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Cecily: An epic feminist retelling of the War of the Roses

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In 'Cecily', debut author Annie Garthwaite offers a vivid retelling of the first stages of the fifteenth-century Wars of the Roses, through the eyes of Cecily, Duchess of York - wife to Richard, Duke of York, mother to two kings, and one of the few major players to live through and bear witness to the entire conflict. Here we have Cecily as the centrepiece, also Jacquetta who is married to Richard Woodville the first Earl Rivers and Marguerite of Anjou who marries the hapless (or is that hopeless? This one has everything a historical novel needs: a thorough knowledge of the history and the ability to blend it into the story so the reader doesn't feel "instructed"; superb characterisation; wit; heartbreak; goood strong writing without any fake medievalisms. I think if you were unfamiliar with that period of history you may struggle a bit, but if you get through the first few chapters you're richly rewarded.

From loyalty to heart break, this novel explores so much including, the pressures to conceive (not only for yourself but your family line), the high mortality rate of children in the Middle Ages and how influential women are in history, fighting wars with words and smarts rather than swords. She was also very lucky to be married to a man who (in the author's account, anyway) respected and supported her.Cecily is one strong woman - feisty, intelligent and determined - she will stop at nothing to protect her own. Velvet on velvet… It seems the scents of an Italian summer are trapped in its folds, or that, by some magic, the tiny marguerites patterned in its alternating depths carry the perfume of true flowers. Only when her daughter Anne tells her that she doubts that she misses her father at all, does Cicely reveal the bitterness of her loss, “the missing of Richard that will never be done.

Although, at certain points I do feel like the author inserted Cecily in situations where the players were other people and in which she played no part to give her greater agency eg Cardinal Beaufort’s intercession for Jacquetta, the various meetings RoY held with his stewards and war council… etc. At home, power-hungry men within a corrupt government manipulate a weak king – and name Cecily’s husband, York’s loyal duke, an enemy. It made sense as there were many times when Cecily seemed obtuse towards him, not trying to understand the situation from his POV. This was a time when the sons and daughters of noble houses were married in childhood in pursuit of dynastic alliances, although such marriages may not be consummated until some years later.

I have no complaints about how the Irish situations was portrayed and these segments (though too few) were my absolute favourite parts. Eleanor Talbot’s presence and beauty is emphasised in clear foreshadowing of the pre-contract story.

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