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Cecily

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Cecily

By: Annie Garthwaite
Narrated by: Olivia Poulet
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Brought to you by Penguin.

1431 is a dangerous time for a woman to be defiant.

England has been fighting France for 100 years. At home, power-hungry men within a corrupt government manipulate a weak king - and name Cecily's husband, York's loyal duke, an enemy. As the king's grasp on sanity weakens, plots to destroy York take root....

It will take all of Cecily's courage and cunning to save her family. But when the will to survive becomes ambition for a crown, will she risk treason to secure it?

Inside closed bedchambers and upon bloody battlefields, Cecily portrays war as women fight it.

©2021 Annie Garthwaite (P)2021 Penguin Audio Biographical Fiction Fiction Genre Fiction Historical Historical Fiction Medieval Political Women's Fiction Middle Ages Biography Romance Royalty England Tudor
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Critic reviews

"A startling heroine." (Sarah Moss)
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A very different look at the struggles of York and Lancaster as they vie for England’s crown.
Garthwaite’s writing is superb, lyrical and brutal, it brings medieval England to vivid, breathtaking life. She paints the characters of Cecily, the ambitious, intelligent Duchess of York, and her diffident, cautious husband with dexterity, laid bare their motives with careful reveals and subtle clues.
Poulet’s narration is superb, nuanced, clever, bringing each and every one to life. I listened on 0.9 speed, it was do good it didn’t want to miss a word, She injects their emotional life so far into her performance I could swear I knew Cecily, Richard, Edward and their enemies personally.
I loved it.

Loved it

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A wonderfully readable book! Really enjoyed the plot. I’ll now read more by this author

Brilliant

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loved it, great insight into the times. Brilliant descriptive writing. definitely left me graceful for central heating, hot water and a toothbrush

highly recommended

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Cecily of York has always fascinated me. She saw her husband and son killed in battle, one son executed by another and two made kings. She was from the house of Beaufort the lineage of John of Gaunt. She must have been a remarkable, strong and dependable women in a time when women supposedly were of no consequence. Not this lady though, but as usual history only speaks of what men did. Great opportunity to read from a different perspective.

Great story well told

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A definite must for readers who enjoy this historical period. I slowed the narration down a bit to enjoy the visualisations of the writing and the nuances in some of the dialogue - the narrator was excellent.

Great book and narration

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