Annie Garthwaite’s second novel, The King’s Mother, picks up the story of Cecily Neville to follow the purposeful power plays of four rival royal mothers during the 15th-century Wars of the Roses. Here she reflects on their careers – and on her own determination to bring their stories to the fore. Shortly after the publication […]
The King’s Mother by Annie Garthwaite
1461. Through blood and battle Edward of York has gained England’s throne – king by right and conquest – 18 years old and unstoppable. Cecily Neville has piloted his rise to power and stands at his shoulder now, the first to claim the title King’s Mother. But to win a throne is not to keep […]
Cecily by Annie Garthwaite
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 […]
Cecily by Annie Garthwaite
You are born high, but marry a traitor’s son. You bear him twelve children, carry his cause and bury his past. You play the game, against enemies who wish you ashes. Slowly, you rise. You are Cecily. But when the king who governs you proves unfit, what then? Loyalty or treason – death may follow […]
Finding my matriarch, Cecily Neville
Annie Garthwaite describes the 40-year journey that ends on 29 July, 2021, with the publication of her debut novel, Cecily. And reflects on how writing helped her find a matriarch of her own. Mum taught me to read long before school. It was her gift – the key to stories. By the age of ten […]