Helena: Princess Reclaimed : The Life and Times of Queen Victoria's Third Daughter

Rating:
Summary: The first people's princess?
Review: A brave attempt to present the life of the princess -- the first "people's princess". Based on new research not available elsewhere. Easy to read and inexpensive.

Rating:
Summary: Helena; Princess Reclaimed
Review: For the first book about Princess Helena, this was a wonderful find. Chomet's research seems complete, and the writing is rather easy to read. I found many interesting facts about Victoria's third daughter, some of which have been previously published (drug addiction) and others which are generally not known ( the flirtation with the librarian). The book is a must for anyone studying Victoria's family. In particular illegitacy in the royal family. Helena's only grandchild was illegitimate, and only one of her children married. Her family's life is a contrast to all of her siblings, with the exception of Princess Louise.

Rating:
Summary: Highly readable
Review: I am always interested in reading about some of the more obscure royal siblings and what became of their offspring so I was initially very happy to have found this book. However, the first shock was opening it - the print format looks like someone's high school term paper was cut and pasted directly into the book. Double line spacing and a large font were apparently used to plump up the author's sparse material to create the 152 small pages (5 3/4" x 8", not including the sparse index and source acknowledgement pages). The writing is amateurish and uneven, not that of an experienced biographer; the sequence of events is incoherent and information is duplicated and triplicated in various parts of the book (the poor Princess must have died at least 3 times before the final chapter, "The Final Years" which is given 6 1/4 double spaced pages, can you believe it?). Did this book have an editor? There is no evidence as such. This is more like someone's rough draft of a memoir and rough is the working word here. The accompanying photos are mundane and mostly of the "official" variety - few if any candid or informal pictures. Long tracts on Victorian nursing and architecture are included apparently to make up for the dearth of real information about Princess Helena. How and when did she become a drug addict? Who was her supplier? Why didn't her daughters ever marry? A reader can probably glean as much information from previously published magazine articles as there appears to have been very little original research done for this book. All in all, a very disappointing experience.

Rating:
Summary: An incoherent mess - very disappointing
Review: I am always interested in reading about some of the more obscure royal siblings and what became of their offspring so I was initially very happy to have found this book. However, the first shock was opening it - the print format looks like someone's high school term paper was cut and pasted directly into the book. Double line spacing and a large font were apparently used to plump up the author's sparse material to create the 152 small pages (5 3/4" x 8", not including the sparse index and source acknowledgement pages). The writing is amateurish and uneven, not that of an experienced biographer; the sequence of events is incoherent and information is duplicated and triplicated in various parts of the book (the poor Princess must have died at least 3 times before the final chapter, "The Final Years" which is given 6 1/4 double spaced pages, can you believe it?). Did this book have an editor? There is no evidence as such. This is more like someone's rough draft of a memoir and rough is the working word here. The accompanying photos are mundane and mostly of the "official" variety - few if any candid or informal pictures. Long tracts on Victorian nursing and architecture are included apparently to make up for the dearth of real information about Princess Helena. How and when did she become a drug addict? Who was her supplier? Why didn't her daughters ever marry? A reader can probably glean as much information from previously published magazine articles as there appears to have been very little original research done for this book. All in all, a very disappointing experience.

Rating:
Summary: Some good info
Review: Princess Helena was probably the most active of the daughters of Queen Victoria, but little is written about her. This book gives a little insight into her personality and her activities, that are not mentioned in other books. The illustrations are good, but the book is too thin to really give much info.

Rating:
Summary: Highly readable
Review: When I read Marlene Koenig's recommendation ("I recommend you read it") I bought the book and have enjoyed reading it. There is lots of new material and very little padding. This is not the usual volume stuffed with unnecessary detail. It is more of a story, based on fact, of a princess who was once described as dull and not very good looking but turns out to be handsome, talented, interesting and very popular with the Victorian public. There are also one or two unsolved mysteries. The price of this volume is not exorbitant either! I also "recommend you read it".