Skip to main content

A Want of Kindness: A Novel of Queen Anne by Joanne Limburg: A Book Review

A Want of Kindness: A Novel of Queen Anne
Author: Joanne Limburg
Genre: Historical Fiction
Publisher: Atlantic Books
Release Date: July 2, 2015
Pages: 448
Source: This book was given to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Synopsis: Every time I see the King and the Queen, I am reminded of what it is I have done, and then I am afraid, I am beyond all expression afraid.

     The wicked, bawdy Restoration court is no place for a child princess. Ten-year-old Anne cuts an odd figure: a sickly child, she is drawn towards improper pursuits. Cards, sweetmeats, scandal and gossip with her Ladies of the Bedchamber figure large in her life. But as King Charles's niece, Anne is also a political pawn, who will be forced to play her part in the troubled Stuart dynasty.

     As Anne grows to maturity, she is transformed from overlooked Princess to the heiress of England. Forced to overcome grief for her lost children, the political manoeuvrings of her sister and her closest friends and her own betrayal of her father, she becomes one of the most complex and fascinating figures of English history.

     My Review: A Want of Kindness chronicles the life of Anne Stuart, just before she is named queen. Anne was never meant to be queen. Her father was a duke, and her uncle was Charles II. She also had an older sister named Mary. However, due to unforeseen events, one of which she led a betrayal of her father, Anne rises to be a princess and an heiress of England. This historical novel follows Anne’s personal tragedy and triumphs as the reader learns the true cost of what it means to be queen.

     In the beginning of the novel, ten year old Anne is a sickly child. Yet, she loves to have fun. She likes acting, playing cards, sweets, and gossip. While Anne still loves to indulge in these pastimes, as she gets older she becomes more mature. She is often faced with hard choices and personal tragedy. Anne is also a strong Protestant. It is her Protestantism that makes her choose to betray her father. However, it is also her faith that consoles her when she has to deal with her personal tragedy, such as the deaths of her children.

    Overall, the author writes an in-depth psyche about Queen Anne and her motives. Queen Anne is a complex woman, yet it seems that she was a strong woman in the face of many hardships and obstacles. With meticulous research, the author did a great job portraying the times of Queen Anne. She made her times come alive. The author incorporates and includes real primary sources into her story. Because of this, the reader can have an insight into who Anne actually was. This novel is full of political intrigue and drama. Lovers of historical fiction will devour novel novel up for it will appeal to fans of C.W. Gortner, Philippa Gregory, Jean Plaidy, and Allison Pataki.

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Comments

  1. Good review! Sounds like a good one for those who are into early British royalty!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thanks, Dad! Those who are interested in royalty will quickly gobble this novel up! It is a very interesting read, especially since she was unlikely person to be queen because she was so far down in the royal line of succession!

    ReplyDelete
  3. I definitely should buy the book! Thank you!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Thank you for reading my review, and I hope you enjoy the book as much as I did.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Woman from Lydia (The Emissaries #1) by Angela Hunt: A Book Review

The Woman from Lydia (The Emissaries #1) Author: Angela Hunt Genre: Historical Fiction, Christian, Biblical Fiction Publisher: Bethany House Publishers Publication Date: 2023 Pages: 330 Source: Netgalley/Publisher in exchange for an honest review.  Synopsis: Widowed Euodia, known to her neighbors as "the Lydian woman," seeks to make a fresh start by moving to the foreign city of Philippi. She finds new purpose after meeting Paulos, apostle to the Gentiles, who opens her eyes to helping those in need, particularly women and those who have been enslaved.        Retired Roman soldier Hector has settled in Philippi with dreams of a future filled with wealth and status, pooling his army earnings with Lucius, his fellow comrade-in-arms turned business partner. His hopes are dashed, however, when Paulos robs their youngest enslaved girl of her lucrative ability to foretell the future, rendering her worthless to Hector's ambition.     ...

Nell: Marshal of Bodie (The Nell Doherty Mysteries #1) by John Edward Mullen: A Book Review

Nell: Marshal of Bodie (The Nell Doherty Mysteries #1) Author: John Edward Mullen Genre: Historical Fiction, Mystery & Suspense, Western  Publisher: Murders in Time Press Release Date: 2022 Pages: 300 Source: Netgalley/Publisher in exchange for an honest review. Synopsis: In the winter of 1892, the once-vibrant gold-mining town of Bodie, California is in serious decline.        Nell Doherty, an 18-year-old young woman with a wooden leg, dreams of leaving and becoming a Pinkerton detective.       When a tragic shooting presents her with an opportunity to prove she has the skills needed to work for the Pinkertons, Bodie’s justice of the peace deputizes Nell — over the loud objections of the majority of the town’s residents.      Can she prove them all wrong?       Nell digs in and investigates the shooting, with the help of Rags, her half-Irish, half-Chinese be...

The King's Jewel by Elizabeth Chadwick: A Book Review

The King’s Jewel Author: Elizabeth Chadwick Genre: Historical Fiction, Romance Publisher: Sphere Release Date: 2023 Pages: 456 Source: Netgalley/Publisher in exchange for an honest review. Synopsis: Wales, 1093.      The warm, comfortable family life of young Nesta, daughter of Prince Rhys of Deheubarth, is destroyed when her father is killed and she is taken hostage. Her honour is further tarnished when she is taken as an unwilling concubine by King William's ruthless younger brother Henry, who later ascends the throne under suspicious circumstances.      But it is Nesta's marriage that will really change the course of her life. Gerald FitzWalter, an ambitious young knight, is rewarded for his unwavering loyalty to his new King with Nesta's hand. He is delighted, having always admired her from afar, but Nesta's only comfort is her return to her beloved Wales. There, she cannot help but be tempted by the handsome, charismatic and danger...