Daughters of the Winter Queen

Four Remarkable Sisters, the Crown of Bohemia, and the Enduring Legacy of Mary, Queen of Scots

De: Nancy Goldstone

Narrado por: Laura Kirman

The thrilling family saga of five unforgettable women who remade Europe.

From the great courts, glittering palaces, and war-ravaged battlefields of the seventeenth century comes the story of four spirited sisters and their glamorous mother, Elizabeth Stuart, granddaughter of the martyred Mary, Queen of Scots.

Upon her father's ascension to the illustrious throne of England, Elizabeth Stuart was suddenly thrust from the poverty of unruly Scotland into the fairytale existence of a princess of great wealth and splendor. When she was married at sixteen to a German count far below her rank, it was with the understanding that her father would help her husband achieve the kingship of Bohemia. The terrible betrayal of this commitment would ruin "the Winter Queen," as Elizabeth would forever be known, imperil the lives of those she loved and launch a war that would last for thirty years.

Forced into exile, the Winter Queen and her family found refuge in Holland, where the glorious art and culture of the Dutch Golden Age indelibly shaped her daughters' lives. Her eldest, Princess Elizabeth, became a scholar who earned the respect and friendship of the philosopher René Descartes. Louisa was a gifted painter whose engaging manner and appealing looks provoked heartache and scandal. Beautiful Henrietta Maria would be the only sister to marry into royalty, although at great cost. But it was the youngest, Sophia, a heroine in the tradition of a Jane Austen novel, whose ready wit and good-natured common sense masked immense strength of character, who fulfilled the promise of her great-grandmother Mary and reshaped the British monarchy, a legacy that endures to this day.

Brilliantly researched and captivatingly written, filled with danger, treachery, and adventure but also love, courage, and humor, Daughters of the Winter Queen follows the lives of five remarkable women who, by refusing to surrender to adversity, changed the course of history.

Reseñas de la Crítica

"Goldstone's forthright and often witty asides keep this complicated story bowling along at a terrific pace...Lively and well-researched, Daughters of the Winter Queen offers a timely introduction to a turbulent period in Britain's past relations with Europe."—Miranda Seymour, New York Times Book Review

"Goldstone is a master juggler. She tells a good story, always with a delightfully light touch. In the process, extraordinary women are given the attention they deserve."—Gerard DeGroot, The Times of London

"Goldstone is a thrilling narrator of this complicated history. Yet the achievement of a work like this is not merely its command of a vast and dense web of the past, but also its incredible literary merit. Daughters of the Winter Queen is nothing short of page-turning, an exceptional work of scholarship that reads like a favorite novel filled with political intrigue, romantic scandal, and more than one dark-of-night escape."—East Hampton Star

"A fascinating feminist story."—The Coil

"This rich and complex story of a seventeenth century queen who lost her throne, and her four defiant daughters, is compulsively readable. Combining rigorous research with a vivid writing style, Nancy Goldstone illuminates the women who have often been left in the shadows of history, and reminds us that fascination with royalty is nothing new."—Charlotte Gray, author of Reluctant Genius: Alexander GrahamBell and the Passion for Invention and Gold Diggers: Striking It Rich inthe Klondike

"Goldstone (The Rival Queens) once again places a much-deserved spotlight on remarkable women from European history...A compulsively readable account of an otherwise unfamiliar royal family. Goldstone writes with knowledge, humor, and ease--a masterly storyteller who steers clear of overly academic language. Ideal for amateur Tudor historians who wish to be introduced to a lesser-known yet equally fascinating royal family."—Library Journal (starred review)

"Goldstone relates the eminently readable tale of Elizabeth Stuart, dubbed the Winter Queen, and her four lovely, talented daughters...The story of these five women, each remarkable for individual reasons and in her own right, both illuminates and is offset by Goldstone's vividly rendered European backdrop."—Booklist

"Though the narrative could have devolved into a complicated mass of intertwined royal families, Goldstone, a seasoned historian, effectively keeps the lines clear as she relates Elizabeth's repeated, frustrated attempts to secure strong marriages for her children under trying circumstances. Her children's stories are fascinating, as well...A great book for history fans seeking illumination on the connections of European royalty."—Kirkus

How Hanover Became the Royal Family

it was never really explained in history classes how George of Hanover became King of England when Queen Anne died. But with this book, the answer is clear. The story of Princess Elizabeth's family and how her loss of Bohemia led to her grandson's gain in England is fascinating and full of twists and turns. The narration here is well done and (in my opinion) echoes the writer's voice well. What's also interesting is that the current royal family are descended from George's line, who themselves were descended from Mary Queen of Scots, something the author never fails to note.

legacies

learned of so many connections in history to Mary through her one son James. Great story and all the friendships,loves, tragedies of the sisters. Enjoyed it all.

Great Book - Narration: Meh

The author did a tremendously great job of combining the various family and historical events and maintain our attention. The narrators mispronunciations of words and names such as Liselotte drove me crazy. But maybe I’ve just gotten used to it being pronounced differently in other narrations such as Love and Louis XIV by Antonia Fraser. Anyway...great book. I’m sure I’ll listen to it again since I’ve purchased it.

Amazing

Amazing …. Love this author. Reading was pleasant to hear. Fascinating subject of women who ruled their win lives with strength and yet were products of their time. They married sophistication, intellect and culture and won.

Lots of Research Went On

It was amazing all the actual letters that were quoted in this book. Sometimes it was a little daunting while listening to it. I would have loved to see a family genealogy - maybe the book has this - because it was hard to keep up who was who at times. I am a Mary Queen of Scots fan so loved to learn more about her legacy.

Collage class or nonfiction?

I keep wondering if I had read the paper book there might have been pictures and family tree to help me keep track family members. Very interesting story that I wasn't familiar with. I've read this for a book club.

Narrator Ruined It

The narrator was the worst I have heard. The cadence of her reading and the way she pronounced words was very distracting and kept me from enjoying the story. The story was good - lots of great details. A little heavy on the wars/battles, but good.

WOMEN ROCK

Great story about women of historical importance and of whom I knew nothing but now admire.

good read

Does NOT read like a textbook.
Lisa Goldstone hooked me w the Rival Queens. I loved how this book focuses on how royals are all somehow related. GREAT BOOK!

Loved it!

If you want to know what happens after the death of Queen of Scots - this is your book. The performance was great. There are a lot of names and several generations to follow but the story is intriguing and well organized.