Another great book by this author
This authors writing is exceptional and I loved it so much.
It was just a perfect historical book.

Very good. Historical fiction is my favourite genre and this book was grear. Another great book about the House of York, focusing on Cecily Neville wife of Richard of York. I like the focus on the womem.

The Queen’s Rival was an interesting read. It is told through letters with the occasional section of traditional prose.

It is a lengthy book. The style of narration meant you noticed that length: events weren’t high-paced and full of tension when it is correspondence between Duchess Cecily and her acquaintances – usually various members of her family. It’s also set across a number of decades, with events clustered in certain times of note.

It is an interesting read. It’s a time period I know little about, despite the turmoil of that time. Interest in this era is essential to enjoy the book: there’s no fast-paced battles or scheming that you’re witness to, only their consequences as Cecily responds to changing circumstances and allegiances.

One of my main confusions was the changing of names throughout the book. As characters were granted land and their titles changed, they’d be referred to by their new title. There were a few chapters where it took me a second reading to work out who they were talking about.

This is a book of scheming and politics; ambition and loyalty. Family struggles are at its heart as one woman tries to keep both her family and the country together as events tear them apart. You view all of the players through Cecily’s eyes, which colours your perspective on who is in the right and wrong.

While not a hard read in terms of context, it’s not the easiest due to the style. I’m glad to have read it, however, and overall enjoyed the book.

The Plantagenets and Tudors are my first love in historical fiction, and I seem to be reading more Anne O’Brien books lately. I like how she tells a story from the woman’s perspective. This is a side of the story that we rarely hear from in the real history books - men wrote them, and many women weren’t encouraged to read and write (I’m very sure some did, by the way!).

I liked the way this was set out: from the letters between characters, to the fictional England’s Chronicle (which had some great sarcastic comments).

Cecile Neville, Duchess of York, was Edward IV and Richard III’s mother. She lived through some pretty turbulent times, and must have feared for her own and the lives of her children on several occasions. But she always remained true to her husband and their belief that they were the true rulers of the realm. What a time to have lived!

The emotions were so well conveyed, the historical information so well explained, and it never felt like a history lesson. Just a really great read!

Anne O'Brien has tackled in this novel a woman, Cecelia Neville who the world has not known about, she was the wife to Richard of York and mother to two kings,Edward and Richard and she lived a long and eventful life. This brings to life the events that happened in 1459. King Henry the Sixth was a weak and probably unstable King who is shorne up with the macinations of his Queen who in reality rules the land. Cecelia at the beginning of the novel is plotting with her husband to overthrow the King, but things go badly and her husband and son after a battle and further adventures are killed and lands that she has inherited are fofeited and she is imprisoned for her treason. The novel follows through the medium of letters to her sisters who at times agree and at other times are at odds but the story gathers pace and we learn how women. especially of Cecilia Neville's standing are mere pawns in those times. Cecilia raises one son and two are brought up across the water in safety, but she is shocked as these favourite sons who loved each other as children slowly plot against themselves and there are mixed loyalties and betrayals. How she copes and stays strong is clearly written, but for all her plotting and advice her family is driven apart. Those who study history will know the tale so well but this novel makes one feel right in the fifteenth century coping with powerful men and their plans.

This is the story of Cecily Neville, wife of Richard, Duke of York, mother of Edward IV. A woman powerful enough to be the rival of a queen, whose husband might have taken the throne from Henry VI - and whose son did.

Writing historical biographical fiction is a challenge, I think, because the author is so constrained by the events of a life, And with a figure as important as Cecily, that's quite a life. Shoehorning the messy facts of a person's life into the structure a novel needs doesn't always end up as a good fit, and perhaps you need a certain amount of audacity to make it more than just facts with dialogue and description.

Anne O'Brien's a well-loved and successful author, so plenty of people must find that she does this skilfully enough to please them. For me, this book didn't quite pull it off and I felt it flagged in places. But I learned more about the period, which is a bonus. This could be a great introduction to Cecily's life for someone coming to it for the first time.

Very good. Historical fiction is my favourite genre and this book hit the spot. About the House of York, focusing on Cecily Neville wife of Richard of York, it is written in a series of letters.

I loved the way that the story of Cecily, Duchess of York was told through the War of the Roses.
Told through letters, diary entries, recipes and prayers, to name just a few.

Most of this is told from Cecily's point of view but due to being told through letters, we get to read what is motivating some of the people that she is in correspondence with.

If you don't know much about the WOTR, this would be a nice book to read to give an introduction to some of the key players.

1459, Cecily Neville, Duchess of York is a matriarch at the heart of the Wars of the Roses. Her husband has his eyes on the crown but family feuding and political necessity lead to civil war...
The Queen's Rival is an historical novel covering the years 1459 to 1483 as the Yorkist faction attempts to seize and then hold power in England. But once they have the Crown, can they keep it?
Cecily is a marvellous character, quick witted and sharp tongued. She is highly conscious of her family's honour, scathing in her attitude to her enemies with a wonderfully antagonistic relationship with one of her sisters, struggling to cope with the fears and angst at the behaviour of her children.
Anne O'Brien has done a fabulous job of bringing Cecily and her machinations to life. The plot is delivered through multiple means including letters, personal commentary, prayers and scurrilous news reports. It took me a little while to settle into the narrative structure but then I was completely hooked.
Cecily appears multi dimensional and therefore more realistic and human: a wife, a mother, a sister as well as a woman in her own right. Her letters are so personal and have a modern edge which means they lose their authentic historic tone, however this makes her more easy to identify with for a modern audience.
The book doesn't shy away from the brutality of war and the civil and personal unrest that pitted family members against each other. However, it is the personal element that shines as Cecily responds and reacts to events. The personal and political cannot be separated in this world where families fight for rival factions to the death. Knowledge of the era does not impinge on the enjoyment of the plot developments as they are skilfully handled by the author.
The Queen's Rival is a wonderful testament to an unforgettable woman.

Readers familiar with the era now known as the War of the Roses will love this novel, I believe. Told to a large extent in sequences of letters sent by – and to – Cecily, Duchess of York, The Queen's Rival is a very intimate insight into the intrigues, the politics, and the dirty tricks both sides used to gain the crown.

But first, who was the leading lady? Cecily of York is wife to Richard, Duke of York, claimant to the throne of England through his family line dating back to King Edward III. She is also the mother to two future kings, Edward IV and Richard III (Duke of Gloucester), the Dukes of Clarence and Rutland, and several daughters. Other children did not survive infancy. A remarkable lady who used her influence and standing to gain support for their cause.

With King Henry VI dissolving into confused madness (from a surprisingly early age onwards), the country is ruled by Queen Marguerite of Anjou, and an assortment of carefully selected barons who remain staunchly by her side. Richard, Duke of York was sidelined in his position of power by this group, and is now seeking to take power. But it soon goes awry...

In Cecily's letters to her sisters, children, magnates and the queen we get a real glimpse of a lady of some influence. She knows her station in life, and soon – after initial reluctance – agrees with her husband's plans to take the throne for himself. Her tone changes as she demands, orders, and begs, where appropriate.

Accompanying the letters flying about across England, and often into France and Burgundy (those poor messengers!), is England's Chronicle, which describes the deeds of the times. This resembles, at times, the articles from a certain Lady Whistledown in the bestselling Regency series, Bridgerton.

Ms O'Brien's narrative is very different to other novels I've read on the subject of the Wars of the Roses. It's very personal, and we get a real sense to be in the midst of all the intrigues.

In Cecily's letters, she paints a vivid picture of a woman who is often torn in her feelings, but who never forgets the ultimate goal – a York king on the throne. We applaud her when she tells her sisters to mind their own business, we feel for her breaking heart when she hears yet more news of deaths in battle – her husband and young son Edmund, Duke of Rutland – then later of the execution of Clarence after her plea with Edward for clemency. We rage with her when Clarence and the scheming Earl of Warwick, her nephew, accuse her of having cheated on her husband and given birth to an illegitimate son (the purpose of which will be clear in the story) or when Edward marries not a foreign princess but a widow with no real name to her. And we rejoice with her when she receives good news – her sons are safe, and when Edward is king. Her likes and dislikes are clearly defined.

The chronicle adds a general tone to the narrative, but as it reminded me of Lady Whistledown's musings, I felt a little catapulted out of the 15th century. But that was the only minor issue I found.

The Queen's Rival is as gripping as it is shocking in its content as it reveals the plots and the dangers faced by Cecily's family. It can't have been easy, and Ms O'Brien brought the redoubtable duchess wonderfully to life with a real sense of duty, of ambition, and of love and loss.

The ending is quite sudden, for those who are familiar with the history of the Wars of the Roses, and I did feel a little cheated at first. But in hindsight, it is a clever ploy by the author. She never doubts Cecily's loyalty to the entitlement of the House of York, and nor do we.

A very personal and captivating read that keeps you thinking about Cecily and everything she had to cope with. The Queen's Rival is a story of a remarkable lady in very volatile times. A highly recommended read.

Disclaimer: I was given a free copy in exchange for an honest review. All views are my own.

First and foremost, I applaud Anne O’Brien for tackling this topic, that of the War of the Roses, from the unique viewpoint of Cecily Neville, the Duchess of York, and I give her even more credit for presenting this book in the format that she chose. I must say, I have never read a historical novel done in this way and I was astounded at the perfection in which we are offered an insight into the minds of so many involved in this history. To be honest, I wasn’t sure at first that I was going to like reading letter entries from one character to another, a story being told this way, but after the first few, I was hooked. I think this is a remarkable way to get into a character’s mind, after all, what can be more intimate than a letter from one person to another. And then, with the smattering of news reports from the England’s Chronicle to round out the storyline and the personal messages of recipes betwixt sisters (Cecily, Anne, and Katharine), well, I think this was genius.
The story starts from the Duke of York’s rebellion against Henry VI, and his fleeing to Ireland, leaving his wife, Cecily, and their three youngest children at Ludlow Castle to face the forces of Lancaster. All told in letter form as she writes to her sisters, Anne, Duchess of Buckingham, and Katherine, Dowager Duchess of Norfolk, as well as other letters dispersed throughout between many other characters (Marguerite, Queen of England; Richard, Duke of York; etc.) From that development, we learn a great deal about Cecily’s mind set as she maneuvers her children, her sons, in an attempt to bring her husband’s wishes about in securing the throne of England under their rightful Yorkist claim.
Through this intimate way of communication, you truly delve deep into hearts and minds, and feel the passion of Cecily, not only for the royal blood she possesses but her love for her husband and her children, as well as her passionate dislikes.
I think the only thing that confused me a bit about the book is the title – “The Queen’s Rival” – Although I understood, I suppose, that Cecily was the rival of Queen Marguerite, and then eventually, in some respect, the rival as Queen Mother to her son’s wife after he became King; however, the title did not imbue, to me, what the story was truly about, that is, this brave and strong woman, Cecily, Duchess of York. Again, perhaps it was just my thoughts but that being said, the title did not at all distract from the brilliance of the story. I loved the depth and incredible research and the daring approach that Anne O’Brien took in retelling this tale in a very unique form. I highly recommend this book and give it five stars!!

Please excuse any grammatical errors, or typos. I have done my best, but in reality I am just reader. and will leave the writing to all the incredible authors out there.

This book was received from the Author, and Publisher, in exchange for an honest review. Opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are completely my own.

This is a non spoiler review, because you as reader need to read this book. Also, I feel sometimes I have in the past gave away to much of the plot line. This has diminished the pleasure for would be readers.

The Queen’s Rival By Anne O’Brien is a rewarding historical fiction experience.

An insightful look at the dramatic time of the War of The Roses seen through the eyes of Cecily, Duchess of York. The author has done an exceptional job in giving the reader a book that is written in the style of epistolary. Seamless narration in a series of letters, documents and even a recipe. This was a really creative way of to set up a novel. In a series of events Lady Cecily finds herself in a broiled plot to usurp King Henry VI from the throne. Things do not go as a planned and lady Cecily finds her family humbled and faced with the stripping of their families lands by the ruthless Queen Marguerite.

Cecile watches from her prison tower in Tonbridge Castle She is patient and bides her time. Planning her eldest son’s Edward IV, ultimate victory, with him being crowned King. This is a epic tale of one woman’s goal to have her family climb the ranks to the top through political intrigue, and align themselves to the English crown.

Her family rises and falls like the tides, as Englands endures the chaotic civil war of the Roses that takes place during the medieval fifteen century.

The author has created an engaging and memorable book, and her highly accomplished writing ensures that the reader is swept along in this dramatic historical fiction. From start to finish I was captivated by the characters. Along with a fast moving plot line, the book was a wonderful read and kept me glued to its pages.

Excited to see more from this talented author

Any serious historical fiction addict will have one or two novels by Anne O’Brien on their bookcase, and I am no exception. However, although I have a copy of Queen of the North on my bookshelf, I have never gotten around to reading it. Don’t get me wrong, I have every intention of reading it, just not yet (my to-read list is not as long as my arm, it is as long as the street I live on)!! When I was offered the chance to read Anne O’Brien's upcoming new release, I did feel a little flutter of butterflies in my stomach because I never thought I would have the privilege of reading an ARC from such a distinguished author. So naturally, I said yes! In fact, I went a little mental and texted all my friends to tell them, thank goodness they know how to humour me!!

So, what did I think? Was Anne O’Brien’s writing everything I had thought it would be? Hell, yes!! It was bloody brilliant, and I stayed up reading it until two in the morning because there was no way I was putting this baby down.

The Queen’s Rival is the story of Cecily Neville, Duchess of York’s life. For those who had no idea who she was, let me give you a quick history lesson! During the War of the Roses, or The Cousins War as it was known back then, the Plantagenet dynasty had the mother of all family arguments. I am not talking about the kind of argument one gets into with your cousin over a family dinner because they ate the last roast potato and you had your eye on it and he knew that I did (I am not at all bitter about the roast potato incident), no, this was about power, and an insatiable greed. Their war was the ultimate Game of Thrones, in fact George R. R. Martin’s series is based on this period of history. But fantasy cannot even come close to capturing the historical truth of the time. The country, well the family, split and unless you were a Stanley, you had to choose a side (the Stanleys liked to have a foot in both camps). So, imagine this era, you are either with York or Lancaster. Obviously, Cecily was a Yorkist, her title kind of gives it away, and her family were right in the thick of the action. In fact, two of her sons became king. You may have heard of them - Edward IV and Richard III. If not, where have you been? Did you miss the whole king under the carpark thing?

The Queen’s Rival is an intimate exploration of Cecily’s life. Reading this novel felt as if I had been granted a special privilege. I felt like I should be wearing white gloves as I read it - you know the kind historians wear when they handing hundreds of year old documents. I know that sounds silly, but that is how I felt. This story, Cecily’s story, is played out through letters. The letters really brought her story to life, and I thought the delivery was brilliant.

Cecily’s story is one of heartbreak and loss. It is a truly tragic story, but she is brave. So very, very brave. If you are like me and are a bit of watering pot (as my granny used to call me - she is still alive, but now she calls me Maddie because that is my name and I am no longer a child who cries because her cousin ate the last roast potato), have some tissues close to hand because you are going to need them. You are really going to need them.

The letters are fictional in the telling, but I thought Anne O’Brien demonstrated a clear understanding of the historical period. She also brought Cecily gloriously back to life. I think Cecily would have been very pleased with the way she was depicted.

I really enjoyed this novel. It was certainty a great introduction to Anne O’Brien’s writing, but it does mean that my bank account is really going to take a hint because as soon as I have finished reading Queen of the North I will be treating myself to more of Anne O’Brien’s books - just don’t tell my husband, or my Granny because she will tell me to get down the local library, and stop wasting my money. But she was never much of a reader, so she does not understand!!!

*I recieved a copy of this book from Netgalley for review consideraion.

Utterly utterly loved this book so so much! It’s written in the style of letters to and from Cecile, Dutchess of York to her sisters, sons, husband, etc etc. It’s written in a way that Cecily writes a letter, and the response follows directly after so there is no waiting for a response later on in the book (if that makes sense).

This way of setting out the book makes it easy to follow what is going on, but is also mostly hilarious - the burns! The burns!!! Ouch!!! There are many many sad and tender moments though as well. This isn’t a comedy, or funny book, but it is - the comebacks and sign off’s are just hilarious and had me saying “oooffff!!!!” out loud many many times..

Absolutely unputdownable!!

My thanks to Netgalley and HQ for the copy

Felt 'lost' through a lot of this book. A bit like being dropped in the middle of a long-going TV show and expected to know who's who, what's what, and what is going on. It thus felt very confusing, in the sense that only a history buff who knows the history and the people involved will be able to follow...which then kinda beats the purpose of the book, whereby laypeople who weren't aware of that slice of history could've discovered it

It took me a while to get into this book, but mainly because of its style. The book is written in letters from Cecily Neville to her family members, along with some reports. At first I found this quite stilting but once I got to know the characters the book really grew on me and hooked me.

It is certainly worth persevering with as it is a gripping story and very well written by Anne O’Brien as you would expect. Cecily is certainly a very strong character of the time. By the end of the book it left me wanting to know more and for the story to go on! The style of the book did demonstrate Cecily’s thoughts and feelings of events and when she was let down or betrayed by family members. Plenty of intrigue!

Overall I felt this was an excellent historical fiction book, which conveyed well the feel of the times, and captured the intrigues and plots as key characters tried to capture or influence power. Happy to recommend to lovers of historical fiction and this time period. Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for providing a copy of this book for me, for an an open and honest review.

A brilliant, well written historical novel.
The author puts so much detail in to the setting and the characters within this wonderful story, it is impossible to not find yourself fully emerged and invested in this story. I also really liked the strong link you can most definitely feel towards the war of the Roses.

A beautifully written, perfectly paced bsososk that well and truly pulled me in.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book.

You can really see the amount of research the writer undertook for this. A great book for anyone who loves historical fiction. I found this incredibly interesting, to delve deeper in to the life of a little noticed character from history, so connected to the war of the Roses. A brilliant read.

Having read six of Anne O’Brien’s previous novels, I thought I knew exactly what to expect from this one, but I was wrong. It couldn’t be more different! I’m not sure that every aspect of it really worked for me, but it’s nice to see authors trying something new now and then.

The Queen’s Rival is the story of Cecily Neville, Duchess of York, mother of Edward IV and Richard III. As a prominent member of the House of York, Cecily has an important role to play in the Wars of the Roses, yet she is often just a minor character in novels set during this period. Joanna Hickson’s Red Rose, White Rose is the only other book I’ve read which focuses specifically on Cecily, so I was keen to see how O’Brien would choose to tell her story.

The way O’Brien chooses to tell her story is through a series of letters sent between Cecily and various members of her family, as well as diary entries, prayers, recipes and articles from a (fictitious) newspaper called England’s Chronicle. From Cecily’s perspective we see all of the major events of the Wars of the Roses unfold – the attempts of her husband, the Duke of York, to claim the throne of England for himself; the events that lead to the defeat of Henry VI and to Cecily’s eldest son Edward becoming king; the controversy surrounding Edward’s marriage to Elizabeth Woodville; and finally, the end of Edward’s reign and the coronation of Cecily’s youngest son, Richard.

The epistolary format gives the story a feeling of immediacy and intimacy, especially where Cecily is exchanging letters with her sisters Anne and Katherine (both of whom also see their fortunes rise and fall several times throughout the novel). However, as all of the other O’Brien novels I’ve read have been written in ordinary prose, this change in style and structure was completely unexpected and, as I’ve said, not completely to my taste. I particularly disliked the excerpts from the Chronicle, which were written in the gossipy style of a modern tabloid newspaper, but I’m sure Anne O’Brien knew that newspapers in this form didn’t exist in the 15th century, so I do appreciate that it was intended as a bit of fun, as well as a way to provide information that might not otherwise have been available to Cecily.

Still, I did find the book entertaining overall. This is such a fascinating period of history with so much still open to debate, so many mysteries and controversies, that it never fails to interest me – although sadly, the novel ends just as Richard III is coming to the throne, so the mystery of the Princes in the Tower is not explored. Cecily herself comes across as an intelligent, politically astute woman who is loyal to her family, but without being blind to their faults. I did wonder about the title: was she a ‘rival’ to Margaret of Anjou, Henry VI’s queen, or Elizabeth Woodville, Edward IV’s queen? It could refer to either or both, I think.

Despite this probably being my least favourite Anne O’Brien book so far, I will still look forward to her next novel, The Royal Game, about the 15th century Paston family, which is due to be published later this year.

Initially I wasn't sure I was going to enjoy this novel as it is mainly written in the form of letters to either her children or siblings, however after a very short space of time I found I'd got used to it and thereafter enjoyed it.
Although her husband and children have become famous in history, Cicely is less well known and it was good to learn more about her (even a fictionalised version gives the reader some knowledge).
It isn't my favourite book by this author but I still enjoyed it and would recommend it.