A little slow at first, I eventually got wrapped up in the story of Henry VIII's mother, Elizabeth. I loved the way the book characterized her uncle, Richard, and the mystery of her two brothers who were murdered at his orders in the Tower of London .... or were they? The mystery continues. I love reading about the kings and queens of England written by many different authors. Each has a different slant. I think this was well worth ready and I'll probably ready other of her books. Within the Hollow Crown is a marvelous reinterpretation of Richard II. Ms. Campbell attempts to portray the King as a man who fell deeply in love with his wife Anne, after they wed. This love allowed Richard to bring peace to his realm and attempt to restore England to financial solvency, after decades of brutal taxation to fund glamorous foreign wars. Tragically, his beloved is taken from him. Without the strength and stability Queen Anne provided the King, he gradually--albeityy unawares--became consumed by his repressed rage. Slowly Richard cut himself off from any joy and possible pleasure companionship might have brought. A deep melancholy ultimately consumed him, yet he continued to rationalize to himself his actions as not only justifiable, but wholly unavoidable. Still, he knowingly allowed his lust for revenge to potentially expose himself to eternal damnation, forever depriving himself of being reunited with his beloved Anne, in the afterlife. Ms. Campbell attempts to examine what she suggests is a misunderstood reign by portraying Richard II as a victim of his upbringing and circumstances. His downfall is presented as a consequence of losing the one person he loved most--Anne--and by the gradual betrayal and/or death of his most trusted friends, allies and advisors. Once stripped of all he held dear, the King's moral compass failed him and his downfall became inevitable.Kudos to Ms. Campbell for writing a marvelous reexamination of a monarch so frequently reviled down through the ages. While this book was written more than half a century ago, the author seems to have been decades ahead of her time. Usage of contemporary psychological evaluation of how and why a person is shaped by their childhood and life altering events presents a more understanding portrait of Richard II. To me, her work also serves to heighten the tragedy of what might have been...
What do You think about The Tudor Rose (2009)?
A good read that kept me moving but very predictable. I felt I could predict the next storyline.
—louise
Being re-released in paperback from Sourcebooks, September 2009!
—shahab
