The Red Queen

A Novel

By: Philippa Gregory

Narrated by: Bianca Amato

Length: 12 hrs and 24 mins

Publisher's summary

Heiress to the red rose of Lancaster, Margaret Beaufort never surrenders her belief that her house is the true ruler of England and that she has a great destiny before her. Her ambitions are disappointed when her sainted cousin, Henry VI, fails to recognize her as a kindred spirit, and she is even more dismayed when he sinks into madness. Her mother mocks her plans, revealing that Margaret will always be burdened with the reputation of her father, one of the most famously incompetent English commanders in France. But worst of all for Margaret is when she discovers that her mother is sending her to a loveless marriage in remote Wales.

Listen to An interview with Bianca Amato, narrator of The Red Queen by Philippa Gregory.

©2010 Philippa Gregory Limited. All rights reserved. (P)2010 Simon & Schuster, Inc. All rights reserved.

Critic reviews

"Nobody does the Tudors better than Gregory ( The Other Boleyn Girl), so it should come as no surprise that her latest—the War of the Roses as seen through the eyes of Henry VII's mother —is confident, colorful, convincing, and full of conflict, betrayal, and political maneuvering....[L]ike Margaret Beaufort, Gregory puts her many imitators to shame by dint of unequalled energy, focus, and unwavering execution." ( Publishers Weekly)

ok I was not one of my favs but the reader was ok

love ithdhdhfufuf hff h gbf f r t to t. t g g g g

I'm hooked

loved it! I'm loving this series! book two was even better because you can see both sides of the story! Great production as well!

1 narrator is best

The book was just as good as the tv series The White Queen. However the book did confirm that the princes were killed and where the bodies where hidden. I like Bianca Amato only as the Narrator. I did not care to have the others narrating as well.

It could have been 2 hours shorter

I enjoyed the plot but got weary with Margaret going on her knees to pray time after time after time and with lengthy descriptions of it.

A great listen!

I have listened to several books narrated by Bianca Amato and this is one where her voice is perfect for the role. She brings to life the character of Margret Beaufort. I liked The White Queen better than The Red Queen, but that is a preference of characters for me, nothing to do with Philippa Gregory's always captivating writing style. And the reading was wonderful, I did not want this book to end!

Excellent!

Now I know the actresses did even a better job of portraying this character than I previously thought! Fascinating!

Narrators did a good job too. I liked the male voice for the war descriptions. (A man narrating what men were doing or seeing. )

Well Done. Smile at Margaret and her foibles

We are given some insights into the mind of Margaret. The story of her life is well told skipping from crisis point to crisis point. This is not deep, but it can be enjoyable. It is true that none of the characters makes for a hero, but contemplate whether that is what is true in real life. The narrator does a fine reading. It is more fun having already heard the White Queen. My wife and I look forward to sharing another Philippa Gregory.

Sarcastic and Witty

What did you love best about The Red Queen?

Despite the fact that it is told in Margaret Beaufort's own voice, the book brings out the extent of her fanatic, narrow-minded character. Repeatedly she condemns acts by others which are less evil than her own. Her piety is completely based on self interest. Since this is a historic fiction novel we do not get a satisfactory comeuppance in the end, but this is life. The sarcasm is greater in Ms. Amato's sharp interpretation. There is a line in The Talented Mr. Ripley regarding one's view of oneself never being negative, never considering oneself as evil. It is so in this novel. Margaret Beaufort is the most evil character yet in Philippa Gregory's novels.

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Red Queen?

The princes in the tower.

What about Bianca Amato’s performance did you like?

Her factual enactment of a delusional, fanatic woman.

Who was the most memorable character of The Red Queen and why?

Margaret Beaufort, of course.

captures the time period well

the story spans the life of a girl as she grows up betrothed to Destiny.. I am not sure the tone of the book necessarily reflects the maturing of the young lady however the story and its content certainly do make for interesting anecdotes

Good book, unsympathetic heroine

Fluidly written and wonderfully narrated, THE RED QUEEN provides an engrossing portrait of Margaret Beaufort, the mother of Henry VII, first of the Tudor rulers. From early childhood, Margaret is enthralled by the story of Joan of Arc, and longs to emulate her in a life of piety and heroic deeds. Instead, she's married off at the age of twelve to a much older man, and gives birth at age thirteen. As she endures these tribulations, she hardens in her conviction that God has chosen her for a special destiny, and focuses all her will on the Lancaster cause and her son Henry, taken from her at an early age and awarded to a series of guardians. Unfortunately for the reader, the sorrows and tragedies of her life harden Margaret into a narrow-minded fanatic, who has little compassion or empathy for those around her. Her second husband, Henry Stafford, is a kind, gentle, and wise man who adores her and treats her with kindness and consideration, but blinded by ambition and with a heart turned to stone, she does not return his love, choosing time and again to betray him politically in favor of her Lancaster relations. The book is very interesting, and I really like the narrator, but I'm afraid I have little sympathy for Margaret, who is hopelessly self-centered, priggish, and narrow-minded. It's a compelling glimpse into a period of history that I'm not that familiar with, and Philippa Gregory's interpretation of Margaret Beaufort's character does explain many of Margaret's real-life deeds, but she is not nearly as sympathetic as the protagonist of THE WHITE QUEEN, Elizabeth Woodville. Well worth a listen if you're interested in the War of the Roses, but don't expect to like Margaret very much.