Unfortunately for me, I had to DNF this book. There was something wrong with the digital copy that just made it absolutely impossible to read. I think it was a formatting issue. I tried multiple times read it, even with the formatting issue, and I ended up with a headache each time so I finally just gave up altogether. The one-star rating is solely based on the formatting issue, and not the content of the book. I would be interested in buying this one, either in physical copy or ebook to actually read it because I think it's probably a very fascinating book.

I enjoyed reading this book as I was not familiar with a lot of this history. Many are familiar with Mary Queen of Scots but not with her granddaughter Elizabeth who went from the UK to marry a German Count. This book is about her and daughters as they try and hold onto their empires in Europe and regain one in England. The author has done a lot of research and it takes a while to get to the daughters. There are a lot of characters and it can get confusing trying to follow and it does get dry at times but I was glad I kept reading. The text is accompanied by some illustrations. Anyone with an interest in historical biography especially forgotten women will enjoy this book.

An excellent, well-written story of the times and lives of a period of history usually more represented by the kings and princes when these women were also quite influential. A useful education of the full history. Highly recommend to Stuart fans and scholars.

**I received an advanced reader’s copy of this title from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review**

Goldstone examines the Queen of Bohemia, Elizabeth Stuart, and her four daughters in this captivating history. Much is known about King James I of England, his son Charles I, and the ensuing English civil war. Little is known (or written) about James’ daughter, Elizabeth, whose actions also cause a war. In turn, her daughters find themselves involved in conspiracies and tragedies and undesirable circumstances. But, each, along with their mother, possess the courage and independence their ancestor, Mary, Queen of Scots, showcased throughout her tumultuous life.

Thanks to Goldstone, the women’s stories come to life in an enthralling narrative. Peppered with witty and at times sarcastic one-liners, Goldstone shows how each woman and their interests and politics played a role in their current time, and how their influence can still be felt in contemporary times. Among the women’s stories, Goldstone also perfectly describes Europe’s atmosphere in the seventeenth century – the royal power plays, the wars, the customs, etc.

I absolutely loved this book. It’s compelling. It’s hard to put down. At times, it reads more like fiction than nonfiction, given the crazy antics that some would do in order to gain political power. Ultimately, though, it gives voice to women who rarely are mentioned in histories. One would think that these women, especially Elizabeth Stuart, would be satisfied to know that all of the sacrifices made in their lifetimes helped their descendants remain on the English throne today. A must read for royal enthusiasts and/or those interested in women’s history. Five stars.

I do not know the seventeenth century or the Stuarts beyond the UK as well as I want to, and this book was a great introduction to this set of characters and the spread of the family influence throughout Europe. I'd call the title slightly misleading, as I think Goldstone's portrait of Elizabeth herself was the best and most thoroughly drawn, but still a great read that shed light on some lesser-known characters in the royal landscape.

Absolutely loved this look into one of the most influential families of Europe. While the Stuarts aren't as well documented in pop culture as their predecessors the Tudors, their family had just as much drama and likely transformed more of European history. Elizabeth Stuart's children went on to hold titles all across Europe, including the English throne. It's amazing to read the Stuart women's tenacity and fortitude, despite the men in their lives having the majority of power and income.

Four granddaughters of Mary, Queen of Scots outlive their grandmother's legacy that ended in her beheading. These four women are each known for something different, but will each turn their family's name from something negative to something positive.

Being a fan of the royal family, I was intrigued by this book when I found out that our current royals are from this lineage. With the title of Daughters of the Winter Queen, I was ready from the beginning to read about these four women. It took way too long to get to them. I appreciated some background knowledge of their heritage and where they came from, but most of the book focused on their mother and by the time it go to the four girls, I was frustrated that I read so much about their mother.

I don't read a ton of non fiction and each year I want to increase my reading of non fiction books, but this book is part of the reason why this number stays low. It was so dry to read. It felt as though I was reading a text book and would be quizzed after each chapter. I prefer my reading to make me think and maybe look something up but not to put me to sleep or have me avoid reading it. I had to make reading goals to get through this one and I was so excited about the subject matter.

I love Tudor stories, but usually I stick with the main ones like Henry VIII and his wives and Elizabeth I. But this was a good tale of lesser known princesses.

If I am going to engage in reading some historical biography, nothing suits me better than when an author says I know you think you've heard it all, but what if I had you consider the people in the background and the role they played? Daughters of the Winter Queen takes a glance at the female descendants of Mary, Queen of Scots- particularly her granddaughter Elizabeth Stuart and her four great-grandaughters daughters- Elizabeth, Louise Holllandine, Heneritta Maria, and Sophia. The last of which helped solidify the House of Hannover 's permanent connection to the British Crown and all the monarchs that have claimed the throne right through to the present day.
Extensive research intricately carved into a powerful narrative that, at times, held the gossipy atmosphere of the royal court, this book was pretty hard to put down and I did complete it in one sitting. As much as I was well versed in the history/politics/social climate of most of Western Europe in the 17th century, it was really great to dive into the lives and politics of countries like Germany, Poland, and Sweden.

Highly recommend for any Tudor/Stuart/Hannover fan..

Well written, well researched, and genuinely interesting. the detailed endnotes and the selected bibliography guide readers to even more information if they were to be so inclined. The book covers much more than the title would imply, and I was pleasantly surprised. Goldstone's lead up to the title characters added a wealth of information that I may have been lacking had it been absent. I would recommend this to anyone interested in the subject and looking for an informative examination of information.

Thank you, NetGalley and publisher for the copy in exchange for an honest review.

I started Daughters of the Winter Queen with high expectations, and I was not disappointed. I thoroughly enjoyed this well researched and highly accessible account of the Winter Queen and her four daughters.
I enjoyed getting to know Elizabeth, Louise Hollandine, Henrietta Maria, and Sophia. Their lives provide an excellent backdrop to the geopolitical maneuvering of Europe during their lifetimes.
The legacy of these women is fascinating and enduring.
Daughters of the Winter Queen is definitely worth reading.

This is the story of Elizabeth who would marry a man who became the King of Bohemia. While she gave birth to 13 children these four girls were the only ones to make it to adults. The story focuses mainly on Elizabeth until her death when more about the daughters is revealed.

Starting out in Scotland and England the author takes us to the palaces of Europe and is full of details on the wars, all the political messiness, love affairs doomed to fail,betrayals and murder even.

The daughters were individuals with unique talents. Elizabeth, the scholar, Louise was an artist, Sophia was a writer and Henrietta, well, she was a beauty. Two of the girls will become abbesses, heads of convents, never marrying. One sadly died young and the other went on to almost become the Queen of England, when her son became King George I.

Goldstone tells this story with an ease that even a novice history reader will be able to understand. I would say the book is heavy on Elizabeth until she dies, so I would have liked to have seen more about the daughters. But this story of love, loss, tragedy and triumph was one I thouroughly enjoyed.

I really enjoyed this book and if you are a Tudor lover, you must read this one!

Netgalley/April 10th 2018 by Little, Brown and Company

How did the heirs of the youngest daughter of the Queen of Bohemia become the Hanoverian kings of England? This gossipy history of the daughters of Elizabeth, sister of the executed Charles I, reveals the inside story. In a time when women were seen as chattel to be traded for high status, Elisabeth, Louise Hollandine, Marie, and Sophia made their own decisions about their futures. Fast-paced and a bit snarky, this fun read embodies what I love about history.

This is the story of the granddaughter of Mary Queen of Scots, her four daughters, and how they endured and impacted the world of their time. Nancy Goldstone has written a very well documented, and for the most part, very interesting account of their lives. I thoroughly enjoyed their story, they were impressive women. A tad dry at times, as many biographies are, but over all very well done, with some great insights. I will read more by this author! Many thanks to NetGalley and Little, Brown and Co. for the e-arc!

I liked the book but it was a bit scattershot. The back and forth to get each sister into the story made it hard to follow the narrative. In the long run, a book more focused on one of the sisters would probably have made more sense with the other sisters making cameos. Overall, only a few of the sisters seemed worth being a major part of a book.

James I, marries his daughter Elizabeth to Frederick V of the Palatinate, with the unspoken agreement that he would support Frederick's desire to ascend the throne of Bohemia. Instead, James does nothing when Frederick is deposed and Elizabeth and family are forced into exile. This is a slow and boring book. The author seems to waiver between telling a story and giving a bland recitation of facts. Overall, a bust.

Nancy Goldstone is one of the few authors that actually makes reading non-fiction enjoyable! As with her other publications, this book was very readable. This book was very thorough in describing the life of Elizabeth Stuart, Queen of Bohemia, and that of her children. It did not focus on the seemingly inconsequential aspects of their lives but provided context for what they chose and why and how those decisions impacted the world. It was interesting to read more about the lesser known siblings of Sophia of Hanover. Although it was sometimes hard to understand the meaning of them, the inclusion of letters and memoirs of the family members made them more three dimensional and relatable.

Nancy Goldstone’s “Daughters of the Winter Queen” takes on a relatively unknown part of Tudor/Stuart history and breathes new life into it! The Winter Queen, as Eluzabeth of Bohemia was known, was a granddaughter of Mary, Queen of Scots and named for Queen Elizabeth I—the woman who ordered Mary’s execution. Goldstone’s wealth of research and approachable writing style combine to make this an intriguing look at the woman whose descendants are on the English throne even today. An absolute must-read for anyone who has an interest not only in British history, but for those who enjoy an absorbing and interesting tale of intrigue, romance, and war.

Would not download, what a shame, I really wanted to read this.

I was unable to read this book as it was not able to be downloaded to my kindle. It is unfortunate, as I was very interested in this book.