O'Brien does not give us a doe-eyed, suffering, victim in this Anne. We are shown Anne's life as the daughter of the second most powerful magnate in England during the early reign of Edward IV, her exile as a result of her father's political blunders, her betrothal/marriage to Edward of Wales, son of Henry VI, and yet another turn as a political pawn as Edward's younger brothers, George of Clarence and Richard of Gloucester squabble over her portion of the Nevill inheritance after the death of Warwick at the Battle of Barnet. The histories are silent regarding Richard the Third's queen save that she was a political pawn during the Wars of Roses and she may or may not have been a childhood sweetheart of Richard. Anne O'Brien's story of the early life of Anne Neville (or Nevill), youngest daughter of celebrated earl Richard Neville of Warwick, aka "The Kingmaker," was refreshing, different and followed the historical timeline with artistic license. Anne Neville is on my list of favorite queens - I prefer the outrageous and the neglected ones, hence Eleanor of Aquitaine and Anne Neville being way up there on the notepad.
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