Publication
Atria Books (2009), 415 pages
Description
In this account of the wars of the Plantagenets, a woman of extraordinary beauty and ambition, Elizabeth Woodville, catches the eye of the newly crowned boy king, marries him in secret and ascends to royalty. While Elizabeth rises to the demands of her exalted position and fights for the success of her family, her two sons become central figures in a mystery that has confounded historians for centuries: the missing princes in the Tower of London whose fate is still unknown.
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Media reviews
[A] highly professional, highly enjoyable novel: stylistically plain, rhetorically straightforward, infinitely more interested in drawing readers into the life and immediacy of history than in pedantically mimicking period idioms.
Washington Post
Set in the last years of England's infamous Wars of the Roses (so called for the emblems of the competing claimants to the throne: a red rose for the adherents of the House of Lancaster, a white one for the House of York), "The White Queen" deals with the life of Elizabeth, a widowed commoner who
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married Edward of York (Edward IV) and became not only a queen but one more pawn in the spasmodic, bloody civil war for the English throne. Show Less
Gregory's exhaustive research, lush detail and deft storytelling are all in top form here, making The White Queen both mesmerizing and historically rich.
User reviews
LibraryThing member thetometraveller
In 1464 Elizabeth Woodville is a twenty seven year old widow with two young sons. Her family have been staunch supporters of the Lancastrians and her father and brothers have fought numerous battles in the wars that have raged since the death of Edward III, called the Cousins' War since the rival
Elizabeth is not a woman to sit by and allow events to happen to her. She knows that she is one of the most beautiful women in the country, so she contrives a meeting with the new King to ask for the return of her lands. He is well known to be swayed by an attractive face, and Elizabeth proves to be no exception. But she has something that others don't, a mind that matches her beauty and intrigues Edward from the moment he meets her. He marries her, despite every single one of his supporters being against the match, despite her family's position against him in the recent wars, despite everything.
Though the time they live in is turbulent and dangerous, they truly love each other and have a fruitful marriage that is blessed with many children. As Queen of England, Elizabeth is in a position of power, she would be less than human if she did not use her position to better the lives of those she loves. Her relatives receive honors and wealth, the family's rise creates ill will and outright enemies. She and her mother are both accused of witchcraft as the tide of opinion swells against them. Though both she and Edward rule in the hope of peace, they are unable to escape the factions that crave power. The Cousins' War is far from over.
This is the Philippa Gregory that we love! It is a fantastic historical novel about that most reviled English Queen, Elizabeth Woodville. I have never read any book, fiction or non, that does not portray her as a scheming b*tch. Here, at last, is a balanced look at a woman who rose to the pinnacle of power in her world. Did it take some plotting? Yes, of course it did, no one got anywhere in those days without some scheming. Could she be nasty, petty, ambitious? Yes, to those too. She was envied, she was beautiful, she was fighting for the people she loved: her husband and children. The picture here is of a normal woman, not perfect, not evil. Just doing what she thought she had to do to save her family and ensure their place in the world. There is no question that her reputation was spread by people who hated her. The world will never know the truth, but the great fun of historical fiction is the speculation, and the author does that here, giving us another exceptional story.
This book is the first in a planned trilogy that will revolve around the Cousins' War and relate the events from different points of view. The next book will be The Red Queen and will be the story of Margaret Beaufort, the mother of Henry Tudor. I can't wait to read it, I'm excited about it already! One person in history that comes off looking worse than Elizabeth Woodville is definitely Margaret Beaufort! Again, always portrayed as a nasty you-know-what. Writing about the same time period from the points of view of rival factions is just an inspired idea! More, please!!
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claimants for the throne are all cousins, descendants of the late King. Elizabeth lost her husband in one of the battles and her lands and income reverted to the ultimate victor, the new York king, Edward IV.Elizabeth is not a woman to sit by and allow events to happen to her. She knows that she is one of the most beautiful women in the country, so she contrives a meeting with the new King to ask for the return of her lands. He is well known to be swayed by an attractive face, and Elizabeth proves to be no exception. But she has something that others don't, a mind that matches her beauty and intrigues Edward from the moment he meets her. He marries her, despite every single one of his supporters being against the match, despite her family's position against him in the recent wars, despite everything.
Though the time they live in is turbulent and dangerous, they truly love each other and have a fruitful marriage that is blessed with many children. As Queen of England, Elizabeth is in a position of power, she would be less than human if she did not use her position to better the lives of those she loves. Her relatives receive honors and wealth, the family's rise creates ill will and outright enemies. She and her mother are both accused of witchcraft as the tide of opinion swells against them. Though both she and Edward rule in the hope of peace, they are unable to escape the factions that crave power. The Cousins' War is far from over.
This is the Philippa Gregory that we love! It is a fantastic historical novel about that most reviled English Queen, Elizabeth Woodville. I have never read any book, fiction or non, that does not portray her as a scheming b*tch. Here, at last, is a balanced look at a woman who rose to the pinnacle of power in her world. Did it take some plotting? Yes, of course it did, no one got anywhere in those days without some scheming. Could she be nasty, petty, ambitious? Yes, to those too. She was envied, she was beautiful, she was fighting for the people she loved: her husband and children. The picture here is of a normal woman, not perfect, not evil. Just doing what she thought she had to do to save her family and ensure their place in the world. There is no question that her reputation was spread by people who hated her. The world will never know the truth, but the great fun of historical fiction is the speculation, and the author does that here, giving us another exceptional story.
This book is the first in a planned trilogy that will revolve around the Cousins' War and relate the events from different points of view. The next book will be The Red Queen and will be the story of Margaret Beaufort, the mother of Henry Tudor. I can't wait to read it, I'm excited about it already! One person in history that comes off looking worse than Elizabeth Woodville is definitely Margaret Beaufort! Again, always portrayed as a nasty you-know-what. Writing about the same time period from the points of view of rival factions is just an inspired idea! More, please!!
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LibraryThing member amandacb
Like others, I am a huge fan of Gregory, and have not yet been too disappointed with any novel she has produced. While nothing has of yet eclipsed the success of "The Other Boleyn Girl," Gregory still manages to create believable and interesting characters and story lines.
Until "The White Queen."
Another inherent flaw in the novel is that the story is not believable, which is odd since the story is based on historical events. The main character is not developed whatsoever, and with a such of lack of characterization, we are left removed from the immediacy of the story--we do not care what happens. We are not invested in any of the characters, so we view the story from afar, instead of alongside the characters.
It is obvious that Gregory researched, and at times the language and description of events is textbook-like. For instance, on page 221: "He was a spoiled greedy boy, and he has grown into a disappointed, bad-tempered man. He is in his mid-twenties now, and his rosebud mouth has drooped into a sneer of disdain. He gloried at being one of the sons of York when he was a hopeful boy; since then he was first in line for the throne of England at Warwick's chosen heir, and then displaced when Warwick favored Lancaster. When Edward won back the throne, George became first in line to inherit, but then was pushed down to second at the birth of my baby, Prince Edward. Since the birth of Prince Richard, George drops down to third in line to the throne of England." That example is actually not so egregious as much of the rest of the book--Gregory lapses into the tiresome and pedantic method of TELLING us what happened, not SHOWING us what happened.
As others have mentioned, the repeated references to Melusina are distracting and ... dully repetitive. Some other annoying facets of the novel are that Gregory needs a better editor: comma splices and other punctuation errors are rampant.
The jacket says this is "Book One," so I assume this is the first installment in a series. I do not know if I can bring myself to read any more.
Until "The White Queen."
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Honestly, the horrendous writing truly detracted from the story. Gregory makes liberal use of anaphora, where often times in a paragraph almost every sentence began with the same word or words: "I...I...I..." or "I forgot...I forgot...I forgot..." or "I see...I see...I see." Anaphora is an excellent device, used sparingly--if overused, it becomes dully repetitious and I just began to gloss over each page. Another inherent flaw in the novel is that the story is not believable, which is odd since the story is based on historical events. The main character is not developed whatsoever, and with a such of lack of characterization, we are left removed from the immediacy of the story--we do not care what happens. We are not invested in any of the characters, so we view the story from afar, instead of alongside the characters.
It is obvious that Gregory researched, and at times the language and description of events is textbook-like. For instance, on page 221: "He was a spoiled greedy boy, and he has grown into a disappointed, bad-tempered man. He is in his mid-twenties now, and his rosebud mouth has drooped into a sneer of disdain. He gloried at being one of the sons of York when he was a hopeful boy; since then he was first in line for the throne of England at Warwick's chosen heir, and then displaced when Warwick favored Lancaster. When Edward won back the throne, George became first in line to inherit, but then was pushed down to second at the birth of my baby, Prince Edward. Since the birth of Prince Richard, George drops down to third in line to the throne of England." That example is actually not so egregious as much of the rest of the book--Gregory lapses into the tiresome and pedantic method of TELLING us what happened, not SHOWING us what happened.
As others have mentioned, the repeated references to Melusina are distracting and ... dully repetitive. Some other annoying facets of the novel are that Gregory needs a better editor: comma splices and other punctuation errors are rampant.
The jacket says this is "Book One," so I assume this is the first installment in a series. I do not know if I can bring myself to read any more.
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LibraryThing member LadyN
As with all Philippa Gregory books I had read, I didn't much mind what was fact and what was fiction.
Gregory makes historical characters really come to life, and paints such vivd pictures of the periods she writes about that one cannot help but be seduced by her novels.
This period is not one I
Here we are presented with an interesting look at the "princes in the tower" mystery, although I do wonder how this interpretaion will continue into the rest of the Cousins at War series.
As with the Tudor series, I enjoyed the balance between being a portrayal of actual historical events along with being a jolly good romp.
I did keep having to refer to the family tree, which was thankfully provided in the front of the book, but the author can't be blamed for that!
All in all, I look forward to reading The Red Queen, but will have to wait until next April for the paperback release.
Gregory makes historical characters really come to life, and paints such vivd pictures of the periods she writes about that one cannot help but be seduced by her novels.
This period is not one I
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previously knew a great deal about, (other than being generally aware of the War of the Roses, the Princes in the Tower, Richard III etc,) but was inspired to find out more as I read, which was great fun.Here we are presented with an interesting look at the "princes in the tower" mystery, although I do wonder how this interpretaion will continue into the rest of the Cousins at War series.
As with the Tudor series, I enjoyed the balance between being a portrayal of actual historical events along with being a jolly good romp.
I did keep having to refer to the family tree, which was thankfully provided in the front of the book, but the author can't be blamed for that!
All in all, I look forward to reading The Red Queen, but will have to wait until next April for the paperback release.
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LibraryThing member Kasthu
The White Queen opens in 1464, on the day that Elizabeth Woodville meets Edward IV, the man who has just recently been crowned King of England. In the attempt to gain back the lands she lost when her husband died, Elizabeth catches the eye of the young king, and becomes Queen of England
I have mixed feelings about this book.
Here’s what I didn’t like so much:
--The fact that the book is written in the present tense. Gregory started writing this way sometime around The Boleyn Inheritance, and it gets on my nerves sometimes because I feel that using the present tense for historical fiction is so limiting.
--The water imagery got to be a bit much-too-much at times. It was beautiful at first, but the fact that Elizabeth kept talking about her ancestress, the water goddess/nymph Melusina, began to get tired after a while.
--Although Gregory is great in general at describing the events of the time periods of which she writes, she’s not so good as describing how people actually lived—as with her previous novels, there’s very little about what her characters wear, eat, or do in their free time. It’s the little bits and pieces that make characters come to life, make them three-dimensional.
--Reading Sharon Kay Penman has seemingly made me pro-Richard III for life, so I was a little disappointed by Gregory’s vilification of him in the book (though of course, when the story is told from the point of view of Elizabeth Woodville, of course Richard would be portrayed in a negative light).
--About halfway through the book, Gregory switches from 1st person POV to 3rd, in order to talk about some of the decisive battles of the Wars. I can understand her intent, but it was jarring to me to go back and forth.
However, I think The White Queen is a vast improvement over Gregory’s previous book, The Other Queen. Elizabeth is much more of a three-dimensional character, as are the other people that populate the novel. I was also a lot more engaged by the story—mostly because the story of the War of the Roses is more interesting than that of Mary, Queen of Scot’s captivity! Elizabeth generally has a bad rep, but here she comes across as a sympathetic woman, strong and courageous at a time when the times moved against her. Gregory uses her imagination a lot more in this novel, because there’s so much less documentation to work from. I think it’s a good thing that Gregory has moved away from writing about the Tudors (at least for the time being); the Plantagenets are a breath of breath air on Gregory’s writing, which was in the process of getting stale.
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herself—and eventually, the mother of kings and queens of England.I have mixed feelings about this book.
Here’s what I didn’t like so much:
--The fact that the book is written in the present tense. Gregory started writing this way sometime around The Boleyn Inheritance, and it gets on my nerves sometimes because I feel that using the present tense for historical fiction is so limiting.
--The water imagery got to be a bit much-too-much at times. It was beautiful at first, but the fact that Elizabeth kept talking about her ancestress, the water goddess/nymph Melusina, began to get tired after a while.
--Although Gregory is great in general at describing the events of the time periods of which she writes, she’s not so good as describing how people actually lived—as with her previous novels, there’s very little about what her characters wear, eat, or do in their free time. It’s the little bits and pieces that make characters come to life, make them three-dimensional.
--Reading Sharon Kay Penman has seemingly made me pro-Richard III for life, so I was a little disappointed by Gregory’s vilification of him in the book (though of course, when the story is told from the point of view of Elizabeth Woodville, of course Richard would be portrayed in a negative light).
--About halfway through the book, Gregory switches from 1st person POV to 3rd, in order to talk about some of the decisive battles of the Wars. I can understand her intent, but it was jarring to me to go back and forth.
However, I think The White Queen is a vast improvement over Gregory’s previous book, The Other Queen. Elizabeth is much more of a three-dimensional character, as are the other people that populate the novel. I was also a lot more engaged by the story—mostly because the story of the War of the Roses is more interesting than that of Mary, Queen of Scot’s captivity! Elizabeth generally has a bad rep, but here she comes across as a sympathetic woman, strong and courageous at a time when the times moved against her. Gregory uses her imagination a lot more in this novel, because there’s so much less documentation to work from. I think it’s a good thing that Gregory has moved away from writing about the Tudors (at least for the time being); the Plantagenets are a breath of breath air on Gregory’s writing, which was in the process of getting stale.
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LibraryThing member LiterateHousewife
One of my fondest memories as a reader was listening to Philippa Gregory speak at the National Book Festival last year and then getting to meet her briefly. That experience put me on a cloud from which it took a long time to float down. Getting the opportunity to read The White Queen before it was
The story begins with Elizabeth Woodville, a young widow of the Cousins War, standing by the roadside waiting for the even younger man who claimed himself to be King Edward. He fought for the House of York while Elizabeth’s family were from the House of Lancaster. Although they were on opposite sides, Elizabeth was desperate to reclaim her husband’s property from his mother. She needed it to raise her two young sons. When Edward saw her along side the road, he was enchanted and, despite an encounter where she refused him by force, ordered that her husband’s property be returned to her. Despite his intentions, he could not erase this most beautiful woman from his mind. He, with the help of Elizabeth’s mother Jacquetta, arranged for them to be married in secret. Once Edward was securely on the throne, his decision to marry for love instead of for political gain made enemies for Elizabeth and Edward. Enemies that they never fully shook. They had to fight for their place in England like they loved each other – fiercely.
Interwoven into the historical story of Elizabeth and her unlikely marriage to the British monarch is the story of Melusina, a magical fish woman who agrees to become human for the love of a mortal man. Jacquetta raised her children with stories of this woman she viewed as her kinswoman, her mystical mother. Through her, she believes that the women of the Woodville family have access to Melusina’s magic and ability to see the future. Jacquetta and Elizabeth are true to Melusina and throughout the novel there are scenes where they use their strength to attempt to alter events which women ordinarily did not have the ability to intervene. Their tools were the water and the weather, fickle things that could just as easily turn against them when employed without great care. Elizabeth, a stubborn woman of strong emotion who never quite learned her mother’s patience, didn’t always reason things through before calling on Melusina. What Jacquetta and Elizabeth practiced was more a form of speeding up karma than conjuring black magic. Nothing that they could do could truly protect them. It simply gave them a sense of playing a part in a war and in a world so very far out of their control.
The White Queen hit just the right note for me. The story was engaging and fast paced. I liked all of the characters – most especially those who could not be trusted. Elizabeth’s family was strong and I really enjoyed the relationship she had with her mother and her brother, Anthony. Anthony stood out because his sense of chivalry, which seemed so counter to all of the manipulating and scheming that prevaded the political climate. The mysticism may not appeal to every reader, but it worked well for me. This dimension added weight to Elizabeth’s character, and made the threats of witchcraft more serious because she was far from careful. There couldn’t be more fertile time period for Gregory to bring to life than the War of the Roses. I can’t wait to read the rest of the series. Philippa Gregory is in her element with these bold, bitchy woman and dashing, dastardly men from the Houses of York and Lancaster. I’m loving every minute of it!
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officially published was such a treat for me. I wanted to take this treasure and squirrel myself away until I had finished it. While I doubt that any other Gregory novel will eclipse The Other Boleyn Girl in this reader’s heart, I really enjoyed heading back further in England’s history with Philippa to the life of Elizabeth Woodville, a commoner whose eldest daughter by King Edward IV would one day become the mother of Henry VIII.The story begins with Elizabeth Woodville, a young widow of the Cousins War, standing by the roadside waiting for the even younger man who claimed himself to be King Edward. He fought for the House of York while Elizabeth’s family were from the House of Lancaster. Although they were on opposite sides, Elizabeth was desperate to reclaim her husband’s property from his mother. She needed it to raise her two young sons. When Edward saw her along side the road, he was enchanted and, despite an encounter where she refused him by force, ordered that her husband’s property be returned to her. Despite his intentions, he could not erase this most beautiful woman from his mind. He, with the help of Elizabeth’s mother Jacquetta, arranged for them to be married in secret. Once Edward was securely on the throne, his decision to marry for love instead of for political gain made enemies for Elizabeth and Edward. Enemies that they never fully shook. They had to fight for their place in England like they loved each other – fiercely.
Interwoven into the historical story of Elizabeth and her unlikely marriage to the British monarch is the story of Melusina, a magical fish woman who agrees to become human for the love of a mortal man. Jacquetta raised her children with stories of this woman she viewed as her kinswoman, her mystical mother. Through her, she believes that the women of the Woodville family have access to Melusina’s magic and ability to see the future. Jacquetta and Elizabeth are true to Melusina and throughout the novel there are scenes where they use their strength to attempt to alter events which women ordinarily did not have the ability to intervene. Their tools were the water and the weather, fickle things that could just as easily turn against them when employed without great care. Elizabeth, a stubborn woman of strong emotion who never quite learned her mother’s patience, didn’t always reason things through before calling on Melusina. What Jacquetta and Elizabeth practiced was more a form of speeding up karma than conjuring black magic. Nothing that they could do could truly protect them. It simply gave them a sense of playing a part in a war and in a world so very far out of their control.
The White Queen hit just the right note for me. The story was engaging and fast paced. I liked all of the characters – most especially those who could not be trusted. Elizabeth’s family was strong and I really enjoyed the relationship she had with her mother and her brother, Anthony. Anthony stood out because his sense of chivalry, which seemed so counter to all of the manipulating and scheming that prevaded the political climate. The mysticism may not appeal to every reader, but it worked well for me. This dimension added weight to Elizabeth’s character, and made the threats of witchcraft more serious because she was far from careful. There couldn’t be more fertile time period for Gregory to bring to life than the War of the Roses. I can’t wait to read the rest of the series. Philippa Gregory is in her element with these bold, bitchy woman and dashing, dastardly men from the Houses of York and Lancaster. I’m loving every minute of it!
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LibraryThing member Sararush
After showcasing as many Tudor royals as any one reader can comfortably stomach, Philippa Gregory strives to show us another English Royal family as equally interesting. The White Queen launches her War of the Roses trilogy, and focuses on Elizabeth Woodville. Gregory’s Woodville falls instantly
In my opinion, while this novel is good, it is not as good as either Boleyn book chiefly because I felt that I understood those characters. In The White Queen, Elizabeth is painted as complacent and dutiful wife during the first half of the novel, and ambitious shrew during the second. Towards the end it becomes a Woodville on the throne at any cost which may have been historically accurate, but it didn’t fit with Elizabeth’s established persona up until then. Elizabeth also believes she is the descendent from a water goddess from a fairy tale which Gregory interrupts literally, and that tale is interspersed with Elizabeth’s tale although they don’t quite connect. The tenses also shift from Elizabeth’s first person to assumedly Elizabeth’s first person describing battle details as they happen which doesn’t make sense and is jarring.
However, the book is still one of Gregory’s best. As always the story is instantly gripping. You are immediately immersed in the Woodville family, and their struggles to advance their family while ensuring security for Edward’s reign. Gregory does a great job of fleshing out a family that has been villanized by history, and presenting their side of the story. And even those who know the inevitable outcome will be surprised by Gregory’s take. Gregory doesn’t attempt to pander for sympathy to Elizabeth’s plight and instead gives us as even a portrayal of Elizabeth as the historical records afford. And Elizabeth’s relationship to her own daughter (also Elizabeth) is easily my favorite element of the novel, this relationship is almost portrayed as Elizabeth wrestling with her own conscience which is not only brilliant but expertly builds interest for the next two books in the series.
Gregory’s books are one of my guiltiest and most anticipated literary pleasures. This book was no exception. Gregory fans and first time readers who enjoy the genre will want to puck it up immediately and will count down the days until her next book in the series, The Red Queen. Moderate fans may want to wait for the paperback.
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in love with the King, and she ascends the throne at a dangerous time of civil war. An incredibly cut throat period in which each claimant to the throne has a much right as the next, and the alliances of the Great Families of England are always shifting. We soon learn that no one, especially your own family can be trusted in noble England. Elizabeth and Edward’s union makes instant enemies, and the entirety of their marriage will be spent on defending the throne. In my opinion, while this novel is good, it is not as good as either Boleyn book chiefly because I felt that I understood those characters. In The White Queen, Elizabeth is painted as complacent and dutiful wife during the first half of the novel, and ambitious shrew during the second. Towards the end it becomes a Woodville on the throne at any cost which may have been historically accurate, but it didn’t fit with Elizabeth’s established persona up until then. Elizabeth also believes she is the descendent from a water goddess from a fairy tale which Gregory interrupts literally, and that tale is interspersed with Elizabeth’s tale although they don’t quite connect. The tenses also shift from Elizabeth’s first person to assumedly Elizabeth’s first person describing battle details as they happen which doesn’t make sense and is jarring.
However, the book is still one of Gregory’s best. As always the story is instantly gripping. You are immediately immersed in the Woodville family, and their struggles to advance their family while ensuring security for Edward’s reign. Gregory does a great job of fleshing out a family that has been villanized by history, and presenting their side of the story. And even those who know the inevitable outcome will be surprised by Gregory’s take. Gregory doesn’t attempt to pander for sympathy to Elizabeth’s plight and instead gives us as even a portrayal of Elizabeth as the historical records afford. And Elizabeth’s relationship to her own daughter (also Elizabeth) is easily my favorite element of the novel, this relationship is almost portrayed as Elizabeth wrestling with her own conscience which is not only brilliant but expertly builds interest for the next two books in the series.
Gregory’s books are one of my guiltiest and most anticipated literary pleasures. This book was no exception. Gregory fans and first time readers who enjoy the genre will want to puck it up immediately and will count down the days until her next book in the series, The Red Queen. Moderate fans may want to wait for the paperback.
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LibraryThing member kraaivrouw
I love good historical fiction & the War of the Roses has been one of my favorite time periods since I was a little girl & read a kid's book about them. I have searched & searched & can't find this book & don't remember the name, but the subject matter made an impression.
My next exposure to the War
I am a big fan of Richard III, whether in his hunchbacked evil Shakespearian incarnation or the more nuanced incarnation one finds when reading history of him that isn't filtered through the Tudor propaganda bias. For the record, I agree wholeheartedly with Ms. Penman's assertion that the boys in the tower were killed by the Duke of Buckingham.
The White Queen is the first in Philippa Gregory's new books on the Plantagenets. What a great family they are - founded by Henry II & Eleanor of Aquitaine, their history is a fascinating one. In this novel, Gregory focuses on Elizabeth Woodville, the Lancastrian widow who married the Yorkist king, Edward IV. She was considered one of the greatest beauties of her time & the story of her life before, during & after Edward (for whom she bore 10 children) is a fascinating & tragic one.
This isn't Philippa Gregory at her best, but she's not at her worst, either. The story she has chosen is an engrossing one, but she appears to slip over the surface of it, rarely diving deep into any one event or person. I felt that her portrayal of Elizabeth was both the most flattering of her that I have seen yet & the most shallow. This was a woman who was ruled by ambition & Ms. Gregory does little to explore her character beyond trading upon her purported ancestry to Melusine.
I'm looking forward to the next book in the series - I'll be curious to see how much deeper into the history of this time Ms. Gregory is able to take us. This is a good beginning & a decent read, but not as good as I'd hoped nor as good as Ms. Gregory is capable of producing.
My next exposure to the War
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of the Roses was through Sharon Kay Penman's wonderful The Sunne in Splendour which I read as teenager & have read & re-read throughout the years because it (like all of her books) is just that wonderful. The Daughter of Time by Josephine Tey is another fun Richard III book.I am a big fan of Richard III, whether in his hunchbacked evil Shakespearian incarnation or the more nuanced incarnation one finds when reading history of him that isn't filtered through the Tudor propaganda bias. For the record, I agree wholeheartedly with Ms. Penman's assertion that the boys in the tower were killed by the Duke of Buckingham.
The White Queen is the first in Philippa Gregory's new books on the Plantagenets. What a great family they are - founded by Henry II & Eleanor of Aquitaine, their history is a fascinating one. In this novel, Gregory focuses on Elizabeth Woodville, the Lancastrian widow who married the Yorkist king, Edward IV. She was considered one of the greatest beauties of her time & the story of her life before, during & after Edward (for whom she bore 10 children) is a fascinating & tragic one.
This isn't Philippa Gregory at her best, but she's not at her worst, either. The story she has chosen is an engrossing one, but she appears to slip over the surface of it, rarely diving deep into any one event or person. I felt that her portrayal of Elizabeth was both the most flattering of her that I have seen yet & the most shallow. This was a woman who was ruled by ambition & Ms. Gregory does little to explore her character beyond trading upon her purported ancestry to Melusine.
I'm looking forward to the next book in the series - I'll be curious to see how much deeper into the history of this time Ms. Gregory is able to take us. This is a good beginning & a decent read, but not as good as I'd hoped nor as good as Ms. Gregory is capable of producing.
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LibraryThing member cathyskye
First Line: My father is Sir Richard Woodville, Baron Rivers, an English nobleman, a landholder and a supporter of the true kings of England, the Lancastrian line.
This is the first entry in a new historical series by Gregory centering on the English War of the Roses. My "history" with Philippa
What really makes the world go round? No matter how much we may sing about it or want it, it's certainly not love. No, what makes the world go round are greedy, grasping individuals/families/clans whose thoughts seldom rise from the rut of "I, Me, Mine". A case in point is The White Queen. Gregory tells us of the world as seen through the eyes of Elizabeth Woodville, a young widow whose beauty captivated King Edward IV. As you read, never once forget that Elizabeth's view of her world is a distorted one.
Did you read the first sentence of the book above? From the very first, Elizabeth is shown as a woman who is supremely concerned with position and wealth. When she stood out in the road to wait for the king to ride by, she was merely wanting her husband's lands restored so she wouldn't have to live on the charity of others. When she saw the look on Edward's face, she immediately knew that, if she played her cards right, she might very well obtain a lot more.
Does it sound like I didn't like Elizabeth? It should, because I didn't. When she becomes Queen of England, she and her mother busy themselves giving everyone in the family important positions and power. That's the way it's always been done. They laugh when they marry off young male relatives to old wealthy widows so that they can inherit vast estates and further the family's ambitions. Never once did they seem to think that this behavior would have any repercussions.
When sending her three-year-old son to Wales (the Tudor stronghold), Elizabeth appoints her brother Anthony as the boy's chief advisor. What are her first words about this to her brother? Are they about keeping her little boy safe? Are they about his education, his diet, his happiness? No. "Anthony, there is much profit to be won from Wales." It is to Anthony's credit that, when he accepts the position, he speaks of the little boy and his well-being.
At her husband's death bed, Elizabeth's thoughts are not on losing Edward, but the best way to get her choice as Lord Protector of England accepted.
She calls herself a realist and her brother, Anthony, a dreamer, but Anthony is the one who sees the truth in the court of Elizabeth and Edward. Anthony is the character that I like in this book. He says the symbol of the House of York should not be the white rose, but the old sign of eternity-- the snake eating itself. "They are a house which has to have blood and they will shed their own if they have no other enemy."
Given that I've already admitted to not liking the main character, you'll be forgiven if you think I didn't like the book. But if you saw my rating at the top, you know that's not so. I don't have to like the main character to enjoy the book. All I ask is that the main character is multi-faceted and interesting. Elizabeth is certainly both those things. She is strong-willed, knows exactly what she wants, and grabs for it with both hands-- ultimately bringing disaster down upon her entire family.
There has been talk of Elizabeth and her mother, Jacquetta, using magic several times in the book. Gregory walked a very fine line throughout but in the end, she didn't overplay the magic for me. What did irritate me was the habit Elizabeth had of always referring to the sons of her first marriage as her "Grey sons". But a woman as conscious of wealth, power and position as she would do that. After all, those boys weren't as important as her sons by the King of England-- the Princes in the Tower.
This is a very strong start to Gregory's new series. I certainly look forward to reading the other books as they are published.
This is the first entry in a new historical series by Gregory centering on the English War of the Roses. My "history" with Philippa
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Gregory has been a bit uneven. Some of her novels I've enjoyed a great deal, others didn't do much for me. I am not a purist when it comes to reading historical fiction. I always pick up a book in this genre believing that the story will take precedence over the history. As long as there are no glaring errors that throw me out of the story, I am content.What really makes the world go round? No matter how much we may sing about it or want it, it's certainly not love. No, what makes the world go round are greedy, grasping individuals/families/clans whose thoughts seldom rise from the rut of "I, Me, Mine". A case in point is The White Queen. Gregory tells us of the world as seen through the eyes of Elizabeth Woodville, a young widow whose beauty captivated King Edward IV. As you read, never once forget that Elizabeth's view of her world is a distorted one.
Did you read the first sentence of the book above? From the very first, Elizabeth is shown as a woman who is supremely concerned with position and wealth. When she stood out in the road to wait for the king to ride by, she was merely wanting her husband's lands restored so she wouldn't have to live on the charity of others. When she saw the look on Edward's face, she immediately knew that, if she played her cards right, she might very well obtain a lot more.
Does it sound like I didn't like Elizabeth? It should, because I didn't. When she becomes Queen of England, she and her mother busy themselves giving everyone in the family important positions and power. That's the way it's always been done. They laugh when they marry off young male relatives to old wealthy widows so that they can inherit vast estates and further the family's ambitions. Never once did they seem to think that this behavior would have any repercussions.
When sending her three-year-old son to Wales (the Tudor stronghold), Elizabeth appoints her brother Anthony as the boy's chief advisor. What are her first words about this to her brother? Are they about keeping her little boy safe? Are they about his education, his diet, his happiness? No. "Anthony, there is much profit to be won from Wales." It is to Anthony's credit that, when he accepts the position, he speaks of the little boy and his well-being.
At her husband's death bed, Elizabeth's thoughts are not on losing Edward, but the best way to get her choice as Lord Protector of England accepted.
She calls herself a realist and her brother, Anthony, a dreamer, but Anthony is the one who sees the truth in the court of Elizabeth and Edward. Anthony is the character that I like in this book. He says the symbol of the House of York should not be the white rose, but the old sign of eternity-- the snake eating itself. "They are a house which has to have blood and they will shed their own if they have no other enemy."
Given that I've already admitted to not liking the main character, you'll be forgiven if you think I didn't like the book. But if you saw my rating at the top, you know that's not so. I don't have to like the main character to enjoy the book. All I ask is that the main character is multi-faceted and interesting. Elizabeth is certainly both those things. She is strong-willed, knows exactly what she wants, and grabs for it with both hands-- ultimately bringing disaster down upon her entire family.
There has been talk of Elizabeth and her mother, Jacquetta, using magic several times in the book. Gregory walked a very fine line throughout but in the end, she didn't overplay the magic for me. What did irritate me was the habit Elizabeth had of always referring to the sons of her first marriage as her "Grey sons". But a woman as conscious of wealth, power and position as she would do that. After all, those boys weren't as important as her sons by the King of England-- the Princes in the Tower.
This is a very strong start to Gregory's new series. I certainly look forward to reading the other books as they are published.
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LibraryThing member ReadingWithMartinis
Philippa Gregory is my favorite historical fiction author. Her stories are always well-written and detailed. Before picking up this book, I was very unfamiliar with The War of the Roses. I think this was a good thing because I was able to enjoy this fictional account without worrying over or being
I liked the central character, Elizabeth Woodville. I found the story of the two missing boys from the Tower of London to be extremely interesting and I read quite a few historical accounts of this mystery after reading this book.
I don’t necessarily think this book is Gregory’s best work, but I did enjoy it. I would recommend it to any fan of historical fiction.
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bothered by any liberties that were taken with the historical account.I liked the central character, Elizabeth Woodville. I found the story of the two missing boys from the Tower of London to be extremely interesting and I read quite a few historical accounts of this mystery after reading this book.
I don’t necessarily think this book is Gregory’s best work, but I did enjoy it. I would recommend it to any fan of historical fiction.
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LibraryThing member ChaoticEclipse
The story starts after Edward has already gotten his crown and Elizabeth has become a widow. She waits for the king to pass her on the road and petition for her lands. And Edward, who just can’t leave a pretty woman alone, takes fancy on her. After Elizabeth refuses to become his mistress by
I have to say that I’ve heard more about Melusina thatn I’ve ever wanted to read in my life. And I don’t like how the author repeats certain things over and over and over again through the book. The readers aren’t stupid, you know? Didn’t care for the witchcraft thing either. I like history and fantasy, as long as you don’t mix them.
I liked how she portrayed Richard, Duke of Gloucester but didn’t care for what was going on with him and Elizabeth of York. But what did annoy me was the whole Anthony-hero-worshipping. I get that Elizabeth idolized her big brother but I was wondering if Gregory is gonna change history and gonna name him as a saint. Because there really wasn’t a thing he can’t do wrong. Haven’t read anyone else having this problem so maybe it’s just me...
For a person who brags what a great historian she is, you would think that she gots the places right. At one point Elizabeth goes to a palace that’s started by her grandson, Henry VIII. Time travel maybe?
I enjoyed this more than I thought I would and it was better than The Other Queen
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theatening him with a knife, they marries in secret. You could say the marriage isn’t taken with happy faces...I have to say that I’ve heard more about Melusina thatn I’ve ever wanted to read in my life. And I don’t like how the author repeats certain things over and over and over again through the book. The readers aren’t stupid, you know? Didn’t care for the witchcraft thing either. I like history and fantasy, as long as you don’t mix them.
I liked how she portrayed Richard, Duke of Gloucester but didn’t care for what was going on with him and Elizabeth of York. But what did annoy me was the whole Anthony-hero-worshipping. I get that Elizabeth idolized her big brother but I was wondering if Gregory is gonna change history and gonna name him as a saint. Because there really wasn’t a thing he can’t do wrong. Haven’t read anyone else having this problem so maybe it’s just me...
For a person who brags what a great historian she is, you would think that she gots the places right. At one point Elizabeth goes to a palace that’s started by her grandson, Henry VIII. Time travel maybe?
I enjoyed this more than I thought I would and it was better than The Other Queen
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LibraryThing member msjessicamae
I have much love for Philippa Gregory for bringing me The Other Boleyn Girl and introducing me to the Tudors. Although it will be difficult for her to ever write another novel as compelling as The Other Boleyn Girl, I had been impressed with the books following…until her last book The Other
With The White Queen, Gregory is clearly back. Although it didn’t grab me the way I expect her books to and it took me a while to become attached to the story, by the end of the book I was yearning for more. I am extremely excited that this is the first book in a series and I am anxiously awaiting more information on the next book.
As with The Other Boleyn Girl, Gregory has introduced me to an entire period of history I was blind to.
I think the next book is going to be some of her best writing. She has laid the base and the background and now she can get into the drama
I can’t wait!
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Queen. I was barely able to finish the book and if it was any other author I probably wouldn’t have.With The White Queen, Gregory is clearly back. Although it didn’t grab me the way I expect her books to and it took me a while to become attached to the story, by the end of the book I was yearning for more. I am extremely excited that this is the first book in a series and I am anxiously awaiting more information on the next book.
As with The Other Boleyn Girl, Gregory has introduced me to an entire period of history I was blind to.
I think the next book is going to be some of her best writing. She has laid the base and the background and now she can get into the drama
I can’t wait!
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LibraryThing member mwtemple
Let me preface this by saying that I’m a big Philippa Gregory fan. I read “The Other Boleyn Girl” a few years ago (before I saw the movie, thankfully … kind of a disaster) and absolutely loved it. I read “The Boleyn Inheritance” this fall and loved that, too. I read “The Constant
In typical Gregory fashion, “The White Queen” focuses on one female character — Elizabeth Woodville, a recently widowed Lancaster supporter during the War of the Roses. She and her two young sons wait out by the road one day hoping to talk to the king, who she hopes will help her restore the land she lost when she was widowed. The king agrees to help her, but also falls in love with her, ends up marrying her in secret, and she becomes the queen of England.
This story takes place during the War of the Roses, when the houses of Lancaster and York were battling each other for control of the English throne. Edward had recently deposed Henry VI, but Edward’s two brothers, Richard and George, also want the throne, as do the Tudors. It’s basically a crazy political nightmare, with a multitude of different families, all with royal blood, trying to take over the English government. Elizabeth naturally gets very caught up in all the craziness, as does her family.
Frankly, I found the background information for this book very confusing. For my own nerdy reasons, I did a bit of research on English monarchical history so I could get my bearings while I read all of these things. Had I not done that, I would have had NO idea what was going on for most of this book. Even with the research I was confused a lot of times and had to refer to my notes (hey, I said I was nerdy) to figure out who was who and what was happening. It doesn’t help that there are very few unique names among the characters – several Elizabeths, Margarets, Richards, Edwards, etc. It got confusing.
None of this is really Gregory’s fault, though — this is the way history was, and it was confusing. I think this book was definitely worth reading, but it does require a little more work to get through than her others. I did find her fictionalization of the imprisonment and possible death of the two young princes intriguing. The Elizabeth in this story sends one of her sons off to safety rather than letting him being imprisoned in the Tower by his uncle, and at the end he returns safely, intending to take over the throne. In real life, no one really knows what happened to the two princes, so this was an interesting take on it. And of course, Gregory writes with her usual beautiful language. She characterizes the two main female characters in this book very well, highlighting the mother-daughter bond and both of their connections to their ancestry, which they claim comes from the river goddess Melusina. The relationship is realistic and touching, and really adds to the story.
Overall, give this one a try if you’re a Gregory fan, but be aware that you’ll probably need some background in order to fully understand the story. Read up on what happened after the events in this book, too. It’s definitely worth the work.
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Princess” a few weeks ago and loved that. ”The White Queen” I finished just today, and while I liked it, it didn’t really measure up to her other books, in my opinion.In typical Gregory fashion, “The White Queen” focuses on one female character — Elizabeth Woodville, a recently widowed Lancaster supporter during the War of the Roses. She and her two young sons wait out by the road one day hoping to talk to the king, who she hopes will help her restore the land she lost when she was widowed. The king agrees to help her, but also falls in love with her, ends up marrying her in secret, and she becomes the queen of England.
This story takes place during the War of the Roses, when the houses of Lancaster and York were battling each other for control of the English throne. Edward had recently deposed Henry VI, but Edward’s two brothers, Richard and George, also want the throne, as do the Tudors. It’s basically a crazy political nightmare, with a multitude of different families, all with royal blood, trying to take over the English government. Elizabeth naturally gets very caught up in all the craziness, as does her family.
Frankly, I found the background information for this book very confusing. For my own nerdy reasons, I did a bit of research on English monarchical history so I could get my bearings while I read all of these things. Had I not done that, I would have had NO idea what was going on for most of this book. Even with the research I was confused a lot of times and had to refer to my notes (hey, I said I was nerdy) to figure out who was who and what was happening. It doesn’t help that there are very few unique names among the characters – several Elizabeths, Margarets, Richards, Edwards, etc. It got confusing.
None of this is really Gregory’s fault, though — this is the way history was, and it was confusing. I think this book was definitely worth reading, but it does require a little more work to get through than her others. I did find her fictionalization of the imprisonment and possible death of the two young princes intriguing. The Elizabeth in this story sends one of her sons off to safety rather than letting him being imprisoned in the Tower by his uncle, and at the end he returns safely, intending to take over the throne. In real life, no one really knows what happened to the two princes, so this was an interesting take on it. And of course, Gregory writes with her usual beautiful language. She characterizes the two main female characters in this book very well, highlighting the mother-daughter bond and both of their connections to their ancestry, which they claim comes from the river goddess Melusina. The relationship is realistic and touching, and really adds to the story.
Overall, give this one a try if you’re a Gregory fan, but be aware that you’ll probably need some background in order to fully understand the story. Read up on what happened after the events in this book, too. It’s definitely worth the work.
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LibraryThing member Kara
I thought the plot here was interesting. I didn't know as much as I should have (read: anything) about Elizabeth Woodville, and I'd heard the story about the boys but didn't know anything else besides that. This filled in a lot of gaps for me--but I should say here that the stuff filling the gaps
But I just couldn't get over the language. I've read other books of Gregory's and didn't find it as distracting in those for some reason. Now, I'm no student of linguistics, but you can't tell me that they said things like "You are joking with me," "No hard feelings," and "It stinks to me" in the 15th century. It was so distracting. I just kept groaning and sighing and putting the book aside for a second to roll my eyes. My boyfriend watched this whole thing and said, "Just put it down." I didn't but maybe I should have.
I don't need the events in fiction to be historically accurate, but come on. This seemed so lazy.
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is still a high percentage fiction; the author's note admits that she had to make quite a few important guesses. Overall, the story kept me interested.But I just couldn't get over the language. I've read other books of Gregory's and didn't find it as distracting in those for some reason. Now, I'm no student of linguistics, but you can't tell me that they said things like "You are joking with me," "No hard feelings," and "It stinks to me" in the 15th century. It was so distracting. I just kept groaning and sighing and putting the book aside for a second to roll my eyes. My boyfriend watched this whole thing and said, "Just put it down." I didn't but maybe I should have.
I don't need the events in fiction to be historically accurate, but come on. This seemed so lazy.
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LibraryThing member justabookreader
Elizabeth Woodville is young, beautiful, and a widow with two small boys when she plans to petition the newly crowned King Edward to get her lands back from her former mother-in-law. She waits patiently with her two boys by the side of the road knowing he will pass by with his army. While the
The two fall in love, marry in secret, and wait for Edward to secure his crown before announcing the marriage. Elizabeth is a commoner and the marriage is not popular with the King's counselors who do all they can to convince him to leave her. He doesn't and the two begin building strong alliances by marrying off every supporter, brother, sister, and friend to anyone they see as a future problem. In the end, the war they fought so hard to end, never does. After Edward's death, the world Elizabeth knows is gone but she keeps fighting wanting to continue and secure the Plantagenet line that she and Edward worked so hard to protect.
This is the first Philippa Gregory book I've read. I love historical fiction but somehow I've managed to pass her over. I picked this one up with very high hopes. I won't say the hopes were dashed, but it may be a while before I read another.
I liked the time period, I liked the royals fighting, I liked the court, and I liked the characters. Edward and Elizabeth had good chemistry and the court intrigue was really interesting but there was something that was holding me back from really liking it and I think it was the magical element to the story. It felt silly and contrived to me. I usually like the fantasy, magic, and witchcraft additions to a story but here it didn't work for me. I vaguely remember reading that either Elizabeth or her mother were accused of witchcraft and I understand the need to include it in the story but I couldn't get into it here.
I almost put this book down a few times but I decided to finish it and I'm glad I did. Gregory's writing style can pull you in and in a few places I felt I was really liking the book and then the queen and her mother would get to cursing someone and I quickly backed away again. I don't know what it was here but in a few months time I think I will give her another chance.
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Woodvilles fought on the side of Henry, Edward's cousin and now defeated king of England, she has hopes that her beauty will make him stop and help her.The two fall in love, marry in secret, and wait for Edward to secure his crown before announcing the marriage. Elizabeth is a commoner and the marriage is not popular with the King's counselors who do all they can to convince him to leave her. He doesn't and the two begin building strong alliances by marrying off every supporter, brother, sister, and friend to anyone they see as a future problem. In the end, the war they fought so hard to end, never does. After Edward's death, the world Elizabeth knows is gone but she keeps fighting wanting to continue and secure the Plantagenet line that she and Edward worked so hard to protect.
This is the first Philippa Gregory book I've read. I love historical fiction but somehow I've managed to pass her over. I picked this one up with very high hopes. I won't say the hopes were dashed, but it may be a while before I read another.
I liked the time period, I liked the royals fighting, I liked the court, and I liked the characters. Edward and Elizabeth had good chemistry and the court intrigue was really interesting but there was something that was holding me back from really liking it and I think it was the magical element to the story. It felt silly and contrived to me. I usually like the fantasy, magic, and witchcraft additions to a story but here it didn't work for me. I vaguely remember reading that either Elizabeth or her mother were accused of witchcraft and I understand the need to include it in the story but I couldn't get into it here.
I almost put this book down a few times but I decided to finish it and I'm glad I did. Gregory's writing style can pull you in and in a few places I felt I was really liking the book and then the queen and her mother would get to cursing someone and I quickly backed away again. I don't know what it was here but in a few months time I think I will give her another chance.
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LibraryThing member laura1814
This novel was not at all what I expected. In many ways it is a dark novel, about greed and betrayal in a time when those concepts went far beyond words and often led to death-- of friends, servants, kinsmen, cousins, brothers, and many innocent bystanders. In a world where choosing the wrong side
History is written by the victors, and the Tudor propagandists did a number on Richard III which we still remember--accusing him of murdering the Princes in the Tower--and apologists have defended him ever since it was no longer treasonous to do so. But Gregory's treatment in this novel of Richard--and of everyone else!--is neither villainous nor exculpatory; indeed, there is hardly an innocent character in the entire book, but neither are there many outright villains. Everyone has an agenda; no one is loyal to any but himself or herself. It is a somewhat cynical commentary on the effect of power on the human condition, but it strikes me as a very lifelike one.
The style of the novel takes some getting used to: it is written entirely in the first person, present tense, even when it strays to another person's viewpoint. But once past this idiosyncrasy (and the usual anachronistic language and mistaken word usage), the novel becomes an enjoyable blend of fact and fiction that picks up the pace significantly in the second half of the book and by the end became a page-turner.
The protagonist is Elizabeth Woodville, the queen of Edward IV. The one great good shown in the novel is the love between these two, which survives every test that the Wars of the Roses can throw at it. Elizabeth is no saint; she is loyal but greedy and ruthless; but Gregory portrays her in a sympathetic manner that does justice to a woman who is usually written off as a conniving and malicious social climber in histories and is rarely given a fair hearing.
Overall, at the beginning I did not like this book at all, but by the end I enjoyed it very much, wondering how Elizabeth was going to react to the news of each event as it unfolded; and the resolution left enough unanswered questions to make one suspect that Gregory already writing a sequel or series.
I have read Gregory since she first published _Wideacre_ and find that while she frequently disappoints me in terms of historical detail and anachronism, she excels at bringing people of another era to life and showing plausible motivations for the often inexplicable behavior of people who made English history. This is her greatest strength and what keeps me reading her work.
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could literally lead to death for oneself and one's family, the choices were stark.History is written by the victors, and the Tudor propagandists did a number on Richard III which we still remember--accusing him of murdering the Princes in the Tower--and apologists have defended him ever since it was no longer treasonous to do so. But Gregory's treatment in this novel of Richard--and of everyone else!--is neither villainous nor exculpatory; indeed, there is hardly an innocent character in the entire book, but neither are there many outright villains. Everyone has an agenda; no one is loyal to any but himself or herself. It is a somewhat cynical commentary on the effect of power on the human condition, but it strikes me as a very lifelike one.
The style of the novel takes some getting used to: it is written entirely in the first person, present tense, even when it strays to another person's viewpoint. But once past this idiosyncrasy (and the usual anachronistic language and mistaken word usage), the novel becomes an enjoyable blend of fact and fiction that picks up the pace significantly in the second half of the book and by the end became a page-turner.
The protagonist is Elizabeth Woodville, the queen of Edward IV. The one great good shown in the novel is the love between these two, which survives every test that the Wars of the Roses can throw at it. Elizabeth is no saint; she is loyal but greedy and ruthless; but Gregory portrays her in a sympathetic manner that does justice to a woman who is usually written off as a conniving and malicious social climber in histories and is rarely given a fair hearing.
Overall, at the beginning I did not like this book at all, but by the end I enjoyed it very much, wondering how Elizabeth was going to react to the news of each event as it unfolded; and the resolution left enough unanswered questions to make one suspect that Gregory already writing a sequel or series.
I have read Gregory since she first published _Wideacre_ and find that while she frequently disappoints me in terms of historical detail and anachronism, she excels at bringing people of another era to life and showing plausible motivations for the often inexplicable behavior of people who made English history. This is her greatest strength and what keeps me reading her work.
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LibraryThing member msgail1953
Ms Gregory paints a picture of a selfish ambitious woman. The beautiful Queen Elizabeth is not a loveable character. She gains her status through witchcraft. Her grief for the loss of her son the prince is does not appear to be for him but for the loss of her status as the Queen or the Queens
The history behind this novel is well written and I enjoyed it.
A likeable main character is not required for a good book. I enjoyed the book. The main problem is the story stopped too abruptly. I had to look into history books to find out what happend next.
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mother. The history behind this novel is well written and I enjoyed it.
A likeable main character is not required for a good book. I enjoyed the book. The main problem is the story stopped too abruptly. I had to look into history books to find out what happend next.
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LibraryThing member BookshelfMonstrosity
It's been awhile since I've read any of Gregory's books and I was excited to dive into her new novel. When I read historical fiction whose history I am unfamiliar with, I usually prep myself by doing a little light research to brush up on who's who and what's what. I did not do any such
Unfortunately, Ms. Gregory became slightly heavy-handed with her repetition and symbolic concepts. At times, I could almost imagine the lovely author taking the book out of my hands during said symbolic passages, which were repeated quite frequently, and thunking me over the head with her words. 'See? Do you see what's going to happen here? I gave you a hint!" she says with each thwack over my head.
Other than the qualm with repetition, I thought this was an entertaining read. I enjoyed learning about Elizabeth Woodville, a queen who was largely unknown to me before I read this novel. Another aspect of the book that others sometimes have a problem with is the inclusion of witchcraft. This aspect of the novel did not really bother me since this is, after all, fiction rather than an historical account of the Wars of the Roses. Some liberties can be taken. But how far is too far? Gregory herself admits that "There is more fiction in this novel than in my previous ones," and that "Elizabeth Woodville was indeed a descendant of the dukes of Burgundy, who cherished the tradition that they were descended from Melusina, the water goddess." I thought that the touches of medieval magic and witchcraft simply added interest to the narrative.
Gregory includes an author's note and an extensive bibliography on the subjects covered in the novel for further reading.
This is not my favorite Gregory novel, but I still enjoyed the read. I stayed up late last night to finish it!
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preparations this time, because I realized I could use my unfortunate ignorance on the subject to my advantage: this book would read more like a fictitious story whose ending will not unfold to me until the last second. And that's mostly what happened.Unfortunately, Ms. Gregory became slightly heavy-handed with her repetition and symbolic concepts. At times, I could almost imagine the lovely author taking the book out of my hands during said symbolic passages, which were repeated quite frequently, and thunking me over the head with her words. 'See? Do you see what's going to happen here? I gave you a hint!" she says with each thwack over my head.
Other than the qualm with repetition, I thought this was an entertaining read. I enjoyed learning about Elizabeth Woodville, a queen who was largely unknown to me before I read this novel. Another aspect of the book that others sometimes have a problem with is the inclusion of witchcraft. This aspect of the novel did not really bother me since this is, after all, fiction rather than an historical account of the Wars of the Roses. Some liberties can be taken. But how far is too far? Gregory herself admits that "There is more fiction in this novel than in my previous ones," and that "Elizabeth Woodville was indeed a descendant of the dukes of Burgundy, who cherished the tradition that they were descended from Melusina, the water goddess." I thought that the touches of medieval magic and witchcraft simply added interest to the narrative.
Gregory includes an author's note and an extensive bibliography on the subjects covered in the novel for further reading.
This is not my favorite Gregory novel, but I still enjoyed the read. I stayed up late last night to finish it!
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LibraryThing member marient
Brother turns on brother to win the ultimate prize, the throne of England in the wars of the Plantagenets. The are the claimants and kings who ruled England before the Tudors.
The White Queen teells the story of a woman of extraordinary beauty and ambition who, catching the eye of the newly crowned
The White Queen teells the story of a woman of extraordinary beauty and ambition who, catching the eye of the newly crowned
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boy king, marries him in secret and ascends to royalty. Show Less
LibraryThing member Kiri
I found this an interesting take on the story of this period of the War of the Roses. While Ms. Gregory does take liberties with the known facts (she admits to them too so that's ok) she also raises some interesting points about the princes in the tower and highlights the other power players on the
While I felt she could have focused a bit more on certain aspects of the story, drawn the motivations of the characters more clearly, and fleshed out more of the dynamics (some of the background is left a little too much to the readers guessing) it is an interestingly told story and a fine diversion.
I will admit that I am probably being much harder on Ms. Gregory than is warranted due to academic training. I did enjoy the book and think others will too.
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stage at the time. While I felt she could have focused a bit more on certain aspects of the story, drawn the motivations of the characters more clearly, and fleshed out more of the dynamics (some of the background is left a little too much to the readers guessing) it is an interestingly told story and a fine diversion.
I will admit that I am probably being much harder on Ms. Gregory than is warranted due to academic training. I did enjoy the book and think others will too.
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LibraryThing member laurapickle
After taking us through the lives of more Tudors than I care to remember, Gregory’s latest novel deals with the earlier Plantagenet family during The Cousins’ War, more commonly referred to as The War of the Roses. In this, the first in a new series, we see how Elizabeth Woodville, a widow of
'The White Queen', like all of Gregory’s novels, focuses on a particularly compelling section of English history and manages to bring the dangerous but vivacious atmosphere of Court to life. This is an historical intrigue that has it all; love, sex, death, wealth, betrayal, witchcraft and exile all feature in the novel. Surprisingly, the plot is not overwhelmed by the diversity of these themes; instead Gregory manages to illustrate how fantastical the life of royalty was in the fifteenth century. Indeed, this is a period in history that I knew little about and I waited expectantly for the Princes in the Tower subplot to emerge (thank you Shakespeare!), I was not disappointed. Gregory managed to maintain tension, even when you knew what was about to happen, and her own take on the mysterious disappearances of the two young royals seemed a valid reinterpretation of a clearly unknowable event. Equally, the witchcraft sections of the novel, mainly involving Elizabeth and her mother Jacquetta, were also written in a generally understated way. This meant that the witchcraft sections were both believable and ambiguous, leaving us to wonder at the end of the novel whether Elizabeth’s and Jacquetta’s actions truly affected the future.
Occasionally the writing is a little repetitive, and the almost constant description Elizabeth’s locket often brought me back to reality abruptly. Another distraction, but not entirely Gregory’s fault, is the difficulty in keeping a handle of the many Richards and Edwards galloping about the novel. However, unlike others who have complained about Gregory’s use of modern language, spellings and other ‘slip-ups’ I found that instead of being a hindrance to the plot they worked well to allow a modern reader to relate to the characters easily. The main problem though is not repetitive writing or characters with the same name, but the sad fact that 'The White Queen' simply does not have the same sex appeal as her other novels. While some of them are positively scorching, 'The White Queen' can barely muster a fizzle. Luckily this does not make the relationship between Elizabeth and Edward unbelievable, but simply makes it less exciting!
Overall, despite these few niggling problems that I’m sure many people will be unable to see past, 'The White Queen' is an enjoyable read. Fans of Gregory and historical romance will appreciate it, even though there are better Gregory books available. 'The White Queen' is an exciting and engaging historical romp that will certainly be good enough as a break between hefty textbooks.
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the House of Lancaster, becomes Queen of the House of York: their White Queen. Elizabeth is beautiful, determined and aided by her mother’s skills with witchcraft, but even she cannot stop the war around her; as long as there other claimants to her husband’s throne there will be no peace in England. 'The White Queen', like all of Gregory’s novels, focuses on a particularly compelling section of English history and manages to bring the dangerous but vivacious atmosphere of Court to life. This is an historical intrigue that has it all; love, sex, death, wealth, betrayal, witchcraft and exile all feature in the novel. Surprisingly, the plot is not overwhelmed by the diversity of these themes; instead Gregory manages to illustrate how fantastical the life of royalty was in the fifteenth century. Indeed, this is a period in history that I knew little about and I waited expectantly for the Princes in the Tower subplot to emerge (thank you Shakespeare!), I was not disappointed. Gregory managed to maintain tension, even when you knew what was about to happen, and her own take on the mysterious disappearances of the two young royals seemed a valid reinterpretation of a clearly unknowable event. Equally, the witchcraft sections of the novel, mainly involving Elizabeth and her mother Jacquetta, were also written in a generally understated way. This meant that the witchcraft sections were both believable and ambiguous, leaving us to wonder at the end of the novel whether Elizabeth’s and Jacquetta’s actions truly affected the future.
Occasionally the writing is a little repetitive, and the almost constant description Elizabeth’s locket often brought me back to reality abruptly. Another distraction, but not entirely Gregory’s fault, is the difficulty in keeping a handle of the many Richards and Edwards galloping about the novel. However, unlike others who have complained about Gregory’s use of modern language, spellings and other ‘slip-ups’ I found that instead of being a hindrance to the plot they worked well to allow a modern reader to relate to the characters easily. The main problem though is not repetitive writing or characters with the same name, but the sad fact that 'The White Queen' simply does not have the same sex appeal as her other novels. While some of them are positively scorching, 'The White Queen' can barely muster a fizzle. Luckily this does not make the relationship between Elizabeth and Edward unbelievable, but simply makes it less exciting!
Overall, despite these few niggling problems that I’m sure many people will be unable to see past, 'The White Queen' is an enjoyable read. Fans of Gregory and historical romance will appreciate it, even though there are better Gregory books available. 'The White Queen' is an exciting and engaging historical romp that will certainly be good enough as a break between hefty textbooks.
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LibraryThing member BellaFoxx
The White Queen is the first book in a new series from the time period in England when the Plantagenets were the claimants and kings that ruled, before the Tudors. At this time there were deadly feuds, wars for the throne of England known as the Wars of the Roses, also called the Cousins' War,
The White Queen is told from the perspective of Elizabeth Woodville, who was the White Queen. She was not a member of any royal family but she was extraordinarily beautiful and caught the eye of the newly crowned boy king and married him. She aspired to be Queen of England and she was crowned Queen, but it is a position hard to hold and dangerous to be in. Her two sons become central figures in a mystery that has confounded historians for centuries: the missing princes in the Tower of London whose fate is still unknown.
I imagine it is not easy to take an account that is partially known and fill it in with your own details seamlessly, so that it appears to be all one narrative. This is what Ms. Gregory has done. I have read many biographies and auto-biographies over the years and if I had not known it was "Historical Fiction" I would have thought I was reading someones diary. I found The White Queen to be informative and engaging. It caught my attention from the beginning and never got boring. I also appreciated that in her own narrative, Ms. Gregory didn't add a lot of unnecessary drama. Her imagined thought processes of Elizabeth seemed to be drawn from her knowledge of the era, how women were treated and what they had to do to survive and keep their families safe in a time that was not favorable to women and at anytime you could go from being Queen of England to a nobody in a very short time period.
So between the wars and namesakes and confusion, Philippa Gregory does an excellent job of sorting it all and telling the tale in a logical manner, and I tried to follow along, I can't blame Ms. Gregory for my little pea brain.
If you are a fan of Philippa Gregory, I would say you just HAVE TO READ THIS BOOK. If you enjoy historical fiction you should read this book. If you want a book that will entertain you and stimulate your mind you should read this book. If you love romance, well this might not be the book for you. I enjoyed it and gave it 4 stars.
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since cousin was battling cousin (along with their supporters) to be King of England. Within the Plantagenets were different families fighting each other (I think) and it was all very confusing, especially with the custom of naming children after the rulers, there were Edwards and Richards and Henrys all over the place. One Edward would die and then another would be mentioned and I would stop and say, "Wait, didn't Edward just die?" But I digress. The White Queen is told from the perspective of Elizabeth Woodville, who was the White Queen. She was not a member of any royal family but she was extraordinarily beautiful and caught the eye of the newly crowned boy king and married him. She aspired to be Queen of England and she was crowned Queen, but it is a position hard to hold and dangerous to be in. Her two sons become central figures in a mystery that has confounded historians for centuries: the missing princes in the Tower of London whose fate is still unknown.
I imagine it is not easy to take an account that is partially known and fill it in with your own details seamlessly, so that it appears to be all one narrative. This is what Ms. Gregory has done. I have read many biographies and auto-biographies over the years and if I had not known it was "Historical Fiction" I would have thought I was reading someones diary. I found The White Queen to be informative and engaging. It caught my attention from the beginning and never got boring. I also appreciated that in her own narrative, Ms. Gregory didn't add a lot of unnecessary drama. Her imagined thought processes of Elizabeth seemed to be drawn from her knowledge of the era, how women were treated and what they had to do to survive and keep their families safe in a time that was not favorable to women and at anytime you could go from being Queen of England to a nobody in a very short time period.
So between the wars and namesakes and confusion, Philippa Gregory does an excellent job of sorting it all and telling the tale in a logical manner, and I tried to follow along, I can't blame Ms. Gregory for my little pea brain.
If you are a fan of Philippa Gregory, I would say you just HAVE TO READ THIS BOOK. If you enjoy historical fiction you should read this book. If you want a book that will entertain you and stimulate your mind you should read this book. If you love romance, well this might not be the book for you. I enjoyed it and gave it 4 stars.
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LibraryThing member tibsboys
This book was relatively fast-paced. Told against the back drop of the War of the Roses, the story follows Elizabeth and her rise to power. Elizabeth is not an innocent among the men who are scheming for control of the monarchy. A magical element is also incorporated into the story.
LibraryThing member stephaniechase
Gregory hit a home run with "The Other Boleyn Girl," and her books since then have lacked the intrigue of that first in her series on the Tudors. She is back in great form with this, "The White Queen," introducing us to a new, and perhaps even more fascinating woman -- and, for a refreshing change,
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with an interesting and strong marriage. Show Less
LibraryThing member purelush
Another fascinating historical novel from Philippa. I admit to knowing nothing about this period in history, so it was a bit daunting, especially when so many of the characters had similar names. I love how she gives the reader the 'unseen' woman's perspective; a voice so often silenced in the
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history books. Show Less
LibraryThing member horomnizon
I really like historical fiction and the War of the Roses interests me, since I live in York, PA - the White Rose City (right across the Susquehanna River from the Red Rose City of Lancaster). So many people raved about Gregory's "Other Boleyn Girl" that I thought I would try "The White Queen". I
I kept waiting for the mystery of the two missing princes that was mentioned on the inside flap of the book, but it took 85% of the book before getting there. Not to mention everybody is named Elizabeth, Richard, Edward, etc and it can get confusing, so she has to keep reminding the reader about which person she's talking about.
So, while I learned some about that time period, I generally found it hard to read and boring.
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have to say that I found it pretty dull. The queen is telling the story, yet now and then you move away to action that is not in first person and that she wouldn't be able to tell about first hand. I found that a little strange...and the story just dragged on and on. I kept waiting for the mystery of the two missing princes that was mentioned on the inside flap of the book, but it took 85% of the book before getting there. Not to mention everybody is named Elizabeth, Richard, Edward, etc and it can get confusing, so she has to keep reminding the reader about which person she's talking about.
So, while I learned some about that time period, I generally found it hard to read and boring.
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ISBN
1416563687 / 9781416563686