The Lady of the Rivers

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The Lady of the Rivers
Lady of the Rivers (2011).jpg
First UK edition cover
Author Philippa Gregory
Audio read by Bianca Amato
CountryUnited Kingdom
LanguageEnglish
Series The Cousins' War
Genre Historical fiction
Published2011
Publisher Simon & Schuster
Media type
Pages512
ISBN 978-1-84737-459-2
Preceded by The Red Queen  
Followed by The Kingmaker's Daughter  

The Lady of the Rivers is a 2011 historical novel by Philippa Gregory, part of her series The Cousins' War . The story is narrated by Jacquetta of Luxembourg, mother of Elizabeth Woodville, and covers the reign of the Lancastrian King Henry VI. [1] [2] The novel serves as a prequel to Gregory's The White Queen (2009), the story of Elizabeth's reign as Queen consort of England. [3]

Contents

Plot

Fourteen-year-old Jacquetta, whose noble family claims descendance from the water goddess Melusine, learns the secrets of her inherited powers from her great-aunt Jehanne, the Demoiselle of Luxembourg. Jacquetta befriends Joan of Arc, who is a prisoner at her uncle's castle, but later watches in horror as Joan is burned at the stake by the English-backed church. Three years later at age 17, Jacquetta is given in marriage to John, Duke of Bedford, the uncle to King Henry VI and the English regent in France. On their wedding night, however, the Duke explains that he wishes to keep her a virgin so that she may use the powers of her family in their purest form in his alchemical experiments seeking the ability to turn iron into gold. He later dies and leaves Jacquetta a wealthy widow at 20. She and the Duke's handsome squire Richard Woodville realize that they have fallen in love and become lovers. Returning to England, they marry in secret before the king can remarry her to someone else. Exiled from court in disgrace, Jacquetta and Richard soon have their first child, Elizabeth.

Once Jacquetta and Richard are forgiven and allowed back to court, the pair become close companions of the young king Henry VI and his new French bride Margaret of Anjou, a kinswoman of Jacquetta's. Soon after their marriage, however, the royal couple become increasingly unpopular and there are several uprisings. They rely heavily on the advice of favourites and lavish wealth and titles on them, including Richard and Jacquetta. Margaret becomes frustrated with her husband and when she eventually becomes pregnant, it is strongly implied that the baby has actually been fathered by Edmund Beaufort, 2nd Duke of Somerset. After the King slips into a coma, Jacquetta is a constant companion to the pregnant Queen and remains by her side for the next few years. When the King eventually awakens, the country is plunged into civil war between Lancaster and York led by Richard of York.

Margaret becomes Queen Militant and raises armies to fight in her husband's name, including an army of Scots to fight the Yorkists, which makes her even more unpopular with the people. A defeated Margaret is forced to flee to France, and Jacquetta returns to Grafton manor. A widowed Elizabeth also returns with her children, and petitions the new King Edward IV for the return of her lands. Jacquetta looks from the window of her house to see Elizabeth walking up with Edward, finishing where The White Queen begins.

Critical reception

Publishers Weekly wrote of the novel, "Gregory portrays spirited women at odds with powerful men, endowing distant historical events with drama, and figures long dead or invented with real-life flaws and grand emotions." The review adds that the author "makes history (mostly accurate) come alive for readers (mostly women) by giving credence to persistent rumors that academic historians (mostly men) have brushed aside." [1]

AudioFile magazine gave its Earphones Award to the audiobook recording of The Lady of the Rivers, calling the story "fabulous" and praising narrator Bianca Amato, noting that "Amato’s striking performance draws lifelike portraits from Gregory’s blend of research and imagination." [4]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Elizabeth Woodville</span> Queen of England (1464–70), (1471–83)

Elizabeth Woodville, later known as Dame Elizabeth Grey, was Queen of England from her marriage to King Edward IV on 1 May 1464 until Edward was deposed on 3 October 1470, and again from Edward's resumption of the throne on 11 April 1471 until his death on 9 April 1483. She was a key figure in the Wars of the Roses, a dynastic civil war between the Lancastrian and the Yorkist factions between 1455 and 1487.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lady Margaret Beaufort</span> English noblewoman and politician (1443–1509)

Lady Margaret Beaufort was a major figure in the Wars of the Roses of the late fifteenth century, and mother of King Henry VII of England, the first Tudor monarch.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cecily Neville, Duchess of York</span> English noblewoman

Cecily Neville was an English noblewoman, the wife of Richard, Duke of York (1411–1460), and the mother of two kings of England—Edward IV and Richard III. Cecily Neville was known as "the Rose of Raby", because she was born at Raby Castle in Durham, and "Proud Cis", because of her pride and a temper that went with it, although she was also known for her piety. She herself signed her name "Cecylle".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Philippa Gregory</span> English historical novelist

Philippa Gregory is an English historical novelist who has been publishing since 1987. The best known of her works is The Other Boleyn Girl (2001), which in 2002 won the Romantic Novel of the Year Award from the Romantic Novelists' Association and has been adapted into two films.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jacquetta of Luxembourg</span> 15th-century noble

Jacquetta of Luxembourg, Dowager Duchess of Bedford and Countess Rivers was a prominent, though often overlooked, figure in the Wars of the Roses. Through her short-lived first marriage to the Duke of Bedford, brother of King Henry V, she was firmly allied to the House of Lancaster. However, following the emphatic Lancastrian defeat at the Battle of Towton, she and her second husband Richard Woodville sided closely with the House of York. Three years after the battle and the accession of Edward IV of England, Jacquetta's eldest daughter Elizabeth Woodville married him and became queen consort of England. Jacquetta bore Woodville 14 children and stood trial on charges of witchcraft, of which she was exonerated.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Richard Woodville, 1st Earl Rivers</span> 15th century English noble

Richard Woodville, 1st Earl Rivers, also Wydeville, was the father of Elizabeth Woodville and father-in-law of Edward IV.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Catherine Woodville, Duchess of Buckingham</span> English noblewoman

Catherine Woodville was the Duchess of Buckingham and a medieval English noblewoman.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mary of York</span> English princess

Mary of York was the second daughter of King Edward IV of England and his queen consort Elizabeth Woodville.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Louis, Count of Saint-Pol</span>

Louis de Luxembourg, Count of Saint-Pol, of Brienne, de Ligny, and Conversano belonged to the Ligny branch of the House of Luxemburg and was Constable of France.

Edward IV of England has been depicted in popular culture a number of times.

<i>The Other Queen</i>

The Other Queen is a 2008 historical novel by British author Philippa Gregory which chronicles the long imprisonment in England of Mary, Queen of Scots. The story is told from three points of view: Mary Stuart, Queen of Scots; Elizabeth Talbot, Countess of Shrewsbury, also known as Bess of Hardwick; and George Talbot, the 6th Earl of Shrewsbury.

Anne Woodville, Viscountess Bourchier was an English noblewoman. She was a younger sister of Queen Consort Elizabeth Woodville to whom she served as a lady-in-waiting. Anne was married twice; first to William Bourchier, Viscount Bourchier, and secondly to George Grey, 2nd Earl of Kent. Anne was the grandmother of the disinherited adulteress Anne Bourchier, 7th Baroness Bourchier, and an ancestress of Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex.

<i>The White Queen</i> (novel) 2009 novel by Philippa Gregory

The White Queen is a 2009 historical novel by Philippa Gregory, the first of her series The Cousins' War. It tells the story of Elizabeth Woodville, queen consort of King Edward IV of England. The 2013 BBC One television series The White Queen is a 10-part adaptation of Gregory's novels The White Queen, The Red Queen (2010) and The Kingmaker's Daughter (2012), and features Rebecca Ferguson as Elizabeth Woodville.

<i>The White Queen</i> (TV series) British historical drama television series

The White Queen is a British historical drama television drama serial based on Philippa Gregory's historical novel series The Cousins' War. The first episode premiered on BBC One on 16 June 2013 in the UK.

<i>The Red Queen</i> (Gregory novel) 2010 historical novel by Philippa Gregory

The Red Queen is a 2010 historical novel by Philippa Gregory, the second of her series The Cousins' War. It is the story of Margaret Beaufort, mother of Henry VII of England. The 2013 BBC One television series The White Queen is a 10-part adaptation of Gregory's novels The White Queen (2009), The Red Queen and The Kingmaker's Daughter (2012), and features Amanda Hale as Margaret Beaufort.

<i>The Kingmakers Daughter</i> 2012 novel by Philippa Gregory

The Kingmaker's Daughter is a 2012 historical novel by Philippa Gregory, part of her series The Cousins' War. It is the story of Anne Neville, wife of Richard III of England. The 2013 BBC One television series The White Queen is a 10-part adaptation of Gregory's novels The White Queen (2009), The Red Queen (2010) and The Kingmaker's Daughter, and features Faye Marsay as Anne Neville.

<i>The White Princess</i>

The White Princess is a 2013 historical novel by Philippa Gregory, part of her series The Cousins' War. It is the story of Elizabeth of York, daughter of Edward IV of England and Elizabeth Woodville, and later wife of Henry VII and mother of Henry VIII.

<i>The Kings Curse</i>

The King's Curse is a 2014 historical novel by Philippa Gregory, part of her series The Cousins' War. A direct sequel to The White Princess, it follows the adult life of Margaret Pole, Countess of Salisbury, the daughter of George Plantagenet, 1st Duke of Clarence and Isabel Neville.

<i>The Women of the Cousins War</i>

The Women of the Cousins' War: The Duchess, the Queen and the King's Mother is a 2011 book by historical novelist Philippa Gregory and historians David Baldwin and Michael K. Jones. It is a non-fiction work that explores the lives of three prominent women of the historical Wars of the Roses, all of whom Gregory has featured in her Cousins' War series of novels.

Bianca Amato is a South African actress known for her work in American theatre, as a prolific audiobook performer and for her portrayal of Philippa De Villiers in the original cast of the South African soap opera Isidingo.

References

  1. 1 2 "The Lady of the Rivers". Publishers Weekly . 27 June 2011. Retrieved 8 October 2014.
  2. "The Lady of the Rivers (Official site)". PhilippaGregory.com. Retrieved 7 October 2014.
  3. "The White Queen (Official site)". PhilippaGregory.com. Retrieved 7 October 2014.
  4. "Audiobook Review: The Lady of the Rivers (2011)". AudioFile . Retrieved 12 December 2014.