Blog Archives

Review of "The White Queen" Episode 5

9/27/2013

Title: "War at First Hand"

Impressions:
-The year is 1470 - six years have gone by since the beginning of the story, and so much has happened. It's JUST struck me how quickly this story is moving. Isn't it incredible? People are dying, switching allegiances, going to war, having children, and marrying in secret all over the place. This is probably the most chaotic six years I've ever seen take place.
-Edward's reunion with Elizabeth at Westminster Abbey is sweet. I admire her so much for her courage and strength while her husband is always away and she is constantly in fear for her life (as well as the lives of her children). Yet again, she is told that she must be separated from her love, and she takes the news with impressive dignity.
-The kniving George has realized his mistake in allying himself with Warwick and Margaret of Anjou. He returns home to Edward and is immediately forgiven. This, I really can't believe. I'm all about kindness, but Edward seems a bit naive to me...
-Margaret Beaufort's declaration that her husband "will be dead to her" if he fights against the Lancastrians was both sad and unsurprising. I find myself feeling so sorry for her poor husband - who seems to genuinely desire to do the right thing, AND love his wife.

-Anne Neville is impressing me more and more. She's toughing it out on her travels with "The Bad Queen," Margaret of Anjou, and proving herself to be braver and more capable than anyone expected. As said before, I also really like Margaret.
-Queen Elizabeth is hardly a part of the story anymore... She keeps conjuring magic with the help of Jacquetta, but for the most part we barely need to see her right now.
-The man we love to hate (Warwick) is slain in battle while fighting against Edward. This was bittersweet - he was by far one of the most interesting characters, but also arguably the most heartless. I do respect Edward a lot for refusing to display Warwick's corpse like a trophy, however. Bravo, Your Majesty.

Favorite Characters:
-Jacquetta is still awesome, even though I'm seeing too little of her right now...
-Margaret of Anjou impresses me so much, and this show is making me want to research her more and more. Sure, she's cold and calculating, but she's also a warrior Queen, defending what she believes to be hers (and I guess it really IS hers...) She is a rightful queen, and she has a right to be bitter towards those who have treated her badly and ousted her husband from the throne. Also, although she is harsh and quick tempered, she is not all bad in this show - in fact, there are moments when she actually treats Anne like a daughter. She CAN be kind and gentle, but she is a fighter first and foremost! Rock on, Margaret of Anjou!
-Richard's rescue of Anne at the end of the episode warmed my heart. Does anyone else think he's kind of like the awkward kid at school who is charming and sweet underneath the dorkiness? Maybe it's just me.

Criticism:
-The magic that Elizabeth and Jacquetta keep conjuring is getting a little silly to me... I understand that it's a major part of their story according to Philippa Gregory, but I'm getting a little tired of seeing them casting spells, when this is a *historical* drama - not a fantasy. Calling upon a mist to take over the battlefield to help Edward's victory? A little cheesy to me...

Final Thoughts:
-I hope Margaret of Anjou's arrest doesn't mean we've seen the last of her. I want more character development from her, and I want to keep enjoying how interesting she makes this show!
-I'm really excited, now that Anne is back at court and a dowager princess, to see how her relationship with Richard develops. There was definitely a spark when he saved her at the end of this episode, so I'm thinking their romantic story will begin soon!
-I hope we see some more action from Edward soon. His story is pretty dull right now, just like Elizabeth's. There was a little bit of scandal at the very end, when he and his brothers smothered Mad King Henry to death in the Tower of London, but we usually see so little of Edward during the episodes... so I'm not very hopeful that it will change. Nevertheless, I love seeing him on screen and want him to play a bigger part!
-I have no real expectation that Margaret Beautfort's ambitions will change, but it is interesting to see the dynamic between her and her son Henry change. Right now, he is in Wales and she is in mourning for her dead husband. No doubt we will see her plotting and scheming more again in the next episode!

0 Comments

Review of 'The White Queen" Episode 4

9/20/2013

1 Comment

Title: "The Bad Queen"

Impressions:
-I LOVE the introductions of the new characters, "the bad queen" Margaret of Anjou and her son Prince Edward of Lancaster. They livened this show up a bit, I think. It was time for some new drama and the intimidating way they shot Margaret and portrayed her was perfect!
-Margaret Beaufort is still plotting and scheming, and being overprotective of her son. Nothing else is new...
-Edward's and Elizabeth's story is getting very stale... It's constant fleeing and hiding in fear of their lives. Elizabeth is still expecting to give Edward a son and heir, but even that idea isn't really new.

-Loved Jacquetta's intense witchcraft trial. She is so calm and collected, and then whips out her friendship with Margaret of Anjou to put Warwick firmly back in his place. She is untouchable because she is too cool!
-I feel awful for poor Anne Neville, who had to marry the "monster" Edward of Lancaster. Their wedding night is an uncomfortable disaster - which I fast-forwarded through.
-Crazy Henry of Lancaster is back on the throne and the ambitious Margaret Beaufort is overjoyed! Yay, her son finally trusts her and things are looking up for her...for this first time in the whole series.
-Congratulations to Elizabeth, who gives birth to a son while hiding from her enemies - standing up, no less, while her mother crouches and pulls the prince out. Rather uncomfortable to watch. But still. Hooray for the York prince.

Favorite Characters:
-Jacquetta has been my favorite since the beginning, and that trial scene really kept her as the frontrunner! I love how clever and calm she is. Still the ever-loyal servant of the king and faithful, loving mother to Elizabeth, she is cunning and manipulative, yet somehow remains a character who seems genuinely kind. Love her!

-Maybe I'm not supposed to like her, but I became a big fan of Margaret of Anjou in this episode! Not only did I appreciate how she spiced the story up, but I love her cool, bada** attitude that intimidates everyone - including Warwick - around her. She looks fierce and she has a personality that commands attention. From the moment she came onscreen, I was hooked to that scene. There are too many characters in this series who don't seem to have much of a personality or drive - but Margaret is definitely not one of them! Bad Queen or not...she's cool!

Criticism:
-I honestly can't think of anything negative to say about this episode. I mean, the storyline is growing tiresome because of the constant bickering and hiding out to avoid execution and arrest, but that's nothing to do with the script - it's just the history! Overall, I thought this episode was really well done.

Final Thoughts:
-I'm not excited about Anne's relationship with Edward. I hope we don't see anymore uncomfortable bedroom scenes, but given the accelerated pace of this show, I'm assuming Edward will be dead relatively soon. In lieu of that, I'm anxious for her relationship with Richard to unravel!
-I'm really excited to see more of Margaret of Anjou. Her role has only just begun, and I can't wait to see what they do with her character in the next episode.
-I'm thinking Warwick is doomed pretty soon, and I have a feeling his execution will be bittersweet.

1 Comment

Review of "The White Queen" Episode 3

9/13/2013

0 Comments

Title: "The Storm"

I actually found this episode to be a bit duller in comparison with the two before it. That's not to say I didn't still enjoy it, but when it ended I felt a little depressed and unsatisfied. Maybe that does mean I didn't enjoy it. Hm. Anyway, here's what I thought:

Impressions:
-Of course I was glad when Edward was released from Warwick's grasp - and I loved the dramatic scene leading up to it, when Edward practically told Warwick and George to kill him, because that would be the ONLY way they could beat him!
-Margaret Beaufort is just kind of annoying me. I understand her character, but I feel bad for her husband who just keeps having to deal with her scheming and talking about royal replacement and execution. For considering herself a servant of God, she's pretty spiteful and cruel.
-I actually really enjoyed Anne Neville in this episode! She's starting to stand out a bit more and have a personality, which I didn't really see in the first two episodes. In her sister's moments of weakness, Anne is there to support her. She seems like a naive, but loving, character so far.
-I can't decide how I feel about seeing Edward and Elizabeth disagree and argue for the first time in the series. When Edward announces that he will not punish Warwick or George, Elizabeth is furious. But Edward puts her right back into her place - which reminds me a little of Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn in The Tudors, but Edward is a little less harsh.
-How awkward was the scene where Anne Neville was in Elizabeth's bedchamber and was ordered to stay in the room while Edward and Elizabeth had sex? She was even told to help Elizabeth undress for it - in front of Edward! I cringed for her during this scene.
-I definitely could have done without the love scene between Margaret and her husband...
-Isabel Neville's horrible birth scene in the cabin of a ship was AWFUL! So much blood and too many awkward moments - like Anne being told to reach in and turn the baby around. Once again, I cringed for poor Anne.

Favorite Characters:
Still Jacquetta, although she didn't do much in this episode. She shared in Elizabeth's joy at the expectation of a baby boy, but she didn't have nearly enough screentime.

Richard was great in this episode as well. We saw a little bit of flirtation between him and Anne, which is exciting because I can't wait to watch their relationship develop - though Anne has just been betrothed to the Lancastrian Prince Edward, so we'll have to wait a bit.

Anne definitely moved up in my radar in this episode. Just because most of this episode was about her family's ambition and problems, we saw a lot of her and her sister. I think from here on out she will have a lot more of an effect on the story.

Criticism:
-Unnecessary sex scenes - my usual criticism, though I've begun fast-forwarding through it now because it doesn't add anything to the quality of the episode.
-This episode was just a bit slow-moving. It focused on only a few characters - namely the Nevilles and Margaret Beaufort. Although these were necessary developments in the series, I wanted to see more of Elizabeth and Edward - and Jacquetta!

Final Thoughts:
-I'm excited about the introduction of new characters in episode 4 - Margaret of Anjou and her son Prince Edward. Now that Warwick is allying with the Lancastrians, the story will pick up the pace a bit more and new characters will make it even more dramatic.

0 Comments

Review of "Queen's Gambit" by Elizabeth Fremantle

9/13/2013

0 Comments

I was contacted by Simon & Schuster in late July about an exciting new Tudor novel called "Queen's Gambit," by novelist Elizabeth Fremantle. I was, as always, ecstatic to hear about the opportunity to a) receive a free Tudor novel, and b) to get the chance to review it and spread the word! When I returned home from my Maine vacation, it was sitting on my doorstep, ready to be devoured. Let me tell you, it did NOT disappoint!

To avoid repeating myself, I won't share the inside cover blurb about the book - you can check that out in my original blog post I wrote about it and the accompanying giveaway competition! I will tell you, however, that "Queen's Gambit" follows the life of Henry VIII's sixth wife and least-known queen, Catherine Parr. To be perfectly honest, she is one of the wives who interests me the least, largely because of how little we know about her and how few novels have been written about her. However, this novel really painted a very different picture of her and made her an exceptionally fascinating woman!

The book starts with Catherine nursing her husband, Lord Latymer, in his sickness and old age. This is where I tend to START thinking about Catherine in general - we never hear much about her first husband, but she starts to come into the light toward the end of Latymer's life. Without giving anything away, Fremantle opens this book up with a bang! We immediately get a glimpse of Catherine's tough decisions, and a choice that will weigh on her heart for the rest of the book.

Of course, most people reading "Queen's Gambit" know the general story of Catherine Parr. Widowed at just over 30 years old, she is summoned to Henry VIII's court, where he immediately takes a liking to her. However, unfortunately for her, she has also fallen under the spell of tall, dark, and handsome Thomas Seymour. But, where there's a will, there's a way (at least if you're Henry VIII) - Thomas Seymour is sent away from court and Catherine becomes Queen #6, taking the place of poor, young Katherine Howard, who has only been beheaded the previous year for adultery. This is, without question, a dangerous and frightening place for Catherine to be, and she knows it! I think Fremantle did a great job of portraying Catherine's state of mind - her fear, anxiety, and dissatsifcation at being thrown into the elderly, fat, and cruel king's bed - instead of her lover's.

However, although Catherine's life isn't how she desires for it to be, her compassionate, caring disposition sees her through even the hardest of times at court. Other characters also play a large role in her royal life - especially her stepdaughter from her marriage to Lord Latymer, and her personal maid, Dot (who quickly became my favorite character!) The royal physician was also one of her closest companions, who helped her in many of her most difficult decisions, acted as her confidant when the conservative faction began moving against her, and ultimately offered her the consolation and support she needed when her royal husband did not. This was more than a novel about Catherine Parr - it was a story of friendship, love, and intrigue at Henry VIII's court!

Again, I hesitate to say too much with regards to details, because Elizabeth Fremantle really did a fantastic job weaving a creative story about a woman we know so little about. Her tough decisions (and interference by her conscience) were some of the most interesting parts of this book - I can't tell you any more about them, you'll just have to read it to find out!

I was really captured by this novel from the first page, and although the chapters were VERY long - and I therefore had to dedicate a big chunk of time to reading in one sitting - the reading flew by for me. Simple wording, descriptive language, and well-formed characters made this novel a joy to read. I would say it is definitely my favorite Catherine Parr novel that I've come across. I am very glad that I was given the opportunity to read it and offer a giveaway competition for my readers! I hope that anyone who hasn't read it already will consider it. You won't be disappointed!

The link for purchase on Amazon can be found here: http://www.amazon.com/Queens-Gambit-Novel-Elizabeth-Fremantle/dp/147670306X

0 Comments

Review of "The White Queen" Episode 5

Review of 'The White Queen" Episode 4

Review of "The White Queen" Episode 3

Review of "Queen's Gambit" by Elizabeth Fremantle

Author

Archives