By Katia Wright

Feature Image Caption: Book covers taken from Bloomsbury Publishing – bloomsbury.com.

*WARNING* This review contains a lot of spoilers for all the published books in the series as of April 2021.

This review discusses:

1. A Court of Thorns and Roses (ACOTAR)

2. A Court of Mist and Fury (ACOMAF)

3. A Court of Wings and Ruin (ACOWAR)

4. A Court of Frost and Starlight (ACOFAS)

5. A Court of Silver Flames (ACOSF)

Continue reading “Book Review: A Court of Thorns and Roses Book Series by Sarah J. Maas: A Study of Queenship”

By Katia Wright

Kathryn Warner’s 2019 Philippa of Hainault: Mother of the English Nation is the first study in over a century to analyse the life of this long-serving fourteenth century queen. Following in the footsteps of her previous biographical works (namely Edward II and Isabella of France), Warner weaves a fascinating story of Philippa’s life, placing her firmly in the centre of European politics.

Continue reading “Book Review: Philippa of Hainault: Mother of the English Nation by Kathryn Warner”

By Andy McMillin

Joan, Lady of Wales, Power and Politics of King John’s Daughter, is a welcome study in medieval queenship as scholarship on Welsh queens has arguably been largely overshadowed by research on their English counterparts. Those who study queenship will recognise the impact of the lack of surviving records and resources from this period which can make it difficult to study women, an issue recognised by Danna Messer. To date, few historical assessments of Joan exist, but Sharon Kay Penman’s Here be Dragons has highlighted her in a fictional manner. However, for royal studies scholars seeking an academic and clear assessment about Joan and the world she lived in, Messer brings Welsh queens to the attention of queenship scholars.  

Continue reading “Book Review: Joan, Lady of Wales, Power and Politics of King John’s Daughter by Danna R. Messer”

By Andy McMillin

Many English queens in the last twenty years have been placed at the foreground of historical studies in an array of original biographies. One such queen is Catherine of Aragon. Originally published in 2016, Amy Licence brings a new narrative to Catherine and the importance of her role first as Princess of Wales, but then as queen consort to Henry VIII in Catherine of Aragon, An Intimate Life of Henry VIII’s True Wife. The biography, though aimed at a more general audience, is nonetheless very useful for queenship scholars who desire a different approach to the complex world of Tudor queenship.

Continue reading “Book Review: Catherine of Aragon, An Intimate Life of Henry VIII’s True Wife by Amy Licence”