Their adaptability and absolute determination is an overlooked aspect of the wars of the roses, and sarah gristwood is to be congratulated for her highly readable account of their lives. In this completely original book, sarah gristwood sheds light on a neglected dimension of english. She was born in kent and educated at st annes college, oxford. The events of the wars of the roses are usually described in. Blood sisters is an engaging, well written, and thoroughlyresearched page turner that should delight academics as much as fans of philippa gregorys historical novels about several of the same notable women. Alison weir, bbc history magazine once again, sarah gristwood proves that she is at the top of her field with blood sisters. Sarah gristwood books list of books by author sarah gristwood. The hidden lives of the women behind the wars of the roses, which i have been wanting to read for ages. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Blood sisters by author sarah gristwood aims to tell readers the true story of the cousins wars the wars of the roses from the point of view of the women involved. Sarah gristwood is an english journalist and author. Gristwood successfully evokes the lives of all these women, and in doing so brings a new and welcome perspective on the wars of the roses a very agreeable narrative dan jones, sunday. Gristwood s sensitive approach marks out blood sisters as much more than the narrative of an age.
Follow the links to find details of sarahs books, biog, latest news and contact details. It is an exploration of what it was to be a medieval queen a compelling portrait of this bloody age, complete with the heartbreak and triumphs that went with it. Vivacious and absorbing gristwood is a mistress of the trivial detail that enthrals the sunday times well researched and stimulating evening standard fresh, vivid and. Jul 11, 2019 given that im still on a postvacation high, i decided to start going through the englishhistory books in my tbr list. In this gem of a book, she effortlessly interweaves the dramatic, often tragic, lives of seven royal women. It records the highprofile exploits of the heroines already mentioned. Alison weirthe wars of the roses, which tore apart the ruling plantagenet family in.
The brilliant book is a collective biography of seven. The events of the wars of the roses are usually described in terms of the men involved. It is an exploration of what it was to be a medieval queen. The book starts out with a few situations that seem a little too coincidental and had me questioning where this story was going but as i continued to. Gristwood has written a compelling narrative of what went on behind the scenes and away from the battlefields. Librarything is a cataloging and social networking site for booklovers. In this completely original book, acclaimed author sarah gristwood sheds light on a neglected dimension of. Wed love you to buy this book, and hope you find this page convenient in locating a place of purchase. Contents title page list of illustrations map simplified family tree a note on names reigns prologue part one. Marguerite of anjou, the strong, frenchborn queen who had to endure a humiliating return to france after her spineless husband was muscled out of the throne after the yorkist victory at towton. It is, she says about the cunning and courage of seven. Blood sisters book vaughan public libraries bibliocommons.
Sarah gristwoods book, blood sisters looks at the lives and reputations of seven key women who lived through the tumultuous and deadly years of the cousins war in c15th england and who changed the course of our national story by their actions. The real achievement of gristwoods book is to take what material we have and develop a more nuanced analysis. The women behind the wars of the roses by gristwood, sarah isbn. Sarah gristwood really has created something that those new to the time period, or who are familiar with it like me will enjoy. Several became queen, several didnt, all were at the mercy of the wheel of fortune. As a journalist she has written for a number of british papers, including the times, the guardian and the telegraph. Gristwoods sensitive approach marks out blood sisters as much more than the. Jun 29, 2017 blood sisters by jane corry is a gripping, surprising, complex, and a suspenseful psychological thriller novel that had me totally engaged, entertained, and interested throughout the whole book. Of course if you are looking for a fictionalized account of the seven women covered in this book blood sisters is not the book. Sarah gristwood books list of books by author sarah. The true story of the white queen and more, this is a thrilling history of the extraordinary noblewomen who lived through the wars of the roses. Blood sisters the women behind the wars of the roses.
Blood sisters by sarah gristwood, 9780007309306, available at book depository with free delivery worldwide. Biographer sarah gristwood leaves no doubt of her intent in the prologue to blood sisters. Richard duke of york, henry vi, edward iv, richard iii and henry vii. Welcome to the website of sarah gristwood bestselling tudor biographer, novelist, broadcaster, former film journalist and commentator on royal affairs. Read blood sisters the women behind the wars of the roses by sarah gristwood available from rakuten kobo. Sarah gristwood the events of the wars of the roses are usually described in terms of men involved. Blood sisters the hidden lives of the women behind the wars of the roses by sarah gristwood.
The series of dynastic conflicts that tore apart the ruling plantagenet family in fifteenthcentury england was truly a domestic drama, as fraught and intimate as any family feud before or since. In this book sarah gristwood attempts to follow the tangled lives of the women at the heart of the conflicts, all loosely related and within one generation of each other. Blood sisters is a good title for this book, it is not an academic work but gristwood does attempt to analyse the emotions behind the cousins war. This wasnt a period of english history that i heard much of in my trip, apart from read more blood sisters by sarah gristwood. The women behind the wars of the roses paperback march 4, 2014 by sarah gristwood author visit amazons sarah gristwood page. It would be tragic if those stories were lost to us. Gristwood allows several great matriarchs to take center stage between the vying for power by lancastrians and yorkists. The women were simultaneously bound and divided by blood, they could not ride to war but they fought in their own way. The women behind the wars of the roses by sarah gristwood. The brilliant book is a collective biography of seven women who were at the centre of events in the latter 1400s. Buy blood sisters by sarah gristwood from waterstones today. For viewers who plan to settle in with the white queen, one recent work of history will guide them through the distaff maze of the wars of the roses. The women behind the wars of the roses is a fascinating joint biography of seven of the most prominent women in fifteenth century england.
A compelling portrait of this bloody age, complete with the heartbreak and triumphs that went with it. Blood sisters by sarah gristwood overdrive rakuten. Blood sisters ebook by sarah gristwood rakuten kobo. But its the limitations of the womens power that come through most clearly in gristwoods book. Blood sisters by sarah gristwood boyd tonkin, independent in this gem of a book, she effortlessly weaves the dramatic, often tragic, lives of seven royal women. Gristwoods sensitive approach marks out blood sisters as much more than the narrative of an age it is an exploration of what it meant to be a medieval queen it is an exploration of what it meant to be a medieval queen. A richly drawn, absorbing epic, blood sisters is a tale of hopeful births alongside bloody deaths, of romance as well as brutal pragmatism. The hidden lives of the women behind the wars of the roses by sarah gristwood book resume. Blood sisters, sarah gristwood february 21, 2014 october 28, 2015 girl with her head in a book the women behind the war of the roses have been enjoying something of a resurge in popularity in recent years, in part due to the dubious writing talents of philippa gregory which brought the white queen to the small screen last year. Feb 26, 20 a richly drawn, absorbing epic, blood sisters is a tale of hopeful births alongside bloody deaths, of romance as well as brutal pragmatism. It is a fiery history of queens, the perils of power and of how the wars of the roses were ended not by knights in battle, but. The true story of the white queen and more, this is a thrilling history of the. Blood sisters the women behind the wars of the roses book. Biographer and journalist sarah gristwood attended oxford university and is the author of seven books, including the bestselling arbella and elizabeth and.
Gristwood blood sisters the hidden lives of the women behind the wars of the roses. It is an exploration of what it meant to be a medieval queen. Blood sisters is an engaging, well written, and thoroughlyresearched page turner that. Cecily neville, who would lose her husband but see her brilliant son prevail as edward iv. Blood sisters, sarah gristwood girl with her head in a book. Blood sisters book the indianapolis public library.
Richard, duke of york, henry vi, edward iv and henry vii. Find all the books, read about the author, and more. Biographer gristwood the girl in the mirror, 2012, etc. Feb 28, 20 blood sisters by sarah gristwood, 9780007309306, available at book depository with free delivery worldwide. In this gem of a book, she effortlessly interweaves the dramatic. She has written historical biographies as well as fiction, and has contributed to television documentaries.
She was born in kent and educated at st annes college, oxford as a journalist she has written for a number of british papers, including the times. To contemporaries, the wars of the roses were known collectively as a. Blood sisters hardcover the women behind the wars of the roses. The women behind the wars of the roses blood sisters is the thrilling history of the noblewomen who endured the wars of the roses. A richly drawn, absorbing epic, blood sisters reveals how women helped to end the wars of the roses, paving the way for the tudor ageand the creation of modern england. Gristwoods sensitive approach marks out blood sisters as much more than the narrative of an age. The true story of the white queen and more, this is a thrilling history of the extraordinary. A gem of a book enlivened by incisive analysis, exquisite detail and an. If you treat yourself to one history book this christmas, make it this one. Given that im still on a postvacation high, i decided to start going through the englishhistory books in my tbr list. Gristwood focuses on seven different women, all of whom had their part to play in this reallife game of thrones. Luckily, sarah gristwood has released blood sisters, a wonderful book that combats all things gregory and should be required reading if youre interested in the hmm, it seems kind of weird that a devout christian woman would be practicing witchcraft. It is a story of how women, and the power that women could wield, helped to end the wars of the roses, paving the way for the tudor ageand the creation of modern england.
The women behind the wars of the roses kindle edition by sarah gristwood author visit amazons sarah gristwood page. From bestselling historian, sarah gristwood comes the true story be. Click and collect from your local waterstones or get free uk delivery on orders over. Sarah gristwood this is the story of the women who gave birth to the tudor dynasty. The hidden lives of the women behind the wars of the roses.
The series of dynastic conflicts that tore apart the ruling plantagenet family. If your major source of knowledge about the wars of the roses was either shakespeares plays, philippa gregory novels, or modern tv shows like the tudors, you will gain a much richer and more nuanced background by reading sarah gristwoods blood sisters. Blood sisters by jane corry is a gripping, surprising, complex, and a suspenseful psychological thriller novel that had me totally engaged, entertained, and interested throughout the whole book. To contemporaries, the wars of the roses were known collectively as a cousins war.
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