Name: Dewi Nurpitriyani Book title Author Publisher Year published Genre

Student Number: 1111014000021

Class: 5A

Book Response Form : Twilight of Splendor (The Court of Queen Victoria During Her Diamond Jubilee Year) : Greg King : John Wiley & Sons, Inc. : 2007 : Biography Number of pages: 285 Pages Book code : 941. 081 092 KIN

1. Why did you decide to choose this book? Honestly, I choose this book because I ever a little bit heard about Queen Victorias story first, she was the only one queen who has different appearance. She was short, stout and rather red, but behind her difference she had a strong leadership capability so that made her jubilee leadership can be categorized success. So thats why I was curious and wanted to read her biography also wanted to learn how she leading his kingdom was. 2. How was the story or the plot presented in the book? Explain. In this book, the author divided Queen Victorias story into 15 chapters. Those are: (1) The Widow of Windsor, this chapter tells about when Victoria was born until she became a widow. (2) A Family on the Throne, this story tells about all big family of Victoria. (3) The Court of St. Jamess, tell about the beauty of the Court of St. Jamess. (4) Spring at Windsor, tells about the spring which occur at Windsor. (5) A Day in the Life, is about Victoria who was enjoying a day in her life without any activities about her throne. (6) Life Below Stairs, tells about pantries which were in below stair and queen regarded it like her life. (7) The Wayward Heir, tells about Betrie as a agin heir, who always thought that nor every children always good, and so did her. (8) Autumn in Balmoral, tells about autumn which occured in Balmoral Palace. (9) The Russian Occupation, tells about occupation that Alix get from her grandmother. (10) Christmas at Osborne, tells about Christmas moment which Victoria and family spent at Osborne. (11) Easter in Osborne, tell about Easter moment which Victoria and family spent in Osborne. (12) Summer at Buckingham Palace, tells about summer which occurred in Buckingham Palace. (13) A Day at Buckingham Palace, tells about Victorias activity in a day at Buckingham Palace. (14) A Night at Devonshire House, tells about a night which Victoria and family spent in Devonshire house. (15) Triumph, tells about Victoria glory which had occur for 60 years. 3. What are your personal experiences or thoughts related the book? The personal experience related this book is like Victoria who has given in marriage by her family to Prince Albert, at the first time she decline it but at last she accepted it. And in the latter, she was happy become a spouse whose owned by Prince Albert. Its like my cousins story, her name is Madihah, at age 22 years old, she was asked by her mother by her mothers friend son, Taufiq, at the first time she felt still young and its not the time for getting married, but after she know him,

finally she agreed to get married with him. And now, she looks very happy with her marriage and even she had has a baby. 4. What did you like the best from this book? In this book I do like when Price Albert (Victorias husband) died, not he was only husband for Queen but also, friend, father and soulmate who always helped her for deciding what should Victoria did for leading her palace, she was so upset left by Albert, but 5 days after his death, Victoria could come up again to do her duties as queen and until she died she didnt re-married again and loyal to her husband. I think this part is very amazing, a woman whose heart as strong as steel for bringing her palace to the better condition even though she was in sad condition after her husband death and also her loyalty to her husband, she didnt married again even though her daily life was so lonely. 5. What did you like least? The thing that I like least from this book is too much description about every artifact in every one of Victoria's palace as well as minute details of what people wore to famous balls and weddings, down to the last button, such as at the nuptials of Edward VIIs youngest daugher, Maud, and the Duke of Devonshires famous fancy dress ball of 1895. Because I think its not important thing and wasting my time so much for reading it. Further, I argue this book should explain about Queen Victorias leadership much more than the detail of her palace. 6. What are the larger issues dealt with or raised by the story? The larger issues which arouse in this book is about marking 60 years of Queen Victoria occupancy of the British throne. How she exceeded her life, her success and her failure, for leading it behind her problems in family that influence her decision while lead her palace. 7. What can you learn from the story? Many things that I got after reading this book, one of them is I know how massive selfish a woman is but still she cant live without love, her husband. Like Victoria did, even though she was an independent woman, feels she could do anything by herself but in fact she still need her husband was beside her forever. 8. What kind of people need to read this book? Why? Kind of person who is appropriate to read this book is people who love the history of Royal Kingdom. And also people who want to become success wise young woman leader like Queen Victoria who had succeed leading her palace. Because in this book was clearly explain about Royal Kingdom look like and also explain about how Queen succeed leading her Kingdom until 60 years. 9. On a scale of 1-10, how difficult was this book for you? For me this book is on scale 5 because I think although the explanation which the author was very brief but vocabulary used which related all things in her palace was quite difficult to guess, so I have to look at the meaning of word in dictionary for many times. And so thats why I gave it on scale 5.