Historical Fiction and Novels with Royal Characters

[burbankstorylady]

The Casiraghi/Maggiori Book: Archipelago of the Passions

Well, where do I begin? The beginning? As you may know even if you are not reading it, because most of the summaries online explain it pretty well, it is, in the simplest terms, a rundown of the wide world of, indeed, the archipelago of the passions! Let's start where it starts: with love.

The first expression here is golden. It is written: "Poor porcupines!"

I love this analogy between porcupines and humans. How do porcupines stay warm in the icy winds? Well, it says (paraphrasing), they huddle together, they get close to each other. The problem is they are very prickly and stingy!
Just like humans! Casiraghi/Maggiori cite Schopenhauer to make their case: Humans, like porcupines, need each other, but at the same time, are have so many "repulsive qualities and unbearable defects". Schopenhauer talks of the vulgarity of humans, just like animals, in his essay on the Wisdom of Life (cited). We desperately need each other, but at the same repulse each other and cannot tolerate each other. We therefore invent good manners and politeness as a way to bear it.

But, Casiraghi/Maggiori continue, how can these good manners and politeness "neutralize every form of detestation?" Envy, rivalry, intolerance, even hatred! There are less dramatic but no less persistent evils like monotony and boredom. Well, one answer is: In some cases, the closeness is held together by reciprocal attraction and love: camaraderie, friendship, romance.
They mention a contrast: the person who does not love, who stays aloof and cold-- and the person who loves blindly, but who risks having it all 'shout down' (so to speak) and blasted forever.

Because, let's face it, when you love blindly and passionately and have your heart broken or are betrayed by a trusted friend, you lose something. You lose trust, you lose hope, you are devastated.
What do you do? Stay aloof, keep some mystery, some safe distance between you and others? Protect yourself from that horrible pain.... Avoid controversy and vulnerability, avoid exposing yourself, avoid risk, talk of anything but what is in your heart....

And now I go on my tangent: It's what I call Facebook Culture. Everyone showing his/her best light, being trite and silly and as beautiful as possible: never showing weakness or disability or sickness. "Look how happy we are! Look at us! Happy and beautiful! Not suffering!" Facebook Culture: A culture of people hiding the truth, hiding the heart, closing off and being impersonal.

Thoughts? Anyone?

 

[burbankstorylady]

Charlotte always presents her best light. No vulnerability there. She’s made of steel like her mother. Very different from Stephanie, who had opened up about talking to her dead mother. I appreciate the emotional risk Stephanie took. She risked a very private confession and was laughed at for it. That’s why most people do the Charlotte/Caroline way. People laugh at what’s vulnerable. Cruel.

 

[burbankstorylady]

translation from the text

Charlotte: You annoy me, with your quotes from Jankélévitch.

Robert: You always refer to psychoanalysis and poetry.

Charlotte: I would like to make you understand the matter of feeling, which does not go through a purely intellectual construction but by the body

Robert: Good stop, we'll see after....

 

[Moonmaiden23]

Charlotte always presents her best light. No vulnerability there. She’s made of steel like her mother. Very different from Stephanie, who had opened up about talking to her dead mother. I appreciate the emotional risk Stephanie took. She risked a very private confession and was laughed at for it. That’s why most people do the Charlotte/Caroline way. People laugh at what’s vulnerable. Cruel.

Only a cruel and stupid beast would laugh about what Stephanie said.

No wonder the women in that family appear so guarded

 

[burbankstorylady]

Only a cruel and stupid beast would laugh about what Stephanie said.

No wonder the women in that family appear so guarded

Yes, I agree. I remember it. I think it was in the point du vue cover interview about 2006? Charlotte Casiraghi was seen on holiday with the magazine, walking down the street reading about Tante Steph! So sweet. See, I have always felt deeply that Charlotte idolizes Stephanie. See the way she looks at her. I can understand the admiration: Charlotte wants to be a free spirit too. Recall Charlotte saying "I doubt all the time." She would love to sing freely, but there is fear. Meanwhile, Stephanie wants to do something, she does it, regardless of how oddball it appears to conventional eyes (oh, I don't know, traveling with a circus, adopting elephants!?), and I believe Charlotte admires that a great deal.

Beautiful femme fatale! https://web.archive.org/web/2005102...om/brigitte/royal/gifs/stephaniemonaco124.jpg
Andrea, Stephanie and Charlotte on Monaco National Day, 19 November 2000:

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/715368722036100757/

 

[AC21091968]

A Most English Princess: A Novel of Queen Victoria’s Daughter

A Most English Princess: A Novel of Queen Victoria’s Daughter by Clare McHugh has been published on 22 September 2020

https://www.amazon.com.au/Most-English-Princess-Victorias-Daughter/dp/0062997602
https://books.google.com.au/books/a...AAQBAJ&source=kp_book_description&redir_esc=y

Clare McHugh has written an article on Tatler introducing Princess Victoria or Vicky (The Princess Royal), eldest daughter of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert and McHugh's own experience in researching Vicky's letters.
https://www.tatler.com/gallery/a-most-english-princess-queen-victorias-daughter-clare-mchugh-book

 

[CyrilVladisla]

A Most English Princess looks like an excellent book. Queen Victoria and her daughter wrote numerous letters to each other for several years.

 

[Lady Daly]

I just put a hold on the Clare McHugh novel A Most English Princess at my public library, looks to be about a 4 week wait is all. The system has 3 copies and they all have wait times is a good sign this will be worth the wait.
While I generally enjoy biographies vs historic novels, given the Tatler article and the vast research by the author including letters, I am looking forward to the read.

 

[Prinsara]

I've been reading through A Most English Princess. Not sure if I should give "spoilers", but I ended up being a bit surprised by where McHugh chose to conclude the book.

 

[Lady Daly]

I've been reading through A Most English Princess. Not sure if I should give "spoilers", but I ended up being a bit surprised by where McHugh chose to conclude the book.

You've really peaked my interest, Prinsara. It appears I still have a couple more weeks on the library waiting list. I hope McHugh stayed with the narrative of the letters between the Queen Victoria and her daughter and refrained from embellishing as historical novels tend to do.

 

[ladongas]

The Queen as a detective

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/03/05/...31109c42&index=0&pgtype=Article&region=footer

When a Russian pianist is found murdered in Windsor Castle, the Queen takes matters into her own hands to solve the mystery. Love the illustration here!

 

[Muhler]

How about QMII being saved by Donald Duck, from an art-vandal, who is displeased with her using too much green in her paintings.
https://dk-billedbladet-prod.s3.ama...nd/dronning-margrethe-i-anders-and-bladet.jpg
https://images.sn.dk/14/96514_605_0_0_0_0_0.jpg
https://ekstrabladet.dk/migration_catalog/article3690084.ece/IMAGE_ALTERNATES/relationBig/anders and

 

[Alison H]

I've been reading through A Most English Princess. Not sure if I should give "spoilers", but I ended up being a bit surprised by where McHugh chose to conclude the book.

I'm assuming that there's going to be a sequel. As you say, it ended at a rather odd point.

 

[Prinsara]

How about QMII being saved by Donald Duck, from an art-vandal, who is displeased with her using too much green in her paintings.
https://dk-billedbladet-prod.s3.ama...nd/dronning-margrethe-i-anders-and-bladet.jpg
https://images.sn.dk/14/96514_605_0_0_0_0_0.jpg
https://ekstrabladet.dk/migration_catalog/article3690084.ece/IMAGE_ALTERNATES/relationBig/anders and

Well, she's Daisy. Of course Donald likes her.

I'm assuming that there's going to be a sequel. As you say, it ended at a rather odd point.

Perhaps, but my first thought was just "....and the rest of Vicky's life was so horribly depressing, she just didn't want to go there? Okay."

[spoilers!]


especially with tacking on the very distant epilogue with Wilhelm, it makes the feel of a sequel even stranger, imho.
[/spoilers]

 

[Muhler]

Well, she's Daisy. Of course Donald likes her.

Of course!
How could I forget Daisy Duck.

Here Donald is known as Anders And, and Daisy as Andersine.
He's by far the most popular Disney figure here and has been so since the 40's. Mickey Mouse is not nearly as popular.

 

[Tirilschatz]

I love the idea of a good novel set in the royal world, no matter which one (english, russian etc).
I have come across some nice reads in the past years, but also some which were not so good.
My favourite would be from John Boyne, The house of special purpose.

I saw there is a book named "I was Anastasia" by April Lawhon, but I havent read it so far.

There is a book called "Himmelfall" by Kari F Brænne but it is only published in Norway, and its about Maria Romanowa. I just started lately and it seems to be nice.

Currently I am enjoying "Before the crown" by Flora Harding. It's about HM and Prince Philip. The author seems to write a second book and I hope it's about Princess Margaret and Peter Townsend.

A book series of fictional royality contains four books, written by Emma Chase, and they were a refreshing read. Light chicklit, though, but on the better half of this genre.
On the worse half are the books by Geneva Lee, although they contain around 10 books. I read the first and was a bit disgusted, although I am far from disliking sex in books.

 

[Mbruno]

I know many reviewers dislike Ken Follett's novels, but I actually liked A Column of Fire. The novel features several prominent 16th century and early 17th century royals (Mary Tudor, Philip II, Elizabeth I, Francis II, Mary Stuart, Catherine de Medici, Charles IX, Henri III, Margaret of Valois, Henri IV, James VI and I, Anne of Denmark, etc.), but, as in all of Follett's novels, the historical characters are only an acccessory to the fictional characters that move the story forward.

 

[Prinsara]

I know many reviewers dislike Ken Follett's novels, but I actually liked A Column of Fire. The novel features several prominent 16th century and early 17th century royals (Mary Tudor, Philip II, Elizabeth I, Francis II, Mary Stuart, Catherine de Medici, Charles IX, Henri III, Margaret of Valois, Henri IV, James VI and I, Anne of Denmark, etc.), but, as in all of Follett's novels, the historical characters are only an acccessory to the fictional characters that move the story forward.

It was better than World Without End. I like some of the stuff he's done very much, but Follett is always a mixed bag.

 

[ladongas]

The Gown: A Novel of the Royal Wedding

By Jennifer Robson

About a seamstress/embroiderer who worked on Princess Elizabeth’s gown, and it’s surprisingly good- well written, not too corny, but sweet and rather exciting.

Queen Elizabeth and her two daughters have brief visits to Norman Hartnell’s atelier, but the major story is about the women who made the gown. It’s a warm and charming novel, many details of which ring quite true.

 

[ladongas]

It was better than World Without End. I like some of the stuff he's done very much, but Follett is always a mixed bag.

It almost seems as though there are several people writing the books, as they’re all so different. Some are hokey and clumsily told, others are lovely. I loved Fall of Giants and A Dangerous Fortune, but The Hammer of Eden and The Third Twin were just embarrassing!

 

[Prinsara]

By Jennifer Robson

About a seamstress/embroiderer who worked on Princess Elizabeth’s gown, and it’s surprisingly good- well written, not too corny, but sweet and rather exciting.

Queen Elizabeth and her two daughters have brief visits to Norman Hartnell’s atelier, but the major story is about the women who made the gown. It’s a warm and charming novel, many details of which ring quite true.

I thought it was a good read, and I wouldn't say The Gown is corny at all. Parts of it are agonizingly sad.

It's more of a "royal background" book, but it does give a good glimpse of Hartnell and an even bigger and detailed one at couture manufacture, especially for royals.

 

[Toledo]

I recently purchased three Kindle books, two below are historical fiction about kingdoms in the areas between Turkey, Iran and Afghanistan. My interest on these books was for a little research I'm doing for myself on the kingdom of Bactria. It started years ago when I bought the audible book The Poison King based on the life of King Mithradates.

When I researched the author, it seems he stopped writing after these two books.

Broken Phalanx: Rise of the Greco-Bactrians (Short Story)

and The Greek Prince of Afghanistan: A novel about the fascinating Greco-Bactrian Kingdom (The Greco-Bactrian Chronicles Book 1)

 

[ladongas]

Her Majesty the Queen Investigates

I’ve just read three books by SJ Bennett:

Windsor Knot
All the Queen’s Men
Murder Most Royal

In these slight but charming novels, the conceit is that the late HM is solving crimes. She’s ably assisted by her assistant private secretary, but of course HM is the brains of the operation.

The author did a fine job of making the ‘detective’ seem to have the Queen’s presence and personality, and there are a few droll jokes at the expense of family members and politicians. Light as a feather, highly enjoyable… Apparently the series will continue with books set in different years of HM’s reign. I thoroughly enjoyed them and look forward to more in the series.