Review: 'Cecily' by Annie Garthwaite

I have a love-hate relationship with Historical Fiction. On the one hand I love exploring different historical periods through stories, but on the other hand I have a difficult time when fiction interferes too much with fact, and vice versa. I was immediately intrigued, however, by Cecily, and I'm glad to say it completely lived up to my expectations. Thanks to Fig Tree and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Pub. Date: 7/29/2021
Publisher: Penguin UK; Fig Tree

"Rebellion?"
The word is a spark. They can start a fire with it, or smother it in their fingertips.
She chooses to start a fire.

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 both. The board is set. Time to make your first move.

Told through the eyes of its greatest unseen protagonist, this astonishing debut plunges you into the blood and exhilaration of the first days of the Wars of the Roses, a war as women fight it.

What first drew me to Cecily was the cover. While the old adage that you shouldn't judge a book by its cover is admirable, it also belies human nature. We're quick to make snap judgements, it is often useful for survival. Admittedly snap judgements are also frequently incorrect. In the case of Cecily I liked that the first thing that drew my attention was a multitude of things. On the cover, Cecily is surrounded by labels, by snap judgements others have made of her. She is a multitude of things, she cannot be defined by a single thing. It is a great way to introduce Cecily, both the woman and the novel. In her Acknowledgements, Garthwaite discusses her fascination with the fine line between history and story. As another old phrase goes, history is written by the winners. While much can be certified, the ways in which history comes through us is mostly through stories, which stir emotions and confirm biases. Garthwaite also acknowledges the major power noble women held during the Middle Ages. Cecily makes for a fascinating insight into a woman who was the mother of kings, but whose own relevance has, unjustly, faded.

Cecily starts with the burning of Joan of Arc. Yes, that's only the beginning and it is a stark warning to Cecily and the reader that echoes throughout the novel. If a woman decides to take centre stage, to involve herself in politics, to make enemies, she better be aware of the consequences. Being a woman is no protection and navigating the political turmoil of the War of the Roses is no easy ride. I don't know as much about late-Medieval English history as I, perhaps, should. Tudors, Lancastrians, York, I am aware of these houses and their importance, but the minutiae of their struggles are vague to me. While Cecily is solidly historical fiction, it was a beautiful way to learn about this period through the eyes of one of its main players. We follow Cecily Neville from her late teen years to middle age, to what is, perhaps, a moment of glory. For the 40-odd years in which we accompany her, we come to know Cecily in and out. We see witness her victories and her pain. We get to celebrate with her, but also sit at her side as she makes difficult decisions and copes with losses. What this creates is a full picture of a complicated, driven woman who tried to play the game to the best of her abilities. Throughout it all, Cecily is sharp and determined, full of love but also able to sacrifice. Cecily is surrounded by a set of major historical figures, from King Henry IV to to Phillip III. While Richard plays a major role, I was captivated by Cecily's relationship with other women, whether it was Annette or Marguerite of Anjou.

Annie Garthwaite has written a beautiful book. She fully brings Cecily Neville to life, warts and all, while vividly describing fifteenth century England. There are so many details in Cecily which utterly struck me, whether it was the practice of churching or the detailed descriptions of gowns, manuscripts, churches and landscapes. (When we come to the Battle of Wakefield I legitimately shed a tear.) Against this stunning backdrop, Cecily shimmers. She isn't always likeable and not every choice she makes will strike the audience as equally fair. While Garthwaite doesn't play the apologist, she makes clear what Cecily's choices were and what traditions constrained her. A major element of Cecily is the political intrigue at court, the need to bide ones time and the urge to strike when the iron is hot. I loved the political back and forth, the crisis meetings, the hushed treason discussed in quiet corners. Garthwaite writes Cecily chronological, but not necessarily fully. Each chapter covers a set amount of time, but this can be 10 years or 3 months, which means that Cecily is never dull. While we may never know exactly what Cecily was truly like,  Garthwaite has utterly brought her to life.

I give this novel...

5 Universes!

Cecily is a stunning novel, beautifully written and never dull. History comes to life in Garthwaite's hands and her Cecily will stay on your mind for a long time.