convinced and what chicanery had been used to do so.)
Nevertheless well worth a read, especially if you are a fan of double period books, though you may need a dictionary for some of the Latin and a few technical terms.
January 14, 2011
There was just enough to keep me going through the whole thing, but in the end, this was just a confusing mess. She switches narrative voice too frequently (and timelines as well), so I was never quite sure *when* we were. And the modern story was just a mess - simply did not belong to the rest of it, and was jarring every time I got there. In the endnotes, Darwin says she included Anthony's voice in addition to Elizabeth's because so many of the major events in Elizabeth's life were off-screen (as it were). However, since much of his narration was in flashback, it *still* felt off-screen (and confusing to boot: when is this bit happening again?). The end twist (a la Byatt's Possession) was just lame - read *that* book instead to see how to wrap a historical story in a modern one, complete with scholarship and found letters. What a disappointment - too many things going on, and trying too hard.
July 3, 2013
I found this book very difficult to read. The dual timeline thing usually isn't a problem for me. I even wrote a novel using it! Still the author switches mid chapter, which is abrupt, and slightly disturbing to the flow.
Another switcheroo feature cropping up too often for my ease of reading is the change of point of view: sometimes it's Elizabeth who's speaking then Anthony, then Mark, then the main contemporary character.
I believe the story would be more accessible, and let's face it, the politics of the day which landed those young boys in the tower were complicated enough for our understanding without the flip flopping of pov.
The story is very interesting and I was intrigued by learning about the workings of a family specialized press, and the need to save a family dynasty.
Still, I am quite easy to please and don't often give so few stars to historical fiction...this book is for the diehard historical fiction fan...others abstain.
Another switcheroo feature cropping up too often for my ease of reading is the change of point of view: sometimes it's Elizabeth who's speaking then Anthony, then Mark, then the main contemporary character.
I believe the story would be more accessible, and let's face it, the politics of the day which landed those young boys in the tower were complicated enough for our understanding without the flip flopping of pov.
The story is very interesting and I was intrigued by learning about the workings of a family specialized press, and the need to save a family dynasty.
Still, I am quite easy to please and don't often give so few stars to historical fiction...this book is for the diehard historical fiction fan...others abstain.
February 4, 2019
I grew to like this book more as it went on. (I found it in my attic in a box full of books I hadn’t looked at in years, so I have quite a reading adventure coming up). I invariably like dual timeframe novels, if they are done well, and my key criticism of this story is in the presentation of the narration of Elizabeth Woodville and her brother Anthony. Anthony’s tale is set in 1483, and includes many reminiscences of his time as a knight, how he berates himself over his inability to protect his young nephew Ned and the very real grief at what he sees as his failure. It's a lamentation on his life as he rides north to his certain execution. Elizabeth’s narrative stretches from her betrothal to John Grey to her discovery of what happened to her two youngest sons when she is quietly living in Bermondsey Abbey.
The choice to focus on segments of characters’ lives rather than an unbroken narrative may confuse readers who are not familiar with the story. I enjoyed it myself, but I have a good depth of knowledge of the Wars of the Roses, the Woodville family, the Princes in the Tower and most importantly, the chronology. If I hadn’t, I would have floundered in the reading, as well as to make sense of what went on in between times. Similarly, the journal entries of Elizabeth and Anthony are undated or preceded with “The first year of the reign of King Edward IV”. I knew that was 1461, but not everyone would. Another muddling element may be the use of titles "Gloucester", "Clarence" rather than characters' names.
Elizabeth too is a believable character, insecure at getting older whilst realistic and principled at the same time. I liked this portrayal of her, as I have in the past scathingly dismissed her as an “ultimate WAG” for the way she sought power and approbation for her family members through her marriage - a balanced view of this is given in this story. There are also stirrings of her uneasiness over Richard's attention to her eldest daughter which has been well documented elsewhere.
Back in the present, or rather 1995, Professor Una Pryor has come back to England briefly to sell her house following the death of her husband in Australia, visits her cousins and makes the acquaintance of a teenage crush from the 1960s. There are many parallels between Una’s life and that of Elizabeth Woodville and her family; cousins at war, sun and moon analogies, and historical findings that unlock a few long-buried secrets. The ending is known for Elizabeth and Anthony but Una’s is an open book. I did have difficulty identifying with Una and the printing and publishing industry and understand this was included to tie in with the career of Anthony Woodville.
Anthony had a very distinct voice, was an impressive character and told his story well. I have never found any historical evidence that he was gay or bisexual and would welcome some comment on this. I did like the artistic licence taken with this character to present him in this very realistic way and portray someone so full of anguish but also as a person of conviction. Though I marvelled at how he managed to write his memoirs from beyond the grave. And, I have to say, even though I’ve been and spoken to him in Leicester Cathedral, I still think Richard did it.
The choice to focus on segments of characters’ lives rather than an unbroken narrative may confuse readers who are not familiar with the story. I enjoyed it myself, but I have a good depth of knowledge of the Wars of the Roses, the Woodville family, the Princes in the Tower and most importantly, the chronology. If I hadn’t, I would have floundered in the reading, as well as to make sense of what went on in between times. Similarly, the journal entries of Elizabeth and Anthony are undated or preceded with “The first year of the reign of King Edward IV”. I knew that was 1461, but not everyone would. Another muddling element may be the use of titles "Gloucester", "Clarence" rather than characters' names.
Elizabeth too is a believable character, insecure at getting older whilst realistic and principled at the same time. I liked this portrayal of her, as I have in the past scathingly dismissed her as an “ultimate WAG” for the way she sought power and approbation for her family members through her marriage - a balanced view of this is given in this story. There are also stirrings of her uneasiness over Richard's attention to her eldest daughter which has been well documented elsewhere.
Back in the present, or rather 1995, Professor Una Pryor has come back to England briefly to sell her house following the death of her husband in Australia, visits her cousins and makes the acquaintance of a teenage crush from the 1960s. There are many parallels between Una’s life and that of Elizabeth Woodville and her family; cousins at war, sun and moon analogies, and historical findings that unlock a few long-buried secrets. The ending is known for Elizabeth and Anthony but Una’s is an open book. I did have difficulty identifying with Una and the printing and publishing industry and understand this was included to tie in with the career of Anthony Woodville.
Anthony had a very distinct voice, was an impressive character and told his story well. I have never found any historical evidence that he was gay or bisexual and would welcome some comment on this. I did like the artistic licence taken with this character to present him in this very realistic way and portray someone so full of anguish but also as a person of conviction. Though I marvelled at how he managed to write his memoirs from beyond the grave. And, I have to say, even though I’ve been and spoken to him in Leicester Cathedral, I still think Richard did it.
June 24, 2009
I'm not sure what this novel was supposed to be. I was expecting historical fiction that actually linked up to something that the present day narrator was doing. I thought it was very well written and did enjoy the sections with Elizabeth Woodville and Antony Woodville as the narrators and liked a lot of the descriptions. However, I failed to 'get' how it really tied in with Una's story - she was a historian writing about Antony and Elizabeth, yes; she visited the same places they had been; she found something about Antony. However I thought it would be a bigger deal than the information she found out and I was disappointed. I did like the Richardian bits but thought the Una parts were a bit pretentious and hard going. I also didn't really think that Darwin revealed anything about the Woodvilles or Richard III that hasn't been done before and actually found the fact that she seemed to be so one sided in favour of the Woodvilles annoyed me a lot. I am not sure if that was the point.
But let's talk about the thing that irritated me most about this. Elizabeth seemed to be a total victim throughout. She was tolerant of everything her husband did, was a virtuous and good wife to her husbands, a caring mother who doted on her children and couldn't bear to be apart from them and suffered at the hands of that bad man Richard III. Antony also was portrayed as a kindly mentor to Edward V and seemed to come across as a selfless and godly person who only wanted to keep his young ward safe. Of course history is not that simple and we will never know what happened, but when he was taken by Richard III and sent to Pontefract it was portrayed as Richard desiring to seize power from the rightful heir. Darwin never mentions the scheming attributed to the Woodvilles and the fact that Antony wanted Edward firmly in his power so he and Elizabeth could exercise their own power. Richard III is not whiter than white, but I just thought the Woodvilles were presented too simplisticly as was Richard.
I would only recommend this for die hard Richardians as I didn't think it added anything to books about Elizabeth Woodville that are already out there.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 10, 2009
Una Pryor returns to England to settle her affairs, as well as the fate of her family's old home and printing business The Chantry, the cousins are torn whether to sell or to preserve it and it's long history. Interspersed with Una's story is that of Anthony and Elizabeth Woodville as they reflect back on their lives and the events that lead to what is now known as the Wars of The Roses and the disappearance of Elizabeth's two sons - the Princes in the Tower.
Darwin does a nice job of crafting the voices of both Elizabeth and Anthony as well as weaving Una's struggles with her grief over the death of her husband and a surprise meeting with a man from her past. It was quite refreshing to see the Woodvilles (especially Elizabeth) portrayed in a more realistic manner and not the black hearted villains you typically find them in novels on this period from today's latest and *cough* greatest authors. I have to say that Susan and S McGee's reviews on Amazon have done such a darn good job of putting this book into words that I really don't have much more to add. While I didn't find it the fastest paced book, I did enjoy it a great deal nonetheless. Four stars.
Darwin does a nice job of crafting the voices of both Elizabeth and Anthony as well as weaving Una's struggles with her grief over the death of her husband and a surprise meeting with a man from her past. It was quite refreshing to see the Woodvilles (especially Elizabeth) portrayed in a more realistic manner and not the black hearted villains you typically find them in novels on this period from today's latest and *cough* greatest authors. I have to say that Susan and S McGee's reviews on Amazon have done such a darn good job of putting this book into words that I really don't have much more to add. While I didn't find it the fastest paced book, I did enjoy it a great deal nonetheless. Four stars.
October 17, 2022
A Secret Alchemy by Emma Darwin intrigued me and I thoroughly enjoyed reading it.
July 28, 2011
3.5 stars
I really liked the portrayal of both Elizabeth and Antony. They’re both usually the villains and power-greedy people and it was refreshing to see them in another light. Antony’s story begins when he is taken to Pontefract Castle and knows he is being executed there. Elizabeth is in Bermondsey Abbey where she lived during Henry VII’s reign. We don’t hear the whole life story of either but few selected episodes. I have to confess I’m not usually huge fan of Antony but couldn’t resist falling for him just a bit.
I didn’t care for the present day story that much and could have lived without it. Also I had problem with too many narrative switches.. One minute it’s Una telling her story, then the next Antony is about to die and then it switches to a scene where he’s on a horse riding somewhere. So confusing!
I really liked the portrayal of both Elizabeth and Antony. They’re both usually the villains and power-greedy people and it was refreshing to see them in another light. Antony’s story begins when he is taken to Pontefract Castle and knows he is being executed there. Elizabeth is in Bermondsey Abbey where she lived during Henry VII’s reign. We don’t hear the whole life story of either but few selected episodes. I have to confess I’m not usually huge fan of Antony but couldn’t resist falling for him just a bit.
I didn’t care for the present day story that much and could have lived without it. Also I had problem with too many narrative switches.. One minute it’s Una telling her story, then the next Antony is about to die and then it switches to a scene where he’s on a horse riding somewhere. So confusing!
December 17, 2011
This has got rave reviews, but it wasn't for me.. too much back and forth. One minute it is Elysabeth long ago, then it is the modern day character, and then back to long ago with Antony about to die and then all of a sudden Antony is riding on a horse thinking about his lover. Confusing. If you don't like "back and forth" (somewhat like The Forgotten Garden) don't pick it up.
August 21, 2020
6th August 2009
An interesting account of the history around the mystery of the princes in the tower but I was less interested in the chapters interspersed with the historical ones. The modern-day characters seemed to me to be a little dull and superfluous to the story and quite depressing. An unnecessary addition or an attempt at padding out the book?
An interesting account of the history around the mystery of the princes in the tower but I was less interested in the chapters interspersed with the historical ones. The modern-day characters seemed to me to be a little dull and superfluous to the story and quite depressing. An unnecessary addition or an attempt at padding out the book?
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October 27, 2009very hard to follow, but interesting
December 20, 2020
A beautifully written book that transported me back in time to the days of Edward IV and his marriage to Elizabeth Woodville. We glimpse an insight into what Elizabeth's life would have been like, married to Edward.
But it the story of her brother, Anthony Woodville, 2nd Earl Rivers, and his last days that captured my imagination. It is sensitively written, conjuring up the memories and experiences of a man who lived long ago.
His story is contrasted with that of the modern-day historian, Una Pryor, who follows in the footsteps of Anthony, trying to recreate his journey. I loved the way she imagined how England must have looked during the 15th Century and how her journey took her to the few buildings that survive today. It is a journey I would one day like to make.
We also follow Una's story, orphaned at a young age and brought up in a family where secrets are kept. Will she find happiness?
But it the story of her brother, Anthony Woodville, 2nd Earl Rivers, and his last days that captured my imagination. It is sensitively written, conjuring up the memories and experiences of a man who lived long ago.
His story is contrasted with that of the modern-day historian, Una Pryor, who follows in the footsteps of Anthony, trying to recreate his journey. I loved the way she imagined how England must have looked during the 15th Century and how her journey took her to the few buildings that survive today. It is a journey I would one day like to make.
We also follow Una's story, orphaned at a young age and brought up in a family where secrets are kept. Will she find happiness?
October 10, 2021
As like many reviews on here, I found this book almost too confusing to continue reading. Almost!
The Timelines of Elisabeth and Antony were the most confusing. I really didn’t understand Antonys chapters on a few occasions! Maybe it’s just me!
Una I understood.
The whole book overall is very well written.. once I got past the initial hurdle of understanding it, it really wasn’t a bad book. I would recommend it to someone who can read words of ‘Old English’ and not say ‘huh?!’
I enjoyed it and had to finish it. Won’t be reading it again however.
The Timelines of Elisabeth and Antony were the most confusing. I really didn’t understand Antonys chapters on a few occasions! Maybe it’s just me!
Una I understood.
The whole book overall is very well written.. once I got past the initial hurdle of understanding it, it really wasn’t a bad book. I would recommend it to someone who can read words of ‘Old English’ and not say ‘huh?!’
I enjoyed it and had to finish it. Won’t be reading it again however.
June 26, 2019
This is kind of a difficult review to write. There are two main stories going on here, of course: one about the Woodvilles and one about Una Pryor. Apparently Una is the fictitious author of the stories about the former. I didn't really learn anything about the Woodvilles that I didn't already know, as I'm pretty fascinated with this historical period, and I didn't think the connection between the two stories was all that strong. I think the author should have focused on the 1995 story. That had possibilities.
August 20, 2019
It felt like a lot of loose ends and the story in the past only tied to the one in the present because the character was writing about those people. I didn't see any real reason to tie the stories together.
July 28, 2020
I couldn't enjoy switching between characters and eras so often. I loved the Elizabeth's and Anthony's story's but it wasn't enough. When author turned to Una and her family - I felt disappointed and was considering do not finish the book. But kept my believes till the end. Good read.
December 9, 2020
Struggled a bit with this one, not sure why. Enjoyed the current day very much, engaged with the characters and the story. The historical bit perhaps, for me, tried to combine too much history and too much story - needed more space.
July 27, 2018
3.5 stars
October 21, 2018
A comfortable read.
August 1, 2019
Gave up. Story jumped around too much and I found I didn’t want to know what happened to any of the characters. 150 pages in and I was bored.
January 2, 2022
Understanding this book requires knowledge of the historical figures as they are thrown into the mix with little explanation.
September 8, 2023
An interesting and enjoyable read. I adore any Tudor fiction , it was nice that this book covered the story of the two princes in the tower and that it was told with sympathy .
December 30, 2024
Beautifully written, caught my attention early but lost steam as time went on. Not entirely sure what the author was trying to say with this one.
August 20, 2021
Beautiful writing style but the plot was convoluted and hard to follow. The situation wasn't helped by the fact that all the characters shared similar names.
November 13, 2013
I remember the book. I cannot remember the title, nor the author – but I remember the book. I recall the dominant colour on the cover was red, and it featured a medieval king – maybe it was a Henry. It could have been a William, an Edward or even a Richard. I doubt if it would have been my namesake, Stephen – a short, embarrassing reign. If I said that what I found in between the front and back covers fascinating, firing my love for the post-1066/pre-Tudor period of British history, I would have been telling a porky. I remember nothing of what was in the publication, I just remember it was turgid, dense and I had nary a clue of what was going so convoluted were the machinations of the major players. Their constantly shifting allegiances completely lost me – it was all a confused muddle in my mind. No doubt I would have been reading the torturous tome for a university course. I suspect any examination question on the era would have been dodged to go to Henry VIII or the Stuarts where I possessed a firmer grasp. But I was nothing if not a conscientious student. I did read the thing, but to no avail. To this day the Wars of the Roses have been a mystery, that is, until this book. Thank you Emma for helping me out. A fictional account has made the period clearer in my mind, but still far from crystal.
I was mightily impressed with Ms Darwin's other semi-historical saga, 'The Mathematics of Love', a novel part set in the immediate post-Napoleonic Wars period – my Goodreads review of it is below:-
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7...
'A Secret Alchemy' is also very worthy, although not as much to my taste as its predecessor. It did, though, markedly enhance my knowledge of the conflict via the voices of Elizabeth Woodville and her brother Anthony, major participants in the confusing events. Richard III is still the bad guy, but with some redeeming features in line with modern non-Shakespearian notions on the notorious hunchback. It is instructive that gays still had a rough time of it back then too. Just in case we didn't get it from the storyline, Ms Darwin helpfully includes family trees and a precis of the factual events. The latter was placed at the end which is when I discovered it. It would have been of greater assistance to this reader had it been placed at the beginning.
Parallel to the Middle Ages goings on is a contemporary story involving bibliographer/historian Una. She has just returned to the UK from Oz to settle her affairs after the death of her hubby. Here she encounters the subject of pre-nuptial unrequited love. Eventually the twosome embark on a journey retracing the sites that featured in the book's other narrative. As it turns out all rather neatly, she is researching the written output of Elysabeth (sic) and Antony (sic). Of course there are linkages between the two story threads - otherwise what would be the point – in what the book's blurb describes as a 'daring' fashion. For me it was all a tad forced. The 'finding' of the significant letter, around which so much hinges, was particularly contrived. The paralleling is far more successful in 'Mathematics of Love'.
Ms Darwin also invokes a sort of pigin Olde English-speake for the tales of Elizabeth and Anthony and for me this was one of the rewards of the book. At times a glossary would have been useful as occasionally meaning wasn't always conveyed by context.
Based on her oeuvre, albeit a brief one at the moment, Ms Darwin is a novelist capable of the most exacting research with an over-riding facility for turning fact into readable fic/faction Her website is reporting that she is working on a third effort, but given this publication came out in 2008, it is a long time coming. Despite a few reservations with this title, I suspect the wait will be worth it, given that the grounds around her choice of subject will have been thoroughly mined.
I am glad my days of onerous reading tasks, both academic and pedagogic, are behind me. Never again will I have to plough through mind-numbing tracts, but rather I can enjoy 'translators' of Emma Darwin's ilk – writers who possess the chops to turn dry, tedious history into palatable, plausible prose.
I was mightily impressed with Ms Darwin's other semi-historical saga, 'The Mathematics of Love', a novel part set in the immediate post-Napoleonic Wars period – my Goodreads review of it is below:-
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7...
'A Secret Alchemy' is also very worthy, although not as much to my taste as its predecessor. It did, though, markedly enhance my knowledge of the conflict via the voices of Elizabeth Woodville and her brother Anthony, major participants in the confusing events. Richard III is still the bad guy, but with some redeeming features in line with modern non-Shakespearian notions on the notorious hunchback. It is instructive that gays still had a rough time of it back then too. Just in case we didn't get it from the storyline, Ms Darwin helpfully includes family trees and a precis of the factual events. The latter was placed at the end which is when I discovered it. It would have been of greater assistance to this reader had it been placed at the beginning.
Parallel to the Middle Ages goings on is a contemporary story involving bibliographer/historian Una. She has just returned to the UK from Oz to settle her affairs after the death of her hubby. Here she encounters the subject of pre-nuptial unrequited love. Eventually the twosome embark on a journey retracing the sites that featured in the book's other narrative. As it turns out all rather neatly, she is researching the written output of Elysabeth (sic) and Antony (sic). Of course there are linkages between the two story threads - otherwise what would be the point – in what the book's blurb describes as a 'daring' fashion. For me it was all a tad forced. The 'finding' of the significant letter, around which so much hinges, was particularly contrived. The paralleling is far more successful in 'Mathematics of Love'.
Ms Darwin also invokes a sort of pigin Olde English-speake for the tales of Elizabeth and Anthony and for me this was one of the rewards of the book. At times a glossary would have been useful as occasionally meaning wasn't always conveyed by context.
Based on her oeuvre, albeit a brief one at the moment, Ms Darwin is a novelist capable of the most exacting research with an over-riding facility for turning fact into readable fic/faction Her website is reporting that she is working on a third effort, but given this publication came out in 2008, it is a long time coming. Despite a few reservations with this title, I suspect the wait will be worth it, given that the grounds around her choice of subject will have been thoroughly mined.
I am glad my days of onerous reading tasks, both academic and pedagogic, are behind me. Never again will I have to plough through mind-numbing tracts, but rather I can enjoy 'translators' of Emma Darwin's ilk – writers who possess the chops to turn dry, tedious history into palatable, plausible prose.
July 4, 2009
Not a terrible read, but an ultimately disappointing mishmash of a book. The author seems to confuse obfuscation for clever writing. The narrative is broken up between three voices: Elizabeth Woodville, wife of Edward IV and mother of the Princes in the Tower; her brother Anthony Woodville; and the 20th century Una. Elizabeth narrates 40 or so years of her life, while Anthony's narration is confined to his last day of life; Una's section takes about a week but she spends most of it reminiscing about her youth in 1950s/1960s England. The slender link between the three is Una's desire to write a book about Anthony, but it is thin indeed, not to mention clunky and on-the-nose.
The narrators spend most of their time, well, narrating in long, expository sequences; this book is mostly tell, very little show. It makes for some slow slogging, especially in the middle. I kept reading because the book jacket copy promised an unlocking of the mystery of the princes' death - well, it ain't in here. The characters remain in as much dark as we are today.
The subject matter is fascinating, especially the choice of Anthony Woodville as a central protagonist: Woodville was very learned for his day, an early champion of the printed word (one of the first - if not THE first - books printed in England was his translation of "Dictes and Sayings of the Philosophers," and also a successful soldier and politician - but one who wore a hair shirt as a token of his piety. The author bolts on a homosexual love interest for Anthony even though there is no historical evidence to support it - not, in the words of Seinfeld, that there is anything wrong with that, but Anthony Woodville was a fascinating historical character with so many dimensions to his personality, why not work with the contradictions we know instead of inventing ones out of thin air? One gets the impression that the author wanted to draw a parallel between the modern story and Anthony's - two gay men who act as father figures to promising, talented young boys who don't fulfill their destinies - but the themes just don't jell.
Even less successful is the author's depiction of Elizabeth Woodville. She's almost a Mary Sue character, incredibly virtuous, wise, caring and patient. She turns a blind eye to her husband's numerous infidelities, secure that he loves her best, and seems oblivious to court politics. Nothing further could be possible from the Elizabeth Woodville handed down to us from history; she was far more complex and dimensional. She actively agitated for her family's rapid rise in fortune, and could not have been ignorant of the envy and hatred shown them in return. In no way could she have been as passive and naive, so unaware of the winds blowing around her, as Darwin portrays her.
The 20th century sections seem bolted on from another book, an old fashioned women's fiction novel by which to dip your biscuits in tea.
There is a fascinating story to be told here. The mystery of what actually happened to the princes in the tower, how they died and who ordered it, still intrigues people five hundred years later. And telling the tale from the perspective of the boys' mother and uncle is an exciting idea, as Anthony and Elizabeth are captivating historical figures in their own right, central to an important crossroad in British history. But sadly, this isn't the novel to bring them to life, nor to shed insight on their era.
The narrators spend most of their time, well, narrating in long, expository sequences; this book is mostly tell, very little show. It makes for some slow slogging, especially in the middle. I kept reading because the book jacket copy promised an unlocking of the mystery of the princes' death - well, it ain't in here. The characters remain in as much dark as we are today.
The subject matter is fascinating, especially the choice of Anthony Woodville as a central protagonist: Woodville was very learned for his day, an early champion of the printed word (one of the first - if not THE first - books printed in England was his translation of "Dictes and Sayings of the Philosophers," and also a successful soldier and politician - but one who wore a hair shirt as a token of his piety. The author bolts on a homosexual love interest for Anthony even though there is no historical evidence to support it - not, in the words of Seinfeld, that there is anything wrong with that, but Anthony Woodville was a fascinating historical character with so many dimensions to his personality, why not work with the contradictions we know instead of inventing ones out of thin air? One gets the impression that the author wanted to draw a parallel between the modern story and Anthony's - two gay men who act as father figures to promising, talented young boys who don't fulfill their destinies - but the themes just don't jell.
Even less successful is the author's depiction of Elizabeth Woodville. She's almost a Mary Sue character, incredibly virtuous, wise, caring and patient. She turns a blind eye to her husband's numerous infidelities, secure that he loves her best, and seems oblivious to court politics. Nothing further could be possible from the Elizabeth Woodville handed down to us from history; she was far more complex and dimensional. She actively agitated for her family's rapid rise in fortune, and could not have been ignorant of the envy and hatred shown them in return. In no way could she have been as passive and naive, so unaware of the winds blowing around her, as Darwin portrays her.
The 20th century sections seem bolted on from another book, an old fashioned women's fiction novel by which to dip your biscuits in tea.
There is a fascinating story to be told here. The mystery of what actually happened to the princes in the tower, how they died and who ordered it, still intrigues people five hundred years later. And telling the tale from the perspective of the boys' mother and uncle is an exciting idea, as Anthony and Elizabeth are captivating historical figures in their own right, central to an important crossroad in British history. But sadly, this isn't the novel to bring them to life, nor to shed insight on their era.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 14, 2015
I gave this book two stars because it really didn't make a lot of sense. If you don't have even a basic understanding of the Wars of the Roses, you won't understand the chapters about Elizabeth and Anthony Woodville.
Let me suggest reading Philippa Gregory's The Cousins War series (AKA The White Queen books). They will at least give you a basis so you'll say "Oh, ok I know who Anne and Isabel Neville are. (Etc.)"
Also, the time jumps between modern time (Una) and 1400s England (Elizabeth and Anthony) make no sense, they aren't parallel in any way.
I think this book is about letting go. Una's love for Mark, her childhood friend/adopted brother (I guess) is borderline obsessive. You'd think after thirty plus years that feeling would dissipate but I think it was revived after Una's husband Adam died.
My question is: did they ever get to restore the Chantry??
Also: I thought there would be a secret revealed as to the final days of the princes in the tower, that perhaps they were helped to leave the country, or that Una herself was a descendant of the Woodvilles. Turns out, Elizabeth is told that they were killed, mercifully, in their sleep and buried at the Tower. Huge letdown.
Only *SPOILER ALERT* at the end do we realize it was UNA who wrote the chapters on E & A. It kind of brought it around full circle, but I still felt unsatisfied after finishing the last page.
The author can do better.
Let me suggest reading Philippa Gregory's The Cousins War series (AKA The White Queen books). They will at least give you a basis so you'll say "Oh, ok I know who Anne and Isabel Neville are. (Etc.)"
Also, the time jumps between modern time (Una) and 1400s England (Elizabeth and Anthony) make no sense, they aren't parallel in any way.
I think this book is about letting go. Una's love for Mark, her childhood friend/adopted brother (I guess) is borderline obsessive. You'd think after thirty plus years that feeling would dissipate but I think it was revived after Una's husband Adam died.
My question is: did they ever get to restore the Chantry??
Also: I thought there would be a secret revealed as to the final days of the princes in the tower, that perhaps they were helped to leave the country, or that Una herself was a descendant of the Woodvilles. Turns out, Elizabeth is told that they were killed, mercifully, in their sleep and buried at the Tower. Huge letdown.
Only *SPOILER ALERT* at the end do we realize it was UNA who wrote the chapters on E & A. It kind of brought it around full circle, but I still felt unsatisfied after finishing the last page.
The author can do better.
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