Books Read: 7

It has been a long time since I have updated! SORRY! It's been a very busy semester, but I have read 3 books since my last post and I'm gonna do each individually. First, Daughter of York by Anne Easter Smith. I started this over winter break and didn't get to finish it until Spring Break. It is basically the story of Margaret York the sister to King Edward IV of England. Set during and after the War of the Roses and follows Margaret's life as a political pawn for her brother. She falls in love with her brother's brother-in-law Anthony Woodville (brother to Elizabeth Woodville married to Edward IV). They keep their love a secret since he is already married and she is promised to marry Duke Charles of Burgandy-a man more interested in war than women and has only one daughter by his first marriage. Their marriage is a bit rocky at first, but in the end they come to have a mutual respect for each other due to Margaret's quick wit and ability to understand politics. They never have children. The book continues on with the the lovers wanting to be together, Charles off to war constantly, and dramas that happen in everyday life at court-or between family members. The book ends with Charles having been killed in battle and Margaret and Anthony coming to an "understanding" of their future marriage. However in the Author's Note she explains that the love affair between Anthony and Margaret is fictional, it turns out the Anthony marries again, but to another women. There is some historical evidence that they might have been in love, but its not very convincing.

I personally enjoyed this book, even though the major theme of the story is a fabrication. As long as one understands that, which I did due to my mother informing me after she read the book, I was able to just enjoy the author's ability to tell the story and not get got up afterwards in the "fabrication" of the whole novel. I definitely loved the historical context of the novel, but that tends to be my favorite genre, historical fiction. Enjoyable read if that is the typical genre one likes, definitely not the best representation of the genre. Overall, it's a pretty simple and enjoyable read.