The Lady of the Rivers: A Novel (The Plantagenet and Tudor Novels)
#1 New York Times bestselling author and “queen of royal fiction” (USA TODAY) Philippa Gregory brings to life the story of Jacquetta, Duchess of Bedford, a woman of passion and of legend who navigated a treacherous path through the battle lines in the War of the Roses to bring her family unimaginable power.
When the young and beautiful Jacquetta is married to the older Duke of Bedford, English regent of France, he introduces her to a mysterious world of learning and alchemy. Her only friend in the great household is the duke’s squire Richard Woodville, who is at her side when the duke’s death leaves her a wealthy young widow. The two become lovers and marry in secret, returning to England to serve at the court of the young King Henry VI, where Jacquetta becomes a close and loyal friend to his new queen.
The Woodvilles soon achieve a place at the very heart of the Lancaster court, though Jacquetta has visions of the growing threat from the people of England and the danger of their royal York rivals. Jacquetta fights for her king and queen, as she sees an extraordinary and unexpected future for her daughter Elizabeth: a change of fortune, the white rose of York, and the throne of England…
When the young and beautiful Jacquetta is married to the older Duke of Bedford, English regent of France, he introduces her to a mysterious world of learning and alchemy. Her only friend in the great household is the duke’s squire Richard Woodville, who is at her side when the duke’s death leaves her a wealthy young widow. The two become lovers and marry in secret, returning to England to serve at the court of the young King Henry VI, where Jacquetta becomes a close and loyal friend to his new queen.
The Woodvilles soon achieve a place at the very heart of the Lancaster court, though Jacquetta has visions of the growing threat from the people of England and the danger of their royal York rivals. Jacquetta fights for her king and queen, as she sees an extraordinary and unexpected future for her daughter Elizabeth: a change of fortune, the white rose of York, and the throne of England…
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Community Reviews
'A woman who seeks great power and wealth has to pay a great price. Perhaps you will be a great woman like Melusina¦ but you will be like all women; uneasy in the world of men.'
"The Lady of the Rivers" by Philippa Gregory is a captivating historical fiction novel set during the fifteenth century in England and France. It follows the life of Jacquetta of Luxembourg, a powerful woman with a gift of sight - due to her ancestor, the water goddess, Melusina, and her marriages - first to the Duke of Bedford - who surrounds himself with alchemists and astrologers, in his search for the philosopher's stone. This makes him a man of science and superstition, and Jacquetta is just another scientific instrument to him. Jacquetta and Richard (Woodville, her second husband) are drawn together by their passionate love and dare to marry against the odds. This keeps them together, through their many separations, the birth of so many children and the frequent turns in their fortunes and life status at the court of Margaret of Anjou and Henry VI. The book is filled with political intrigue, romance, and war. Gregory's writing brings the era to life in vivid detail, as the author nods to actual historical events and characters. As the story opens, Joan of Arc is introduced and her ordeal is told. Jacquettaâs family tree, the Houses of York, Lancaster and Tudor and maps of France and England are displayed at the start of the book, which I liked as it made the story more real for me.
Overall, "The Lady of the Rivers" is a must-read for fans of historical fiction, and anyone interested in the fascinating lives of medieval women and the House of Lancaster during the Wars of the Roses
"The Lady of the Rivers" by Philippa Gregory is a captivating historical fiction novel set during the fifteenth century in England and France. It follows the life of Jacquetta of Luxembourg, a powerful woman with a gift of sight - due to her ancestor, the water goddess, Melusina, and her marriages - first to the Duke of Bedford - who surrounds himself with alchemists and astrologers, in his search for the philosopher's stone. This makes him a man of science and superstition, and Jacquetta is just another scientific instrument to him. Jacquetta and Richard (Woodville, her second husband) are drawn together by their passionate love and dare to marry against the odds. This keeps them together, through their many separations, the birth of so many children and the frequent turns in their fortunes and life status at the court of Margaret of Anjou and Henry VI. The book is filled with political intrigue, romance, and war. Gregory's writing brings the era to life in vivid detail, as the author nods to actual historical events and characters. As the story opens, Joan of Arc is introduced and her ordeal is told. Jacquettaâs family tree, the Houses of York, Lancaster and Tudor and maps of France and England are displayed at the start of the book, which I liked as it made the story more real for me.
Overall, "The Lady of the Rivers" is a must-read for fans of historical fiction, and anyone interested in the fascinating lives of medieval women and the House of Lancaster during the Wars of the Roses
It took me over a year to read this book, and I had a very had time getting into it. I don't know what it was, the next books were amazing, but this book dragged.
I have been a fan of the Tudors/War of Roses/all things British for as long as I can remember. I had never heard of Jacquetta of Luxembourg, but I'm glad I now know of her. What an incredible woman during such a pivotal time in British history. Gregory's writing style is quite restrained and in keeping with history. I sometimes forgot I was reading historical FICTION. I had to research the characters to better understand the events, but I love books that make me think. I am now ready to move on to her daughter, Elizabeth Woodville, who will be the mother of Elizabeth of York (the key woman who married Henry VII and contributed to the start of the Tudor Dynasty). Can't wait!
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