Retro Reads discussion

For everyone's final conclusions. No need for spoiler tags here! :)

Wow - I will be thinking about these characters for a long time. Richard and Anne’s love story was beautifully rendered, and her death, after they lost their son, was devastating; then the scurrilous rumors about Richard and Bess! How much pain can one person endure? I couldn’t believe what an absolutely cold, selfish, hard woman Elizabeth Woodville was - but Penman made me pity her at the very end, dying virtually alone, neither mourned nor missed. Edward was such a fascinating character - but so much in thrall to his physical pleasures, and such devastating results from his self-indulgence.

A brilliant historical fiction! Evoking so many thoughts and emotions. An unforgettable book.

By the way, of course, I would have preferred a bigger pool of names (sometimes it was rather confusing), but Penman helped us as much as she could.

I came away from this re-read absolutely wrung-out. Penman did her usual superb job of making the people and events Real. I was emotionally involved throughout.
This book was also a fine study in character flaws. Edward's biggie was his self-indulgence, which came to erode his political acumen. Poor George was always acting for himself, totally oblivious to the possibility that his actions could have dire consequences. Richard was short on patience as well as the ability to judge people. It took him too long to recognize Ned's flaws; George's ego-driven waywardness. Of course, his biggest error was in not realizing that Buckingham had his own agenda.
The last part of the book was so disheartening: his son's death, Anne's death, the implosion of his hopes for his reign. Richard's last meeting with his mother broke my heart.

I read this in 1982, when it first came out. It took me almost 40 years to do a re-read, as I wasn't sure if I was up for the emotional drain. Well, I made it through, just barely. I foresee no need to read it again.

Finished - finally!

This book was a mixed bag for me. Part 1, most of Part 2, Part 4 were terrific & very hard to put down. Richard & Anne's love story became a bit sickly for me & I was very glad to finish with Part 2. A lot (but not all) of Part 3 dragged.

I loved the complexity Penman gave to Edward the IV's character. Richard & the Woodvilles were a bit too black & white for me (other than Richard's ruthless dispatch of Hastings - I know very little about that period of European history & that really shocked me.

I loved Penman's Jane Shore! I think very possibly true to life. I didn't enjoy a previous book I read about Shore (in fact it was a DNF) & would be interested to read another one where Shore is the central character.

Barb in Maryland wrote: "I came away from this re-read absolutely wrung-out. Penman did her usual superb job of making the people and events Real. I was emotionally involved throughout.
This book was also a fine study in c..."

Agreed...I still think about it, it will stay with me for awhile! That last part just about did me in, I couldn’t believe all that Ann and Richard endured.

Carol She's So Novel꧁꧂ wrote: "Finished - finally!

This book was a mixed bag for me. Part 1, most of Part 2, Part 4 were terrific & very hard to put down. Richard & Anne's love story became a bit sickly for me & I was very glad..."

Yes, I thought Jane was a great character, I’d never heard of her - I’d read a book about her!

This is the last day for this read - & I was wondering if this book changed anyone's mind.

For me, as far as Edward IV goes, I knew next to nothing about him.

As far as RIchard III went (& bear in mind I know little about him either.

I now think he could have had the boys imprisoned, just to keep the crown with the Plantagenets. I don't believe he would have had them murdered or made them disappear though.

I can't say that the book changed my mind about Richard; I was already a fully fledged Richardian when I first read it.
We will never know the truth about the fate of Ned's sons--unless time-travel becomes a possibility! Penman tags one of history's prime suspects when she fingers Buckingham for the deed. However, I'm not sure that Henry VII is innocent, either. In her afterward she says Henry had 'motive but no opportunity' to have the boys killed. Given that no one now knows where they were, I'm reluctant to agree.

Barb in Maryland wrote: "I can't say that the book changed my mind about Richard; I was already a fully fledged Richardian when I first read it.
We will never know the truth about the fate of Ned's sons--unless time-travel..."

I'd always be happy to think it was Henry VII. I didn't know anything really about Buckingham, so I am happy to believe it was him!

Edit: even before reading the book I didn't think Richard had murdered the boys.

I didn’t know much beyond the popular fiction view of Richard - but Daughter of Time made me doubt Richard killed the boys. This book made me think it was Buckingham, also!