The Kingmaker’s Daughter is another in the Cousin’s War series by Philippa Gregory. She writes historical fiction in a very realistic way. This latest novel is about the 2 daughters of Richard Neville, a fifteenth century earl that desired his ancestors to rule England. To accomplish this he used any means he could to get one of his daughters married to the next in line for the throne of England. This period in time, known as the War of the Roses, plunged England into great turmoil. Two different families wanted to rule and killed off those in their way by any means. Royals were constantly dying and others were right there to take their place.
Richard first married his eldest daughter, Isabel, to George from the House of Lancaster. Anne, the younger, first marries the heir of the House of York, Edward. During battle her father Richard and her husband Edward die but another opportunity is created instantly. She next marries Richard from the House of Lancaster, her childhood friend. Her father even from the grave gets his way when Richard later becomes King Richard the III. Throughout history Richard has had a terrible reputation. He is believed to have killed his two nephews and buried them in the tower. Ms Gregory, though, paints a different picture. She makes the reader sympathetic towards Richard. With the recent discovery of his bones others have developed the same belief. Ms Gregory is a great historical fiction writer and this book is worth reading.