Rival Queens
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Rival Queens
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Narrated by:
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Emma Cunniffe
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By:
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Kate Williams
About this listen
Random House presents the audiobook edition of Rival Queens by Kate Williams, read by Emma Cunniffe.
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'Scintillating, provocative... An elegant synthesis of royal biography and political thriller.' Daily Telegraph
A Times History Book of the Year
Mary and Elizabeth: cousins, rivals, queens. They allied and fought and plotted - but could never escape their bond... A story which inspired the Hollywood film MARY QUEEN OF SCOTS.
At the end of the Tudor era, two queens ruled one island. But sixteenth-century Europe was a man’s world and powerful voices believed that no woman could govern. All around Mary and Elizabeth were sycophants, spies and detractors who wanted their dominion, their favour and their bodies.
Elizabeth and Mary shared the struggle to be both woman and queen. But the forces rising against the two regnants, and the conflicts of love and dynasty, drove them apart. For Mary, Elizabeth was a fellow queen with whom she dreamed of a lasting friendship. For Elizabeth, Mary was a threat. It was a schism that would end in secret assassination plots, devastating betrayal and, eventually, a terrible final act.
Mary is often seen as a defeated or tragic sovereign, but Rival Queens reveals instead how she attempted to reinvent queenship and the monarchy – in one of the hardest fights in royal history.
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'Brings us a fresh Mary, set in a gloriously rich context, a tragic heroine - irresistibly real and relevant... There isn’t a line wasted in this taut, dramatic and utterly beguiling biography.' Charles Spencer author of Killers of the King: The Men Who Dared to Execute Charles I
‘The perfect combination of scholarship and storytelling, meticulous research and emotional insight, Kate Williams brings Mary vividly to life in all her complexities and contradictions.’ Kate Mosse, author of The Burning Chambers
'It takes a special kind of historian to turn an old story on its head. Eye-opening, provocative, this is the great rivalry re-imagined for the #MeToo generation.' Lucy Worsley
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What listeners say about Rival Queens
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- SH
- 22-06-24
Outstanding
A well written and read book. The story tragic, important and also inspiring. Thank you.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Maryb
- 30-05-19
A good history lesson.
Very well written and nicely narrated. I will certainly listen to more of this author's work. Most enjoyable!
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- yidrob
- 03-05-20
Interesting background listen
A sympathetic look at Mary Queen of Scots life and trials. Good listen for many
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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- Tatiana / @TCLinrow
- 31-10-19
A fascinating history, if a bit rambly at times
This was a really in depth and fascinating history of two truly incredible queens, well written and well narrated. It was well researched and filled with quotes and references to source materials that gave it an extra dimension that I enjoyed. However...
Maybe it was just me, but it felt like there were times where she would go over the same point three or four times. Sometimes she was adding a quote from historical sources and such, which made sense, but there were times when it felt incredibly unnecessary.
All the same I enjoyed this book and I'm glad to have read it.
*Trigger warnings - accounts of sexual assault and rape.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Socialpaws
- 03-05-22
Great audio book
I love all things related to Mary Queen of Scots and this is a meaningful and consistently engaging narrative. Thoroughly enjoyed it enough to quite possibly listen to it again at some point.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- Kizzia Mildmay
- 22-05-21
Fascinating but repetitive in parts
I very much enjoyed this audiobook. The narration was excellent and the prose was detailed, clear and well structured. My only complaint is that throughout the book points that Kate Williams felt were of particular importance were belaboured and repeated so much it became annoying.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Arabelle Lee
- 08-01-23
good
twas good, gave me new views on the topic 👌 would give as a recommendation, the very last bit though is like super sad they molder together
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Cristina
- 19-12-18
Accurate account
Really well narrated, super interesting and fascinating. Another perspective on female rulers. Worth listening, reading. Loved it.
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5 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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- Daniela
- 19-06-19
Thrilling listen
absolutely lovely true story, narrated in a brilliant way. it is a piece of history, without the usual boring historical details. recommended for anyone that like true drama stories.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Carla Ribeiro Oleiro
- 18-05-19
A enjoyable book
Great to have bought this book for £2.99. Just love Elizabeth I life stories and this books was a nice surprise. In it you can find some true facts and to know other ones you have read other books.
Also, I enjoyed the performance of the reader.
I recommend it.
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