Philippa Gregory presents the first of a new series set amid the deadly feuds of England known as the Wars of the Roses.
Brother turns on brother to win the ultimate prize, the throne of England, in this dazzling account of the wars of the Plantagenets. They are the claimants and kings who ruled England before the Tudors, and now Philippa Gregory brings them to life through the dramatic and intimate stories of the secret players: the indomitable women, starting with Elizabeth Woodville, the White Queen.
The White Queen by Philippa Gregory
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Thoroughly enjoyed the level of detail in this novel. I read this for Allthatglitters/Glitterature Book Club (yes it’s been in storage for over 10 years). I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys historical accounts about the medieval period and English aristocracies or romance novels. More specifically, it focuses on the life of Elizabeth Woodville, one of the queens of England during the 15th century.
The author Philippa Gregory wrote extensively about happenings within the royal lineage and her level of research did not go unnoticed in this book. I found it fascinating and enjoyed the storyline that went along with it. The characters and their thought process were well depicted and flowed flawlessly, especially given the creativity it took to marry the fictional and nonfictional historical timeline of events. I appreciated how the language and historical accounts were not overshadowed by over-the-top romanticism and undue drama for sake of the true story line.
But of course, which I knew I would have qualms about already, is the point of view of the writing. First person is hardly ever my cup of tea unless it’s an excerpt from a diary or autobiography. Then there’s my dislike for present tense. And this book was written using a combination of both. It was an enjoyable read anyway though!
MY FAVORITE LINES:
“This is a woman whose belly is filled with pride. She has been eating nothing but her own ambition for nearly thirty years.”
