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Queen By Right
From the award-winning author of A Rose for the Crown, Daughter of York, and The King's Grace comes another masterful historical novel—the story of Cecily of York, mother of two kings and the heroine of one of history's greatest love stories.
Anne Easter Smith's novels are beloved by readers for their ability "to grab you, sweep you along with the story, and make you fall in love with the characters." In Cecily Neville, duchess of York and ancestor of every English monarch to the present day, she has found her most engrossing character yet.
History remembers Cecily of York standing on the steps of the Market Cross at Ludlow, facing an attacking army while holding the hands of her two young sons. Queen by Right reveals how she came to step into her destiny, beginning with her marriage to Richard, duke of York, whom she meets when she is nine and he is thirteen. Raised together in her father's household, they become a true love match and together face personal tragedies, pivotal events of history, and deadly political intrigue. All of England knows that Richard has a clear claim to the throne, and when King Henry VI becomes unfit to rule, Cecily must put aside her hopes and fears and help her husband decide what is right for their family and their country. Queen by Right marks Anne Easter Smith's greatest achievement, a book that every fan of sweeping, exquisitely detailed historical fiction will devour.
Anne Easter Smith's novels are beloved by readers for their ability "to grab you, sweep you along with the story, and make you fall in love with the characters." In Cecily Neville, duchess of York and ancestor of every English monarch to the present day, she has found her most engrossing character yet.
History remembers Cecily of York standing on the steps of the Market Cross at Ludlow, facing an attacking army while holding the hands of her two young sons. Queen by Right reveals how she came to step into her destiny, beginning with her marriage to Richard, duke of York, whom she meets when she is nine and he is thirteen. Raised together in her father's household, they become a true love match and together face personal tragedies, pivotal events of history, and deadly political intrigue. All of England knows that Richard has a clear claim to the throne, and when King Henry VI becomes unfit to rule, Cecily must put aside her hopes and fears and help her husband decide what is right for their family and their country. Queen by Right marks Anne Easter Smith's greatest achievement, a book that every fan of sweeping, exquisitely detailed historical fiction will devour.
494 pages, Paperback
First published May 10, 2011
182 people are currently reading
7563 people want to read
About the author
Anne Easter Smith
9 books580 followersA native of the UK, Anne Easter Smith is an award-winning historical novelist who has lived in the US for more than 40 years. Her six novels about the York family during the Wars of the Roses are published by Touchstone at Simon & Schuster and others. She was the Features Editor at the Press-Republican in Plattsburgh, NY for 10 years, and her writing has been featured in a number of national magazines. Anne welcomes visitors at her website at: www.anneeastersmith.com"
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 226 reviews
September 3, 2011
I think I may have read a few too many War of the Roses novels because the current crop of books and authors (the notable exception being Susan Higginbotham and her excellent books The Stolen Crown: The Secret Marriage that Forever Changed the Fate of England & The Queen of Last Hopes: The Story of Margaret of Anjou) seem to have a sameness about them and are very formulaic.
Stock ingredients for these novels include:
*Mary-Sue main character. Doesn't matter what the person was like in real life they are always beautiful, desirable and perfect in every way.
*Mary-Sue MC always marries for love, even if it is an arranged marriage for political purposes, and they always have great marital sex.
*Mary-Sue MC is always psychic, knowing what is best and what will happen despite more knowledgeable others being unable to see it. You'd think that she had the advantage of hindsight, honestly!
*Mary-Sue MC always shivers. A lot. I know it's supposed to be a premonition or some such rubbish, but it drives me nuts and just makes me want to yell "For gods sake woman, put a coat on!"
*Mary-Sue MC always has lots of modern sensibilities and is usually a woman who has/wants it all--marriage, great sex, supermum capabilities, great fashion sense (sometimes a couple of centuries ahead of the trends!) and is a pacifist, as well as having a good grasp on modern psychology.
*Political unsophistication, York=Good, Lancaster=bad. So if a character is referred to as a witch, is arrogant or selfish, beats his wife or makes babies/children cry when the approach them, you know they are Lancastrian.
*Tedious info dumps.
*Poor research leading to historical errors and anachronisms that throw you out of the story.
*And poor editing.
This one was no different to the rest, and included all of the above and it makes me wonder why the authors pick such interesting historical women to write about and then turn them into the equivalent of a Medieval Barbie doll.
I was interested in reading this book because it was about Cecily Neville and as I had mostly enjoyed some of Anne Easter Smith's previous novels I had reasonable expectations for this one. Needless to say I was disappointed, but worse than that I was bored, and boring for 500 odd pages is pretty punishing. It delivered no real information about the real Cecily and left off her life just when it could've got interesting.
I mean, how does a pious woman react when her youngest son accuses her of adultery so he can bastardize his brother's children (her grandchildren) and seize the throne from them? I would've love to have seen Easter Smith's Mary-Sue Cecily handle that, along with the execution of one of her sons by another of her sons. But alas Easter Smith didn't want to deal with the real difficulties of the real Cecily's life so we are non the wiser.
You may like this book if you are looking for a shallow historical romance, and are not worried too much about the details, historical or otherwise. But be warned, if you are looking for interesting and meaty historical fiction you won't find it here, it is far too silly and fluffy to be taken seriously.
August 23, 2022
History remembers Cecily of York standing on the steps of the Market Cross at Ludlow, facing an attacking army while holding the hands of her two young sons. Queen by Right reveals how she came to step into her destiny, beginning with her marriage to Richard, duke of York, whom she meets when she is nine and he is thirteen. Raised together in her father’s household, they become a true love match and together face personal tragedies, pivotal events of history, and deadly political intrigue. All of England knows that Richard has a clear claim to the throne, and when King Henry VI becomes unfit to rule, Cecily must put aside her hopes and fears and help her husband decide what is right for their family and their country. Description from Simon and Schuster Canada.
Okay, I stand corrected as I revisit some ancient reads that I only rated and never reviewed. This novel is my FAVORITE of Anne Easter Smith. Why no one has ever thought that we needed a 3 or 4 season mini-series on the life of Cecily Neville is beyond me. The political events that this wife and mother and grandmother of Kings witnesses totally had me hooked. I haven't recommended this one in a long time BUT here I go throwing it your way. 🤣🤣
Goodreads review published 23/08/22
Okay, I stand corrected as I revisit some ancient reads that I only rated and never reviewed. This novel is my FAVORITE of Anne Easter Smith. Why no one has ever thought that we needed a 3 or 4 season mini-series on the life of Cecily Neville is beyond me. The political events that this wife and mother and grandmother of Kings witnesses totally had me hooked. I haven't recommended this one in a long time BUT here I go throwing it your way. 🤣🤣
Goodreads review published 23/08/22
June 22, 2022
A wonderful mixture of history, love and war. Fantastic book, loved being able to see history from Cecily's point of view. I recommend, without hesitation, Queen by Right. Full review you can find on my blog: https://poetryofreading.blogspot.com
October 25, 2012
I love reading about the Plantagenets. From Henry II to Richard III (or even later if we want to include theories about the missing princes), I adore their boldness, ambition, chivalry, and propensity for tragedy. Cecily Neville has always been sort of a background character in everything else that I have read about these last of the Plantagenets, so I found this book interesting from that point of view. There is nowhere near the amount of detail of battles and politics because this story is told from the side of one left at home and not told everything that may upset them or dissolve their confidence.
I will take a moment here to agree, to a point, with other reviews that there is a tendency for authors of historical novels like this one to write each noble Englishwoman as beautiful, thin and lithe after 12 children, and "practically perfect in every way" that is present in this novel as well. Cecily and Richard are a love match despite their politically arranged marriage, which makes it all the more crushing to learn of his death, and Cecily has visions supposedly sent to her by the Virgin Mary. While I agree that the amount of witchcraft and psychic powers prevalent lately is something that I could do without (See Lady of the Rivers by Philippa Gregory), Smith does better, in my opinion, of curbing some of these faults. As for it being a fluffy romance novel, I will at least say that we are spared detailed sex scenes that make me cringe when reading them (see Ken Follett's Pillars of the Earth or the often repeated "bed, wife" in PG's White Queen, now there's historical fiction fluff for you).
Maybe the lack of detail of what was going on outside Cecily's homestead is what drew me into this novel. I already know enough to fill in the blanks of what she was missing, so I could feel for her as she had no choice but to wait and see if her loved ones returned to her. Since the novel ends with Edward's coronation, there is a huge part of Cecily's life left unrevealed which was a disappointment. I had looked forward to reading Smith's interpretation of Cecily's reaction to Richard's actions after Edward's death. But as the pages of the book grew less and less and we were nowhere near that part of her life, I knew I was going to be disappointed. Of course, that is a sign of a good book that I felt it was too short.
My biggest complaint, which seems rather silly, was the overuse of the word "chuckle." Seriously, does anyone ever really say this word? The characters in this book did not laugh, they chuckled, and it drove me crazy.
This book did make me think for the first time about the parallels between Eleanor of Aquitaine and Cecily Neville. At the beginning and end of the Plantagenet reign we see strong women who have a dozen children but live so long that they witness the tragedies of most of them and by far outlive their husbands. A sad but proud pair.
I will take a moment here to agree, to a point, with other reviews that there is a tendency for authors of historical novels like this one to write each noble Englishwoman as beautiful, thin and lithe after 12 children, and "practically perfect in every way" that is present in this novel as well. Cecily and Richard are a love match despite their politically arranged marriage, which makes it all the more crushing to learn of his death, and Cecily has visions supposedly sent to her by the Virgin Mary. While I agree that the amount of witchcraft and psychic powers prevalent lately is something that I could do without (See Lady of the Rivers by Philippa Gregory), Smith does better, in my opinion, of curbing some of these faults. As for it being a fluffy romance novel, I will at least say that we are spared detailed sex scenes that make me cringe when reading them (see Ken Follett's Pillars of the Earth or the often repeated "bed, wife" in PG's White Queen, now there's historical fiction fluff for you).
Maybe the lack of detail of what was going on outside Cecily's homestead is what drew me into this novel. I already know enough to fill in the blanks of what she was missing, so I could feel for her as she had no choice but to wait and see if her loved ones returned to her. Since the novel ends with Edward's coronation, there is a huge part of Cecily's life left unrevealed which was a disappointment. I had looked forward to reading Smith's interpretation of Cecily's reaction to Richard's actions after Edward's death. But as the pages of the book grew less and less and we were nowhere near that part of her life, I knew I was going to be disappointed. Of course, that is a sign of a good book that I felt it was too short.
My biggest complaint, which seems rather silly, was the overuse of the word "chuckle." Seriously, does anyone ever really say this word? The characters in this book did not laugh, they chuckled, and it drove me crazy.
This book did make me think for the first time about the parallels between Eleanor of Aquitaine and Cecily Neville. At the beginning and end of the Plantagenet reign we see strong women who have a dozen children but live so long that they witness the tragedies of most of them and by far outlive their husbands. A sad but proud pair.
August 14, 2019
Anne Easter Smith is one of my favourite authors for historical fiction in this time period. It was hard putting this book down!
August 28, 2011
3.5 Stars. My views are conflicting on this book? This is my second Easter Smith book "I loved A Rose for the Crown". In this novel the author tackles Cecily Neville, Duchess of York. I couldn't wait to indulge into Proud Cis' life.....wife of Richard of York and Mother to King's Edward IV and Richard III. AES writes sagas that could very easily be turned into a Sunday Night Movie or mini-series. She is very entertaining. On the negative, she writes very fictitiously and like a Hollywood movie over embellishes the truth to make her stories more exciting. This hurts her novel's credibility. I know this is historical fiction, but when certain things are historically known or documented, I like them to be factual in the book. Many things are accurate in this book, but there is a lot of over the top fiction. If you are looking for romance, this book has that. If you just want to be swept away, this book will do that also. There were parts that I loved and some parts that made me say "Please no, not the Jeanne "Joan" of Arc spirit again!" I recommend this if you like to be entertained, but if you are not into historical fluff, this is not for you.
November 12, 2015
Unfortunately... none of Smith's books can hold a flame to her first. And just like with the King's Grace, it was a struggle to get through the last 100-150 pages of Queen by Right. She just doesn't seem to know when to move it a long and end the story and end taints the whole experience of reading her books.
But besides the painfully slow ending, I love Proud Cis waaay more than Grace (who is by far, my least favorite of all Anne's women). But again, no one can ever beat Smith's first character, Katherine Haute, who lives in my soul and will reside there forever.
Read all my reviews at www.rattlethestars.com
But besides the painfully slow ending, I love Proud Cis waaay more than Grace (who is by far, my least favorite of all Anne's women). But again, no one can ever beat Smith's first character, Katherine Haute, who lives in my soul and will reside there forever.
Read all my reviews at www.rattlethestars.com
June 21, 2011
Over the years I have read many books involving someone from the War of the Roses, but never have I read about Cecily Neville (York). Proud Cis always lurked on the periphery, letting her displeasure of her son's marriage to that Woodeville girl or her disdain of Margaret of Anjou be known. Always very proud and protective of her family, it seemed as though I would never really learn about who Proud Cis was and why, until now.
Queen By Right gives us Cecily Neville's story from when she was a little girl and the apple of her father's eye. She met her future husband, Richard of York, through her father's guardianship of the young future Earl. From there, Richard and Cecily became fast friends and then eventually married. History always describes them as a love match and this story shows us why. Richard and Cecily were truly best friends and lovers.
The book begins shortly after Richard is killed at Wakefield, and Cecily is remembering her life with Richard. The events that AE Smith chooses to tell bring life to Cecily and Richard. Smith made these two historical characters real for me. We grow with Cecily as she matures into a young woman, desperately trying to control her tongue and manners. We share Cecily's hopes and dreams, and her worries when she believes she may have steered her husband onto a dangerous path. But regardless of the outcome, Cecily will stand by Richard, through thick and thin. And to top it all off, they love each other deeply. Richard and Cecily are a strong powerful couple in a time when families were being torn apart. Smith's story made me feel for both of these strong individuals.
This book is definitely from the Yorkist point of view, but that only makes me want to read a book featuring the Lancastrian view. Also, knowing the history of Cecily's children later in life, made me wonder as to what was going through these children's minds as adults. Why would brother turn against brother? Or their family at all? Promises of power do corrupt I guess.
This was excellent book about a character I knew very little about. The pages went by quickly and I actually stopped reading it for a while because I didn't want it to end. Therefore, I highly recommend this book.
The book also includes an Author's Notes section and a Q&A with AE Smith that is very informative.
For more information, please visit Anne's website: http://www.anneeastersmith.com/
Thanks again to Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours for including me in the fun and sending me the review copy.
Queen By Right gives us Cecily Neville's story from when she was a little girl and the apple of her father's eye. She met her future husband, Richard of York, through her father's guardianship of the young future Earl. From there, Richard and Cecily became fast friends and then eventually married. History always describes them as a love match and this story shows us why. Richard and Cecily were truly best friends and lovers.
The book begins shortly after Richard is killed at Wakefield, and Cecily is remembering her life with Richard. The events that AE Smith chooses to tell bring life to Cecily and Richard. Smith made these two historical characters real for me. We grow with Cecily as she matures into a young woman, desperately trying to control her tongue and manners. We share Cecily's hopes and dreams, and her worries when she believes she may have steered her husband onto a dangerous path. But regardless of the outcome, Cecily will stand by Richard, through thick and thin. And to top it all off, they love each other deeply. Richard and Cecily are a strong powerful couple in a time when families were being torn apart. Smith's story made me feel for both of these strong individuals.
This book is definitely from the Yorkist point of view, but that only makes me want to read a book featuring the Lancastrian view. Also, knowing the history of Cecily's children later in life, made me wonder as to what was going through these children's minds as adults. Why would brother turn against brother? Or their family at all? Promises of power do corrupt I guess.
This was excellent book about a character I knew very little about. The pages went by quickly and I actually stopped reading it for a while because I didn't want it to end. Therefore, I highly recommend this book.
The book also includes an Author's Notes section and a Q&A with AE Smith that is very informative.
For more information, please visit Anne's website: http://www.anneeastersmith.com/
Thanks again to Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours for including me in the fun and sending me the review copy.
October 17, 2011
Over the last year I have become a huge fan of historical fiction involving the Wars of the Roses. This is one of about 6 books I have read involving the pivotal historical figures of the time - each book describing the unfolding of historical events through the eyes of important women of the time. I must admit that through the various accounts I have come to favour the Yorks - and Anne Easter Smith does an amazing job of making history come alive in her novels about significant women of the York family. THis is her 4th book about York women.
This book is about the matriarch of the York family that was to see two of it's members become king of England (Edward the IV and Richard the III)- Cecily Neville. While many of my previous books had begun their narration shortly before Edward IV became king and continued up until the death of King Richard, this novel focussed on the events that lead up to the conflict between the York and Lancaster factions as told through the eyes of the wife of Richard, Duke of York, who was father to the future kings. It is beautifully told, with rich historical detail, and makes the time period completely come alive for the reader. There is a perfect balance of historical fact mixed with the author's "inference" as to how these events may have been perceived or unfolded in the eyes of key characters.
Though I thought I already understood what started the War of the Roses, this book added even more insight into the myriad of events, big and small, that led Richard of York to decide to usurp the crown and claim his right to the throne. It also helped me to see that issues are never really as black and white as we think they are - there is right and wrong in many courses of action that were taken in history. It also gave me an increasing admiration for women of nobility in this period of history, who were mostly pawns and property, and many times had to do their best to use the resources they had to try to protect the interests of themselves and their families.
Above all, though, this is a beautiful love story - for Cecily and Richard were known to be very much in love up until his untimely death - a rare thing in a time when marriages were arranged for political and economic purposes. So if you enjoy historical fiction with a bit of romance I would highly recommend this book!
This book is about the matriarch of the York family that was to see two of it's members become king of England (Edward the IV and Richard the III)- Cecily Neville. While many of my previous books had begun their narration shortly before Edward IV became king and continued up until the death of King Richard, this novel focussed on the events that lead up to the conflict between the York and Lancaster factions as told through the eyes of the wife of Richard, Duke of York, who was father to the future kings. It is beautifully told, with rich historical detail, and makes the time period completely come alive for the reader. There is a perfect balance of historical fact mixed with the author's "inference" as to how these events may have been perceived or unfolded in the eyes of key characters.
Though I thought I already understood what started the War of the Roses, this book added even more insight into the myriad of events, big and small, that led Richard of York to decide to usurp the crown and claim his right to the throne. It also helped me to see that issues are never really as black and white as we think they are - there is right and wrong in many courses of action that were taken in history. It also gave me an increasing admiration for women of nobility in this period of history, who were mostly pawns and property, and many times had to do their best to use the resources they had to try to protect the interests of themselves and their families.
Above all, though, this is a beautiful love story - for Cecily and Richard were known to be very much in love up until his untimely death - a rare thing in a time when marriages were arranged for political and economic purposes. So if you enjoy historical fiction with a bit of romance I would highly recommend this book!
September 13, 2025
Overall, this is a mesmerizing and captivating story. Being a fan of Anne Easter Smith's, I could not wait to read this one after reading all her other books as they were published. She has a keen knack for developing characterizations and bringing historical figures to life, making them tangible and relatable. Moreover, her novels are always meticulously researched, which is why I was quite surprised to find one very glaring and uncharacteristic error in historical accuracy. Cecily's son, Richard III, was born at Fotheringhay Castle, but in this novel, it is said that Richard III was born at Ludlow. This error is even more surprising, because being a fan of Smith's, I know quite well that she is a avid Richardian. So I'm baffled as to this oversight.
Nonetheless, an otherwise well-executed novel and an enjoyable read for historical fiction fans.
Nonetheless, an otherwise well-executed novel and an enjoyable read for historical fiction fans.
June 27, 2012
Not bad, interesting story. Best for readers who already know the background and familial genealogies of War of the Roses.
April 13, 2018
I love British history - particularly the Wars of the Roses and the Tudors, so I was keen to read this novel about Cecily of York, who admittedly I only knew about when she was the mother of Edward IV and the trials surrounding his reign. I had never thought about her life before this point. I found this story very engaging and enjoyable to read and found Cecily's young life fascinating. I love a good historical romance, and Easter Smith wrote about Proud Cis and Dickon and their story very well.
It was a great hook for the story to open right at the crux of her story in 1461, when everything has fallen apart and take it forward from there - but then constantly referring back to 1461 felt like it was drawing me out of the story as it unfolded chronologically. I understand why the story ended where it did, because she lived into her 80s, but it did feel like it kind of just stopped.
Overall, a solid book and an easy one to get into if you like this period of time and want to learn more.
It was a great hook for the story to open right at the crux of her story in 1461, when everything has fallen apart and take it forward from there - but then constantly referring back to 1461 felt like it was drawing me out of the story as it unfolded chronologically. I understand why the story ended where it did, because she lived into her 80s, but it did feel like it kind of just stopped.
Overall, a solid book and an easy one to get into if you like this period of time and want to learn more.
January 9, 2024
I really really enjoyed this book. It's exactly what good historical fiction looks like: detailed, accurate, enjoyable, filled with emotion, and just plain fun. Very reminiscent of Sharon Kay Penman. My only complaints (and they are minor) are that I wish Cecily had grown up a bit faster, that there was a bit less time spent on her as a child, and that I wish we could have seen a bit more of Edward actually reigning as king. I'd have loved to have seen this author's interpretation of Cecily's reaction to learning of Edward's marriage to Elizabeth Woodville. But again, these are minor issues that are more personal preference than actual issues with the book. I would love to see a sequel to this book that takes place from 1461-1485, though much of this time must be covered in her book Daughter of York, though I assume much of that book takes place away from England, more's the pity.
October 9, 2012
I loved this novel. This is Anne Easter Smith's best in my opinion (with 'A Rose for the Crown' being second and 'The King's Grace and 'Daughter of York' both falling short). In Cecily Neville, wife to Richard Duke of York, Ms Smith has created a wonderfully vibrant character; a character that flies off the page and attaches herself to your heartstrings so that you feel every up and down of her roller-coaster story along with her. I get a strong impression that the author spent a lot of time with this character, shaping her in a way that reads as so absolutely human, with strengths and flaws as we all have. I love when authors are able to do this; bring an historical figure to life and show their hopes and aspirations as stemming from the same place that our own come from--the desire to see one's family safe and secure.
Throughout the turbulent Wars of the Roses it was not often that Cecily's family could truly feel secure, and therefore it is not surprising why the conflicts increased as they did. Each side felt threatened and felt the need to make a stand, battle soon followed, which of course leads into the seemingly never-ending spiral of revenge: an eye for an eye. Anne Easter Smith showed this brilliantly. Whilst reading this book I learnt a vast amount about this time period. As I read I kept Alison Weir's non-fiction book 'The Wars of the Roses' close at hand so that I could look up names and genealogical tables as I went along. I will say that there are an awful lot of names contained in this book, some that hardly pertain to the main storyline but whom I think the author just wanted to include for the fact that they were a player in the time period. Perhaps this did not add to the story of Cecily and her family, but I still enjoyed their inclusion for I could look them up and find out who they were related to, giving me a better understanding of the family ties that so closely linked the opposing forces of York and Lancaster. It really is a fascinating time period, and this novel definitely helps to bring that to light.
One aspect of this novel that I particularly liked was the inclusion of the early years of Cecily's life. As the daughter of Ralph Neville, Earl of Westmorland, and Joan Beaufort, daughter of John of Gaunt, she can in fact be said to have come from the Lancastrian line. An interesting concept considering how she become the wife of the Yorkist claimant to the throne. The early relationship between Cecily and Richard was a very nice inclusion in the novel, as it showed them as a devoted husband and wife team, and not just as a couple who stuck together for mere politics. I became very attached to Cecily and Richard as a couple, and truly it left me with a lump in my throat at the end. Considering I already knew how it was going to end this shows a well-written story. That's why I love historical fiction; I can read history books all day long, but it's when those figures are shown to have been living, breathing people that their story really hits home.
Throughout the turbulent Wars of the Roses it was not often that Cecily's family could truly feel secure, and therefore it is not surprising why the conflicts increased as they did. Each side felt threatened and felt the need to make a stand, battle soon followed, which of course leads into the seemingly never-ending spiral of revenge: an eye for an eye. Anne Easter Smith showed this brilliantly. Whilst reading this book I learnt a vast amount about this time period. As I read I kept Alison Weir's non-fiction book 'The Wars of the Roses' close at hand so that I could look up names and genealogical tables as I went along. I will say that there are an awful lot of names contained in this book, some that hardly pertain to the main storyline but whom I think the author just wanted to include for the fact that they were a player in the time period. Perhaps this did not add to the story of Cecily and her family, but I still enjoyed their inclusion for I could look them up and find out who they were related to, giving me a better understanding of the family ties that so closely linked the opposing forces of York and Lancaster. It really is a fascinating time period, and this novel definitely helps to bring that to light.
One aspect of this novel that I particularly liked was the inclusion of the early years of Cecily's life. As the daughter of Ralph Neville, Earl of Westmorland, and Joan Beaufort, daughter of John of Gaunt, she can in fact be said to have come from the Lancastrian line. An interesting concept considering how she become the wife of the Yorkist claimant to the throne. The early relationship between Cecily and Richard was a very nice inclusion in the novel, as it showed them as a devoted husband and wife team, and not just as a couple who stuck together for mere politics. I became very attached to Cecily and Richard as a couple, and truly it left me with a lump in my throat at the end. Considering I already knew how it was going to end this shows a well-written story. That's why I love historical fiction; I can read history books all day long, but it's when those figures are shown to have been living, breathing people that their story really hits home.
June 3, 2012
If I am gonna be totally honest I never liked the Neville clan, so to read about Cecily was interesting, and I did like her, most of the time.
Cecily Neville is in this book quite lucky as her arranged marriage was wonderful and filled with awesome sex. Got lots of babies too (though maybe she should have kept a closer eye on her brother killing babies.) But this book does not deal with that, it deals with her upbringing, her marriage and up to the point when her son Edward is made king.
The book is interesting even if I have heard the story so many times before, but still I can't keep track of every Somerset, Beaufort and everyone else. So it does always feel new because of that. Quite the tale and I enjoyed the rich setting.
But some things did annoy me. Her obsession with Joanne d'Arc and how Joanne gave her a prophecy. And the biggest issue was how she met Jacquetta Woodwille and disliked her at ones. Jacquetta did not do anything but every time they met Cecily looked down on her with her snotty proud nose. This was put there so that when Edward married Elizabeth Cecily own feelings "prophecy" would ring true, Jacquetta is no good. But the truth was that every time it happened it made me dislike Cecily, she was such a bitch and it always took pages for me to get over it. And she thought something about high airs too, but if J really would have wanted to be high up then wouldn't she have gone for something better than Woodille? But in this book Cecily has her feelings and yup, bitchy. She distrusted the queen's kindness in the beginning too cos of Jacquetta. I can go on and on. Cecily was called proud Cis and cos of those things that sure made me see it, even though the reader was not supposed to see it like that. We were surely supposed to see that aha Woodwilles = evil scheming lot. just lile every Lancastrian in this book were bad, you know babykilling bad and Yorkists are Gods. Not that I mean, I am a bit of a Yorkist...at a point in the war.
Sheesh, how I went on! But it just annoyed me every time. Still it lasted only for a few pages and then I could enjoy the book again.
A nice historical, recommended to fans of the era.
Cecily Neville is in this book quite lucky as her arranged marriage was wonderful and filled with awesome sex. Got lots of babies too (though maybe she should have kept a closer eye on her brother killing babies.) But this book does not deal with that, it deals with her upbringing, her marriage and up to the point when her son Edward is made king.
The book is interesting even if I have heard the story so many times before, but still I can't keep track of every Somerset, Beaufort and everyone else. So it does always feel new because of that. Quite the tale and I enjoyed the rich setting.
But some things did annoy me. Her obsession with Joanne d'Arc and how Joanne gave her a prophecy. And the biggest issue was how she met Jacquetta Woodwille and disliked her at ones. Jacquetta did not do anything but every time they met Cecily looked down on her with her snotty proud nose. This was put there so that when Edward married Elizabeth Cecily own feelings "prophecy" would ring true, Jacquetta is no good. But the truth was that every time it happened it made me dislike Cecily, she was such a bitch and it always took pages for me to get over it. And she thought something about high airs too, but if J really would have wanted to be high up then wouldn't she have gone for something better than Woodille? But in this book Cecily has her feelings and yup, bitchy. She distrusted the queen's kindness in the beginning too cos of Jacquetta. I can go on and on. Cecily was called proud Cis and cos of those things that sure made me see it, even though the reader was not supposed to see it like that. We were surely supposed to see that aha Woodwilles = evil scheming lot. just lile every Lancastrian in this book were bad, you know babykilling bad and Yorkists are Gods. Not that I mean, I am a bit of a Yorkist...at a point in the war.
Sheesh, how I went on! But it just annoyed me every time. Still it lasted only for a few pages and then I could enjoy the book again.
A nice historical, recommended to fans of the era.
November 29, 2011
I loved Smith's first three novels so was really excited to see she had published a fourth book. Smith spends extensive time researching her subjects before writing about them and Queen By Right is no different. One of my favorite aspects of Smith's novels is that characters from other novels appear as minor characters in others. For example, Margaret, Cecily's daughter, was the main character of Daughter of York. I was particularly interested in learning more about Cecily, the Duchess of York, because I've read several novels about her son, King Edward, and his wife Elizabeth Woodville. Cecily was fortunate to find love in an arranged marriage and seemed very happy with her husband Richard, with whom she had a very large family.
While I enjoyed this novel, it was not my favorite novel from Smith. I think the picture this novel painted of Cecily was a little too rosy. She seemed a little too perfect, and her relationship with her seemingly perfect husband was just too over the top to be believable. Additionally, I was disappointed the novel concluded when it did. After her son gained the throne, I know that Cecily lived in near seclusion, but she still had to face accusation that her son was a bastard and view turmoil within his reign. Seeing that Cecily lived a long life into her 80s, I was disappointed the novel concluded when she was in her late 40s. I would have enjoyed it more if the flashbacks incorporated throughout had come from an elderly Cecily rather than a middle aged one. But that being said, the novel was already nearly 500 pages and I'm sure Smith felt it prudent to conclude before it got too long.
As a huge historical fiction fan, I'm eagerly anticipating more from Anne Easter Smith. I enjoy her historically rich and detailed writing style, and her choice to focus on historical figures other writers pass over.
While I enjoyed this novel, it was not my favorite novel from Smith. I think the picture this novel painted of Cecily was a little too rosy. She seemed a little too perfect, and her relationship with her seemingly perfect husband was just too over the top to be believable. Additionally, I was disappointed the novel concluded when it did. After her son gained the throne, I know that Cecily lived in near seclusion, but she still had to face accusation that her son was a bastard and view turmoil within his reign. Seeing that Cecily lived a long life into her 80s, I was disappointed the novel concluded when she was in her late 40s. I would have enjoyed it more if the flashbacks incorporated throughout had come from an elderly Cecily rather than a middle aged one. But that being said, the novel was already nearly 500 pages and I'm sure Smith felt it prudent to conclude before it got too long.
As a huge historical fiction fan, I'm eagerly anticipating more from Anne Easter Smith. I enjoy her historically rich and detailed writing style, and her choice to focus on historical figures other writers pass over.
June 3, 2016
3.5 stars
I've read some of goodreads reviews that reflect my sentiments towards this book.
"*Mary-Sue main character. Doesn't matter what the person was like in real life they are always beautiful, desirable and perfect in every way.
*Mary-Sue MC always marries for love, even if it is an arranged marriage for political purposes, and they always have great marital sex.
*Political unsophistication, York=Good, Lancaster=bad. So if a character is referred to as a witch, is arrogant or selfish, beats his wife or makes babies/children cry when the approach them, you know they are Lancastrian." - Review
Don't get me wrong I agree with all that is stated above BUT I also really enjoyed learning more about Cecily and her family. I usually don't read books about her or people around before/with her. I usually read about her son Edward IV on down.
Every time Joan of Arc was mentioned was a time that I wanted hurry past. I didn't appreciate how it was crammed down our throats.
I'm not sure if all the historical facts in here are truth, after all this is historical fiction. But I would hope that Smith would at least get the facts, that we know to be truth, truth.
I would have liked to see to see how Smith would have depicted Cecily past Edward IV coronation. When her own son accused her of adultery. When her own son runs over his brother's family to the throne. These would have been interesting moments to glimpse.
I've read some of goodreads reviews that reflect my sentiments towards this book.
"*Mary-Sue main character. Doesn't matter what the person was like in real life they are always beautiful, desirable and perfect in every way.
*Mary-Sue MC always marries for love, even if it is an arranged marriage for political purposes, and they always have great marital sex.
*Political unsophistication, York=Good, Lancaster=bad. So if a character is referred to as a witch, is arrogant or selfish, beats his wife or makes babies/children cry when the approach them, you know they are Lancastrian." - Review
Don't get me wrong I agree with all that is stated above BUT I also really enjoyed learning more about Cecily and her family. I usually don't read books about her or people around before/with her. I usually read about her son Edward IV on down.
Every time Joan of Arc was mentioned was a time that I wanted hurry past. I didn't appreciate how it was crammed down our throats.
I'm not sure if all the historical facts in here are truth, after all this is historical fiction. But I would hope that Smith would at least get the facts, that we know to be truth, truth.
I would have liked to see to see how Smith would have depicted Cecily past Edward IV coronation. When her own son accused her of adultery. When her own son runs over his brother's family to the throne. These would have been interesting moments to glimpse.
May 13, 2011
It was nice to read a book set during the War of the Roses, which is an era I'm not well read in. I learned – from the York perspective – much about the events and people surrounding the conflict while reading Queen by Right.
The novel is shown in the point of view of Cecily Neville, the wife of Richard Plantagenet, 3rd Duke of York and mother of Edward IV and Richard III. We see her as a child and then through the years, all the way up to the crowning of Edward IV. I loved the child Cecily, she was very spirited and often spoke her mind – while getting punished for it later. As she grew up, she lost a bit of that, but in it's place she became tough and fearless, earning the nickname 'Proud Cis'.
Since the book was from the point of view of a woman in those times, there was a lot of 'telling' instead of 'showing' of the major events throughout the conflict. However, there were some powerful scenes, such as Cecily meeting Joan of Arc while she was imprisoned – I quite liked how Joan of Arc was incorporated into the story, although there's no proof that the two ever met. The other scene that struck me was the scene at Ludlow, as Cecily held the hands of her sons George and Richard while staring down an army. This, we know, actually happened, and the way it was written in Queen by Right was very gripping.
Queen by Right was a chunkster, and took a bit for me to get through, but at the end, I felt rewarded. A good historical fiction novel.
The novel is shown in the point of view of Cecily Neville, the wife of Richard Plantagenet, 3rd Duke of York and mother of Edward IV and Richard III. We see her as a child and then through the years, all the way up to the crowning of Edward IV. I loved the child Cecily, she was very spirited and often spoke her mind – while getting punished for it later. As she grew up, she lost a bit of that, but in it's place she became tough and fearless, earning the nickname 'Proud Cis'.
Since the book was from the point of view of a woman in those times, there was a lot of 'telling' instead of 'showing' of the major events throughout the conflict. However, there were some powerful scenes, such as Cecily meeting Joan of Arc while she was imprisoned – I quite liked how Joan of Arc was incorporated into the story, although there's no proof that the two ever met. The other scene that struck me was the scene at Ludlow, as Cecily held the hands of her sons George and Richard while staring down an army. This, we know, actually happened, and the way it was written in Queen by Right was very gripping.
Queen by Right was a chunkster, and took a bit for me to get through, but at the end, I felt rewarded. A good historical fiction novel.
February 17, 2015
From the political maneuverings of royals and nobles to the intimate details of apparel, the research put into this epic novel shined through. There are a ton of historical figures featured in this novel, some written very closely to the historical record and some with a bit of writer’s license used. I loved seeing all the pieces of the chess match that was 15th century politics move into place and being introduced to all the leading figures of the upcoming War of the Roses.
For the most part, I enjoyed the characters and historical figures presented. Many were very three-dimensional and made me root for them, no matter which side of the struggle they fell on. Yet, I felt that sometimes the main character of Cecily got to be a bit too perfect. Most of the time she was your typical mythical noble lady of the day: beautiful, attractive to every man she met, courageous, pious, and intelligent. The list goes on. She did show the occasional lack of maternal love and a stubborn arrogance that gave her the nickname “Proud Cis”. But, those times were few and far between.
I’d say overall that this book is a pretty solid War of the Roses novel. It definitely gets into the nitty-gritty of how that war started and the powerful figures in the background of that massive struggle. Characters are mostly solid, but the main character of Cecily does slide into the “too perfect” rang far too often to be completely enjoyable. Still, give this work a look if you enjoy the time period.
For the most part, I enjoyed the characters and historical figures presented. Many were very three-dimensional and made me root for them, no matter which side of the struggle they fell on. Yet, I felt that sometimes the main character of Cecily got to be a bit too perfect. Most of the time she was your typical mythical noble lady of the day: beautiful, attractive to every man she met, courageous, pious, and intelligent. The list goes on. She did show the occasional lack of maternal love and a stubborn arrogance that gave her the nickname “Proud Cis”. But, those times were few and far between.
I’d say overall that this book is a pretty solid War of the Roses novel. It definitely gets into the nitty-gritty of how that war started and the powerful figures in the background of that massive struggle. Characters are mostly solid, but the main character of Cecily does slide into the “too perfect” rang far too often to be completely enjoyable. Still, give this work a look if you enjoy the time period.
June 23, 2015
I read this book again quite recently so thought I would add a review.
What struck me about this book is that in some ways it is surprisingly realistic. For example, there is a lot about Cecily's religious life. Some novels of this and earlier eras give you the feel that the characters were purely secular, and wouldn't know an Ave from an Avenue. In this book Cecily (and her husband) spend a whole day in prayer on one occasion. Cecily goes on pilgrimage. Etc., etc. Also there is a lot of mention of etiquette - which Cecily occasionally breaks, given that she starts off as a quite a headstrong girl who is always getting told off. Again, many novels of the middle ages give the impression it was an egalitarian society with very few social rules. Not in this case.
There are also mystic elements, as Cecily develops a personal relationship with the BVM, and later with Jeanne D'Arc. I thought the Jeanne D'Arc thing a bit unlikely, but it was an interesting addition.
The story is told entirely from Cecily's POV, so there are no battle scenes and there is very little direct involvement with politics. At one point Cecily stands outside the Parliament House, watching her husband through open doors as he attempts to claim the throne. That's as close as it gets, because we never see York's POV at all.
What struck me about this book is that in some ways it is surprisingly realistic. For example, there is a lot about Cecily's religious life. Some novels of this and earlier eras give you the feel that the characters were purely secular, and wouldn't know an Ave from an Avenue. In this book Cecily (and her husband) spend a whole day in prayer on one occasion. Cecily goes on pilgrimage. Etc., etc. Also there is a lot of mention of etiquette - which Cecily occasionally breaks, given that she starts off as a quite a headstrong girl who is always getting told off. Again, many novels of the middle ages give the impression it was an egalitarian society with very few social rules. Not in this case.
There are also mystic elements, as Cecily develops a personal relationship with the BVM, and later with Jeanne D'Arc. I thought the Jeanne D'Arc thing a bit unlikely, but it was an interesting addition.
The story is told entirely from Cecily's POV, so there are no battle scenes and there is very little direct involvement with politics. At one point Cecily stands outside the Parliament House, watching her husband through open doors as he attempts to claim the throne. That's as close as it gets, because we never see York's POV at all.
February 5, 2017
I wanted to love this book, I really did. It sounded very promising when I read that Anne Easter Smith was first moved to write about Cecily after discovering her in Penman's The Sunne in Splendour. That in itself assured me that we wouldn't be subjected to another silly (and ancient) characterization of Cecily, such as the one recently portrayed in The White Queen.
And while it was obvious that the author did her research, including a wide range of medieval vocabulary which I double checked in my medieval dictionary, there was still something lacking. As previous reviews have stated, there seems to be this expectation in historical fiction that the main character (female) has to be extraordinarily beautiful, happily married, and brought to thrilling climaxes every time she lies with her husband.
I don't understand the need for this, as it makes the characters more fictitious than historical. That being said, she did include some marital fights which I am certain happened, as there were several moments of instability during Cecily's marriage to the Duke of York.
However, if you are intrigued by Cecily, and are looking for some very fluffy moments with the York children (little Dickon, bless), it makes for an entertaining and sometimes moving read. Also George acting like a little s**t as a child made me chuckle knowing what he would turn out to be.
And while it was obvious that the author did her research, including a wide range of medieval vocabulary which I double checked in my medieval dictionary, there was still something lacking. As previous reviews have stated, there seems to be this expectation in historical fiction that the main character (female) has to be extraordinarily beautiful, happily married, and brought to thrilling climaxes every time she lies with her husband.
I don't understand the need for this, as it makes the characters more fictitious than historical. That being said, she did include some marital fights which I am certain happened, as there were several moments of instability during Cecily's marriage to the Duke of York.
However, if you are intrigued by Cecily, and are looking for some very fluffy moments with the York children (little Dickon, bless), it makes for an entertaining and sometimes moving read. Also George acting like a little s**t as a child made me chuckle knowing what he would turn out to be.
August 28, 2014
The story of the ancestress of five centuries of English monarchs, QUEEN BY RIGHT tells the story of Cecily Neville over a period of 40 years. An outspoken woman for her time, with a razor sharp intellect, she lived at the center of history making events in the 1400s.
This book satisfies on so many levels:
• The deeply romantic love match between Cecily and her husband, Richard of York, beginning from their meeting as children.
• Insights into the medical care available to someone through 14(!) pregnancies.
• Best of all, understanding how the arranged marriages among England's nobles led to shifting loyalties in the decades leading up to the start of The War of The Roses.
While I read a lot of history fiction, this is the first book that gave me an appreciation of how much family relationships impacted politics at this time. For example -
What happens when your sister believes your own husband is guilty of treason?
What is it like when your uncle becomes your mortal enemy?
What if your own daughter marries someone on the "other side?"
I loved discovering how Anne Easter Smith uses the private details of her characters' lives and ambitions to tell the political story of this fascinating era in English history. And I now understand the events that led to the beginning of the "Cousins War." This is a thoughtfully presented and well-researched novel.
This book satisfies on so many levels:
• The deeply romantic love match between Cecily and her husband, Richard of York, beginning from their meeting as children.
• Insights into the medical care available to someone through 14(!) pregnancies.
• Best of all, understanding how the arranged marriages among England's nobles led to shifting loyalties in the decades leading up to the start of The War of The Roses.
While I read a lot of history fiction, this is the first book that gave me an appreciation of how much family relationships impacted politics at this time. For example -
What happens when your sister believes your own husband is guilty of treason?
What is it like when your uncle becomes your mortal enemy?
What if your own daughter marries someone on the "other side?"
I loved discovering how Anne Easter Smith uses the private details of her characters' lives and ambitions to tell the political story of this fascinating era in English history. And I now understand the events that led to the beginning of the "Cousins War." This is a thoughtfully presented and well-researched novel.
December 21, 2012
The book covers one of my favorite periods (England in the Middle Ages) and one of the most fascinating people, Cecily Neville, wife of Richard, Duke of York, and mother of Edward IV and Richard III . I was predisposed to like the book, and I did, but it didn't draw me into its depths the way I was hoping and expecting. The book is well-researched and accurate. (I expect historical fiction authors to fill in the gaps of history, as it were, but I don't expect or want them to rewrite it. That's called alternative history.) But the writing itself, while good, isn't great, and the characters aren't as fleshed out as I had hoped they would be. Cecily Neville is a fascinating and complex character, with intelligence and force of will. The Cecily Neville in this book has less depth of character than I visualize her to be.
That being said, it's a very readable book about a fascinating woman and a fascinating period in English history.
That being said, it's a very readable book about a fascinating woman and a fascinating period in English history.
March 23, 2017
Anne Easter Smith does a creditable job fleshing out characters during the Wars of the Roses--has several books in that time period. This is historical fiction about Cecily Neville, mother of Edward IV and Richard III. Smith is very kind to her and sheds her in a different light than I've seen and read her portrayed before, but gives interesting details and suppositions about her life based on research. For example, she gives a scenario of Cecily meeting Jeanne d'Arc in prison, as well as witnessing her burning at the stake. Smith, in her end notes, indicates that there are no records of this, but they were in Rouen at the same time, so she thought it could have been possible. Maybe, maybe not, but I don't mind the liberty, as that's what historical fiction does. I found this book somewhat overly sentimental, but that's how Smith writes--so some might find it a little sappy. All said and done, I recommend the book for those who like this genre.
August 31, 2011
I absolutely loved this as this probably one of the only novels specifically on Cecily Neville, who was one of the most influential women of her time in late fifteenth century England during the Wars of the Roses. Easter-Smith does the mother of Edward IV and Richard III justice by this novel of her life with Richard of York as one of the wealthiest duchesses in England. This author really knows how to form a range of characters that are extremely complex. The historical aspects were well-researched and accurate. I especially liked how she linked Joan of Arc with Cecily during the time she spent in Rouen. It was true the duchess was housed in the same castle the saint was imprisoned in and I enjoyed the storyline Easter-Smith invented. As a huge fan of anything taking place in this timespan, this has become one of my favorites.
May 19, 2011
I have long been fascinated by the period in England's history known as the War of the Roses, but I am very choosy when reading about it because one of the best books I've ever read is Sharon Kay Penman's The Sunne in Splendour, and other books tend to pale in comparison. (And as a Yorkist, I don't like anything that skews Lancaster!) But I am not aware that any other historical fiction novel is devoted to Cecily Neville, and I say it's about time she finally got one!
Read the full review, check out my interview with the author, and enter to win a copy of Queen by Right at Let Them Read Books!
Read the full review, check out my interview with the author, and enter to win a copy of Queen by Right at Let Them Read Books!
January 8, 2015
(3.5 stars but I didn't like it enough to round up to 4)
I agree that this book falls under the grouping "historical fluff", although it was an enjoyable read. While I quite liked Anne Easter Smith's depiction of Cecily Neville, I could have done without all the Jeanne de Arc extras, and a few other loose interpretations. I also agree that I would have liked to hear what Proud 'Cis would have made of Richard's actions after Edward IV's death. I did like this book enough to put more of Ms. Smith's novels on my reading list (if in electronic format).
I agree that this book falls under the grouping "historical fluff", although it was an enjoyable read. While I quite liked Anne Easter Smith's depiction of Cecily Neville, I could have done without all the Jeanne de Arc extras, and a few other loose interpretations. I also agree that I would have liked to hear what Proud 'Cis would have made of Richard's actions after Edward IV's death. I did like this book enough to put more of Ms. Smith's novels on my reading list (if in electronic format).
October 11, 2011
As usual Anne Easter Smith write a wonderful love story all the while engrossing you in the history of the time.You feel all their happiness and pain and even though you know how the story ends you still want them to have a happy ever after. I love all of her books and the way she makes you care deeply about her characters. A must read!!!
May 17, 2011
Anne Easter Smith's lyrical and lovely novel did not make a Yorkist out of me, but it did make me love Cecily and Richard. If you read this, and I hope you do, you will fall in love with them, too. Highly recommended.
no-thank-you
February 8, 2013I am having a chuckle over the new recommended reads based upon my shelves. This one popped up on my "California" shelf.
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