Regina: The Queens Who Could Have Been
What queens would England have had if firstborn daughters, not firstborn sons, had inherited the throne?
Princesses?
We may think of princesses as dutiful, marital conveniences to build alliances, wearing long flowing dresses, but the eldest daughters of kings were different. Political intriguers. Abducted nuns who demanded divorces. Murderers.
Not what you think
Our princesses have been mothers willing to risk anything for their children, wives who followed their husbands to the very ends of earth, and spinsters who demanded their intellectual and societal freedom.
Definitely not
Explore the politicians we lost, the masterminds we see negotiating nunneries not armies, the personalities shining brilliantly even hundreds of years later: the Queens who should have been. Let’s meet them.
Steeped in history, this book was a delight
These ‘Queens’, professionally researched, was full of their times, their struggles, these women who lived ages before us. History came to life, with highlights of their stories, never judgemental and always supportive. The author turned the spotlight on these women and shared with us stories of families, rulers, and perhaps what might have been. The what if’s were grounded in their stories. In a man’s world they all made their own paths as well as they could. For a first-time foray into nonfiction, this author should be so pleased at the results. Love her fiction work, and this just seemed to be a natural extension of her writing skills. The Queens were brought to life. Brilliant.
Easy to read history, well researched
This book is brilliantly researched (for the hardcore historian) and so very easy to read (for the armchair historian). Anyone with interest in British royal history or women’s history will find something fascinating about this volume, as it covers not only what each generation of the royals were up to (going all the way back to the Roman period and all the kingdoms of the Isle), but each individual daughter, tying it together with themes like marriage, sacrifice, and duty. At times the author branches into speculation–always labeled as such–but her guesses are educated and reasonable, and she takes the time to explain/discuss WHY she has to speculate. This book’s premise is feminist at its core, but the content is straight-forward, easy to read, and not at all preachy.
Emily Murdoch Perkins 