The Red Queen: A Novel

Book is great. Audiobook not so. Skipped portions and pages

Enjoyed this book it made me curious about English monarchy and its history..Great story

I love how this book made the hisotory of the English War of Roses era come to life. Not that I've ever heard of the era before listening to this book. (-: But I was so intrigued by the characters I went on line and further researched the historical accounts, and sure enough, Phillipa Gregory provided a very accurate account of what happened. Love listening to books that entertain AND teach at the same time. Fascinating!

There are a few negative reviews, but I didn't think this book was bad. It does take about an hour of listening to get past the exposition & initial character development to become involved in the real conflict, but then I was hooked! The main character is NOT likable; that might make it hard for people to feel they enjoyed the story. At the end, you (almost?) don't want Margaret Beaufort to win- but that is part of Gregory's ability to create such a believable character. You have to appreciate the portrayal of Margaret's religious fanaticism, ironic juxtapositions, & obsessive nature. It's good writing! My only complaint is in the brief, monotone male narration. The mostly female narration, on the other hand, completely embodies the spirit of the main character so that I will probably hear that voice as I read other books about Margaret Beaufort. Don't pass this one up because of the other reviews. If you like Gregory & you like historical fiction, give it a try & decide for yourself.