As a recap, ARC stands for Artful Readers Club, and is the brainchild of Darcy. Darcy wanted a new challenge this year, so came up with reading a book a month then writing a review and creating a piece of art inspired by the book.
You had to choose you 12 books on January 1st (I joined in a couple of days later). My book list is in the left had bar of this blog, but you can also see it here.
Pop over to Darcy's blog for more information.
Now on to my January book, which was "The Red Queen", which was written by one of my favourite authors Philippa Gregory.
The Review -
Now, I love Philippa Gregory novels, and read anything fiction regarding the Tudors (that's well written). I'd read the White Queen some time last year so was looking forward to getting the Lancaster side of the story!
I do find it hard to read a book if I don't empathise with the main character, and in her younger years when married to Tudor at just 12 years old, then being married off to Stafford, leaving her son with the York loyalists the Neville's, I did empathise with her. There were even some tears shed!
As she gets older and bitter, more determined for the fall of the Yorks and putting her son on the throne I just got tired of her and understood why some Tudor historians refer to her as t' old bat! She was not a likeable character which made things hard going at times. I loved the glimmer of hope that came with any interaction with her brother-in-law, Jasper Tudor though and felt a pang of empathy a kin to earlier chapters when his letters were short.
In the end, I found reading the battle scenes more engaging, and the final one I was on that field with Henry.
The Art -
So we have the house of York and the house of Lancaster, which eventually joined together with Henry Tudor, the singular aim of Margaret, to get her son on the throne!
I've started February's book already, and don't have the foggiest idea what I can do art wise for "The Hunger Games".
Fabulous art take on the book Helen... great to hear your thoughts on the book... and I agree... hard to get through when you don't empathize with the main character...
ReplyDeleteJenny ♥
Oh that sounded like a hard read hun, interesting that you found the battle scenes in the book more engaging!
ReplyDeleteLoving the artwork and look forward to your review of The Hunger Games, we watched the DVD recently and feel compelled to read it now, but haven't got it on my list of 12 and I've got enough on dealing with them!
Until next month!
Love what you did for the art. That is a great book cover. The best books make you cry. :)
ReplyDeleteLove your artwork - mine this month also features a tudor rose :) If you like reading about this period you might like the book I chose too. I agree it is hard to get into a book if there aren't likeable or relatable characters, she does sound like an old bat indeed!
ReplyDeleteOuch, hope the book you're reading now is easier on you! And I bet there will come some Art-pling somewhere with a quote or a description of a view or something! Hey, we have to keep hope! :)
ReplyDeleteLike what you did this month! ♥
I love your artwork! Not knowing much about history is a disadvantage of mine but the main character does not sound nice at all. It is hard to get into a book when you can't relate to the characters, isn't it?
ReplyDeleteI had read the White Queen, and was tempted by the Red Queen, but having read a different book about her I felt - like you - that she was not a character I could take to, even though this is one of my favourite periods of history.
ReplyDeleteYour artwork is inspired - it just encapsulates the background to the story - England and Wales, the Yorkists versus the Lancastrians symbolised by the red and the white roses, and the combined Tudor Rose. Strange, though, isn't it that Lancashire still clings on to its red rose and Yorkshire to the white one. Echoes of history coming through the ages.
And then the ripped apart card for Margaret. Fabulous piece of art.
i love the origional cover but your ripped card is a great idea well done.
ReplyDeleteLove your art, great review but not a book I will read. I like more modern time books.
ReplyDeletethats a very pretty cover on the book, i would have been drawn in by just that. i understand the need to feel a part of the book, tedious and unlikable characters are very offputting. love your ripped queen playing card and the center roses.
ReplyDeleteI really love the artwork you came up with for this one. And it seems to sell the book, based on your review. Nicely done!
ReplyDeleteOh wow I love the way you have written this up I was also feeling similiar feeling with my first book. I disliked the character in my book too wish makes reading it hard. Well done with the art work I love it is very telling.
ReplyDeleteI do sympathise with you when you cannot bring yourself to like the main character! Well done with completing this and for the lovely artwork.
ReplyDeleteJanet xx
Gorgeous artwork, creative. Philippa Gregory isn't an author I've read, though I do love historical fiction. Thanks for the informative review. Michelle Vanstrom
ReplyDeleteJust love Phillipa Gregory's novels...your art interpretation is Brilliant...love the ripped map & queen of hearts! spot on!
ReplyDeleteLove the Tudor history of our country too, and your art piece really shows what happened here all those years ago. Fabulous! :D XXX
ReplyDeleteLike you, I think Philippa Gregory is a wonderful author. Once I start reading her books, I cannot put them down! Your artwork is a wonderful interpretation of this book. I remember reading it and just thinking how dreadful it would be to have to live the lives filled with plotting and scheming that some of these people lived.
ReplyDeletePhilippa Gregory certainly knows how to draw you in to her books. Empathising with some characters can be hard going sometimes and if you really get annoyed by them I would imagine it can make a book hard going at times. Great review of a book I have not read. Love the artwork and the way you have portrayed the split in the Houses of York and Lancaster.
ReplyDeleteGreat artwork and although I like some books based on historical events I do tend to go for some of the more fictionalised and sensationalist ones! Looking forward to seeing what you do for The Hunger Games - definitely a different type of book to this months!
ReplyDeleteLove the art piece you created from reading "The Red Queen". Even though I don't know much about that period of history, your review and art gives me a sense of the drama and turmoil that was happening.
ReplyDeleteLovely piece of artwork, very clever idea and beautifully carried through. I love historical novels so found your review very interesting. Not sure whether I will add this to my list, I do like to feel for my characters.
ReplyDeleteJen x
Very cool artwork! It conveys the feeling you described in your review perfectly.
ReplyDelete