Curzon presents a well-researched and engaging biography which was written in a rather casual tone. I’m not usually a fan of a gossipy style, but Curzon knew exactly what she was doing!

If you’re looking for a piece with lots of historical and contextual background, this isn’t it. But, if you’d like to settle down and find out more about a fascinating figure that’s often forgotten, I’d wholeheartedly recommend this.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for provide me with a digital copy in exchange for my honest review.
Recomendado si disfrutan de la historia, de las biografías o son seguidores de las familias reales europeas. Me resulto informativo e interesante.

A well-researched, well-written and engaging biography of Sophia, Electress of Hanover, who, if she hadn’t been outlived by Queen Anne, would have become Queen of England. And it appears that she would have made a good Queen. This is an accessible and very readable biography with a good balance between serious history and lighter moments, and the author manages to make Sophia come alive on the page.

As a history teacher obviously I love reading about history and was thrilled to get a copy of this to read. The first thing that strikes you is how well researched this book is, I found it fascinating and felt I learnt a lot about Sophia, a character who has always intrigued me.
The presentation was fun as well and I raced through this.
Absolutely brilliant book I’ll be recommending To everyone.

I love historical biographies so I was looking forward to reading Sophia: Mother of Kings. I was not disappointed! Catherine Curzon's book is well researched and detailed but also engaging and witty. I enjoyed every page!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a free e-copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

The author clearly has extensive knowledge of her subject and a fluent writing style that often veers into an almost chatty (gossipy) tone of voice. I’m not a great fan of the latter, as I think that type of writing style more suited to a magazine or fictionalized retelling. The author’s admiration for Sophie shines through, and though probably well-founded, it colors her judgment somewhat.

Throughout the book I was a bit bothered by how little information the author gives about her sources (apart from the impressive bibliography at the end) and the storytelling style she uses, where she paraphrases a lot of the information she has researched instead of working with direct quotes more. I’d have preferred a more academic approach and the reader doesn’t get much opportunity to make his own judgment on the validity or subjectivity of the quoted source.

There is a great focus on all the family drama and power play and while there was definitely drama to spare and I really liked the way the author shows these grand personages of yore as flesh and blood people with all their foibles and quirks, I don’t feel as if I’ve learned all that much about the era from a point of view of culture, philosophy, politics or economics. It wasn’t clear to me from this book how closely, or not, Sophia was involved in the actual raising of her children, her plan for their education, if she had any, or what a typical day would have looked like.

The e-book version has no pictures or maps which was disappointing, as it helps so much to picture the people and places.

Overall, I’m still happy to have read this book, as it shines a deserved spotlight on an important woman, interesting in her own right and not just as the mother of…

I have been a student of British history since 1966, majored in it in college, and read a great deal of history to this day. In all of that time I can honestly say that I never gave Sophia, the Electress of Hanover much of a thought. By the time she figures into British history as it is usually taught, she was elderly, ill, and useful only to the British as the closest Protestant heir to the throne. This sprightly biography rectifies all of that.

Sophia’s claim to the British throne was through her mother, Elizabeth Stuart, the daughter of James I and his wife, Anne of Denmark. For those keeping score, Elizabeth was the sister of Charles I, and the aunt of Charles II and James II. Elizabeth married Frederick, the Elector Palatine, and the two of them were briefly the monarchs of Bohemia, leading to the sobriquets of the Winter King and Queen. Sophia was their twelfth child. (Better Elizabeth than me.)

After the Glorious Revolution, King William and Queen Mary had no children, and her poor sister, Queen Anne, went through numerous pregnancies only to lose her children to an early death or through miscarriage. The Protestant establishment of England did not want a Catholic monarch, which the waiting Stewarts were, so they reached back into the Protestant bloodline and came up with Sophia, who had married the Elector of Hanover, and had Protestant offspring.

In the event, Queen Anne outlived her great-aunt Sophia, and it was Sophia’s son George, the Elector of Hanover, who became the first of the Hanoverian monarchs. This biography makes clear how unfortunate this was; Sophia was educated, Interesting, intelligent, and would have made a good queen. Her son George was dour, uninteresting, and difficult.

This properly footnoted (I am an inveterate reader of footnotes) biography was a pleasure to read, and I can recommend it to any student of British history.

I read this ARC in exchange for an honest review - all thoughts and opinions are mine

I LOVE history and in particular being able to read about personages in history I've never heard of - this is one of those. So well researched, I learnt soooo much

Really interesting the way it was written - in Acts rather than chapters - original presentation - loved it

Some history / non fiction can be a bit dry and hard work to get through - This is NOT one of those books. The author brings the story and the era to life. I became so engrossed - it was one of those books you get completely lost in - wonderful

A fabulous read

Sophia:Mother of Kings is a fascinating historical biography. It is well written and researched. A very interesting book.

***I was granted an ARC of this via Netgalley from the publisher.***

Key to writing any good biography is to have an interesting subject and an author that can bring their subject to life on the page. In the book, Sophia: Mother of Kings by Catherine Curzon, a royal historian, both elements are present in this enjoyable biography of Sophia of Hanover. Curzon walks us through the life of Sophia, starting first with a little background of her parents, the Frederick V and Elisabeth Stuart, the unfortunate exiled king and queen of Bohemia, all the way though Sophia’s death at the ripe old age of 83 in 1714. Along the way we see Sophia navigate life at the various courts she resides and still maintain her vibrant personality in a world where powerplays and politicking, and unhappy households were the norm. The reader can’t help but root for Sophia as she grows from a young woman looking for a suitable match to stateswoman beside her husband who later becomes an Elector in the Holy Roman Empire. Due to some succession changes and untimely deaths and her mother’s connection to the English throne, she becomes heir to the throne of Great Britain, with her son eventually becoming the king of England. Even though one may assume that a rich noblewoman like Sophia had an easy life it is far from the truth. From losing her father at a young age, a busybody mother, a jealous husband and crafty mistresses, and deaths of children, we get a picture of a woman who meets every challenge head on with determination of spirit. Using Sophia’s own memoirs and other contemporary sources, Curzon paints for us a near complete picture of what life was like for Sophia and by extension many other noble women of the time. The author also does an excellent job at making this biography accessible to someone who may not know much about times Sophia lived in and keeps the writing from being dry and boring. For someone who likes a more academic style of writing, this may not be your cup of tea (the author for example stresses multiple times that Sophia simply has to put up with the presence of mistress, which for a more academic audience is a given but may not be for a more casual reader). However, this did not take away from my enjoyment of the book and I found myself rooting for Sophia along the way. In fact, by the end of the book, the reader will be left to wonder what kind of Queen of England Sophia would have been had she lived long enough. If you are interested in a good biography of a noble woman from this period of European history, then this “tale of perhaps the finest queen that Great Britain never had” is right up your alley.

Rating: 4 stars. Would recommend to a friend.

First sentence: ‘The princess SOPHIA, who was a daughter and mother of a king, was herself mistress of every qualification requisite to adorn a crown. [Sophia was] the most accomplished lady in Europe.’

Premise/plot: This biography is divided—for better or worse—into three acts. Each act covers a role in her incredible life: princess, duchess, and electress. So who was Sophia? She was the daughter of Frederick V, Elector Palatine of the Rhine, and Princess Elizabeth Stuart, daughter of King James I of England. She was their twelfth child, seemingly unimportant to the politics of the nations. But by the end of her life, oh how things would change! For she and her offspring would enter into the succession. Sophia was the mother of the first Hanoverian king of England, George I. This book covers ALL her life and the other key players of the times.

My thoughts: I loved, loved, loved this one. I would say it was far from dry and boring. I might even dare to say it was a thrilling read. Might. I think for those that—like me—love history OR love the royal family OR both it will be a compelling read. Usually I complain when a book has lengthy chapters. I do. I need potential stopping places—lots of them. But the lack of chapters did not bother me. I sped through the first two acts. I was getting caught up in the story, talking about it with my mom, keeping her updated with all the twists and turns, tuning out distractions. I was INTO the book. It read like a real life soap opera. It used a lot of quotes from Sophia’s own diary or autobiography. So it felt personal. I will say that the book began to drag a bit towards the end. There comes a point when it’s less soap opera and more obituary column. But when it’s good, it’s GOOD

This was an excellent biography of a woman I knew very little about. I'm a lover of historical biographies and history in general, and this book did not disappoint. What a fascinating woman and an in depth look at a time period and locale I was woefully ignorant of. A real pleasure.

Like many others, I am fascinated by the lives of royalty and have read numerous books about European rulers throughout history. This, however, is the first time I have read anything about Sophia, Electress of Hanover, the daughter of the Winter Queen, Elizabeth of Bohemia, and granddaughter of King James I of England.

Catherine Curzon’s book was a fascinating look at the life of a very intelligent and capable member of the royal family who missed out on the chance to sit on the British throne by a matter of only a few weeks. It is a well-researched and enjoyable book and has sparked my interest in reading more about this intriguing historical figure.

If you are at all interested in history and the English monarchy, in particular, I believe you will find this book to be a great selection. I sincerely appreciate the advance copy I received from NetGalley, but I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are entirely my own.

This non fiction book is a fascinating and easy to read
Well written and very interesting
A must read for any fans of this era

This is the story of the life of Sophia, Electress of Hanover.
Sophia was the granddaughter of James I and mother of George I.

As a child she lived in exile following the actions of her father Frederick V and Elizabeth Stuart. She was known as a Winter Princess.

Sophia married Ernest Augustus and spent her life devoted to him even whilst his own brother attempted to woo her before marrying himself. Her new sister in law caused much strife for Sophia but she battled through it.

Sophia was heir to the English throne but unfortunately passed away before her chance to become Queen of England arose.

I hadn't read anything about Sophia prior to this and find her such a strong individual. She provided strength to her family through heartbreak and disaster, a truly inspirational lady.

It seems a shame she never got her chance to become Queen.

For those with an interest in history I'd recommend this.

Another look at a historical English figure. A look at how she fits into the English monarchy. Gives some primary quotes and images. Does gives good information.

Really enjoyed this book and learned so much more on the history of this woman and what this woman had to face to keep everything going! You will learn to love her and the people who surround this historical woman! Very good plot,believable in every sense! You will think about this book after you finish. Net Galley let me read this !! A lot of time went in to research of this time and story!!

I like to read once in a while a historical book but I am not a huge reader of non-historical-fiction. But this one is easy to read which makes it enjoyable. I don't know how good the research is but everything seemed logical as far as history can be logical. In history you can't always be certain but this is okay. I also like that this is about someone you don't know from regular history classes or documentaries. I am glad that I had the chance to read this book!

*Many thanks to Catherine Curzon, Pen & Sword and Netgalley for arc in exchange for my honest review.*
Some time ago I watched a documentary that mentioned Sophia Electress of Hanover as the gueen Great Britain never had. Sophia was the woman who connected the transition of the crown from the Stuarts to the Hanoverians as she was the grand-daughter of Charles I and the mother of George I. This non-fiction is a fascinating and easily readable account of her life that I highly recommend to anyone interested in the period who would like to learn more about this woman who played an indirect role in bringing the Hanoverians onto the British throne.

An interesting read about "the finest queen that Britain never had". As a lover of British history, particularly relating to the history of the Royal Family & those who were close to it, I had heard of Sophia of Hanover & knew that her descendants give us today's Royal Family, however I knew nothing of the woman, the politics or even the lineage that came with her. She seems like a formidable woman, who had Stuart blood & used it well!
Overall, I learnt a lot from the book yet it wasn't a difficult academic read.It is written in quite a chatty style, with phrases like "Frederick's father, helpfully named Frederick IV (get ready for a lot of not at all unique names like this)". There is some confusion around names but you can work out who is who eventually!

Disclosure: I received an advance reader copy of this book free via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.