I have adored the work of Philippa Gregory for many years, in particular The Cousins' War series and the Tudor Court Novels. This book was by no means a disappointment at all, and as part of the Cousins' War series, lived up to expectations impeccably.What I love about this series in particular, and Gregory's writing style in itself, is how she is able to mould the same characters and general story into so many different perspectives so brilliantly. Each time I pick up a different book, from the perspective of a different character, I am instantly drawn into their side of the story and how their part played out and was important to how these wars and rivalry shaped England in this period. I am a firm believer that most other writers that try to recreate this period of history as Gregory does would not achieve half as well written a series as this one. That being said, I am a little biased as I adore this period of history within its own right.
The Kingmaker's Daughter is not the best in the series, although that doesn't make it a bad book, and neither is it the worst. The story is captured and brought to life wonderfully; the shine and beauty of this time in England's history- from the royal court to the clothes and food- is so beautifully written that it literally jumps of the page and into your imagination. This is also true for the vast array of characters within the series, and in particular this book; each one (no matter how small a part) sparkles and captivates- I am certain this is due to the research undertaken by Gregory on the real life people that the characters are based on.
If you are a fan of historical fiction (or of the BBC 'White Queen' series based on this series of books) then this would be a definite read for you, although it would surprise me if you were a fan of historical fiction and not read any Phillipa Gregory. Although this is probably the least popular of the series, it is definitely worth the read, not only because it is brilliant as a stand alone book, but also because it completes the final puzzle piece of the series perfectly.
