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The Lady of the Rivers

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The Lady of the Rivers
A Novel  
By Philippa Gregory
This edition: Hardcover, 464 pages
List Price: $32.00
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National Bestseller

New York Times® Bestseller

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Passion. Danger. Witchcraft . . .

The Lady of the Rivers is #1 New York Times bestselling author Philippa Gregory’s remarkable story of Jacquetta, Duchess of Bedford, a woman who navigated a treacherous path through the battle lines in the Wars of the Roses.

Descended from Melusina, the river goddess, Jacquetta always has had the gift of second sight. As a child visiting her uncle, she met his prisoner, Joan of Arc, and saw her own power reflected in the young woman accused of witchcraft. They share the mystery of the tarot card of the wheel of fortune before Joan is taken to a horrific death at the hands of the English rulers of France. Jacquetta understands the danger for a woman who dares to dream.

Jacquetta is married to the Duke of Bedford, English regent of France, and he introduces her to a mysterious world of learning and alchemy. Her only friend in the great household is the duke’s squire Richard Woodville, who is at her side when the duke’s death leaves her a wealthy young widow. The two become lovers and marry in secret, returning to England to serve at the court of the young King Henry VI, where Jacquetta becomes a close and loyal friend to his new queen.

The Woodvilles soon achieve a place at the very heart of the Lancaster court, though Jacquetta can sense the growing threat from the people of England and the danger of royal rivals. Not even their courage and loyalty can keep the House of Lancaster on the throne. Henry the king slides into a mysterious sleep; Margaret the queen turns to untrustworthy favorites for help; and Richard, Duke of York, threatens to overturn the whole kingdom for his rival dynasty.

Jacquetta fights for her king, her queen, and for her daughter Elizabeth for whom Jacquetta can sense an extraordinary and unexpected future: a change of fortune, the throne of England, and the white rose of York.

A sweeping, powerful story rich in passion and legend and drawing on years of research, The Lady of the Rivers tells the story of the real-life mother of the white queen.

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“Wielding magic again in her latest War of the Roses novel … Gregory demonstrates the passion and skill that has made her the queen of English historical fiction.…Gregory portrays spirited women at odds with powerful men, endowing distant historical events with drama, and figures long dead or invented with real-life flaws and grand emotions. She makes history … come alive for readers.”
-- Publishers Weekly (starred review)
“The best writers of historical fiction imbue the past with the rich tapestry of life and depth, and Gregory is surely counted among their number. . . .A worthy addition to this fascinating series, once again distinguished by excellent characterization, thorough research, and a deft touch with the written word.”
-- Library Journal
“The suspenseful pace never flags.”
-- Kirkus
“The ethereal magic threaded throughout the story. . . .contrasts nicely with the power politics.”
-- Booklist
“This rip-roarer possesses the same intimate imaginative texture of Gregory’s classic The Other Boleyn Girl. . . . It’s about love, power and human weakness.”
-- USAToday.com
“The best yet, a lively tale . . . set amid civil wars in England and France.”
-- Associated Press
"The ethereal magic threaded throughout the story. . . .contrasts nicely with the power politics."
-- Booklist
Book feature: Philippa Gregory?s ?The Lady of the Rivers?
50plus.com, October 20, 2011
...been released -- and we're giving away a prize pack of all the books in the series. Philippa Gregory’s latest novel The Lady of the Rivers is the third book in her Cousins’ War series and tells the remarkable story of Jacquetta, Duchess ...
Book review: Witchcraft, war make Gregory’s latest saga lively
Daily Tribune, October 17, 2011
...‘The Lady of the Rivers' by Philippa Gregory The Lady of the Rivers By Philippa Gregory (Touchstone Books) The third novel in Philippa Gregory's Cousins' War series is the best yet ...
Witchcraft, war make Gregory's latest saga lively
MSN Entertainment, October 17, 2011
..."The Lady of the Rivers" (Touchstone Books), by Philippa Gregory: The third novel in Philippa Gregory's Cousins' War series is the best yet, a lively tale of witchcraft and romance set ...
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