Although oshun also spelt osun is regarded principally as a goddess of love, there are other aspects to this orisha as well. When her mother punished her for wrongdoings against her father, melusina was cursed to become a serpent from the waist down until she met a man who would marry. The lady of the rivers audiobook cd omaha public library. Many other derivations of the name melusine were suggested pairing the fairy story with grecoroman deities and. She was transformed into a hundredfoot long dragon by the goddess diane, and is the. Melusina is a mythological water goddess as well as the founder of the house of luxembourg. They share the mystery of the tarot card of the wheel of fortune before joan. In fact, in the novel, there are frequent intervals where melusina s story is told shes a figure of european folklore that seems to have inspired the tale of the little mermaid, as best i can tell, since shes a half woman. In fact, in the novel, there are frequent intervals where melusina s story is told shes a figure of european folklore that seems to have inspired the tale of the little mermaid, as best i can tell, since shes a half woman, half. Melusina, the river goddess, jacquetta always has had the gift of second sight. Apr 18, 2014 melusina, the river goddess, bloodline of jacquetta and elizabeth woodville whom which their magical powers came from. The lady of the rivers is numberone new york times bestselling author philippa gregorys remarkable story of jacquetta, duchess of bedford, a woman who navigated a treacherous path through the battle lines in the wars of the roses. River god is a manifestation of river god is a manifestation of this great talent of humankind to recreate the hidden past to the vivid materialization of its creators imaginative mind, conjuring alternate events teeming with lifelike images from the real fiber of the unknown truth, which bridges the gap between the historical fact from its.
The birth of the ganga hinduism books by harish johari. Melusine is the spirit of fresh water, usually depicted as a woman who is a serpent or fish from the waist down, much like the mythical mermaid. Philippa gregory official website philippa gregory. Jacquetta was the main protagonist and narrator of the lady of the rivers, and also featured prominently in the white queen. She is also sometimes illustrated with wings, two tails, or both. Fellowship of isis liturgy fellowship of isis central website. Melusina, the river goddess, bloodline of jacquetta and. Possession is an intricate novel written in 1990 by a. Melusina knew that being a mortal woman is hard on the heart, hard on the feet. A sweeping, powerful story rich in passion and legend and drawing on years of research, the lady of the rivers tells the story of the reallife mother to the white queen. Many of the finest stories of magic and fantasy, particularly those. The novel serves as a prequel to gregorys the white queen 2009.
The lady of the rivers is compelling historical fiction inspired by the life of jacquetta of luxembourg. Melusina now went roaming through the world in search of the man who was to deliver her. She created the river by circling the well of segais well of wisdom counterclockwise causing the waters to surge up violently and rush down to the sea. Her tragic love story and her magical legacy had a dramatic impact on her female descendants, particularly jacquetta of luxembourg and elizabeth woodville. Curious myths of the middle agesmelusina wikisource, the. Melusina, life centres of the goddess cover art from first edition, 1994. Jun 01, 2018 in the 1990s narrative of the book, the maud bailey character embodies melusine. As a child visiting her uncle, she meets his prisoner, joan of arc, and sees her own power reflected in the young woman accused of witchcraft, before joan is taken to a. Etsy is the home to thousands of handmade, vintage, and oneofakind products and gifts related to your search.
Philippa gregory discusses how she researched jacquetta woodville for her new novel, the lady of the rivers, and for her new nonfiction title, the women of the cousins war. Apr 18, 2014 melusina, the river goddess, bloodline of jacquetta and elizabeth woodville whom which their magical powers came from stay safe and healthy. According to the white queen and cousins war novels, the woodville women draw their magic from their divine ancestress, the river goddess, melusine. Baringgoulds claim that the house of luxembourg claimed descent from melusine is true, but it is not a credible claim. In this book, her family is said to be descended from the river goddess, melusina, and jacquetta has been gifted with the ability to see into the future. In precisely similar manner the semitic moongoddess, who followed the. As a young girl, she meets her uncles captive, joan of arc, and realizes that they share the same abilities right before joans horrific death.
The lady of the rivers descended from melusina, the river goddess, jacquetta has always had the gift of second sight. The lady of the rivers by philippa gregory and bianca amato. Both christabel and maud are realworld representations of the fairyserpentgoddess, but in vastly different ways. As a child visiting her uncle, she meets his prisoner, joan of arc, and recognizes her own power in the young woman accused of witchcraft.
Boann boand white cow, is the goddess of the river boyne. Melusine or melusina is a figure of european folklore and mythology, a female spirit of freshwater in a sacred spring or river. She passed through the black forest, and that of ardennes, and at last she arrived in the forest of colombiers, in poitou, where all the fays of the neighborhood came before her, telling her they had been waiting for her to reign in that place. The story is narrated by jacquetta of luxembourg, mother of elizabeth woodville, and covers the reign of the lancastrian king henry vi. Jacquetta of luxembourg, also known as jacquetta woodville or countess rivers was one of the main characters in the cousins war series.
Descended from the river goddess melusina, jacquetta is blessed with second sight. Her legends are especially connected with the northern and western areas of france. Description number 1 bestselling author philippa gregory continues the plantagenet story with jacquetta woodville, mother of the white queen. The divinity of rivers has been recognized by all mythologies since the beginning of time. Melusina, the river goddess, bloodline of jacquetta and elizabeth. The lady of the rivers instant free ebook download. No matter what youre looking for or where you are in the world, our global marketplace of sellers can help you find unique and affordable options. The novel serves as a prequel to gregorys the white queen 2009, the story of elizabeths reign as queen consort of england. Melusine or melusina is a figure of european folklore and mythology, a female spirit of fresh water in a sacred spring or river. Jul 17, 2012 according to the book, the serpent and the swan. The lady of the rivers by philippa gregory my rating. The plantagenet and tudor novels audiobooks listen to the. The women who came before her, descended from the river goddess melusina, have been the keepers of the secret of their second sight for generations. Mar 09, 2015 baringgoulds claim that the house of luxembourg claimed descent from melusine is true, but it is not a credible claim.
She bowed to him and said, god thank you for your greeting. See more ideas about mermaids and mermen, merfolk and mermaid. Jun 10, 20 the myth of melusina tells the tale of the water goddess melusina. Please practice handwashing and social distancing, and check out our resources for adapting to these times.
Elizabeth, her mother, and her siblings are burgundians who supposedly descended from the river goddess melusina. She was transformed into a hundredfoot long dragon by the goddess diane, and is the lady of the. Philippa gregory reads an extract from her new novel, the lady of the rivers. The myth of melusina tells the tale of the water goddess melusina. Curious myths of the middle agesmelusina wikisource, the free. The lady of the rivers is a 2011 historical novel by philippa gregory, part of her series the cousins war. Layard, representing him with the fishs head as a cap and the body of the fish depending over his shoulders, his legs those of a man, in his left hand holding a richly decorated bag, and his right hand upraised, as if in the act of presenting the mystic assyrian fircone british museum, nos. The red queen tells the story of the childbride of edmund tudor, who, although widowed in her early teens, uses her determination of character and wily plotting to infiltrate the house of york under the guise of loyal friend and servant, undermine the support for richard iii and ultimately ensure that her only son, henry tudor, triumphs as king of england. Melusina is a mythological water goddess as well as the founder of the house of. As a child visiting her uncle, she met his prisoner, joan of arc, and saw her own power reflected in the young woman accused of witchcraft.
In lady rivers, the historical fiction based on elizabeths mother, features one chapter where her aunt shows her a book that depicts a mermaid. According to scriptures, ganga was a goddess residing in heaven but was brought down to earth in the form of a river the ganges to provide salvation to the ancestors of. She started off as the wife of john lancaster, the earl of bedford, but later became the wife of richard woodville, the baron rivers. A man may love her if he keeps her secret and lets her alone when she wants to bathe, and she may love him in return until he breaks his word, as men always do, and she sweeps him into the. As a child visiting her uncle, she meets his prisoner, joan of arc, and sees her own power reflected in the young woman accused of witchcraft, before joan is taken to a horrific death at the hands of the english rulers of france. The lady of the rivers by philippa gregory goodreads.
A combination of mystery, myth, and romance, it is a book that delves into the lives of two 19th century poets and the pair of 20th centuryera academics that attempt to piece together the poets lives. Descended from melusina, the river goddess, jacquetta always has had the gift of second sight. On melusina, and on women in love the globe and mail. She then told him to ask of his kinsman bertram, as a gift, so much ground around the fountain where they had met, as could be covered by a stags hide. Jacquettas second sight, her links to the goddess melusina, her romance with richard. Melusines possible lusignan, luxembourg, and plantagenet. Lord rivers and jacquetta, along with their seventeenyearold son. In fact, in the book of melusine of lusignan by gareth knight, who is perhaps the greatest expert on melusine, it is stated that the luxembourg legend says that sigefroy, first count of lusignan, married a woman named melusine p. Eventually, she is married off to the duke of bedford, and is introduced to alchemy. The lady of the rivers by philippa gregory and bianca. She is usually depicted as a woman who is a serpent or fish from the waist down much like a mermaid. Belisama is a goddess of lakes and rivers, fire, crafts and light.
Jacquetta of luxembourg philippa gregory wiki fandom. The lady of the rivers hardcover by philippa gregory. Fellowship of isis central website is the central home of the fellowship of isis online. The image of melusine is so famous and enduring that, perhaps without knowing her by name, we still recognize her image today as the logo for starbucks coffee. Mauds modern academic life differs from lamottes reclusive existence in a wooded cottage. Descended from melusina, the river goddess, jacquetta has. Married to the duke of bedford, english regent of france, jacquetta is introduced by him to a mysterious world of learning and alchemy. Translated for the first time in english, the birth of the ganga by harish johari tells the mythological story of the origins of the river ganga known in the west as the ganges river and its powerful purifying properties. As a young girl, she meets her uncles captive, joan of arc, and realizes that they share the same abilities right. Unfortunately, psychic awareness is a dangerous possession at a time when accusations of witchcraft, punished by painful, fiery deaths, abound.
Avalon, or, in the german books, brunbelois, in northubelon, i. She is melusina, the water goddess, and she is found in hidden springs and waterfalls in any forest in christendom, even in those as far away as greece. Curious myths of the middle agesmelusina wikisource. Mar 5, 2019 so many wonderful stories of melusine to keep track of. Descended from melusina, the river goddess, jacquetta.
A spirit of freshwater in european folklore psy minds. Melusina, life centres of the goddess fellowship of isis. This is pure gregory the narrative and first person point of view, a plot that involves powerful women rendered powerless, reviled historical characters seen through sympathetic eyes. The lady of the rivers follows the story of jacquetta, the mother of elizabeth woodville, who becomes queen of england, from a privileged child of the family luxemburg in france, a family descended from the goddess melusina. The lady of the rivers the lady of the rivers audiobook, by philippa gregory. Set during the reign of the house of lancaster and the times of the wars of the roses, the lady of the rivers is a fascinating novel that reflects king henry vis reign as though author philippa gregory were there herself to experience it firsthand. Melusine is the spirit of fresh water, usually depicted as a woman who is. The lady of the rivers by philippa gregory audio book. Jacquetta says we descend from the river goddess melusina, magic is in our blood. Her only friend in the great household is the dukes squire, richard woodville, who is at her side. Jacquettas life is filled with much love, a little bit of magic and a whole lot of suspense, which philippa gregory captures brilliantly in the lady of the rivers. Descended from melusina, the river goddess, jacquetta has always had the gift of second sight. I adored the white queen and id have to say the lady of the rivers is just as enthralling. Aug 25, 2009 philippa gregory will be making two appearances in canada this fall on her tour for the white queen.