A book review by Kendra Redman - The Lady of the Rivers by Philippa Gregory may be classified as historical fiction, but it’s closely based on real historical figures. In the front of the book are the family trees of the main characters in The Lady of the Rivers, but I deliberately skipped over those as I wanted to just read it as a story, without being influenced by what I know of the history of the time.
The central character, Jacquetta, is descended from an influential family living in France during the 12th century. Not only is the family influential, but the family bloodline descends from a union between a man and a water spirit, a mythology that maintains a thread that weaves throughout the life of Jacquetta and her family. As a girl, Jacquetta meets Joan of Arc and befriends her during the time she is taken in and protected by her family. Just as Joan claims that the voices that speak to her set her on the path to take back French territory from the English, Jacquetta has her own special gifts which she is encouraged to grow by her great aunt, though her great aunt does warn that the path is not an easy one for powerful women in an age of men.
As a young beauty she catches the eye of the Duke of Bedford, the English regent in France, but not for the reasons everyone would expect. Having heard of her family lineage and gift he believes that she can help him crack the secrets of alchemy. Her abilities are sometimes requested or celebrated by powerful people and at other times they put her in danger as anything that cannot be understood by science or sanctioned by the church can be considered witchcraft and endanger her. The Lady of the Rivers follows the story of Jacquetta as she serves the powerful and royal putting her at the center of some of the most famous events in history.
The book is definitely a more fun read than a history textbook, as readers get a unique perspective on historical battles and war through the eyes of a woman. Indeed, the book drives home the reality of what it was like to be an intelligent or powerful woman in the period of the War of the Roses. At one point in the book Philippa Gregory writes that the women of this time often took over and managed their husband’s estates and fields while the men were at war, and that they managed the responsibility with competency and efficiency, yet when the men returned they were expected to meekly hand over the keys and resume a lower role despite having proven their abilities. Although this book takes place in the 12th century, I thought that things haven’t changed much. During WWII, Rosie the Riveter, the WAC’s and WASP’s helped hold down the home front and contributed much to the war effort, but after the war ended and the men came home, they were expected to give up their jobs to the men and leave the workforce or return to jobs that were considered to be ‘women’s work.’
Only when I finished The Lady of the Rivers, did I return to the genealogy charts at the beginning of the book to sort of test my knowledge of history and who the characters in the book really were. I would also recommend that people read the Author’s Note at the end for more details of the real life Jacquetta, a woman whose life was as interesting as any work of fiction.
Reviewer Kendra Redman is a professional writer, editor and social media expert with a bachelor’s degree in Journalism and a master’s degree in Creative Writing. A world traveler and voracious reader, she enjoys writing about a wide variety of topics and views learning as an adventure.
THE LADY OF THE RIVERS
- Hardcover: 464 pages
- Publisher: Touchstone; First Edition edition (October 18, 2011)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 1416563709
- ISBN-13: 978-1416563709
Though this book sounds more fanciful then most of Gregory’s work, I would bet that the history is as accurate as in her other books. She definitely has the gift of making history come alive.
I don’t believe I’ve read any of Gregory’s works before but this one certainly sounds very nice. I enjoy historical fiction and I also enjoy that element of fantasy thrown in, with unusual “gifts” and talk of alchemy. I’m adding this to my reading list for sure.
Even historical works that claim to be true carry certain biases as well as those views in the source material. I’ve always thought that fiction can sometimes share the reality of a story better than a clear-cut book of factual information. Feelings and emotions play into all lives.
I am a big fan of historical fiction, and this book sounds like it is right up my alley. I first thought this book would be about King Arthur and the Lady in the Lake. It sounds way better than that story.