The People's Princess by Flora Harding
Product Details
Web ID: 16777918Two princesses with parallel lives
I, like most, am fascinated with the story of Princess Diana, so I grabbed this book. The picture alone led me to believe this would be more about Diana and her becoming Royal, the write up seemed to favor this also. Unfortunately, most of this this book fell flat to me…the saving grace was the story of Princess Charlotte. For me, I found the character of Diana very one dimensional; shallow, immature, self centered and most of all troubled. What was written here was the same as we’ve all seen, but did not put Diana in a favorable or likable light. Yet, I felt so sorry for this young woman portrayed - left alone with no one to talk to, brought into a world that she was not equipped to handle, taken away from her friends, the loss of her privacy. Conflicting emotions most definitely. I thoroughly enjoyed the story of little known (at least to me) Princess Charlotte. A princess whose life has so many parallels to Diana. She comes across as more likable, more real, dealing with her problems head on and finally taking control of her life. Their endings are similar, tragic. Both had one dream fulfilled and one out of reach. The writing was well done…drawing me in immediately. I just felt like it could have been marketed differently…especially the cover. Thanks to Harper 360 and NetGalley for this ARC. Opinion is mine alone.
Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
If you're a "Royal" fan this will be a must read.
Thanks to Harper 360 & NetGalley for a digital advance reader's copy. All comments and opinions are my own. Couldn't resist the cover and the concept - a dual timeline of two real life British princesses who lived over 150 years apart, yet with surprising similarities of feeling voiceless and powerless. In 1981 Diana, the soon-to-be Princess of Wales, is having butterflies in the last days of her engagement to Prince Charles. While living in the palace to give her security and privacy from the media, she discovers a portrait of Princess Charlotte, Princess of Wales. How fortunate that this fun-loving princess who lived in the 1840s left a diary that the palace historian shares with Diana. Diana becomes engrossed in Charlotte's story of having to marry or risk being banished by her royal father. She develops a rapport with the Regency-era young woman while reading the diary. The novel alternates the diary chapters with Diana's chapters describing her hopes and fears of the wedding and of her relationship with Charles. Charlotte's story provided much detail of the culture as well as lifestyles of the Regency era from a royal point of view. She was a likeable though self-centered young woman who wrote about her romantic crushes, as well as the relationships she had with her parents, her servants, and her relatives. The description of sea bathing in the ocean was fascinating, as were other societal conventions of the day. I had to keep reminding myself that while Charlotte was a real person, the diary was the author's fabrication. This was in contrast to the experiences of Diana, which were authentic if only glimpses of the 1981 behind-the-scenes life in the palace, the tensions in Diana’s relationship with the royal family during the engagement, and the wedding itself. Author Flora Harding certainly provided a well-researched book. At first I was disappointed that there wasn't more about Diana, but then realized in the interest of keeping it real Harding shared all that she had learned from her research, without resorting to gossip. Now it's time for me to read Diana's biography "Diana: Her True Story - In Her Own Words". If you're a "Royal" fan this will be a must read, but a poignant one, as it is just the beginning of this period in Diana's life, and we all know how sadly it ended.
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Not For Me
This would have been better as a book solely about Princess Charlotte. Hers was the more interesting of the stories. It’s obvious that the author is not a big fan of Diana in the way that she’s described – constantly worrying about her figure, dieting, and whining about when she can spend time with Charles; anything else Diana ever did is rarely, if ever, touched upon. Charlotte’s sections were interesting but couldn’t carry the book.
Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Must-Read for Diana Fans
After all these years I'm still besotted with all things Diana, so was thrilled when approved for this ARC. And I was happily glued from first to last page in this compelling historical fiction dual timeline account. First off is Diana's engagement period to Prince Charles in 1981, paralleled by the story of Princess Charlotte of Wales, discovered by Diana in a diary from the 1800s. Hugely entertaining and a must-read for avid Diana fans and lovers of British history. Out March 31. Thanks to author Flora Harding; HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter, One More Chapter; and NetGalley for the ARC; opinions are mine. #ThePeoplesPrincess, #FloraHarding #HarperCollinsUKOne More Chapter #NetGalley
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
The perfect read for historical fiction lovers!
Shortly after her engagement to Prince Charles, Princess Diana is left to her own devices within Buckingham Palace. Bored and lonely, her interest is suddenly piqued when she happens upon a portrait of Princess Charlotte of Wales. Who was she? What was her place in the royal family? What will be hers? After such inquiries within the palace, a staff official presents Diana with Princess Charlotte’s diary charting back to the 1800’s. Curious to find out more about this young princess, Diana delves into the pages with great fervor. Within the diary, Diana finds a kindred spirit. Someone from centuries past, who bore similar heartaches. A story about two young women trying to find their way while yearning for something much more than a royal title….love. For those who are fans of Princess Diana, the Crown, historical fiction or beautifully written books…. This one is for you! Thank you to @netgalley @harpercollinsuk @onemorechapterhc #floraharding for the opportunity to read this in exchange for a honest review.
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Loved it, 5 Stars
The People's Princess by F. Harding, published by Harper Collins UK / One More Chapter is a historical fiction, not a biography. Two princesses, two fates. One of them, the Princess of Wales, Princess Charlotte. Her story is set in the early 18 hundereds - and another Princess of Wales, Princess Diana, her story set in the late 19 hundereds. Both have a lot in common and sometimes history repeats itself. An exquisite, intriguing story, unputdownable. I was connected with the characters right from the start. Fell in love with storyline, twists and turns. And while I knew the fate of one of the princesses, the other one was a mystery to me. But she became more than history fiction. I really, really loved the growth of Charlotte. Loved reading about her life, her marriage, her love. An emotional read that had me in tears more than one time. I recommend this gem of a story, 5 stars.
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com