The French Mistress

The French Mistress is a 2009 book written by Susan Holloway Scott on Charles II of England, Scotland and Ireland's french mistress, Louise de Kerouaille.

Louise Renee de Penancoet de Kerouaille is the daughter of an improverished nobleman from the french province of Brittany whose parents send her to Court to serves as a maid of honor to Henrietta Anne of England, known as Madame in the French court. The Duchess of Orleans forms a close friendship with the innocent maiden and gives Louise privy into the terrible state of the Orlean marriage. Henrietta Anne is abused by her husband, Phillip, Duke of Orleans, likewised called Monsieur, who repeatedly rapes her and flaunts his lover the Chevalier de Lorraine before her, motivated by his suspicions of her close friendship with his brother, Louis XIV of France. There is nothing Henrietta desires more than seeing England and her beloved older brother, Charles II of England and even the pregnancy and birth of Anne Marie d'Orlean, forced on her by Monsieur, will stop her.

In 1670, Louise accompanies Madame to Dover to be reunited with her brother. The true reason for the visit was to secure an alliance with England and on June 1,1670, Charles signs the Secret Treaty of Dover, promising to convert to the Catholic faith in order to gain support from Louis XIV. But it's not all serious business for Charles because during the trip, he becomes besotted with the baby faced Louise despite his mistress, Barbara Palmer, presence at Dover. Oh but the month passes by so quickly and the two go their separate ways.

Henrietta Anne's health has never been good but her sudden death on June 30, 1670 came as a shock to everyone. Because she died shortly after drinking rumor has it she was poisoned by her husband. With the death of the Duchess of Orleans, Louise de Kerouaille is left without a protector. With the task of being Louis XIV's spy, Louise departs for England under the guise of being a maid of honor for Charles's Queen, Catherine of Braganza, but in actuality to seduce the king himself.  She cleverly yielded the King's advances until she had a firm grip over his affections and was indispensable to him. Louise gave birth to Charles Lennox on July 29, 1792.

Despite his great affection for his "Fubbs" as he called Louise, Charles II of England was not a faithful man and Louise had much competition. The greatest of which came from a woman the complete opposite Mademoiselle de Kerouaille. Nell Gwyn "Pretty Witty Nell" born to the lower order of society, rose to fame as an actress before catching the eye of the King. Portraying herself as the very picture of what it was to be English, Nell often made the French Louise the butt of her many jokes, referring to her rival as "Squintabella". Hortense Mancini temporarily supplanted Louise in Charles' favor but her promiscuity to Louise's comparative innocence drives Charles right back to his favorite French woman. Her greatest sadness of all was catching a venereal disease from her beloved. But for all her lows, Louise de Kerouaille also had her highs. In 1673, she is made Duchess of Portsmuth and in 1675, her son is made Duke of Richmond.

As a Catholic, Louise was subject to much suspicion during a period in British history where the religious conflict between Catholics and Protestants was at the very heart of the government. The people cannot tolerate a Catholic King and are incensed when Charles's younger brother and heir, James, marries the Catholic, Mary of Modena. Likewise, Louis XIV of France was greatly angered upon hearing the news that James' daughter, Mary, was to marry the Protestant William of Orange to settle the feud between the English and the Dutch. Louise comes under fire during the Popish Plot instigated by Titus Oates but her position with the king is strong enough to withstand all. Charles II died on February 6, 1685 and it is due to Louise that he converts to Catholicism and receives the last rites.

I give this book a 2.5/5. As far as the many mistresses of Charles II goes, Louise de Kerouaille is near the bottom of my list of favorites. A classical Nell Gwyn girl myself, I find Louise de Kerouaille to be greedy and scheming, but The French Mistress does make me see Louise de Kerouaille in a new light and I'll give the book that. However, when one is writing a book on a highly controversial figure and tries to make them seem sympathetic to the reader, there is a right way to do it and then there is a wrong way to do it. Scott was on the fence throughout the book on Louise de Kerouaille, one moment she's the innocent victim whose name is wrongly blackened in history and the next she's the ambitious woman that we know and hate. The book is called a "Novel on the Duchess of Portsmuth and Charles II" but the 2 years that Louise spends with Henrietta Anne is nearly half of the entire book. Also I felt that the story was lacking the more interesting parts of Louise's story. It could have done more with how Louise strung Charles along or more interactions with Nell Gwyn. Foreshadowing is a good thing, it builds the suspense but Scott gave a little to many wink-wink-knudge-knudges and it became very very annoying. I'll be going for another read of The King's Favorite thank you very much.

Reluctant Queen

Reluctant Queen is a 2010 novel by Freda Lightfood on the marriage of Henry IV of France, his first wife Margot of Valois and his chief mistress, Gabrielle d'Estrees. This is the second book in Freda Lightfoot's book series on Henry IV. It is proceeded by The Hostage Queen and followed by The Queen and the Courtesan.

In 1578, after more than two years apart, King Henry III of Navarre is reunited with his wife, Princess Margot of France. Their marriage came on the heels of the St. Bartholomew Day Massacre. During her absence, he found comfort in the arms of other women. However, she is undisturbed because she too has found lovers to amuse her. The two remain good friends until Henry becomes besotted with La Fousseuse and Fousseuse becomes pregnant. Margot agrees to help Fousseuse deliver the child but the child is stillborn and Henry blames Margot. To escape his wrath, Margot decides to return to her native France, to reunited with her brother, Henry III of France, mother, Catherine de Medici, and more importantly, her lover. Her stay in her brother's court is short.

After rumors begin to circulate that Margot is pregnant by her lover, Henry Trois orders his sister to return to Navarre only to have her searched and detained. Henry of Navarre at first refuses to take back his wife but eventually agrees to her return when he is given territory as a settlement. The death of her beloved brother, the Duke of Alencon, leaves two only two candidates for the French throne: the protestant, Henry of Navarre, and the Catholic, Henri, Duke of Guise. In 1585, Henry became besotted with Diane d'Andouins, nicknamed "La Belle Corisande", who pressures him into divorcing Margot so that he can marry her instead. Margot once again flees Navarre, this time raising her banner in support of the Duke of Guise, her one true love, setting up base at Agen, taking a soldier named D'Aubiac as her lover.  After being forced out by the townspeople, she moves to the fortress of Carlat but her luck runs out and she is caught by her husband. D'Aubiac is executed soon after.

In 1588, Henri, Duke of Guise, defying the word of King Henry III of France, comes to Paris to seek an audience with the King. Alarmed at Guise's presence, Henry Trois calls him the Swiss Guard, leading tot he Day of the Barricades as the people of Paris show their open support for Guise, forcing the King of France to flee. Henri's moment of glory does not last long when on Decemer 23, 1588 he is assassinated by Henry Trois's guard as the King looks on. Henry himself is assassinated by a friar conspiring with the Catholic League less than a year later. Henry of Navarre is the only legitimate heir yet because he is a Protestant in a Catholic country, he must first fight for it.

During his struggle with the Catholic League to claim his throne in the early 1590s, the now Henry IV of France, a man who can not live without love, falls head over heels, yet again, for umpteenth time - this time to the beautiful Gabrielle d'Estree. But she has no interest in him as she is already in love with another. However, after becoming his lover and the insistence of her Father, she grows to love Henry of Navarre and she eventually bears him three children. Born a Catholic, Gabrielle convinces Henry to convert to Catholicism which he does and soon after his conversion, Henry is crowned King. Henry grants her many titles and showers her publicly with his affection but the people of France share a different view of the new Duchess of Beaufort, calling her the Duchess of filth.

Henry's sister, Catherine, had long fostered the hope of marrying her Catholic cousin, the Count of Soissons, but Henry has other plans for her and in 1599 she is married, very much so against her will to, to Henry II, Duke of Lorraine.

In 1599, Henry's marriage to Margot looked likely to be annulled at last and so Henry proposed to Gabrielle, who was pregnant with their fourth child. On April 9th, after having a drink at a friend's house, she suddenly falls ill and gives birth to a stillborn son. She died the very next day in Henry's arms. The word "poison" is on everyone's lips.

I give this book a 3/5. The inside flap suggests the book is entirely about Gabrielle d'Estree but as you can tell from my summary of the book, Henry IV's famous mistress is only there for the latter half of the book. So who exactly IS the Reluctant Queen? I adapted to this lack of a formal protagonist in latching onto Margot of Valois but after the introduction of Gabrielle, Margot is hardly ever mentioned again and I felt that this was a bit of a let down, considering how attached I was becoming of her. Gabrielle's origin story was a little bland, with a somewhat cliche ring to it. The book was jerkily written with a plot a little hard to follow. It has no chapters...just long long long segments.

Anna Karenina

Anna Karenina is a 2012 film directed by Joe Wright based on the novel by the same name written by Leo Tolstoy 1877.

Keira Knightley as Anna Karenina

Jude Law as Alexei Karenin

Aaron Taylor-Johnson as Count Vronsky

Domhnall Gleeson as Constantin Levin

Alicia Vikander as Kitty

A theater curtain is raised and the film begins. Anna has just received a letter from her brother Stiva to help him reconcile with his wife, Dolly, who has banished him from seeing her or their children after she discovered that he was having an affair with the children's governess. Before she leaves, her husband, Alexei Karenin, warns her about fixing the problems of others. On the train of Moscow, Anna meets Countess Vronskaya, who is known throughout all society as an adulteress, but finds the subject of her reputation trivial because of her old age. She is instead more focused on her son, Count Vronsky. At the station, Anna meets Count Vronsky and the attraction between the two is felt immediately. As they prepare to leave, a worker is caught beneath the train tracks and is killed. To impress Anna, Vronsky decides to give money to the deceased man's family.

In Moscow, Stiva's meets up with his friend, Konstantin Levin, who professes his love for Stiva's sister-in-law, Kitty, and seeks his advice on what to do. Levin proposes to Kitty but she refuses, believing  that a match with a handsome cavalry officer named Vronsky will be is imminent. Levin then goes to visit his elder brother, Nikolai, who has abandoned all the grandeur of the aristocracy for the life of a poor man. He takes a prostitute as his wife and bids that Levin should do the same and marry one of the peasants working on his estate. Drained by these events, Levin returns to his country estate.

Anna convinces Dolly to take Stiva back. At the ball, Kitty truly earns her title as the "Belle of St. Petersburg Society", looking radiant in white, until Anna shows up, dressed in black. Kitty must dance with the men in her dance card, while Anna and Vronsky dance the night away, upsetting Kitty. Anna notices this and decides to leave feeling that she has upstaged Kitty. Anna boards a train back to St. Petersburg and at a rest meets Vronsky who boldly declares his love for her. Anna tells him that can not be together and but Vronsky will not take no for an answer. Vronsky begins appearing wherever Anna does. During a soiree held by Princess Betsy, people are abuzz with gossip and Anna and Vronsky. Vronsky begins to flirt openly with Anna and these interactions are seen by Karenin, who warns Anna not to give people a reason to talk. Anna denies the rumors and shortly afterward meets Vronsky at a hotel and they make love.

Anna and Vronsky are staying at a country estate when Anna tells Vronsky that she is pregnant with his child. At the horse races, Vronsky suffers a fall from his horse causing Anna to scream in shock, this reveals the true nature of their relationship to the whole of society. Karenin takes his wife home where she confesses to him that she is indeed Vronsky's lover. Vronsky demands that she and Karenin divorce but Karenin does not allow her to and knowing the consequences tells him that they will find a way.

Levin returns to Moscow where Stiva urges him to propose to Kitty again, since a match between her a Vronsky is not out of the question, but Levin is hesitant considering what happened last time. He leaves to his summer estate and spends his days out of the fields, helping his men plow the land. One morning, before work has started, he catches a glimpse of Kitty with her head out of the window in a carriage, looking serene and angelic. They are then reunited at Stiva's house where they profess their love for each other. They marry.

Karenin catches wind that Vronsky has been at his house despite what Karenin has said about him not being allowed to be there. He searches through Anna's desk and finds love letters. He declares that he will divorce her and take away her son. While staying at Stiva's place, Karenin receives a letter stating that Anna is dying in childbirth. She begs his forgiveness and berates Vronsky for being nothing like Karenin. He readily forgives her, asking her to forgive him for the way he treated her. Anna survives but immediately returns Vronsky.

One day, Levin returns home to discover that his brother, Nikolai, is sick and is being nursed by his prostitute wife. Levin is quick to banish the fallen woman believing that Kitty will be outraged to be in such a woman's presence but on the contrary, Kitty goes to nurse Nikolai alongside Masha. Levin comes to realize that Kitty has indeed grown up and that innocent love can bloom into something more.

Anna decides to go the opera despite Vronsky's warnings. At the opera, attendees look at her in disgust and one of the atendees makes publicly insults Anna and leave and Anne begins to understand that society does not accept her. Anna remains composed for the rest of the opera but cries upon returning back to the hotel. Vronsky is able to sooth Anna with a mixture of laudanum and water. The next day Anna has lunch at a restaurant but is ignored by everyone except Dolly. When Anna sees Vronsky being picked up by Princess Sorokhina, she loses her grip on reality and she kills herself by throwing herself in front of a train screaming "OH GOD FORGIVE ME"

Levin returns home in the rain to find Kitty giving their newborn son a bath. Kitty asks him what is, and Levin cradling his baby boy in his arms looks at her, with tears in his eyes.Stiva and his family eat with Levin and Kitty, and Stiva looking weary and sad, goes outside lights a cigarette, mourning the loss of his sister.

Karenin is seen enjoying a book in the meadow where Serozha and Anna's illegitimate child, Anya, playing among the daisies growing in the field. It ends with a wide shot, it is revealed that the field is on a theater stage where the film began. Thus the whole film's concept of the Russian aristocracy living their lives as if on a stage.

I give 3.5/5 and ma femme, who also saw the movie, gives it a 2/5. Oh what a surprise, Keira Knightley in another period piece... but we here at Gatchina Palace love her it. ABSOLUTELY AMAZING VISUALS. Wright's decision to stage the movie on a play didn't disturb me as it did ma femme and I thought it LOOKED beautiful. Costumes were great and I believe whole heartedly that they deserve the Academy Award and NOT Snow White's and the Hunstman - sorry Kristen Stewart fans. Story wise: Meh. Anna Karenina is comprised of two stories; love coming together with Kitty and Levin and love falling apart with Anna, Karenin and Vronsky. Kitty and Vronsky's story paled in comparison to Anna's so I wasn't particularly attracted to either character (although I'll admit that their love confession was undeniably cute). Another Keira Knightley with a similar theme of adultery is The Duchess which I prefer to this movie because unlike the Duchess where Knightley's husband cheated on her and raped her, Karenin was a good guy and I, being recently engaged and everything, do not like adulterers who cheat because they are just bored. I thought Jude Law was great in the role and added a depth to the character to Karenin that I couldn't get from reading the book. In short, this movie is for those artistically inclined than the average movie goer.

Les Miserables

Les Miserables is a 2012 film based on hit musical by Claude-Michel Schonberg and Alan Boublil, which in itself is based on the 1862 novel by the same name by Victor Hugo, directed by Tom Hooper.

Hugh Jackman as Jean Valjean

Russell Crowe as Javert

Anne Hathaway as Fantine

Amanda Seyfried as Cosette

Eddie Redmayne as Marius

Samantha Barks as Eponine

In 1815, convict Jean Valjean is released on parole by prison guard Javert after serving a 19 year sentences, 5 years for stealing a loaf of bread and the rest for repeatedly attemting to escape. Valjean is taken in by the Bishop of Digne but steals his silver during the night. When he is caught by the authorities, instead of condemning Valjean, the bishop lies and says that he gave the silver to Valjean. This act of kindness causes Valjean to turn away from his life of crime for a more honest one.

Eight years later, Jean Valjean, under a new name, is a factory owner and mayor of a small town. One of his workers by the name of Fantine, works so that she can pay for the upkeep of her illegitimate daughter, Cosette. Once her secret is exposed, Fantine is fired by the foreman. With the Thenardiers, whose care Cosette is under while Fantine is away working, demanding ever more money, Fantine sells her hair, two of her teeth and eventually resorts to prostitution to pay for her Cosette's upbringing. During an argument with a customer, Fantine is arrested by Javert but Valjean intercedes.

Later, Valjean learns that another man has been identified as the "real" Jean Valjean. Unable to condemn an innocent man, Valjean reveals his true identity to the court before going to the hospital to see a dying Fantine. He promises the woman that he will care for her daughter as if she were his own and Fantine dies peacefully knowing that her daughter is in safe hands. After escaping from Javert, Valjean visits the Thenardier's to collect Cosette, who has been abused under their hands while their daughter, Eponine, is spoiled, after paying a hefty bill to get her. 

Nine years later, General Lamarque, a general popular with public for his sympathies with the poor is dying. Enjolras, a student, begins to talk of revolution with the street urchin, Gavroche, and his friend, Marius Pontmercy. One day Marius catch a glimpse of Cosette, now a beautiful young woman, and is immediately smitten. He employs the service of his friend, Eponine, to help him find Cosette, not realizing that Eponine herself is in love with Marius. During an attempt to rob Valjean's house, Jean Valjean believes that Javert has discovered his hiding place and he decides to flee with Cosette to England. Heartbroken at Cosette's departure, Marius decides to join the fight. Javert poses as a revolutionary to spy on them but is spotted by Gavroche. During a gunfight, Eponine saves Marius's life by taking a bullet for him. She professes her love to him before she dies.

Valjean discovers Marius's letter of love to Cosette and is determined to save him from death. After saving Enjolras from a sniper, Valjean is accepted into the revolutionary ranks and is allowed the honor of executing Javert. Valjean instead frees Javert much to the confusion of Javert. With dawn, the students realize that the Parisians will not join their cause and prepare for the final battle. Enjolras and the rest of the students are kille. Marius is saved byValjean, who carries him through the sewers. At the end of the tunnel however Valjean is confronted by Javert. Conflicted by Valjean's generosity and his duty, Javert kills himself.

 Marius is reunited with Cosette and the two are set to be married. Knowing that as
long as he is with them he is placing them in danger, Valjean decides to leave. At the wedding of Cosette and Marius, the Thenardier crash the party and threaten to reveal the identity of Valjean to everyone. Monsieur Thernardier shows Marius a ring as proof of Valjean's terrible past not realizing that the ring is actually Marius's. Marius and Cosette rush over to the church where Valjean is dying and spend his last moments with him. Valjean is led by Fantine to heaven and is joined by Eponine, Enjolras and Gavroche.

I give this movie a 4.5/5. An absolutely stunning movie with amazing visuals and spectacular cast. I came into this movie with the mindset that it was a good way to pass time (I read the story in my formative teen years) with my best friend and that Russell Crowe was a terrible singer. Both turned out to be false. Yes, Russell Crowe is not the best singer in the world but he gets the movie along. But no, the movie was fantastic.  Someone who particularly stood out to me was Anne Hathaway who somehow managed to make me cry every time she appeared, I was literally bawling in the theater, gripping as tightly as I could on my best friend's hand when she sang "I dreamed a dream" and "Come to me". I'm happy to learn that she has just been nominated for best supporting actress at the 85th Academy Awards, she surely does deserves it. Shoutouts to Samantha Barks as Eponine, Amanda Seyfried as Cosette and Eddit Redmayne as Marius. For me, Aaron Tveit as Enjolras was the much better hearthrob which is in no way Redmayne's fault and more the fact that I have never particularly liked Marius. Tveit was handsome and charismatic, which is perfect in my book. My one gripe with the movie is Javert's suicide scene. Now the movie did seemed a bit rushed to me as the books seems to play things out a bit longer but I was perfectly fine with it through most of the film. However, Javert's suicide was something I couldn't get into, it seemed rush. And of top of that, when Javert falls to his death you hear this horrible snapping sound that completely took me out of the movie and in that moment the film lost its artistic viewpoint and I just did not like that, it was not poetic. Otherwise, a very good movie and I would tell you to get to the theaters as fast as you can......but make sure you bring a box of tissues with you!

The Queen's Lover

The Queen's Lover is a 2012 novel written by Francine du Plessix Gray on the relationship between Axel von Fersen and Queen Marie Antoinette of France.

 Axel von Fersen first met, the then, Dauphine Marie Antoinette when they were both 18 at a masque ball in Paris. It was Fersen's first sojourn in Paris and he took full advantage of his stay in the most vibrant city in all of Europe, absorbing all the knowledge he could in sexuality and otherwise. He first learns about Marie Antoinette's, or Toinette as he called her, troubled marriage to Louis-August, about the first seven years of their marriage being unconsummated. When Fersen next sees Toinette, she is pregnant with her first child, Marie Therese. The two grow close to one another.

The Fersens come from a line of well bred, handsome courtiers. Axel von Fersen the Elder, much loved by all of his children, was best known as a politician and a Francophile one at that. Sophie, Axel's favorite sibling, entered into an unhappy marriage to Adolf Ludwig Piper but later found the love of her life in Evert Taube. After having fallen in love with Marie Antoinette, Fersen has determined that he will never marry as he can never be with the one he truly loves. The Swedish King that Fersen serves under is none other than Gustavus III of Sweden, whose great deeds as an Enlightened Despot were overshadowed by his long inability to consummate his marriage to his wife, Sophia Magdelena of Denmark that he required Adolf Frederik Munck to do it for him and beget the future Gustav IV of Sweden.

Eager to for action, Fersen signed himself up to help the French forces in the American Revolution. Upon his return, he and Marie Antoinette consummate their love for each other. Louis may or may not be aware of their affair but in any case, the King of France forms a deep friendship with the Swedish diplomat. Nine months after Fersen's visit to Versailles during a European tour with Gustavus III, Marie Antoinette gives birth to her second son, Louis-Charles, sparking Fersen to come to the conclusion that the boy might in fact be his.

Marie Antoinette's name is dragged through the mud after the Diamond Necklace Affair and the French people come to hate the woman that they once adored. The French Revolution began in the spring of 1789. In 1790, after the French royal family is moved to the Tuileries is Fersen forced to admit that the French monarchy was hopeless so long as the family was held captive in Paris. Despite his intense love for the Queen, Fersen finds comfort in other women and has many lovers on the side. Fersen is instrumental in the writing of the Brunswick Manifesto and played a leading role in the Flight to Varennes, which would have succeeded had things gone according to his plan. His beloved Marie Antoinette is executed on October 16, 1793.

Gustav III of Sweden dies on March 29, 1792 after being shot on the 16th. During the regency of the Duke Charles of Södermanland, Fersen was in disgrace. Gustav IV Adolf reached his majority in 1796 and Fersen is welcomed back to court, just in time for Gustav's marriage to Frederica of Baden. Gustav IV is deposed in 1809 and the Riksdag begins searching for a King. A popular candidate for the position was the Danish Prince Charles August and when the new Crown Prince died suddenly in 1810, many people blame it on Axel von Fersen and his sister. Fersen is killed by the mob on June 20, 1810. A few months later, he is cleared of any suspicion in the prince's death.

I give this book a 1/5.While reading this piece of historical fiction, I felt that  Du Plessix Gray didn't really know what kind of book she was writing. The story is presented as Axel von Fersen's memoirs with snippets added in by his younger sister, Sophie Piper but was so detailed that it seemed more to me like a biography on Marie Antoinette. The many sex scenes in this novel is the only dramatic aspect in the book and even they are awkwardly detailed and out of place. The image of Axel von Fersen that Du Plessix Gray portrays is an unlikable character who constantly professes his love for a woman yet flagrantly cheats on her many times. There are far better historical fiction novels you can read on Marie Antoinette and Axel von Fersen and there are far better biographies on Marie Antoinette and Axel von Fersen. Don't waste your time on it.

The Kingmaker's Daughter

The Kingmaker's Daughter is a 2012 historical novel written by Philippa Gregory on the life of Anne Neville, Queen of England 

Isabella and Anne Neville are attending the coronation of the Edward IV's new queen, Elizabeth Woodville, who we wed in direct opposition of his chief adviser, their Father, Richard Neville. Influenced by his wife, Edward dismisses his old advisers and places his new in-laws in positions of power, upsetting the Neville family who view the new queen as a upstart. Seeking powerful family alliances for the Rivers family, Elizabeth  breaks the engagement between Isabella and George, Duke of Clarence and Anne and Richard, Duke of Gloucester. In direct opposition to Elizabeth Woodville, and in turn the King, Warwick marries Isabella to the King's second brother and stages a rebellion.Warwick defeats the King's forces and executes John and Richard Woodville, Father and brother to the Queen,  proving himself worthy of his nickname of "The Kingmaker".

It soon became apparent that Warwick could not rule without the King and so in September 1469, Edward VI was released from Middleham Castle.Warwick is forced to flee to France and on the stormy ridden boat ride there, Isabella goes into premature labor and gives birth to a stillborn son. While staying at the court of King Louis XI of France., Warwick begins making dealings with Margaret of Anjou to put Henry VI back on the English throne. To this end, Anne is married to Margaret's son, Edward of Westminster, in 1470. Realizing that he will never be king this way, George defects from Warwick's cause and allies himself with his brother. Warwick departs France to reclaim the throne for the Lancaster cause, leaving Anne to be raised by the she-wolf Margaret.

The Battle of Barnet sees the end of the Kingmaker and he is killed in battle. Margaret and Edward of Westminster return to England with additional forces in hopes of finishing what Warwick started but they too fall prey to the might of Edward IV. Edward of Westminster perishes in the battle of Tewkesbury and Margaret of Anjou is taken prisoner in the Tower. With her Father dead and her Mother in hiding, Anne is left practically orphaned. The King's younger brother, Richard, takes her and places her in the household of Isabella, who is on the winning side this time.

George wanted to keep Anne in his care in order to retain the entire Warwick fortune which would be halved upon Anne's marriage to another. It was under these conditions that Richard began to court Anne. They married on July 12, 1472, despite what others may say, for love. Their only child, Edward of Middleham, a year later. Isabella, herself, was blessed with three children: Margaret, Edward and Richard. Following Richard's birth, Isabella died under mysterious circumstances (the boy dying only a few months after his birth). Edward blames Isabella's death on witchcraft and accuses a woman by the name of Ankarette - who he believes is under the control of Queen Elizabeth Woodville - of poisoning his wife and she is executed for her crimes. George had the folly of plotting against the King once again and he was executed for treason in 1478 on his own terms - drowning in a butt of Malmsey wine.

On April 9, 1783, Edward IV dies and his son by Elizabeth Woodville becomes Edward V of England. To stop the Woodvilles from claiming the regency, Richard kidnaps the Prince and holds him hostage in the tower, later collecting Edward's younger brother as well. The Duke of Gloucester disinherits the two boys by declaring the marriage of Edward IV and Elizabeth Woodville null and void. Richard crowns himself King of England, making Anne the Queen. The princes in the tower mysteriously go missing - although Richard is not to blame. Anne and Richard's only child, Edward, dies later that month. After the death of her son, Anne loses the will to live.

Upon hearing that Elizabeth Woodville has made an alliance with Margaret Beaufort, whose son, Henry Tudor, is the senior Lancastrian claimant to the English throne, the former Queen and her eldest daughter, Elizabeth of York, are permitted to return to court. Richard begins a flirtatious relationship with the young York girl to discredit the match and rumors has it that he will marry her as soon as Anne has died. He denies this of but their relationship may not have been innocent as he claims it to be.

Anne died on March 16, 1485.

I give this book a 3/5. As someone who was interested in the tumultuous life of Anne Neville and there by little work done of this lost Queen of England, I decided to give this book a shot. It was a good book albeit rather slow but it had no discernible traits. Gregory does a good job at portraying the hatred felt by the Neville girls and the York boys (save the King) for Elizabeth Woodville. Overall it's a good book but it won't be on the top of your to-read list unless you're specifically interested in the War of the Roses and Anne Neville.

A Royal Affair

A Royal Affair is a 2012 historical drama film directed by Nikolaj Arcel on the affair between Queen Caroline Mathilde of Denmark and Johann von Struensee.

At the Berlin Film Fesitval, Mikkel Følsgaard won the Silver Bear for Best Actor and Nikolaj Arcel and Rasmus Heisterberg won the award for Best Script.

A Royal Affair is Denmark's submission for the 85th Academy Award's Best Foreign Language Film

Mads Mikkelsen as Johann von Struensee

Alicia Vikander as Queen Caroline Mathilde

Mikkel Følsgaard as Christian VII of Denmark

A Royal Affair is based on the 1999 Swedish novel "The Royal Physcian's Visit"

I give this book a 4.5/5. None of the actors in the movie particularly looked like the people they were portraying but that didn't matter because.....Mads Mikkelsen was FABULOUS. He could not have been more perfect in his role as Struensee. Mikk Folsgaard was amazing as Christian VII, absolutely nailing the disturbed king down to a tee. Alicia Vikander made a good Caroline Matilda but she was far eclipsed by the two male leads. The only complaint I had with the movie was when Dowager Queen Julianne Marie stormed into Christian's room; the scene in the movie was rather calm but I was expecting pandemonium.All in all, a fantastic film and I wholeheartedly recommend it to everyone even if you're not a monarchist.

On a lighter note, since watching this movie I have fallen in love with the Danish language and, though I can not speak the language, annoy everyone I know by pretending that I do.