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Summary: If You Like British History. . .
Review: If you like to read about British history, this is a fabulous book. The characters are well-defined, and although this is historical novel, it gives a completely different view of the characters than what you would read in other books - especially on Richard III. This book is a page turner, and well worth reading!
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Summary: The Best of Penman
Review: Penman has written several exceptional historical fictions that are a delight to those interested in literature about the middle ages. Of them all, this is the best. She has done an exceptional job in bringing Richard III the life, as a real person with both strengths and weaknesses. She makes her characters live in a full way, not two dimensional but in reality. I highly recommend this to anyone who seeks more knowledge of the late Middle Ages in England. It is a bit long, but well worth the time spent.
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Summary: Incredible
Review: My first Penman book. {Is that a play on words?} I love it!!!! I am going to start a study of English history if it is half as exciting as the author has hinted.
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Summary: Every page is a splendour to read
Review: The Sunne in Splendour is an extraordinary book filled with real historical characters whose lives are even more remarkable than any fictional characters could ever be. The battles, chivalry, treachery, intrigue, romance, and betrayals of 15th century England come to life in this superbly written book. Ms Penman has clearly revealed there are indeed two sides to every story.
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Summary: The Flip-Side
Review: This book was recommended to my class by my history teacher who calls himself "a Richard III" advocate, and now I see where he gets this opinion. Penman seems to have literally flipped Shakespeare's equally marvellous play. Every character who is revolting in the play is protrayed in a favourable light in the book. In this book, Richard is a puppet of fate and it is terrible to see him head towards his inevitable doom. This story wraps you up in the intrigue, confusion, love and trechery of the day and carries you away. Each character touches your heart, be they good or bad. What a marvellously written, well-researched and convincing book! I, too, am now a "Richard III advocate".
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Summary: MESMERIZING, ENCHANTING, MOVING, INDELIBLE . . .
Review: This was Penman's first novels and still one of my favorites. A little trivia: she actually hand wrote a good deal of this novel, lost it and then started all over again. That's commitment! SUNNE traces the life of Richard III, breaking it into three sections of this 800+ page novel: PART ONE sheds light on that confusing Historical time known as the Wars of the Roses. For those who never truly understood it, you will. The War was basically one of cousins who were all descended from an ancestor king. Add a weak king to the pot and we have a civil war. Anyway, during that period, we get to see a very young Richard and the many relatives he lost to the early Wars of the Roses. Major players such as Richard's older brother, Ned (i.e. future Edward IV), are revealed as are the monk-like, insane King Harry (Henry VI), as well as his wife, Margerite Anjou . . and let us not forget Richard Neville, the Kingmaker, who at one point during his life, held two different English kings captive. During this section, Ned eventually prevails for the Yorks and becomes King Edward IV. Immediately, he has a clash of wills with his cousin, Richard Neville, and this sets up the scenario for . . . PART TWO: where Richard IV takes the throne and immediately unsettles everyone by marrying into the Woodville family, taking Elizabeth as his queen. Unfortunately for everyone, the Queen has a poor personality compared to her ravishing beauty, which creates a number of conflicts. Richard, who is heaped with honors, is not comfortable in court nor are the Neville Family, as well as many other allies. Edward IV keeps them all from killing each other and also puts up with more Lancastrian attempts to seize the throne, as well as an eventual civil war with his Neville cousins, and his very antagonist brother, George, Duke of Clarence. George also makes life hell for Richard's love interest, Ann Neville, but, in the end, Ann and Richard are married. Continuing friction grows on all sides as Ann sees that Richard is overlooking the flaws of his brother, Edward IV. PART THREE: follows us as Edward IV's reign spirals downward. His ailing health and his methods to contain a very sensitive secret force him to not only slay mad King Harry but his brother, George, as well. Of course, other reasons are used but that's another story. In the end though, Edward IV's lifestyle catches up with him, leaving his kingdom in an upheaval. Richard III is appointed as the protectorate of the realm until Edward's son comes of age, but, in truth, the Queen and her people do not trust him. Civil war is averted when Richard captures the heir to the throne but even then, things are going badly. Richard loses his one blood son and his allies begin to turn on him. Worse, someone else murders the children in the tower (i.e. this is one of Penman's interesting points where she claims Richard III is not the villain portrayed by Shakespeare) and blames Richard. In the end, Richard loses his wife, feels he is cursed and takes a number of risky measures when a distant Lancastrian pretender to the throne (i.e. future Tudor dynasty) challenges him on the battlefield. Through betrayal and circumstances, Richard III is slain and the Plantaganet line dies out with him. After re-reading many of Penman's novels I have to say that this is still my favorite. Unusual that a first book is written well enough to be comparable or better than later books but there you have it. Penman's writing strengths are in her vivid descriptions, her real and varied characters, her build up of conflict and conclusions and, of course, let us not forget that her love stories are pretty good, too. Overall, this is sterling silver quality, so read it right away.
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Summary: Ms. Penman is the best.
Review: The Sunne in Splendour was the first novel I read by Sharon Penman, and I was enthralled immediately. Although I enjoy history, I had never really studied Richard III, and so really had no preconceived opinions about him. Her story seemed incredibly well researched, but at the same time, brought to life the colors, tastes, and textures of the time; this was no dry historical novel. I felt as if I was right there with Richard, his brothers, Warwick, and all the others. I proceded to read all the rest of her books (including her mysteries), and then convinced my husband to read them (He also is now hooked!). I cannot decide if this or Falls the Shadow (Simon de Montforte's story)is her best story. An absolutely amazing book!
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Summary: A terrible, horrible, wonderful feeling
Review: As a preface, the first time I read this book, I didn't know any of the Richard III story. After reading Sunne in Splendour, which tells his story from a sympathetic perspective to Richard, I won't believe most of the Richard as monster stories. A story: I finished this book one evening and had this emotional weight around my heart (I could feel it physically!) for at least two days. Someone called me the night I finished and asked if I wanted to join her for karaoke, normally something I'd jump at the chance to do. I told her that I couldn't do it. I was so depressed. But I was revelling in the fact that a book was able to inspire such strong emotion from me. The sign of a truly excellent book.
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Summary: Thoughts from the latest convert
Review: Have you ever begrudgingly recieved a book from an excited friend only to become an excited zealot yourself after reading the first few chapters?
This is one of those books.
The best way to describe this book is daring. Before reading this, I brushed up on The War of the Roses. I'm glad I did and I suggest anyone before reading the book to do the same. By the end of the first chapter there is no doubt the author knows her stuff and takes you along for an amazing ride. Penman has the uncanny knack for psychologically dissecting each character and bringing them to life in thier own unique way. Working with historical fact, her conclusions come so effortlessly it borders on common sense. Most people will say that this is a book about Richard III. As far as the morally righteous protaganist, I agree. However, in this reviewers humble opinion it is more about a generation of a certain family with Richard III as a part of it. Family and relationships are major themes in this book. His brothers are as equally interesting and contribute just as much to the story. No character is short-changed. Especially Edward IV, whose standard is "The Sunne in Splendour." Those looking for strong, atypical women can't do much better here either. Sharon Kay Penman has given life to the War of the Roses with a passion few authors can rival. This one ranks in my "Top 10 of all time". As I'm sure it will be with you and the friend-turned-latest-zealot that I gave my well worn copy to this morning.
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Summary: My new favorite book
Review: In the past I have been extremely critical of fiction when reading ficticious British history and usually take everything I read with a grain of salt. I was skeptical when I picked up this book, and it is without a doubt one of the best books I have a EVER read.
I stayed up until 5 in the morning one night reading this book because I just couldn't stop reading! The War of the Roses, in the particular the strong women of this time (I'm writing my own series on these queens) has been a passion for years now. And yet I was almost crying when bad things happened to these charectars, partly because I knew what was going to happen, and partly because this book is so amazingly well written.
Penman is so phycologicaly in tune with Richard, Anne, Elizabeth, Edward, that you do fall in love with them.
I strongly reccomend this book. When I finished it I opened back up to page one and began again!
Penman has a die hard fan in me :)
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