The Lady of the Rivers

By: Philippa Gregory

Narrated by: Bianca Amato

Length: 19 hrs and 7 mins

Publisher's summary

Passion. Danger. Witchcraft....

The Lady of the Rivers is number-one New York Times best-selling author Philippa Gregory’s remarkable story of Jacquetta, Duchess of Bedford, a woman who navigated a treacherous path through the battle lines in the Wars of the Roses.

Descended from Melusina, the river goddess, Jacquetta always has had the gift of second sight. As a child visiting her uncle, she met his prisoner, Joan of Arc, and saw her own power reflected in the young woman accused of witchcraft. They share the mystery of the tarot card of the wheel of fortune before Joan is taken to a horrific death at the hands of the English rulers of France. Jacquetta understands the danger for a woman who dares to dream.

Jacquetta is married to the Duke of Bedford, English regent of France, and he introduces her to a mysterious world of learning and alchemy. Her only friend in the great household is the duke’s squire, Richard Woodville, who is at her side when the duke’s death leaves her a wealthy young widow. The two become lovers and marry in secret, returning to England to serve at the court of the young King Henry VI, where Jacquetta becomes a close and loyal friend to his new queen.

The Woodvilles soon achieve a place at the very heart of the Lancaster court, though Jacquetta can sense the growing threat from the people of England and the danger of royal rivals. Not even their courage and loyalty can keep the House of Lancaster on the throne. Henry the king slides into a mysterious sleep; Margaret the queen turns to untrustworthy favorites for help; and Richard, Duke of York, threatens to overturn the whole kingdom for his rival dynasty.

Jacquetta fights for her king, her queen, and for her daughter, Elizabeth, for whom Jacquetta can sense an extraordinary and unexpected future: a change of fortune, the throne of England, and the white rose of York.

A sweeping, powerful story rich in passion and legend and drawing on years of research, The Lady of the Rivers tells the story of the real-life mother of the white queen.

©2011 Philippa Gregory (P)2011 Simon and Schuster Audio

Critic reviews

“Sexy… scandalous… smart.” ( Redbook)

“Gregory is a consummate historical author.” ( Historical Novels Review)

“Confident, colorful, convincing, and full of conflict, betrayal, and political maneuvering.” ( Publishers Weekly)

Another Gregory Tour-de-Force

This is a prequel to "The White Queen," (Elizabeth Woodville), and follows the story of her mother, Jaquetta, duchess of Bedford. Jaquetta's family is descended from Melusina, a water goddess, and the women in her family have inherited the ability to "scry," or foresee the future--a talent that Jaquetta possesses. This little bit of fantasy is woven into the historical story, and in fact, Jaquetta was accused of witchcraft by King Richard III, although he never pursued the charges and it happens after this story comes to a close. Gregory takes us through the court intrigue and politics of the time, which led to the War of Roses and eventually to the Tudor Dynasty, with consummate skill. Once of the things I love about Gregory's work is that she is an "herstorical" writer; she relates history from the point of view of the people who had the least power over their circumstances--women--and shows how women have turned the tide of history again and again. A very enjoyable read.

excellent, engaging, enthralling

I'll be listening to every book in the series. So good! I highly recommend this for Outlander fans.

excellent

this is a great book and Bianca Amato does an amazing job.highly recommend this book

excellent historical novel

well written, finely crafted, well read. a pleasure to listen to. I am a fan of the author

My first Gregory book.

I am so pleased with the performance and story. I look forward to more of her novels.

such a great listen!!

great! can't wait to stat on the white queen. the narrator was wonderful, a great book like all the rest! don't stop.

review

loved the narration. The stort was very good, if not a bit too descriptive at times

Loved it! Moving to next book in series.

I loved this story from beginning to end. Historical dramas always interest me and this one did not disappointment. Jaketa is a woman of honor and loyalty who anyone would be lucky to have as a friend. Her special abilities make the book even more compelling as you look for her visions to come to life. What a lovely, special book.

Captivating, and worth it

I'd read "White Queen" and enjoyed that so much that "Lady" was a natural next step, although truly "Lady" predates both "White" and "Red' Queen novels. Having gone through "White" first a lot of the plot lines in "Lady" were known, and the insight of Jacquetta was interesting and telling. Book got off to a slow start for me, and yet Gregory's ability to weave such a fantastic tapestry through her many plot lines, within a work of historical fiction - and a masterful performance by Bianca Amato - draws you in. Very enjoyable.

Fascinating Story

After watching the TV series "The White Queen", I wanted more. This was a great book to get more history.