The Red Queen, written by Philippa Gregory, is the second book in what is referred to as "The Cousin's War" trilogy. This novel chronicles the life of Lady Margaret Beaufort, who is head of the House of Lancaster, one of two royal Houses vying for the English throne during the turbulent War of the Roses.
Gregory begins the book during the early years of Lady Margaret's life, where we learn of her devotion to the young heroine, Joan of Arc. While Beaufort feels that she is destined for a holy life, those in authority insist her destiny lies in carrying the next heir in the Lancaster line. The remainder of her life subsists of weaving together carefully constructed threads in the treacherous and often fatal fight to the throne.
I enjoyed this book. It's fraught with a multitude of names and dates, but don't let that scare you. Once you become enthralled with the story, names begin to stick and dates move along. Gregory manages to bring the past alive in all her books, paying special attention to cultural detail and setting. Scheming and survival were certainly intertwined in the politics of the 15th century, and the story of Lady Margaret Beaufort is no exception.
