Rewatched this video again and got me thinking of a certain aspect. Question: How do you feel about Philippa Gregorys quite inaccurate portrayals of various historical figures? Yes they are long gone and there is so much we don't know about them but they were still people who once lived and breathed. Gregory and other writers have often been accused of character assassination, Gregory in the case of Margaret Beaufort. Gregory portrayed Margaret as the real villain of the peace, the killer of the princes in the Tower. There is nothing recorded in history to suggest Margaret was a villain or murderer but rather a strong, wise and pious lady. Another example you mentioned was Lady Jane Rochford, someone who nearly always gets portrayed as a villain and schemer but she is someone rather misunderstood as is her husband. There is no evidence that she gave damning evidence against George and Anne Boleyn or that the Rochfords had an unhappy marriage. Jane's involvement in the whole Catherine Howard situation is questionable but we don't know what really went on and why.
In the case of all historical fiction I try and take everything with a pint of salt 😂 PG destroyed Margate’s character and PG is definitely a Richard III apologist. In the case of Jane I think there is evidence she and George were unhappy
@@Shane-Flanagan I love the idea of the mystery around the princes in the tower especially the Perkin Warbek stuff. But out of everyone Richard had the motivation opportunity and means
Not the person in the vid but I had some thoughts about this. A byproduct of historical fiction is that you will have to make up things about real people. Especially when said history is as old as the Plantagenets because there’s just so little to go off of, especially when you are writing about woman because they were not recorded in history like the men. I don’t really see how anyone could call it character assassination to portray these figures in a certain way. For one it is fiction and secondly, can you really assassinate an unknown character? How could anyone feel so strongly about the character of a figure that we know so little of? Ultimately, we don’t know what these people were actually like. All we have are personal impressions based on the actions that were recorded. Everyone has a take which they prefer. It also feels disingenuous, because you know for sure that the people accusing these authors of character assassination would not be doing so if their take aligned with their personal view of the figure. Also, it feels very silly to complain about character accuracy (or at least what they think is accurate because no one knows the reality) in the book series where multiple protagonists can do magic. I think the realism ship has sailed. Ps: As for Margaret Beaufort, there is no evidence for her involvement, but there’s no evidence of anyone’s involvement, and yet the princes were locked up and declared missing. There are plenty of people with the motive and the means to make them disappear, and she was one of them.
@@8teezy Okay.... There's historical fiction and then there's Philippa Gregory level of historical fiction. You'd assume the point of historical fiction is to embellish and fill gaps all the while sticking to facts and events etc. Gregory goes well beyond that. Regarding Margaret Beaufort, Gregory decided to portray her as unlikable and as the villain. What is known of her and her relationships with those around her is mostly positive, we don't really get that in PG's books. And it can be seen as character assassination when a certain negative portrayal sticks and a large amount of people take it as fact.
I was thankful for this video and enjoyed it because there aren't many ranking videos of Philippa Gregory's books unfortunately. I have read a few of these but not all yet. I'm currently reading The Last Tudor. It took me a while to warm to it as Jane Grey was so unlikable from the get go but now I'm enjoying it. My favourite book of the series I've read so far is The Red Queen. I agree with rankers comments on this book. I find Margaret Beaufort an interesting and intelligent woman. Her character in the book was unsympathetic but I thoroughly enjoyed the book nonetheless. It was a fast read. My least favorite book in the series so far is Three Sisters Three Queens. I was hoping to get all three points of view not just Margaret's. I wanted to like the book as I find Margaret a great woman historically but I sadly didn't. I found the book long, repetitive and a tad boring. Margaret was so childish in the book. I liked The White Queen. Both the book and TV series. Elizabeth is an underrated historical person. I didn't enjoy it as much as I thought and preferred The Red Queen. I watched the TV version of The White Princess. It was ok. Not as good as The White Queen. I also watched The Spanish Princess which is based off of The Constant Princess and The Kings Curse. I own an old second hand copy of The Other Boleyn Girl but shamefully have yet to read it. I hear great things about it. I have watched the movie version of it though. In the near future, I'm looking forward to reading The Kingmakers Daughter, The Taming of a Queen and The Lady of the Rivers as I love each main character historically.
Thank you very much for watching my video =) I hope you get around to reading the rest of the Tudor court series, I think Philippa's earlier work is better personally but some of her later stuff like The Kingmakers Daughter is brilliant. The other Boleyn girl book is so much better than the movie, you should get cracking on your old second hand copy of The Other Boleyn Girl. Old books are the best anyway. Have you read any of her other books like the wideacre trilogy?
Its Philippa's first work and I rather enjoyed it, the book is set in the second half of the 18th century, and it follows Beatrice Lacey's destructive lifelong attempts to gain control of the family's Wideacre estate. It is completely fictional but still very good. If you prefer historical fiction books based on real historical events I would recommend Alison Weir and Elizabeth Chadwick.
@@JessieBearBookClub Wideacre sounds interesting. I like both historical fact and Fiction. It's good to know what's true after reading fiction. I love Weir and Chadwick even possibly more so than Gregory as they don't stray too far from the truth. I've read the first three books of Weirs Six Tudor Queens series. Amazing. I've also read her factual book titled Lady in the Tower about Anne Boleyn. It was such a good read. Regarding Chadwick, I've read Lady of the English about Empress Matilda. Really liked it. It reminded me of Gregory's The Red Queen. I've also read Chadwick's Eleanor of Aquataine trilogy. They were good too but heavy going one after another.
I agree Weir and Chadwick are differently more factual, I really loved Chadwick's Eleanor of Aquataine trilogy, if you get a chance I would recommend the William Marshall books she has written as well. I have the Lady in the Tower and have actually read it twice I am a bif Anne Boleyn nerd LOL
Great list of course I haven't read the non Cousins war/Tudor court series as of yet but I'm planning on reading all PG books for this year and next year and yeah The Other Boleyn Girl deserves to be number one😊
That kind of stories ( for that is what they are ) I read them as a teenager. But as an adult I avoid them. She is to way out there, if it comes to real history.Not what I want to read. Bothers me if I know something was not so... There is a difference for me, if I read a total fantasy storie, or about someone that did lived and the storie doesn`t reflect what is already known. I believe she is the worse if it comes to "real historical known people ".
I see your point, I diffidently think PG got more and more out there as time went on and she is not very good at writing magic scenes in my opinion. However I do not mind suspending my disbelief and enjoying an exaggerated story from time to time. I do not think reading PG is any worse than watching the Tudors or the Borgia's for example.
Rewatched this video again and got me thinking of a certain aspect.
Question: How do you feel about Philippa Gregorys quite inaccurate portrayals of various historical figures?
Yes they are long gone and there is so much we don't know about them but they were still people who once lived and breathed.
Gregory and other writers have often been accused of character assassination, Gregory in the case of Margaret Beaufort. Gregory portrayed Margaret as the real villain of the peace, the killer of the princes in the Tower. There is nothing recorded in history to suggest Margaret was a villain or murderer but rather a strong, wise and pious lady.
Another example you mentioned was Lady Jane Rochford, someone who nearly always gets portrayed as a villain and schemer but she is someone rather misunderstood as is her husband. There is no evidence that she gave damning evidence against George and Anne Boleyn or that the Rochfords had an unhappy marriage. Jane's involvement in the whole Catherine Howard situation is questionable but we don't know what really went on and why.
In the case of all historical fiction I try and take everything with a pint of salt 😂 PG destroyed Margate’s character and PG is definitely a Richard III apologist. In the case of Jane I think there is evidence she and George were unhappy
@@JessieBearBookClub Not a Richard 3rd fan I take it.
Do you think he was the one who killed the Princes in the Tower and ordered their deaths?
@@Shane-Flanagan I love the idea of the mystery around the princes in the tower especially the Perkin Warbek stuff. But out of everyone Richard had the motivation opportunity and means
Not the person in the vid but I had some thoughts about this. A byproduct of historical fiction is that you will have to make up things about real people. Especially when said history is as old as the Plantagenets because there’s just so little to go off of, especially when you are writing about woman because they were not recorded in history like the men.
I don’t really see how anyone could call it character assassination to portray these figures in a certain way. For one it is fiction and secondly, can you really assassinate an unknown character? How could anyone feel so strongly about the character of a figure that we know so little of?
Ultimately, we don’t know what these people were actually like. All we have are personal impressions based on the actions that were recorded. Everyone has a take which they prefer.
It also feels disingenuous, because you know for sure that the people accusing these authors of character assassination would not be doing so if their take aligned with their personal view of the figure.
Also, it feels very silly to complain about character accuracy (or at least what they think is accurate because no one knows the reality) in the book series where multiple protagonists can do magic. I think the realism ship has sailed.
Ps: As for Margaret Beaufort, there is no evidence for her involvement, but there’s no evidence of anyone’s involvement, and yet the princes were locked up and declared missing. There are plenty of people with the motive and the means to make them disappear, and she was one of them.
@@8teezy Okay....
There's historical fiction and then there's Philippa Gregory level of historical fiction.
You'd assume the point of historical fiction is to embellish and fill gaps all the while sticking to facts and events etc.
Gregory goes well beyond that.
Regarding Margaret Beaufort, Gregory decided to portray her as unlikable and as the villain. What is known of her and her relationships with those around her is mostly positive, we don't really get that in PG's books.
And it can be seen as character assassination when a certain negative portrayal sticks and a large amount of people take it as fact.
Great list. Really enjoyed it.
Thank you I love making videos about books
keep the great videos coming
Will do!
I was thankful for this video and enjoyed it because there aren't many ranking videos of Philippa Gregory's books unfortunately.
I have read a few of these but not all yet. I'm currently reading The Last Tudor. It took me a while to warm to it as Jane Grey was so unlikable from the get go but now I'm enjoying it.
My favourite book of the series I've read so far is The Red Queen. I agree with rankers comments on this book. I find Margaret Beaufort an interesting and intelligent woman. Her character in the book was unsympathetic but I thoroughly enjoyed the book nonetheless. It was a fast read.
My least favorite book in the series so far is Three Sisters Three Queens. I was hoping to get all three points of view not just Margaret's. I wanted to like the book as I find Margaret a great woman historically but I sadly didn't. I found the book long, repetitive and a tad boring. Margaret was so childish in the book.
I liked The White Queen. Both the book and TV series. Elizabeth is an underrated historical person. I didn't enjoy it as much as I thought and preferred The Red Queen.
I watched the TV version of The White Princess. It was ok. Not as good as The White Queen. I also watched The Spanish Princess which is based off of The Constant Princess and The Kings Curse.
I own an old second hand copy of The Other Boleyn Girl but shamefully have yet to read it. I hear great things about it. I have watched the movie version of it though.
In the near future, I'm looking forward to reading The Kingmakers Daughter, The Taming of a Queen and The Lady of the Rivers as I love each main character historically.
Thank you very much for watching my video =)
I hope you get around to reading the rest of the Tudor court series, I think Philippa's earlier work is better personally but some of her later stuff like The Kingmakers Daughter is brilliant. The other Boleyn girl book is so much better than the movie, you should get cracking on your old second hand copy of The Other Boleyn Girl. Old books are the best anyway.
Have you read any of her other books like the wideacre trilogy?
@@JessieBearBookClub What is the Wideacre trilogy about? I mainly like The Wars of the Roses and The Tudors
Its Philippa's first work and I rather enjoyed it, the book is set in the second half of the 18th century, and it follows Beatrice Lacey's destructive lifelong attempts to gain control of the family's Wideacre estate. It is completely fictional but still very good. If you prefer historical fiction books based on real historical events I would recommend Alison Weir and Elizabeth Chadwick.
@@JessieBearBookClub Wideacre sounds interesting. I like both historical fact and Fiction. It's good to know what's true after reading fiction. I love Weir and Chadwick even possibly more so than Gregory as they don't stray too far from the truth. I've read the first three books of Weirs Six Tudor Queens series. Amazing. I've also read her factual book titled Lady in the Tower about Anne Boleyn. It was such a good read. Regarding Chadwick, I've read Lady of the English about Empress Matilda. Really liked it. It reminded me of Gregory's The Red Queen. I've also read Chadwick's Eleanor of Aquataine trilogy. They were good too but heavy going one after another.
I agree Weir and Chadwick are differently more factual, I really loved Chadwick's Eleanor of Aquataine trilogy, if you get a chance I would recommend the William Marshall books she has written as well. I have the Lady in the Tower and have actually read it twice I am a bif Anne Boleyn nerd LOL
Have you read Elizabeth moss and why is it I cannot find her on RUclips
I haven’t read her books but I know of her
Great list of course I haven't read the non Cousins war/Tudor court series as of yet but I'm planning on reading all PG books for this year and next year and yeah The Other Boleyn Girl deserves to be number one😊
I really want to do a full review of the Other Boleyn Girl at some point but my copy is at my parents house in Spain =(
That kind of stories ( for that is what they are ) I read them as a teenager. But as an adult I avoid them. She is to way out there, if it comes to real history.Not what I want to read. Bothers me if I know something was not so... There is a difference for me, if I read a total fantasy storie, or about someone that did lived and the storie doesn`t reflect what is already known. I believe she is the worse if it comes to "real historical known people ".
I see your point, I diffidently think PG got more and more out there as time went on and she is not very good at writing magic scenes in my opinion. However I do not mind suspending my disbelief and enjoying an exaggerated story from time to time. I do not think reading PG is any worse than watching the Tudors or the Borgia's for example.