The Beaufort Woman: Book Two of The Beaufort Chronicles: Mother of the Tudor Dynasty

This is the second volume in the author's trilogy of novels tracing the life of Margaret Beaufort, scion of the house of Lancaster and mother of the future English king Henry VII. This novel covers the period after she married Henry Stafford right up until the victory of her son at Bosworth in 1485, a full quarter century.Being told entirely from Margaret's first person viewpoint, the various battles and dramatic political events of the conflict known to later generations as the Wars of the Roses, are imparted to her through the arrival of breathless messengers reporting back victory, defeat, or the shocking desertion of one of the principal actors to or from one side or the other. This narrative approach, while historically accurate, sometimes irritates me in historical fiction but here it illustrates effectively how a powerful political figure like Margaret Beaufort is marginalised from the main action as a woman. The most dominant emotion in her mental landscape though is desperate regret and worry about her separation from her son Henry for almost the whole of his childhood and indeed his adulthood until his military and political victory at the age of 28.The dramatic events of 1483-85 are vividly told; like many historical novelists she appears to be a believer in the innocence of Richard III over the Princes in the Tower and indeed she does not believe they were murdered, or at least that nine year old Richard was not murdered, to judge by the plot of another of her novels. I don't share her view on this, but it is a well told version of events and Margaret comes across as a real three dimensional human character.

The storytelling picks you up and drops you into the heart of Tudor England, with little pause for breath as the dangers around Margaret swirl around and engulf all close by.Such an engrossing book that thoughtfully takes the reader the reader through the life of an unbelievable lady.Can’t wait to read the third book!

After reading The Beaufort Bride, I could not wait to read the second book of the trilogy. It did not disappoint. We do not know what Margaret felt and thought or even what she really looked like, but we do know that she loved her son and would have died for him, as any good mother would. This book shows Margaret in a good light and gives her the benefit of the doubt. She has always been seen as a cold hearted woman with only thoughts for her son and herself, but this book has given rise to question the previously held conceptions of Margaret Beaufort. In this book even Margaret questions the thought that Richard would have had his nephews murdered and states that even though his reign was cut short, he did show signs of being a good king. Could Margaret have had the boys murdered to clear the way for Henry? This Margaret couldn't have. I liked this Margaret and up until now, I have never liked her. I can not wait to read the final book and find out how Miss. Arnopp describes the way she supposedly treated her daughter in law, Elizabeth of York. I hope there isn't too long to wait. Thank you Miss. Arnopp for giving me a likeable Margaret Beaufort.

The Beaufort Woman is book two of the Beaufort Chronicles of English historical fiction. Margaret is the mother of Henry, the man who would later become King Henry VII.This is a complex time in history and Arnopp has made a good job of making it readable as a piece of fiction. There are a lot of characters to keep abreast of and at times I did struggle with all the names and titles. However, for fans of the Plantagenet era and the Wars of The Roses, this series would make and excellent choice of reading material.

The Beaufort woman follows the fate of Margaret Beaufort, widow of Edmund Tudor, as, deprived of the company of her young son Henry, she negotiates her way through the confusion, intrigues and alliances of the Wars of the Roses, doing whatever she must to protect and advance the interests of her absent son. While Margaret was known for her piety, one feels, reading this account of her skilfully shifting allegiances, that she would have paid homage to the Devil, if it would secure Henry’s future. She begins by wanting his land and titles confirmed, then by wanting his safety assured, and finally by scheming to put the crown on his head. In a world run exclusively by men, Margaret Beaufort was surely the most determined player.

Filling in the gaps of the women that history has overlooked. A very good fictions rendition of a powerful woman who ultimately took control of her own fate, her sons, her nations, and to some degree the world's. While it is a pity that we do not have more accurate records of the lives of women such as Margaret Beaufort and Elizabeth Woodville, it was a pleasure to enjoy one well researched possible story of their lives.

I didn't read book one, but that's no matter as this reads as a stand alone book which is perfect. This is my first taste of this historical period, the War of the Roses, and I have to say that the author has converted me! The novel is beautifully written & eloquent, with such vibrant descriptions evoking this fascinating era and the equally fascinating characters. The story of Margaret Beaufort, the mother of Henry VII, is brilliantly narrated, and the author brings the period and the people alive, essentially bringing the history to the fore and this is what is so great about historical fiction - retelling the history in such a favourable way so as to bring it to life for readers to sample, enjoy and remember. It is a confident, authentic and convincing portrayal of Margaret Beaufort and I look forward to the next book in the series.