11/16/19 HFVBT Book Tour: THIS SON OF YORK 

 

This Son of York by Anne Easter Smith

Publication Date: November 10, 2019

Bellastoria Press

eBook & Paperback; 504 Pages

Genre: Historical Fiction

"Now is the winter of our discontent, Made glorious summer by This Son of York..." -- William Shakespeare, Richard III

Richard III was Anne's muse for her first five books, but, finally, in This Son of York he becomes her protagonist. The story of this English king is one of history's most compelling, made even more fascinating through the discovery in 2012 of his bones buried under a car park in Leicester.

This new portrait of England's most controversial king is meticulously researched and brings to vivid life the troubled, complex Richard of Gloucester, who ruled for two years over an England tired of war and civil strife. The loyal and dutiful youngest son of York, Richard lived most of his short life in the shadow of his brother, Edward IV, loyally supporting his sibling until the mantle of power was thrust unexpectedly on him.

Some of his actions and motives were misunderstood by his enemies to have been a deliberate usurpation of the throne, but throughout his life, Richard never demonstrated any loftier ambitions than to honorably discharge his duty to his family and his country.

In a gentler vein, despite the cruel onset of severe scoliosis in his teens, Richard did find love, first with a lover and then in his marriage to Anne Neville. Between these two devoted women in his life, he sired three and perhaps four children.

Bringing the Plantagenet dynasty to a violent end, Richard was the last king of England to die in battle. This Son of York is a faithful chronicle of this much maligned man.

Thoughts:

Ever since I heard about the discovery of King Richard III grave in the car park back in the summer of 2012 in Leicester, I have been so fascinated by his story for a King that ruled England for two years. His reputation is as divisive and controversial as the legacy that remains in our memories of this man. 

Anne Easter Smith has outdone herself in narrating a story about the York dynasty with amazing detail an obviously well researched account of the time of his reign to his fall. The final chapter of the book was among the most amazing chapters I have ever read, EVER. The battle scene and the details of King Richard III last moments were simply short of being an amazing piece of literature.

The passages in the book were all very moving and prose so rich with details and absolutely fabulous story full of creativity and knowledgeable accuracy of the time and his life. I highly recommend this amazing book. Smith wrote a masterpiece and brought to us Richard III as a complex character, and bringing to life a man so vulnerable and captivating.

This Son of York excerpt by Anne Easter Smith

    Plainly garbed to avoid attracting attention on his short journey, Richard entered Coldharbour by a lower back entrance. He had chosen the dinner hour to visit, knowing the occupants of the house would be too busy to notice his arrival. No one hindered his climb up the narrow spiral staircase to the great hall, and he stood unheeded, observing the servants to-ing and fro-ing from the kitchens and buttery with plates of food and pitchers of ale. George and Isabel were seated together at a table on a raised platform, enjoying their meal, but, oddly, Anne was not with them. Richard frowned. As the duchess’s sister, she should have been there. He scanned the long table stretched in front of the duke but she was not there, either.

    Something made George look Richard’s way. The speared chunk of suckling pig froze halfway to his mouth, and he slowly rose from his chair. Richard hurried forward before the ancient steward could heave himself from his seat and attempt a formal announcement. Richard patted his arm and told him remain where he was.

    “You were not expected, my lord,” George said civilly aware dozens of pairs of curious eyes watched intently; he knew servants loved to gossip. “Will you take some ale with us?” George offered his brother, pointing to a seat.

    Richard ignored the gesture and remained standing. He noted that Isabel’s face had drained of color, and he felt a frisson of anxiety crawl up his spine. “Forgive my intrusion, Your Grace,” he addressed Isabel, hoping he sounded nonchalant. “May I ask where is the

Lady Anne? I have some news for her.”

    “You may give it to me,” George snapped before Isabel could speak. “Lady Anne is unwell and asked to dine in her chamber.”

    Richard heard a gasp behind him and knew George was lying. Richard smiled and shrugged. “Then I trust you will tell Anne I came. I will await word from you as soon she recovers. I don’t think my news will comfort her, so it can wait. I beg your pardon for interrupting your dinner.”

    Before George could object, Richard bowed, turned on his heel and hurried back to the staircase. But instead of going down, he ran lightly up to the ducal apartments on the second floor and, finding no one monitoring them, began to look for Anne. His fear mounting, he threw wide the final door to a small but sunny solar. He found a servant girl spreading fragrant rushes on the floor, who dropped her basket and curtsied.

    “Do you know where the Lady Anne is housed, girl?” he barked a little too harshly.

    “This be her chamber, my lord, but she be no longer here. Been gone a sennight.”

    “A week?” Richard cried, now very much alarmed. He could see the room had been stripped of anything belonging to Anne and the bedclothes had been removed. “Where did she go?” he demanded, grabbing her arm.

    The girl shrugged, tears starting. “Every…th…thing be gone,” was all she could stammer.

    Frantic, Richard retraced his steps to the staircase, bumping into Isabel at her solar door. She gasped. “You are still here?” and she glanced anxiously over her shoulder.

    Richard gripped her elbow and pulled her inside the room. “Where is she, Isabel? Tell me. Where is Anne?” His face was hard, his gray eyes boring into hers, as he now held both her arms and was shaking her. “Tell me! What has George done?”

    Isabel began to cry. “I know not, Richard, I swear. Please, you are hurting me.”

    Richard let go and Isabel stepped back rubbing her arms. Her expression defiant, she said, “She disappeared several days ago. I think she ran away. George sent someone to look for her, but…”

    “I don’t believe you,” Richard snapped, grasping her again. “Why would she run away? And to where? She is a fifteen-year-old girl, for God’s sake, and all alone. Tell me what George has done with her?”

    “I will thank you to unhand my wife.” George’s voice behind Richard startled him, and letting Isabel go, he swung round to face his brother, fists balled, but George’s larger frame made Richard step back. “Isabel is right,” George confirmed, smoothly, “she ran away. I sent two of my gentlemen to search for her to no avail. Most likely she has gone to find her mother at Beaulieu. There is a horse missing from the stable, and that is all I can tell you.”

    Richard was dumbfounded. “What did you do to her to make her run away? It has been a week! Did she take her maidservant? Did no one in the stable hear or see her go?” His voice shook with anger. “This story is preposterous. Why did you not report her disappearance to Edward—or me? You will answer for this, George, as soon as I have found Anne.”

    Shoving George out of his path, Richard ran down the stairs and out into the garden. There he stopped, his heart pounding and his mind a jumble of possible theories. That she had run away by herself he dismissed; Anne was too timid. Besides, surely someone in the house would have noticed Anne taking the horse and carrying her belongings. Everything had gone from her chamber, that seemed certain. She must have had a helper, and that someone might talk—with a little assistance from a rose noble.

    It was only on the way back to Baynard’s that Richard was consumed by self-reproach. He had stupidly put his trust in George, which once again George had betrayed. Richard blamed himself for postponing a decision to fight for Anne, and now he had put her in danger.

“A curse on my brother,” he muttered under his breath, “and may he get what he deserves.”

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About the Author

Anne is the award-winning author of The King's Grace and the best-selling A Rose for the Crown, Daughter of York, Queen By Right, and Royal Mistress. She is an expert on Richard III, having studied the king and his times for decades. Her sixth book, This Son of York, will be published soon. She grew up in England, Germany and Egypt, and has been a resident/citizen of the US since 1968. Anne was the Features Editor at a daily newspaper in northern New York State for ten years, and her writing has been published in several national magazines.

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Blog Tour Schedule

Sunday, November 10

Review at Broken Teepee

Review at Gwendalyn's Books

Monday, November 11

Excerpt at Words and Peace

Review at Jorie Loves a Story

Tuesday, November 12

Review at Passages to the Past

Review at So Many Books, So Little Time

Wednesday, November 13

Review at Macsbooks

Interview at The Writing Desk

Thursday, November 14

Review at A Chick Who Reads

Friday, November 15

Excerpt at The Lit Bitch

Interview at Jorie Loves a Story

Saturday, November 16

Review at Curling up by the Fire

Review & Excerpt at Nursebookie

Review at Red Headed Book Lady

Review at WTF Are You Reading?

Review at Historical Fiction with Spirit

Sunday, November 17

Review at Bookramblings

Review at Just One More Chapter

Review at Locks, Hooks and Books

Review at Carole Rae's Random Ramblings

Giveaway

During the Blog Tour, we are giving away a copy of Royal Beauty Bright by Ryan Byrnes! To enter, please use the Gleam form below.



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This Son of York