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A Want of Kindness: A Novel Hardcover – December 6, 2016

by Joanne Limburg (Author)

3.5 66 ratings

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Unfolding in the heady world of the glittering Restoration court, A Want of Kindness follows an expendable princess on her unlikely progress to becoming queen, through the religion, politics, disease, deceit, and treachery of the time.

The wicked, bawdy Restoration court is no place for a child princess. Ten-year-old Anne cuts an odd figure: a sickly child, she is drawn towards improper pursuits. Cards, sweetmeats, scandal, and gossip with her Ladies of the Bedchamber figure large in her life. But as King Charles' niece, Anne is also a political pawn, who will be forced to play her part in the troubled Stuart dynasty.

Transformed from overlooked princess to the heiress of England, she will be forced to overcome grief for her lost children, the political maneuverings of her sister and her closest friends, and her own betrayal of her father, before the fullness of her destiny is revealed. In A Want of Kindness, Limburg has created a richly realized time and world, and in Anne, a complex and all-too-human protagonist.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"It’s impossible not to be moved. ‘How shall I bear my life, Mrs. Freeman?’ Anne cries at the novel’s end. That we care about the answer is Limburg’s gift to Anne, and a fine gift too." ― New York Times Book Review

"An elegant, clever novel." ― Daily Express

"An intimate portrait of a Stuart princess whom history has occasionally underestimated. Limburg succeeds in humanizing Anne and bringing her worldview to vivid life." ― Kirkus Reviews

"Reading A Want of Kindness will prevent readers from seeing only the enigmatic crowned figure of legend or even the pathetic woman behind that well-worn image. They will never look at her quite the same way again after seeing how she came to that sad state." ― Washington Times

"Limburg goes full Hilary Mantel in burrowing deep into Anne’s life and the politics of the Stuart court. Writing in short chapters interspersed with actual letters to, by, and about Lady Anne, Limburg proves adept at creating the inner life of an English queen who has been overlooked by history." ― Publishers Weekly

"Limburg uses primary source material to great effect in unveiling the personality behind this queen whose name is associated with Britain’s Augustan Age. Limburg’s first novel will appeal to devotees of Stuart history and fans of Philippa Gregory." ― Library Journal

"Limburg attempts to tell Anne’s story through a mix of fact—in the form of letters Anne herself wrote—and fiction, the author's own imaginings of Anne’s everyday life, conversations and interactions. The result is the story of a life quite undervalued by those around her, a girl ignored and brought up to be less than her station, who relied on food and cards to comfort her." ― Bookreporter

"Limburg succeeds in making the story of diffident Anne amusing and engaging. Readers who enjoy following the stories of the English monarchs through historical fiction can hardly do better than to choose A Want of Kindness for this period." ― HistoricalNovels.info

"It is usual to praise the authors of memoir for their honesty. Can a writer be too honest? There is no limit to the ingenuity of the catastrophising imagination. She brings insight and a rueful wit to her story. This talented and thoughtful young woman must be braver than she imagines, to step into the fiery circus where the modern writer performs her tricks." -- Hilary Mantel ― The Guardian [praise for 'The Woman who Thought Too Much']

About the Author

Joanne Limburg is the author of a memoir, The Woman Who Thought Too Much, about her struggle with obsessive-compulsive disorder, which was praised by Hilary Mantel, among others. This is her first novel. She lives in Cambridge, England.

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Pegasus Books; 1st edition (December 6, 2016)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 448 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1681772590
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1681772592
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.32 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6 x 1.7 x 9 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #3,501,418 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #5,616 in Biographical Historical Fiction
- #9,496 in Biographical Fiction (Books)

Customer Reviews:
3.5 66 ratings

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3.5 out of 5

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Pamela C. Forcey

A specialized biographical novel about a future queen

Reviewed in the United States on March 29, 2017

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This is a biography of part of the life of tragic Queen Anne of England (queen 1702-14) in the form of a novel. I enjoyed it more because I already knew much about Anne and her relations and the history of the period. The book concentrates on the difficult relationship between Anne and her older sister, Mary, who was queen before Anne. The jacket flap copy is very misleading: it implies that the book includes Anne's time as queen; actually, the book ends as she is about to become queen.

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Rosemary Morris

Queen Anne Stuart Life and Times.

Reviewed in the United States on October 8, 2016

A Novel of Queen Anne

Joanne Limburg

I have read extensively about Queen Anne Stuart’s reign, so I borrowed Limburg’s A Want of Kindness - paperback - from the library in the U.K, and began it with enthusiasm. Unfortunately, when I read the first chapters my enthusiasm waned. Although I appreciate Limburg’s research, I don’t appreciate the style in which the novel is written.
Instead of allowing Anne to have her own voice, Limburg tells the reader about Anne. This distanced me from the main characters, so I put the no

One person found this helpful

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Lauralee

A Great Novel About Queen Anne!

Reviewed in the United States on August 23, 2015

A Want of Kindness chronicles the life of Anne Stuart, just before she is named queen. Anne was never meant to be queen. Her father was a duke, and her uncle was Charles II. She also had an older sister named Mary. However, due to unforeseen events, one of which she led a betrayal of her father, Anne rises to be a princess and an heiress of England. This historical novel follows Anne’s personal tragedy and triumphs as the reader learns the true cost of what it means to be queen.

In the beginning of the novel, ten year old Anne is a sickly child. Yet, she loves to have fun. She likes acting, playing cards, sweets, and gossip. While Anne still loves to indulge in these pastimes, as she gets older she becomes more mature. She is often faced with hard choices and personal tragedy. Anne is also a strong Protestant. It is her Protestantism that makes her choose to betray her father. However, it is also her faith that consoles her when she has to deal with her personal tragedy, such as the deaths of her children.

Overall, the author writes an in-depth psyche about Queen Anne and her motives. Queen Anne is a complex woman, yet it seems that she was a strong woman in the face of many hardships and obstacles. With meticulous research, the author did a great job portraying the times of Queen Anne. She made her times come alive. The author incorporates and includes real primary sources into her story. Because of this, the reader can have an insight into who Anne actually was. This novel is full of political intrigue and drama. Lovers of historical fiction will devour novel novel up for it will appeal to fans of C.W. Gortner, Philippa Gregory, Jean Plaidy, and Allison Pataki.
(Note: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.)

One person found this helpful

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Dr K.

just boring letters and prayers to God

Reviewed in the United States on April 18, 2017

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Nothing historical, just boring letters and prayers to God. No real analysis of Anne as a political figure or a Queen.

One person found this helpful

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Samantha

Fantastic read!!!

Reviewed in the United States on December 6, 2016

Wow, how do you condense a book that covers from 10 years old to death at 49!! Not to mention it covers 434 pages, which I thoroughly enjoyed!! Princess Anne is strong in her beliefs as a Protestant so when her father when King tries to convert all to Papist beliefs she does assist in his "removal". (Exile). One sentence stood out "Every year the people give thanks for this deliverance, & burn the Pope in effigy, with a cat sewn into his belly to make him scream". She conceived 18 times, but at her death has no living offspring. She has to fight for her proper living allowance, which considering it's her sister on the throne, is degrading! Her correspondence & prayers were written in her language & a cursive print that was difficult to read. The time frame ran from 1675 to 1700, Restoration period of English History. Want to thank Goodreads & Pegasus books for the opportunity to read & review this giveaway book. Enjoy.

2 people found this helpful

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ColoradoGirl82

Helps with insomnia

Reviewed in the United States on June 8, 2017

I've made it through to page 85 and I'm so bored I have no idea what happened on the last 50 pages. All it is written prayers and simpering letters to a friend. I would highly recommend this book if you want a how to guide on card games and how to become baptized in the 18th century. That's all this book is. If you want an exciting historical novel, read Phillipa Gregory's work and leave this one for when you run out of ambien.

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Kindle Customer

Very well researched, but hard to emotionally engage with

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 9, 2021

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I'm giving this 4 stars because, while it seemed well researched, and opened a window into a period while of history I knew little about, the characters were hard to grasp because the author uses multiple names for each character, and very descriptions. There is a character list in the front, but this is not easy to reference via Kindle format.

Penelope J

One sided history

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 24, 2016

Verified Purchase

Written by Anne, ie first person, this is an interesting book about a period of history I know little about. After this I still don't know much. No intrigue with the Marlboroughs, but plenty of pathos for Anne's children, none of whom survived beyond ten, if that long. Nothing about her politicians. So a bit one dimensional and probably nothing here for the serious reader of historical fiction. Phillipa Gregory or Anne O'Brien this author aint.

2 people found this helpful

H M Roberts

Meticulously researched and fascinating history of Queen Anne - the last Stuart Queen.

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 18, 2016

Verified Purchase

An extensively researched, beautifully written historical journey of the life of short-sighted shy ten year old Anne - grand-daughter of Charles 11, daughter of the Catholic King James 11, who eventually came to the throne after succeeding William and Mary and whose reign brought to an end the Stuart dynasty. The book contains many of Anne's actual letters to her friends, her family - and most importantly to God giving us an insight into her thoughts and hidden feelings.

My only gripe is that the publishers have chosen an italicised script font for all of the letters which is incredibly difficult to read.

Anne knows her place in the World, she is a princess, a protestant one at that ... at a time when whether you were Catholic or Protestant was of great importance in Britain and the rest of Europe. Her Cousin Louis XVI is on the throne of France and is doing all he can to return Catholicism to Britain - and there is violence on both sides. Anne lives in constant fear that the line of succession to the English throne will be broken. Anne knows that she is second in line to the throne after her sister Mary and she will do whatever it takes to fulfil her destiny, including rejecting her Catholic father. Amid the political and religious intrigue, she marries and quickly becomes pregnant ... the first of seventeen pregnancies - yet not one of her children survive her. Most are stillborn or die in infancy - one manages to tenuously cling onto life until the age of 11. Poor Anne - her religious fervour increases with each loss ... Is God punishing her for her sins?

One of the most interesting aspects of the book for me was actually researching (thanks to Wikipedia) the lives of the courtiers, some of her friends and ladies in waiting - many of whom have a direct links to families that are familiar to us today, the Spencers, The Churchills.

A regency romp this is most definitely not ... it is however a fascinating insight into history, bringing a comparatively little known figure to life in an intelligent and beautifully structured novel. I highly recommend it to anyone interested in a serious historical novel.

4 people found this helpful

L. A. Parker

The novel is a thing of beauty – from the richly beautiful cover to the short

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 5, 2016

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‘A Want of Kindness’ tells the story of Anne, from late childhood to the years leading up to when she becomes queen of England. As she grows, she changes from an often unnoticed princess to the heiress of England. The novel is a thing of beauty – from the richly beautiful cover to the short, episodic chapters, to the author’s poetic use of language in describing both the ordinary and the extraordinary aspects of Anne’s life. The reader benefits from the authenticity of the work, which clearly must have involved many hours of painstaking research, and we are plunged headfirst into the landscape of Anne’s life, from the rich internal world she inhabits, to the often complicated one around her. It is told in chronological order, and begins with Anne as a sickly ten year old, an unusual child who is fond of gossip and comfort eating. Life is all too precious here – and can be brief – as we are so often reminded when the children around Anne (her siblings and her own) die. Anne is a figure often overlooked in British history (I knew very little about her prior to reading the book), and the author has done a fantastic job in bringing this part of history to life using authentic, spare, and beautiful language.

One person found this helpful

Jennie Wren

A Want of Kindness

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 23, 2016

Verified Purchase

Joanne Limburg certainly has a gift for inhabiting the skins of her characters - they are SO believable and her children are real - their thoughts, the things they do like spitting out a fruit into a corner where it won't be discovered. She certainly remembers how it is to be a child - that lack of control and freedom but also the freedoms that children DO poses in their imaginations. Remarkable. A joy to read.

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