Refreshing take on a well known tale: First of the Tudors by Joanna Hickson
An excellent account of the well-known history of the War of the Roses but still provides a refreshing take on the tale.
King Henry VI is the rightful King of England, although the thought of as a well-intentioned and devout King his rule is threatened. Various rumors spread throughout the land that the king suffers not only from mental illness but also that his Queen has been unfaithful. Thankfully Henry has the loyalty of his half brother Jasper Tudor. The honorable Earl of Pembroke who will stop at nothing to ensure that the Lancastrians hold the throne. Along with him is his lover Jane, who narrates her side of the story where she becomes the caretaker of Henry Tudor. Henry is Jasper’s nephew, the son of Margaret Beaufort, and the late Edmund Tudor, but importantly he is the boy who will someday become King Henry VII.
The story of the Tudor dynasty is a perfect soap opera of intrigue, bastardy, war, and shifting allegiances. Not a simple story to write and the author enjoys uneven success in creating an easy-flowing narrative. There are enormous leaps in time and more characters and locations than are comfortable to keep in mind. Hickson does a fine job of keeping the story moving, and while the reader may be a bit lost from time to time, the engaging characters and plot carry along eager to know what happens next.
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