Peeking Between the Pages

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Thwarted Queen by Cynthia Haggard & Giveaway (US)

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Thwarted Queen

Thwarted Queen by Cynthia Haggard is a novel that encompasses the life of Cecylee (Cecily) Neville.  I have read a couple of books about Cecily and what I find most interesting is how different authors take the events in history and then weave their stories around them.  With each novel that you read you learn a bit more than you knew before and Thwarted Queen is definitely rich in historical detail which I enjoyed a great deal.

Cecylee lived in the 1400’s which wasn’t an easy time for women.  At nine years old she is betrothed to thirteen year old Richard who is to be the future Duke of York.  Luckily for Cecylee her mother refuses to let her leave home and after her father dies she sends Richard away too.  So Cecylee grows up being able to do the things she loves like reading and learning but eventually Richard does come back and wants an answer as to whether she will marry him or not.  At first Cecylee wants no part of it but she begins to realize she has feelings for him and agrees to be his wife.  Their life that follows is often tumultuous but by all accounts it seems they loved each other very much.

Cecylee is living happily enough with her ladies but when a handsome archer shows up Cecylee finds she can’t help but be attracted to him.  One night of passion with this lowly fellow will cause a rippling effect throughout her family’s future as Cecylee bears a child by him.  Although Richard is steaming mad at her he agrees to keep her secret and accepts the child as his own.  This boy will eventually become King Edward IV.  At a time when a husband could put his wife to death for an indiscretion such as Cecylee committed why did Richard choose not to?  First he loved her and secondly he seemed to take a lot of her advice to heart and follow it.  They made a formidable team when it came to solving the problems that the family faced.

Cecylee is a great historical character.  I’ve loved in her the other books I’ve read as well.  She was a strong, smart, and spirited woman who felt that women should have rights.  Unfortunately for her she didn’t live in a time that allowed that and for the most part had to follow what her husband dictated.  At the same time it seemed he realized that he had a spirited woman and he appreciated that.  But Cecylee didn’t have an easy life.  She bore thirteen children and lived which proves her strength at a time when so many women died in childbirth but the sad part is that she outlived her husband and all of her sons and really had no relationships with her daughters although that was not unusual for the time.  At a time when women normally died at a younger age it’s interesting to note that Cecylee lived to eighty years old which again proves to me her strength of body and mind.

There isn’t a lot of information about Cecylee- she’s a lesser known historical character – which makes this novel even more of a treat as for me that’s one of the things I love with historical fiction and that’s getting to learn something.  As for the novel I really enjoyed the first half of the book as we went through Cecylee’s girlhood and then into her marriage and having children.  I did find the second half of the book to drag a bit only because it was focused a bit more on the constant battle for the throne and sometimes the sheer number of people involved could get confusing.  Those are minor complaints though as I breezed through this rather large novel quite quickly and enjoyed it as I would imagine any historical fiction fan will!

 

Thwarted Queen Tour Banner FINAL

Thwarted Queen by Cynthia Haggard is touring with Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours so be sure to check out the other tour stops for more reviews, interviews, and giveaways.  Be sure to visit Cynthia’s website and you can pick up your own copy of Thwarted Queen at Amazon, Amazon.ca, or Kindle.

 

GIVEAWAY DETAILS (US only)

I have one paperback copy of Thwarted Queen by Cynthia Haggard to share with my readers.  To enter…

  • For 1 entry leave me a comment entering the giveaway.
  • For 2 entries, follow my blog.  If you already do let me know so I can pass the entry on to you as well.
  • For 3 entries blog or tweet this giveaway.

This giveaway is open to US residents only (no PO boxes) and I will draw for the winner on Saturday, March 2/13.  Good luck!

Source: Review copy provided by Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours and the Author. No compensations was received. All opinions are my own.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. I’m a big fan of Richard III and Edward IV, so would enjoy reading about their mother. Thanks for the giveaway.

    GFC follower

  2. Thanks for the giveaway! This is my favorite time period (and family) to read about. This looks like a great winter read.

    I am a follower of your blog, too!

  12. Sounds like a great read, Cecylee (never seen that spelling before) is a fascinating subject because she was closely related to so many of the major movers-and-shakers of that time.

    I follow PBTP by email, FB and Twitter

  13. Thanks for the great giveaway! Curious about Cynthia’s take on the parentage of Edward IV. I follow by email.

  14. I would like to be entered in the giveaway!

    I follow via GFC (Lara)

    lafra86 at gmail dot com

  16. I just love historical fiction but haven’t read much about Cecily before. I’d love to learn more!

  19. How very unusual for a man, especially during that time period, to accept another man’s child as his own and then that child becomes a King! I’m very intrigued to read this novel and find out more about this relationship. Thanks for the great giveaway!

    Connie Fischer
    conniecape(at)aol(dot)com

    I follow via GFC and email

  20. Thanks for hosting another GREAT book giveaway, Darlene. I’m a follower, and am adding this giveaway to my sidebar. The book sounds fascinating. Cecylee is undoubtedly a very strong character–I cannot imagine being a woman in those times!

    suko95(at)gmail(dot)com

  21. I have never heard of Cecylee before, and this story does sound ripe with intrigue. Thanks for sharing your thoughts on it with us. I would love to be considered for your giveaway, Dar, so please do enter me!

    zibilee(at)figearo(dot)net

  22. I love learning about historical figures who I know nothing about! I am looking forward to reading about Cecylee. It is great that she was a reader and a learner!

    CarolNWong(at)aol(dot)com

  23. I follow your blog with GCF as Carol N Wong and also an e-mail subscription.

    CarolNWong(at)aol(dot)com

  25. Cecylee is unknown to me, and I must admit I thought Henry VIII created the grounds for executing adulterous wives.

  26. I read two other reviews of the Thwarted Queen this week and they both say the same about the second half of the book. Overall it sounds good though.

  27. I think this would be a fascinating book to read simply because I know absolutely nothing about this woman!!

  28. Having recently read “Stolen Crown”, in which Edward IV and Richard played major roles, but Cecily only made a rare appearance, I am really interested in this book which centers on her.

    I follow by GFC!