I could not get into this book at all, I didn't make it to the end. There was so much information given, it was hard to focus on a plot.

I'm not sure I am the intended audience for this book.

This was an interesting albeit extremely long account of the three brothers - Edward, Richard and Clarence - who either ruled England or played a major part in history during the 1400s. Sometimes a little dry in style, this book is probably more suited to history students than lay readers.

An informative book, although I found the style a little dry in places and hard to get through.
I'm not sure there was much new information in there, although appreciate this is difficult for such a popular period of history.

Very descriptive, the narrative didn't always flow nicely however it was an informative read and it was interesting to learn more.

It's that time of year when I try to look back at some of the books which have lingered for far too long on my kindle and this non-fiction history book has been around for so long, it's high time it had a mention.

The Brothers York follows the fortunes of the three men who each had their eye on the crown of England. A real life Game of Thrones for three very different brothers who are inextricably linked through time and whose ambition would be their undoing. Edward IV, Clarence, Duke of York and Richard, Duke of Gloucester are expertly explored in this comprehensive look at what influenced their life, and times.

Beautifully detailed and alive with all the scheming and skulduggery we have come to expect from the War of the Roses this comprehensive work makes history accessible and whilst it seeks to give a detailed description it is also very readable and is something I have enjoyed dipping into and out of at whim.

I'm a Lancastrian by birth and had I been around in the fifteenth century I am sure I would have followed the red rose of Lancaster but I have long had a fascination for the white rose side of the Plantagenet dynasty and the Yorkists who did so much to shape the history of the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries. This book brings that history to life.

Not what I was expecting at all. Although I'm sure the research was impeccable it was just too dull to read. More like a Wikipedia entry than a novel. They are fine for short articles on subjects, but not a whole book. Abandoned.

As a history graduate, this is exactly the kind of book I love. Written in an engaging style, "the Brothers York' covers the War of the Roses and the York brothers who may well have replaced the Tudor family as the ruling power over England were it not for their personal issues.

It's a refreshing book that focuses on the personalities rather than simply presenting dry lists of facts and if you're interested in this period history, this will definitely fill in some of the gaps, answering questions that many other historians have overlooked.

For some reason I expected this to be Historical Fiction, but it turned out to be History. It's about the Wars of the Roses and the Brothers from the York dynasty who might have filled the place that the Tudor family does in history instead, if it hadn't been for in-fighting.

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC without obligation.

I Was unable to download this title unfortunately, so unable to read. My sincerest apologies. Though I plan to read sometime in future from another source

Thank you for providing me with a review copy of this book. Enjoyed reading, interesting tale, would recommend....

Sorry really struggled with this one although it was well researched. I have read about this period extensively.

What an amazing book - telling the story of the three York Brothers from a different perspective.

Insightful and gives a different perspective on the complicated relationship between them

Thomas Penn writes very well and is very readable

I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in this period of history

A definite 5 stars

For some reason I expected this to be Historical Fiction, but it turned out to be History. It's about the Wars of the Roses and the Brothers from the York dynasty who might have filled the place that the Tudor family does in history instead, if it hadn't been for in-fighting.

There are long chapters with just the occasional line break. As such it took me quite a long time to read it in small increments. It was also just a bit dry, but the subject is interesting and kept my attention. I found it amazing how England came so close to having a very different history!

Overall I really enjoyed the book and it filled in a big gap in the my knowledge of history. I do prefer historical accounts that tell the story of people rather than impersonal war statistics and this definitely fulfilled that preference for me.

This book is absolutely gripping; at times it reads more like a thriller novel than a piece of historical analysis. Insightful, and I think it will definitely appeal to people who feel they might not always connect to drier re-tellings of history; to use a cliché, it brings the history to life.

As a Yorkshire girl born and bred and a writer of Yorkshire history I just had to read this book. I am glad I did a fascinating account of the lives of the three brothers - Edward IV, Richard III and George, Duke of Clarence - from Edward’s taking of the throne in 1461, through the Wars of the Roses, to the Battle of Bosworth and beyond. Beautifully written and expertly researched. A must-read for all lovers of English history.

I always enjoy adding more facts to my knowledge surrounding the Wars of the Roses so this was great for me as I have read several books with the York brothers included. Perhaps not the best for beginners as it’s quite a dense academic look but enjoyable none the less.

This was an excellent book that highlighted the shifting political situation in England around the time of Edward IV and Richard III. The narrative was very easy to follow and the significant number of quotes added to the development of the characters which is often missing in books of this nature. You believed that you could visualise the key characters and understand their motivations.
The book was exceptionally well researched and offered a much better understanding of what was happening in Europe around the selected timeframe.
The narrative flowed well and the reader remained interested in its progress throughout. The treachery of many of the key players was explained in a balanced manner leading to the expectation that this was the norm at the time.

An impressive account of the Wars of the Roses seen through the rise and fall of the Yorkist dynasty, the three brothers: Edward IV, George, Duke of Clarence and Richard III. In reassessing the brothers, individually and in their relationships with each other and those around them, Penn aims to cast the long conflict as a ‘sickness within the Yorkist family’ and largely succeeds. This is gripping history, engagingly written and at times, it had me longing for a good historical novel about the period to read concurrently (I don’t rate Philippa Gregory). It is also very extensively researched and detailed, going well beyond popular histories of the period.

In very simplified terms, the dynastic upheaval of the hundred year period after the death of Edward III could be summed up in ‘too many surviving descendants’ brought up in the belief they were truly exceptional and that the throne of England should be theirs by right. The York brothers were no exception and all three are fascinating. Their shifting allegiances, feuds and paranoia are vividly brought to life. I also particularly liked the inclusion of foreign policy, the relationships between England, France and Burgundy and to lesser degree, Scotland. One small criticism though is the absence of female voices. Penn includes a lot of primary sources from foreign visitors to English court, ambassadors, merchants, bankers, the wealth of sources is admirable. Yet not enough sources on women of Yorkist dynasty, Cecily, the matriarch or the brother’s wives. Hence four rather than five stars in what is otherwise an excellent book.

My thanks to Penguin Books and Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review The Brothers York.

A very meaty read,ideal for the lockdown when I had plenty of time to devote to reading.It's a meticulous and detailed account of the Wars of the Roses and the Yorkist dynasty of Edward IV and Richard III,with all its intrigue,battles and treaties .I had read quite a lot of fiction about this period but this was extremely interesting and gave me a context which novels don't provide.
I would maybe have liked a bit less detailing of the battles and a bit more about the personalities-it didn't give much information about the Yorkist women or any theories about the Princes in the Tower beyond saying they were killed.However,I would recommend this book to anyone with an interest in English history of the late Middle Ages.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in return for an honest review which reflects my own opinions.

A very long and well researched book( which wasn't the easiest to read on a Kindle!) telling the story of the three brothers Edward IV, George Duke of Clarence and Richard III. The author writes I believe a balanced view of the family implosion showing the volatile changes of loyalty in this era of our history which spurned a quarter of a century but which destroyed itself before its time.
I did not feel that the author had any particular bias towards the House of either Lancaster or York and I particularly liked his choice of leaving out any opinion on the death of the princes in the Tower leaving it for the reader to make up their own mind..
Although a work of non-fiction it reads easily, is absorbing and very detailed due to the use of a huge amount of both primary and secondary sources by Thomas Penn.
My thanks to NetGalley and Penquin Books for this chance to leave a fair and unbiased review.

I have read quite a few accounts of the Wars of the Roses, both historical and fiction, but I have not encountered the approach that Penn takes here; discussing the wars through the fractious relationships between the sons of Richard, Due of York: King Edward IV, George Duke of Clarence and Richard Duke of Gloucester (later King Richard III). When Edward seized the throne from Henry VI, his brothers were still quite young, and Penn shows their attempts to carve out their own power bases as they mature by seeking Edward's favour. The rivalry between them eventually imperilled Edward's reign.

Of course the notorious Duke of Warwick gets a considerable amount of attention, but Penn's account also highlighted for me the degree to which some women of the time leveraged their power and influence to the degree that they could bring down kings: Margaret of Anjou, Cecily Neville, Elizabeth Woodville, and Margaret Beaufort among them. Warwick was not the only "king-maker" during those wars.