Loved this book, hated all the blasphemies. ( )

Read a quarter of the 900 small-print pages & gave up. Too many battles and repetive back & forth power struggles. A slog. Which is a shame because some of the characters were well done.

The Sunne in Splendour by Sharon Kay Penman was both interesting and well-written. I found it particularly interesting as it deals with a time frame I'm not very familiar with as most histories, biographies, and novels I've favoured previously have covered the Tudor period.

Obviously reading it for the first time in 2024 changes how I came to it as a reader. The de-villianisation of Richard III has been going strong for a few years now, but I can imagine this would have been a very different and interesting take when first published.

In conclusion, my short, very reductive review of this book is that I did not expect to finish it having the hots for Richard III, but here I am. ( )

Beautifully done. This sweeping historical novel about the Plantagenets and the War of the Roses provided a different look at the all to brief reign of England's Richard III and the earlier, longer reign of his older brother, Edward IV. Most of what has come down to us in history derives from the Tudors' "winner's history," but Ms. Penman has excavated contemporaneous writings from the period of the Plantagenet reign to give life to and a very different dimension to that family. ( )

Well, I loved it in my teens! ( )

Here's what I worte about this read in 2008: "Alice Kesterson, Ballantine Regional Sales Manger, describes online how many readers, including her, love these books about medieval times in Wales and English. Richard portrayed as a man of conscience, vs. as a killer of young princes." Was obviously on a medieval reading course during this time of life; check out other books read during the years 1995-97. And, interesting that they were all written by women. ( )

I’ve either mentioned this book or the Author several times during the life of my reviews so I have decided it was about time I actually wrote a review on the book itself. This was the debut novel for this Author.

I was first introduced to both the book and the Author by my History Professor whilst taking my Masters in History many years ago. She recommended it to me on the basis of it being the most accurate account of the times she had read in fiction form. Being a Yorkshire woman by birth and therefore, a staunch Yorkist, I was slightly apprehensive when I picked this up as most accounts of Richard III and the House of York are based on Tudor propaganda from the times, and are slewed very much in their favour. I found none of this when I read this long 936 page book.

The book itself could be broken down into thirds; the first brings into the light that confusing history of the Wars of the Roses, and for readers who are not up to speed with the ins and outs of this time it is a great way not only to get to know the key players, but where they fit together in the whole sorry mess. Yes it does sound a little like a history lesson, but it is given in such a manner that it skilfully and neatly pulls the reader so far into the novel that they have no choice but to read to the end. Just by reading the first part of the novel it can be clearly seen that this Author has done extensive research into the period, and this comes through in way in which locations are described and characters react to their environment.

Character development is stunningly done within the pages of this book. The reader is not thrown huge chunks of back-story and motivational traits, but slowly includes them as the plot progresses. Their fears are revealed, sometimes surprising the reader, and the political machinations that ruled their everyday lives are uncovered slowly, rather like peeling the layers from an onion. Obviously the main focus of the book is Richard, and it follows him from a very young age when he is very much in the shadow of his brothers through to his death on the battlefield. The Author does not portray him the same light as Shakespeare, but rather gives him a more human face than the one constantly given to him of that of monster. A compelling and believable case is presented regarding his nephews in the Tower of London, which rather makes the reader consider that this could be a case of the wrong people mishearing words said at the wrong time and in frustration, as in the case of Thomas Becket when King Henry II uttered ‘who will rid me of this meddlesome priest’; we will never know.

I could write for hours on this book, but to do so would have me revealing spoilers and getting into the whole White Rose versus red rose debate (yes the capitalization error was deliberate *smile), so I’m going to leave this review short, and I hope tantalising enough to make someone want to actually pick this up and read it.

I would highly recommend this novel to anyone looking for a good read. I have read it several times and yes, my History Professor was right it is the most accurate account of the times in fiction form.


Originally reviewed on: http://catesbooknuthut.com/2014/09/01/review-the-sunne-in-splendour-sharon-kay-p...



This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.
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Although this is not one of my favorite Penman books-it still is a masterpiece of historical fiction. As this is her first novel, it is astounding how good it actually is. I read somewhere that she started writing this tome by hand and lost it, and began again!

The book is advertised as "A novel of Richard III" when in my head it is the story of the York's and Lancaster's and The War of The Roses. Both houses claimed the throne through descent from the sons of Edward III.

The story begins when Richard is a small boy in 1459, who suffers more loss in his formative years than any boy deserves. It carries through to his death in 1485. Penman paints a much different picture than the one I had envisioned of Richard. The man you come to know seems loving and kind and like any true hero, he fights for Country and family. Also, my perception of Elizabeth Woodville (Edward the IV's wife and RIchard's sister-in-law) has changed dramatically. Having read all of Penman's books now, I trust her research; this is how I will think of Richard III now-no hunchback, no evil heart (though there are things he felt he had to do, once on again for Country and family).

There is no one better at writing this sort of story. I wait with bated breath for The Land Beyond the Sea the story of The Kingdom of Jerusalem, also known as 'Outremer', the land beyond the sea. ( )

Well written. Too damn long. ( )

I would give this book more stars if I could. Definitely one of the BEST books I have ever read in my life. I have read countless books on Richard III and this is by far the best. All the other books I've read, penned by other authors, seemed to keep key events happening the same way, this book totally flipped them which kept it interesting for me. At 900 pages, I read every word even though I know Richard's history like the back of my hand. LOVED IT! ( )

George R.R Martin must have read this 1,600 page historical dramatisation of the War of the Roses before embarking on his own Game Of Thrones.

Penman gives a sympathetic portrayal of the long-reviled king, Richard III, as a loving husband and honest man brought down by power-hungry schemers.

This period of history has always been vague to me, and Penman brought this volatile time to colourful life. Full of scheming, double-crossing, betrayal & scrambles for power. Fascinating. ( )

I read this years and years ago, but just recently snagged a copy at a library sale and a series of quiet summer afternoons seemed like a good time to pick it back up again. It was as good a novelization of the Wars of the Roses as I remember it being, and I'm glad I read it again. ( )

This book is way too long, though the first part about the early War of the Roses and Edward's reign are rather interesting the remainder is fluffed out with a saccharine telling Richard and Anne's love story, with flavorless sexual details. Once Edward dies there follow endless descriptions of the personal agonies of guilt and grief of Richard III and Anne. None of the other historical characters does more than fill the crudest outlines recorded for them. Penman is so devoted to a blameless Richard that she ignores that he as well as Anne knew their lives depended on wresting power from Edward's queen and her Woodville family. And, ultimately they failed and were wiped out. ( )

I’ve either mentioned this book or the Author several times during the life of my reviews so I have decided it was about time I actually wrote a review on the book itself. This was the debut novel for this Author.

I was first introduced to both the book and the Author by my History Professor whilst taking my Masters in History many years ago. She recommended it to me on the basis of it being the most accurate account of the times she had read in fiction form. Being a Yorkshire woman by birth and therefore, a staunch Yorkist, I was slightly apprehensive when I picked this up as most accounts of Richard III and the House of York are based on Tudor propaganda from the times, and are slewed very much in their favour. I found none of this when I read this long 936 page book.

The book itself could be broken down into thirds; the first brings into the light that confusing history of the Wars of the Roses, and for readers who are not up to speed with the ins and outs of this time it is a great way not only to get to know the key players, but where they fit together in the whole sorry mess. Yes it does sound a little like a history lesson, but it is given in such a manner that it skilfully and neatly pulls the reader so far into the novel that they have no choice but to read to the end. Just by reading the first part of the novel it can be clearly seen that this Author has done extensive research into the period, and this comes through in way in which locations are described and characters react to their environment.

Character development is stunningly done within the pages of this book. The reader is not thrown huge chunks of back-story and motivational traits, but slowly includes them as the plot progresses. Their fears are revealed, sometimes surprising the reader, and the political machinations that ruled their everyday lives are uncovered slowly, rather like peeling the layers from an onion. Obviously the main focus of the book is Richard, and it follows him from a very young age when he is very much in the shadow of his brothers through to his death on the battlefield. The Author does not portray him the same light as Shakespeare, but rather gives him a more human face than the one constantly given to him of that of monster. A compelling and believable case is presented regarding his nephews in the Tower of London, which rather makes the reader consider that this could be a case of the wrong people mishearing words said at the wrong time and in frustration, as in the case of Thomas Becket when King Henry II uttered ‘who will rid me of this meddlesome priest’; we will never know.

I could write for hours on this book, but to do so would have me revealing spoilers and getting into the whole White Rose versus red rose debate (yes the capitalization error was deliberate *smile), so I’m going to leave this review short, and I hope tantalising enough to make someone want to actually pick this up and read it.

I would highly recommend this novel to anyone looking for a good read. I have read it several times and yes, my History Professor was right it is the most accurate account of the times in fiction form.


Originally reviewed on: http://catesbooknuthut.com/2014/09/01/review-the-sunne-in-splendour-sharon-kay-p...



This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.
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Very well written. ( )

The subtitle of this book should be changed from "A Novel of Richard III" to "THE Novel of Richard III". If anyone is looking for a way into the life of Richard III, then this is it. I was hooked from page one and could not put it down. It is meticulously researched and beautifully written. I am definitely sympathetic to Richard and the poignancy of his remains having been found recently only adds to this.
Sharon Penman gets inside the mind and the times of Richard and his family and portrays them as real people, not the monsters or heroes drawn in other works (including Shakespeare). You can see the troubles and loyalties which shaped Richard as a boy; his admiration of his brother, Edward IV; and his love for Anne Neville. The story leads us through Richard's inevitable decisions following Edward's death and the revelation that the king's marriage was illegitimate. Penman shows us, not an evil, scheming wicked uncle, but a true statesman faced with impossible situations. The whole spectrum of characters is displayed with a truth which is so engaging you miss them when they've died or once you've finished the book. It's so close to reality that you find yourself hoping that Richard can find a way of avoiding Bosworth and remain king! ( )

This massive tome is very impressive on the most part and deserves its reputation as one of the best ever works of historical fiction.

Interested as I am by the Wars of the Roses, I found the recreation of the historic events and people engaging, especially during the first three-quarters of the novel.

The author has a talent for writing conflict between characters. Conflict is, of course, a major ingredient in creating a gripping narrative.

Ms Penman’s version of Edward IV is the best I’ve come across in historical fiction so far. The real King Edward is fascinating, and the author does a great job of bringing him to life, portraying him pretty much how I’d imagine Edward to be.

Once Edward “leaves the palace”, the story loses some of its hold on me. I’m also fascinated by Richard III, and was a little disappointed with how he was portrayed once he took the throne. This is perhaps down to the author’s transparent aim to show Richard in a good light.

This is usually the case with historical authors in general – they’re either strongly for or strongly against Richard, which undermines the believability of his character.

Early in the book, the author does a brilliant job of depicting the Battle of Towton. Because of this, I grew excited during the build-up to Bosworth, but felt ultimately let down by the results. It’s skimmed over and *told* in backstory, which is a method that can never compete with *showing* a scene it as it unfolds.

Events that follow Bosworth are slow and unengaging. You could say the story “fades out” rather than coming to a definitive “stop”.

As well as the disappointment with Bosworth and what follows to the end, my other criticisms regard various style issues. One is the absence of conjunctions in numerous sentences. I guess this was a way to reduce the word count, but the problem is, the results read awkwardly, as the two quotes below demonstrate:

>He felt better at that, swung off the window seat."Yes, I... I think so," she said, very low, moved to put space between them.Dickon was still ten days from his nineteenth birthday.She was so young, just five months beyond her second birthdayBess saw her first, gave a gasp of dismay.But then she gave a surprised gasp. ( )

I've been avoiding this book. I shouldn't have because it is freaking compulsive. I'll see you all in about 900 pages . . . ( )

3.5 stars

This is a novel about Richard III of England. He was the youngest of the three (living) York brothers from the “Wars of the Roses” (York vs. Lancaster). His oldest brother, Edward, was King of England and produced two sons, later known as the “Princes in the Tower”. Edward and Richard got along very well, and Richard was named “Protector” to Edward’s oldest son (also Edward) when Edward himself died, but both Edward’s sons later disappeared. To history, many believe that Richard murdered his nephews.

Ok, I guess I’m all over the place with that description. The book was good, but it took me a long time to get “into” it. There are a lot of people with the same name, so that takes getting used to, in addition to getting used to various people’s titles and nicknames! It was at least 1/3 of the way in before I was interested. The war parts of the books don’t really interest me. I find I’m also more interested in historical fiction from a woman’s viewpoint. It was when Anne was more of a focus (she married Richard) that I got more interested, so I did find their relationship a part of the book I really enjoyed. It is a very long book, however. Overall, I’m rating it as “I liked it”, but it took a while to get there. ( )

The Sunne in Splendour by Sharon Kay Penman is the long 1249 page tome most touted as favourite historical fiction by a huge number of Historical Fiction lovers. After one false start, I came back and persisted and am glad I did. I wasn't sure I completely agreed with the Ricardian viewpoint of the author, but it certainly added tons of clarity to my understanding of the supremely complex era known as The Wars of the Roses.

The research is extensive, especially Battle descriptions in Book 1.

Book 1: it's difficult to get over the starting line. There's so many characters you need to meet, battles upon battles and you try to sort out the heroes from the villains.

The author expertly relates the dynastic and interfamilial struggles which resulted in the Wars of the Roses, a term which only became popularized in 1829.

Book 2: this section deals with the relationship between Anne and Richard. There is a noticeable change in the writing style that really surprised me. Book 2 makes for much easier reading as it's basically historical romance.

I was struck by the astounding youth of the main players.

Book 3: the demise of Richard. By letting the drama unfold in discussions between Richard and Anne, their predicament becomes very real, not abstract.

After Edward IV's early unexpected death at age 40, everything changes for Richard. His role as Protector, and his very life, comes under challenge from various conspiracies, mainly headed by the venomous Dowager, Elizabeth Woodville and her family. Once more Richard is betrayed by those he trusted, namely Will Hastings and Henry Buckingham. It's a very tense time, the pace of the writing quickens and the sense of doom envelops the reader.

In Penman's eyes, Richard has nothing to do with disappearance of his nephews from the Tower, Princes Edward and Richard. Henry Buckingham is the supposed culprit. The mystery is never solved and the boys were presumed murdered by the end of 1483. Much of this theory is introduced via the exposition of various individuals who make the case for Richard's innocence. This technique weighs down the narrative

Even if you only read the hard facts of Richard's life and brief reign, it is full of drama and tragedy. Penman does a good job of bringing emotional depth to his story through his relationships to those closest to him. Occasionally, the dialogue weighs heavy and slows the pace of the story down as the author tries to imbue the language with archaicisms. It not an easy task, but she does it admirably.

I'm glad I persisted in completing this novel, but I do think it would have been more approachable written as a trilogy, rather than one long novel. ( )

Interesting history of a most maligned king, Richard III. Just awfully long!
Changed my mind, since I only read about 1/3, I will re-read and finish.
Actually went back and re-read and finished.  Penman's knowledge of this time in history is outstanding. ( )

Absolutely fantastic book. The only thing I knew about Richard III before reading this was from Shakespeare's play so I really enjoyed finally reading a more truthful and accurate version of his life. ( )

It took me a while to get through this, but I'm glad I picked it up. Generally i like fast paced, action, humor, sex, anything to force my scattered brain to pay attention to what I'm reading. This was a great change of pace. I enjoyed it very much and Penman writes beautifully. It's writing I can learn a lot from. I recommend it if you're looking for an enjoyable summer read, you know, on the beach with nothing but time to enjoy a good book. One of those reads. ( )

In the Sunne in Splendour, Sharon Kay Penman vividly brings to life one of the most tumultuous periods in English History; the late 15th century. The principal characters are richly developed and engaging, the level of historical detail is astounding and, despite the book’s immense length (900 pages), the narrative moves quickly and is utterly absorbing. Readers who love historical fiction will not be disappointed.
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I hated nearing the end of this book because I'd fallen in love with Richard and of course knew how horribly it would end. This book prompted me to read a few more novels set in the War of the Roses but none came close to The Sunne in Splendour. ( )