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The White Princess

(The Plantagenet and Tudor Novels #5)

Philippa Gregory (Goodreads Author)

3.90 · Rating details · 38,334 ratings · 2,970 reviews

Caught between loyalties, the mother of the Tudors must choose between the red rose and the white.

When Henry Tudor picks up the crown of England from the mud of Bosworth field, he knows he must marry the princess of the enemy house—Elizabeth of York—to unify a country divided by war for nearly two decades.

But his bride is still in love with his slain enemy, Richard III—and ...more

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Kindle Edition, 544 pages

Published July 23rd 2013 by Touchstone

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Historical Fiction 2013

374 books — 2,576 voters

The Other Boleyn Girl by Philippa Gregory

The Six Wives of Henry VIII by Alison Weir

The Boleyn Inheritance by Philippa Gregory

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603 books — 1,593 voters

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Start your review of The White Princess (The Plantagenet and Tudor Novels, #5; Cousins War #5)

Nov 15, 2011 Kara rated it did not like it · review of another edition

Shelves: plantegent-fiction, tudor-fiction

I don’t know, I don’t know, I don’t know.

Hey there, Elizabeth of York, what happened to the princes in the Tower? What happened at Bosworth? Where were your father’s allies? Who killed you uncle Anthony? Who killed your uncle George?

I don’t know, I don’t know, I don’t know.

Who is your mother plotting for? What is your mother-in-law praying for? What is your husband doing? Where are your cousins? Where are your sisters?

I don’t know, I don’t know, I don’t know.

What’s going on in Scotland? What’s ...more

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Mar 26, 2013 ``Laurie Henderson rated it liked it

Shelves: historical-fiction, plantagenets, british-authors

I wanted to give this book a higher rating as I love the way that Gregory tells a story. She certainly knows how to keep you turning the pages even though you already know what happens next.

Unfortunately, I just can't agree with her interpretation of the facts in this book. According to Gregory, Henry Tudor (the man who finally brought peace to England and ended the Wars of the Roses) is a bad guy.

Gregory doesn't seem to like Henry VII one little bit because well... he's just not a sexy guy. ...more

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Jan 17, 2014 Sean Barrs rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: historical, love-and-romance, 3-star-reads

Elizabeth of York is completely destitute. Her mother is in hiding and her brothers are all dead; her beloved uncle was slain at Bosworth, and only she is left to face her enemies. And they want to marry her; they wish to use her Plantagenet blood to solidify their less than weak claim to the throne of England. She has no choice but to agree if she wants to live and become a queen, her decision will unify the houses of York and Lancaster, of Tudor and Plantagenet.

A Queenship for Peace

“Someti Elizabeth of York is completely destitute. Her mother is in hiding and her brothers are all dead; her beloved uncle was slain at Bosworth, and only she is left to face her enemies. And they want to marry her; they wish to use her Plantagenet blood to solidify their less than weak claim to the throne of England. She has no choice but to agree if she wants to live and become a queen, her decision will unify the houses of York and Lancaster, of Tudor and Plantagenet.

A Queenship for Peace

“Sometimes we win; sometimes we lose. The main thing is that we always, we always go on.”

description

-Henry Tudor and Elizabeth

The Tudor rose is symbolic of this union, the white rose married the red, peace and prosperity enters England under the ruling of a new King, Henry VII:

description

But for Elizabeth she enters a cold marriage bed and a loveless relationship. She is a mere commodity, simply used to produce children to guaranty the legacy of the new dynasty. She can’t even see her own mother, and to all appearances she must be seen as loyal to her husband. She must become one of them, and overcome her internal reluctance. She has to move on, away from the days of dancing at court with her Uncle: her beloved King Richard III.

Her marriage to Henry may be a dull affair, but at least it is a secure one. He could never divorce her or send her way because her presence in the only thing that gives him any sense of legitimacy. She only has but to raise her voice in support of Perkin Warbeck, the so called lost son of Edward IV and one of the princes in the tower who supposedly escaped, and the Yorkist faction would have a cause once more. It’s a hard decision to make, loyalty to her brother or loyalty to the dynasty she has been forced to produce. Whatever happens, she and Henry’s children are still her children.

I think this is a solid addition to the series. I dismissed the character as rather inconsequential in previous books despite knowing her actual history. She is not one I though the author would take the time to write on and pack her story out, giving her depth and personality. She was an important figure, and it’s only logical she is given her own book to tell it in. Her story is one of uncomfortableness; she is constantly being scrutinised for any sense of disloyalty by the King and his mother. It must have been suffocating.

Overall though, looking back to when I read it in 2014, this was a solid novel with solid characterisation, but it didn't do anyhting particularly special. ...more

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Aug 18, 2011 Iset rated it did not like it · review of another edition

Shelves: wall-bangers, medieval-age-1000-to-1400ce-fiction, did-not-finish

I must admit I couldn’t finish this one. I gave up at the 57% mark. Still, I feel it’s worth reviewing and explaining why I couldn’t get any further.

So what went wrong? Was The White Princess filled with absolutely awful writing? Well, no. It wasn’t dire, by any means. It was a far better read than The Other Queen or The Virgin’s Lover – the real slumps in Philippa Gregory’s set of Tudor themed novels. Was it a case of terrible characterisations, á la The Other Boleyn Girl? Again, no, although t ...more

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Sep 01, 2012 James rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 4-historical-fiction, 3-multi-book-series, 1-fiction

Great series. Good storytelling. Makes you constantly look at the family trees to understand all the connections. So much good drama.

About Me
For those new to me or my reviews... here's the scoop: I read A LOT. I write A LOT. And now I blog A LOT. First the book review goes on Goodreads, and then I send it on over to my WordPress blog at https://thisismytruthnow.com, where you'll also find TV & Film reviews, the revealing and introspective 365 Daily Challenge and lots of blogging abou ...more

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Feb 10, 2013 Misfit added it · review of another edition

Shelves: die-in-a-fire, it-doesn-t-get-much-worse-than-this, will-this-book-never-end, shelf-of-shame-material, heroine-is-a-doormat, stupid-stupid-stupid, wall-banger, heroine-parrots-husband, where-in-the-hell-is-the-editor, housework-is-better-than-this

The White Princess is the fifth book in Philippa Gregory’s Cousins’ War series, each book focusing on a different female lead; this book being the POV of Elizabeth, daughter of Edward IV and Elizabeth Woodville (whose story was told in The White Queen), and wife to Henry VII. The book begins after the battle at Bosworth field, and as interpreted by Ms. Gregory has young Elizabeth pining over her lost lover, Richard (her uncle!!)(view spoiler) ...more

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Aug 20, 2012 Karla rated it it was ok

Shelves: ebook

I've had mixed luck with Philippa Gregory, pretty much half and half. It's either amazing or at least very interesting & well-told (The Wideacre trilogy, The Constant Princess) or it's been so-so to downright dull and/or frustrating in a bad way (A Respectable Trade, The Changeling, and THIS ONE.) It's this off-and-on experience that put her back on my to-read list after a rocky start with Trade and keeps her there. She can tell a great story and create unforgettable characters ( Wideacre Wide ...more

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Nov 11, 2012 Orsolya rated it did not like it · review of another edition

Shelves: queens, historical-fiction, library, wars-of-the-roses

Outshined by the Battle of Bosworth, Henry VII, and the beginning of the Tudor dynasty and her own son, the future King Henry VIII; Elizabeth of York has a seemingly quiet voice in history. Philippa Gregory attempts to strengthen her cry in “The White Princes”, the final book in the “Cousins’ War” series.

I am not a fan of Gregory’s claims of historical accuracy and I compare her novels to the same realm as Carolly Erikson’s “historical entertainments”. Therefore, I don’t expect much historically ...more

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Sep 03, 2016 Ahmad Sharabiani rated it really liked it

Shelves: 21th-century, fiction, historical, british, novels

The White Princess (The Plantagenet and Tudor Novels, #5), Philippa Gregory

The White Princess is a 2013 historical novel by Philippa Gregory, part of her series The Cousins' War. It is the story of Elizabeth of York, daughter of Edward IV of England and Elizabeth Woodville, and later wife of Henry VII and mother of Henry VIII.

Richard III has been killed in the Battle of Bosworth, and his devastated niece and lover Elizabeth of York must marry Richard's conqueror Henry Tudor, the new king of Engl The White Princess (The Plantagenet and Tudor Novels, #5), Philippa Gregory

The White Princess is a 2013 historical novel by Philippa Gregory, part of her series The Cousins' War. It is the story of Elizabeth of York, daughter of Edward IV of England and Elizabeth Woodville, and later wife of Henry VII and mother of Henry VIII.

Richard III has been killed in the Battle of Bosworth, and his devastated niece and lover Elizabeth of York must marry Richard's conqueror Henry Tudor, the new king of England, to finally end the longrunning Wars of the Roses between the houses of Lancaster and York. As queen, Elizabeth can assure the safety of her mother, the Queen Dowager Elizabeth, and the rest of her family. However, she believes that Henry—who openly despises her for her former alliance with his fallen enemy—may be responsible for the presumed murder of her brother Edward, the former heir. As suggested by his mother, the imperious Margaret Stanley, Henry insists that Elizabeth get pregnant by him before he commits himself to marry her. She does, and they wed. Elizabeth bears him a son, Arthur, but Henry's rule remains less than secure. He imprisons young Edward (called "Teddy"), the son of George, Duke of Clarence and a potential York claimant to the throne, in the Tower of London as public support for the fallen Yorks seems to surge. Henry discovers that Elizabeth's mother has been secretly rallying and financing York supporters in exile, and sends her to Bermondsey Abbey. Elizabeth is torn between her mother's Yorkist cause and her own loyalty to Henry and their son, and is tortured by a secret. Though the Dowager Queen has purposely kept her daughter in the dark about her plots, Elizabeth knows that her mother had sent her younger brother Richard to safety in Flanders, while an impostor went missing and was presumably murdered in the Tower.

تاریخ نخستین خوانش: روز دهم ماه اکتبر سال 2014 میلادی

عنوان: پرنسس سفید؛ نویسنده: فیلیپا گرگوری؛

ریچارد سوم، در نبرد «بوسورث» کشته شده است، و خواهرزاده و عاشق او «الیزابت یورک»، باید با فاتح جنگ «ریچارد هنری تودور»، پادشاه جدید انگلستان ازدواج کند، تا سرانجام به جنگهای طولانی مدت «رز»ها، بین خانواده های «لنکستر» و «یورک»، پایان دهد. ...؛ کتاب به نخستین روزهای اولین شاه «تودور»، یعنی «هنری هفتم»، و ازدواجش با «الیزابت از یورک» ملقب به «پرنسس سفید» میپردازد (رز سفید نشان یورک است، و نشان خاندان لنکستر، رز قرمز است). «ریچارد سوم» که کشته شده، معشوقه ی «الیزابت از یورک» بوده است. ریچارد سوم، عموی «الیزابت از یورک» نیز بوده، و به کشتن یکی از برادران خود نیز، متهم بوده، و اینکه «الیزابت از یورک»، بدون اینکه با «ریچارد سوم» ازدواج کند، با او همبستر شده است، بسیار عجیب و شگفت آور است. در این مورد، این عشق و عاشقی برای «الیزابت»، تنها به عنوان یک برهان برای متنفر بودن از نامزدش، یعنی «هنری هفتم» و در سوی دیگر نیز، «هنری هفتم» نیز از ازدواج با زنی، که از او نفرت داشته باشد، متنفر است. اما انگلستان وحدت بین دو خانواده ی «لنکستر» و «یورک» را میخواهد، و این ازدواج نیز، بهترین راه، برای به ثمر نشاندن این وحدت به نظر میرسد، ولی این به معنی آن نیست، که طرفین ازدواج، از این موضوع بسیار خرسند هستند.؛ ا. شربیانی ...more

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Jul 05, 2013 Tania rated it really liked it

Shelves: historical-fiction, favorite-books

It does not matter that in my heart I am passionate and independent. My true self will be hidden and history will never speak of me except as the daughter of one king, the wife of another, and the mother of a third.

I absolutely loved this book. I have now read seventeen books by this author, and The White Princess is definitely in my top five. Philippa introduced me to the Tudor's court and the Cousins' war, which in turn led me to books by Alison Weir and Hillary Mantel. I am suprised to see th ...more

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Aug 26, 2013 Jane rated it liked it

Shelves: b3r, fiction

Where I got the book: my local library.

I've been asked, more than once, why I read Philippa Gregory if her books annoy me. (I may have expressed that opinion once or twice.) One of the reasons is that many interesting conversations happen about Gregory's books, notably among readers who like to ~~nitpick~~ dispute the accuracy of her historical claims, and it's a shame to get left out. Like it or not, the Plantagenet and Tudor eras are a major locus of interest for HF readers (I actually prefer the ...more

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Feb 14, 2013 Heather rated it it was amazing

Shelves: historical-fiction

Not gonna lie, I love Philippa Gregory's books. They are exciting, intriguing and I feel I learn a lot (please remember they ARE historical FICTION) but I learn much from them. This book in the Cousins' War series was very interesting regarding Elizabeth, Princess of York. She was introduced in the White Queen and I believe one other of the novels. The former love of the now dead King Richard, she has been betrothed to Henry Tudor and marries him (giving birth to sons Arthur, Harry - later Henry ...more

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Oct 09, 2013 Samantha rated it did not like it · review of another edition

Shelves: tudors, just-keep-skimming, wish-i-had-not-bothered, plantagenets, british-history

I am not even sure where to start with this trainwreck of a novel. I almost didn't even read it after being disappointed with the first three in this series. I had passed on #4, but couldn't resist the story of Elizabeth of York. Little did I know that this book is really the story of her brother, Richard Duke of York, told from her insipid first person point of view.

If one is going to write the story of Perkin Warbeck or Richard of York, why not just write that story? Instead, Gregory insists o I am not even sure where to start with this trainwreck of a novel. I almost didn't even read it after being disappointed with the first three in this series. I had passed on #4, but couldn't resist the story of Elizabeth of York. Little did I know that this book is really the story of her brother, Richard Duke of York, told from her insipid first person point of view.

If one is going to write the story of Perkin Warbeck or Richard of York, why not just write that story? Instead, Gregory insists on forcing his story as Elizabeth's, and the result is painful. A majority of this novel focuses on the Warbeck rebellion and the author can't even decide what to call him. This leaves the reader inundated with references to "the boy", incessantly, until it will seep into your nightmares. Just call him Richard or Perkin for heaven's sake! Besides the fact that this "boy" is well beyond what is considered an age of majority and the age that his alleged father was king and battle seasoned warrior. I almost stopped reading, but forced myself to persevere for dear Elizabeth's sake until she met her end.

The author chooses not to end the story with Elizabeth's death but with (view spoiler) As if the most important, and only, thing that ever happened to this daughter, niece, wife, and mother of kings was the York rebellions. Even those aren't covered in their entirety, as Edmund de la Pole is barely mentioned. I am astounded at the number of high ratings this book has received when there is just so much to not like about it.

I had hoped for better, had longed for somebody to do poor Elizabeth some justice. No characterization of her that I have read has honored this woman who bridged the gap between the Plantagenet and Tudor dynasties.

Near the beginning of this book, Elizabeth thinks, "I am, like England itself, part of the spoils of war." I loved this line and its simple, sad truth. It got my hopes up that the rest of the novel would be as beautifully written, that Gregory would surprise me. She didn't.

Before turning too many pages I was sick of hearing Richard III referred to as "my lover." I don't even mind that PG decided to make EofY and RIII lovers. Fine, it's fiction. Whatever. But she's a writer, right? Exercise that vocabulary a little!

If only that was the only example of repetitious, eye-roll inducing, make-me-want-to-throw-this-book-out-the-window vocabulary. Perkin/Richard is always "the boy", RIII is always "my lover", everyone keeps asking "what d'you think/mean", and Elizabeth's answer to every question is always "I don't know". Seriously, I have no idea why this is told from her point of view because the girl never knows anything. To emphasize the fact that she is as slow as her cousin, Edward, she frequently repeats what people tell her in the form of a question, creating some of the least compelling dialog that I have ever read. Dialog is repeated, thoughts are repeated, everything is repeated. The novel could be 100 pages shorter if the author wasn't so condescending to the reader.

Within the first few pages, the characters had been forced into their stereotypical roles of scheming former Queen (Elizabeth Woodville), scheming want-to-be queen (Margaret Beaufort), naïve-lovesick pawn (Elizabeth of York), and insecure cruel tyrant (Henry Tudor). Henry is particularly poorly done as a suspicious, cruel villain. Then Elizabeth starts to love him, but we don't know why. Then he stops loving her, but we don't know why. Ugh.

Then we have the magical powers of the York women, which was my least favorite theme in the rest of this series. Labor is painless as floating down the lazy river with Elizabeth Woodville in attendance, and our lovely pair of Elizabeths accidently curse their own descendants though it takes young Elizabeth hundreds of pages to make this connection that the reader made the first time the curse is uttered. Once the light bulb does come on, she is like some kind of prophetess who can foresee the end of the Tudor line with exacting detail. Just don't ask her about anything currently going on or you'll get, "I don't know" (twirls her golden hair).

I'm done. No more PG for me. ...more

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Jul 27, 2013 Bonnie-ann rated it did not like it · review of another edition

I truly don't know where to start with how much I disliked this book so I'll actually begin with the few positives.

Bianca Amato's narration was extraordinary and the only feature that allowed me to finish this novel.I have listened to books she has read in the past where I wasn't in love with her voice, but for this book, her voice was well-paced and soothing to listen to. She got the gender voices done without over-exaggerating the differences. Truly, I would not have finished this book (and a I truly don't know where to start with how much I disliked this book so I'll actually begin with the few positives.

Bianca Amato's narration was extraordinary and the only feature that allowed me to finish this novel.I have listened to books she has read in the past where I wasn't in love with her voice, but for this book, her voice was well-paced and soothing to listen to. She got the gender voices done without over-exaggerating the differences. Truly, I would not have finished this book (and almost didn't) but for the narration. I have never put those words in a review before.

The novel brings the War of the Roses series to a conclusion and merges it into the Tudor series (The Constant Princess would logically follow from the conclusion of this story). I'm very glad Ms. Gregory wrote the Tudor books and The White Queen first so that I know that, somewhere, she has some knowledge of the time period. This book most certainly does not demonstrate any such knowledge.

The negatives are based in the "levels" of the book that Ms. Gregory defines at the end in her "Author's Note." Apparently, her intent was to create a "novel about a mystery that has never been solved." Therefore, she unabashedly makes stuff up left and right throughout the entire novel. I would love to see a single piece of historical research that even hints that Henry VII raped Elizabeth of York repeatedly prior to their wedding in order to see if she was fertile and only married her once she became pregnant. For Tudor fans out there who have done an iota of research, this is painful to read material. I completely understand that Ms. Gregory is of the school of thought that one of the two princes survived the Tower of London and that Richard III was not responsible for their deaths. I'm not taking a stand on that question in this review -- even if you accept as true that the younger prince (who would have rightfully been Richard IV of England) was not in the Tower of that he somehow survived or that someone other than Richard III or one of his minions killed the princes, the story doesn't work.

I will give a fiction writer every reasonable inch of "willing suspension of disbelief" to allow them to tell their story. What I will not enable with any positive comments is not warning the reader in advance that the author's plan is to do so. A recent book called "The Boleyn King" says at the outset: what if Anne Boleyn and Henry VIII had a son and Anne Boleyn was not executed? That is a very good premise for a novel and I enjoyed the story. It was fun, it was completely against any and all historical facts and I had no problem with the story BECAUSE of the disclosure. Ms. Gregory attempts in her Author's Note to justify her diversion from anything resembling truth.

Even more grating was the author's use of repetition as a literary tool. I've complained about this style in other novels she has written (specifically, "The Red Queen"), but she perfected whiny repeated phrases in this most recent epic tale. Once again, I found myself thinking "ok Philippa, I get it... Henry VII is afraid of 'the boy' who might be young Richard... I get that Henry VII and his ridiculous mother, Margaret Beaufort, trust no one and have a spy network. I get that Elizabeth of York is emotionally torn between her duties as a York princess and her duties as a Tudor wife." I felt like my ears were bleeding from the use of the words: "the boy." I'd be very interested to see a proportional word count of how many times that phrase appears. It could easily be up to 25% of the words in the entire novel. Maybe it's the presence of Margaret Beaufort -- the repetition was ghastly in the novel about her as well.

I have never, ever given a story one star until today. This book was simply horrible. Ms. Gregory fails in her attempt to re-write history; written by the victors or not. The characters are shallow and false. The writing is borderline unbearable. The "mystery" that is "solved" by the novel has nothing to do with Elizabeth of York so even the title of the book is misleading. If Ms. Gregorty wanted to write a "what if" story about the younger prince in the Tower, she should have called it "The Missing Prince" or something else that more truthfully highlights what the story is about -- not used an interesting woman from York/Lancaster/Tudor times and crammed her into being the emotional outlet for a fairytale that has no basis in fact.

If you have read all of the other books and really want to finish the story, go ahead and wade through this tome. Otherwise, use your credit more wisely. ...more

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Jul 30, 2013 Christina Volkoff rated it did not like it

Compared to the previous entries into this series, the White Princess falls woefully flat. I understand that Elizabeth of York is supposed to feel trapped in this marriage of hers, but the pre-marriage "rape" and the back and forth affection of Henry just completely killed this book for me. Gregory follows three set patterns for telling this story and they are: 1) Elizabeth and Henry start to make some progress on their affection for each other and Elizabeth says something that makes Henry not t ...more

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Aug 29, 2019 Constantine rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: z2019-08, physical-books, x-5-star

Rating: 5.0/5.0

Genre:
Historical Fiction

Synopsis:
Elizabeth of York, the eldest daughter of King Edward IV and Elizabeth Woodville finds herself in the middle of the conflict between the two houses of York and the house of Tudor. She has to marry the new king Henry VII who is the killer of her lover, her uncle Richard, the duke of Gloucester. This new Queen of England will be in constant conflict and tension all her life due to the nonending enmity between the two houses fighting for the throne!

“ ...more

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Jan 02, 2017 Asha rated it liked it

Philippa Gregory is pretty much the reason I read historical fiction. I owe my (limited) knowledge of the Tudor line to her. Once again, she wove a tale of romance, betrayal, the joys and sorrows of being a high woman in court, and what it means to put family, or a throne, above all else. What's more, this particular tale has a bit of mystery to it because no one knows for sure that "the boy" who claimed to be the lost Prince Richard of York was or wasn't the prince. However, it is obvious that

...more

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Aug 07, 2013 L'aura rated it did not like it

I give up. I do think Gregory is pretty good at writing a juicy guilty pleasure when she wants to, but when she writes books just because she has a fee the results are just tiresome -- worst part is, I'm afraid most of her novels are written because she has a fee. This one has a main character I just felt like slapping, despite sort-of linking her in the previous novels. I just pretended I never saw a picture of Elizabeth of York while reading how radiantly beautiful she was, pity I read it basi ...more

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Oct 09, 2012 Brittany B. marked it as to-read

Shelves: biographical, historys-mysteries, historical-england, historical-fiction, dying-to-read, not-yet-released, author_drives-me-nuts

This is my most anticipated book of the new year!! A mainstream historical novel of Elizabeth of York!! I'm such a dork, but this woman is truly a fascinating creature!!!

-Mother to Henry VIII,
-Sister to the lost/murdered princes in the tower,
-Beautiful eldest daughter of Edward IV and Elizabeth Woodville,
-Supposed mistress/lover to her blood uncle, the infamous and doomed Richard III,
-Ultimately, her marriage ends the terrible Cousins' War.

I had no idea this was Gregory's next book! So excite ...more

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Jan 26, 2013 Susan Johnson rated it did not like it

Let me start by saying that I enjoy Phillippa Gregory's books. I do think her Cousins series is weaker than her Tudor series but it's still enjoyable. It's nice to read how women have influenced history with their limited powers. But this book was drivel. It was like reading a National Enquirer version of Henry VII's life.

The book debunks any idea that Henry deserved to be King. He is portrayed as weak. unlikable, clueless as a leader, a mother's boy and a rapist. That's just the beginning. Appa ...more

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Sep 15, 2013 S rated it it was ok

My main qualm with this book - as other reviewers have said - is that Elizabeth of York came across as boring, passive, and utterly flat. Mostly, she sits around and mopes, is afraid of how people view her inherent family relations, fights with her husband, and has babies. Her tensions with Lady Margaret Beaufort are not interesting and her on-again-off-again relationship with Henry VII is neither believable nor intriguing. Her inner struggle must have been great, but we see none of it. There is ...more

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Apr 27, 2014 B the BookAddict rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Recommends it for: Lovers of Historical fiction,

Recommended to B the BookAddict by: Myself

Shelves: hist-fiction

Gregory tells the story of Elizabeth of York, daughter of a king, wife of a king and mother of a king. The author weaves a really riveting version of what happened to the Princes in the Tower. She also bids you to remember in Henry VII's reign that another two young men, Edward the Earl of Warwick and the boy Perkin Warbeck, also died at his command.

I have to admit that on finishing this book, I had tears for Edward V, Richard Duke of York, Edward Earl of Warwick and Perkin Warbeck, four lost b ...more

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Aug 10, 2013 Carole P. Roman rated it it was amazing

I actually enjoyed various theories presented by this book. You can't expect someone to write about the 14th and 15th centuries with modern sensibilities. If Henry did, in fact rape his future wife, would that be in keeping of the brutal times they lived in? And how come no one is shocked or mentioning the incestuous relationship between uncle and niece? These were horrible times, when women were nothing, a man could do anything to his wife and she was nothing more than an object. The fact is th I actually enjoyed various theories presented by this book. You can't expect someone to write about the 14th and 15th centuries with modern sensibilities. If Henry did, in fact rape his future wife, would that be in keeping of the brutal times they lived in? And how come no one is shocked or mentioning the incestuous relationship between uncle and niece? These were horrible times, when women were nothing, a man could do anything to his wife and she was nothing more than an object. The fact is that Elizabeth was pregnant when they married. The fact is that Margaret Beaufort was ambitious for her son to be king. She did do many of the things that Gregory reports and I do think that Elizabeth was a child born of fear, living constantly with a sword of Damocles over her head. Her grandfather and great uncle were killed trying to take the throne from her cousins, brother went against brother- mother against sons- Her siblings were murdered and she didn't know if if was by the man sworn to protect her, or another member of her wide flung family. Elizabeth was the daughter of a power couple, could she have quietly wanted to fly under the radar- I wouldn't be shocked if she did. Sounds to me, Gregory presented a girl who just wanted to be safe, her children safe, and if she did it with a no nothing attitude- well, she wouldn't be the first in history. I thought her believable. I did however, enjoy the B story more than anything else. I had never thought about Perkin Warbeck as being anything more than a Pretender and Gregory's representation was quite creditable. She gave the whole story legs and made me want to read about Henry's infatuation with Warbeck's wife. Elizabeth was a pale shadow compared to both her mother and grandmother Jaquetta. I always thought of her as able to influence her husband with her Yorkish savvy and intelligence. Perhaps I was wrong, but it sure did skip a generation to rest in the heart and mind of her granddaughter Elizabeth 1 , one of the greatest queens of all times. ...more

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Jun 21, 2016 Katie Scarlett O Hara rated it it was ok

This book should be called I don't know or about a boy, though that one is already taken. My ears are literally bleeding from all the repetition. But king Henry VII kind of grow on me.
Update: Review is finally on my blog
http://thestuffdreamsaremadeof21.blog... ...more

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Aug 06, 2013 Rachel Swords rated it it was ok

Oh, Philippa Gregory. You started out as a decent writer, you really did. I forgave your historical inaccuracies in "The Other Boleyn Girl" because that book was (and is) so darned entertaining. "The Constant Princess," "The Boleyn Inheritance," "The Queen's Fool," "The Other Queen," and "Earthly Joys" are all good too. So, several years ago, when you announced you'd be starting a new series about the women involved with the War of the Roses (whatever happened to the announced Jane Seymour book, Oh, Philippa Gregory. You started out as a decent writer, you really did. I forgave your historical inaccuracies in "The Other Boleyn Girl" because that book was (and is) so darned entertaining. "The Constant Princess," "The Boleyn Inheritance," "The Queen's Fool," "The Other Queen," and "Earthly Joys" are all good too. So, several years ago, when you announced you'd be starting a new series about the women involved with the War of the Roses (whatever happened to the announced Jane Seymour book, btw?), I was interested and intrigued. Beyond Shakespeare, I sadly don't know that much about that vast chapter in England's history. And, even though I was pretty sure you'd have inaccuracies here too, I decided to give you a chance based on your past track record of entertaining me.

Well, I have to say The Cousins' War series has been a huge disappointment, from beginning to end. "The Red Queen" was the worst book of the series, because its protagonist was so unlikable, with "The White Queen" coming in second. I don't remember what I thought of "The Lady of the Rivers," and "The Kingmaker's Daughter" was the best of the lot. Given the character development of Elizabeth of York as seen in "The White Queen" and "The Red Queen," I was expecting a spirited young woman who is put in an awful position (she was going to be queen whether Richard III or Henry Tudor won) and rises above it to produce one of England's most notorious monarchs.

And did I get that?

Not. At. All. I found myself wishing a dollar would appear every time Elizabeth of York, nee Elizabeth Tudor, uttered/thought "I don't know." Somewhere in Fiction-land, she and Mary Boleyn from "The Other Boleyn Girl" must be best buddies; these two characters constantly put themselves down when other characters aren't doing it for them. And that makes for a very long, tiresome read.

Other things I did not like:

1)Margaret Beaufort, star of "The Red Queen," is back in all her self-centered pious glory. And even though she's a supporting character, she's still as annoying as ever.
2)So is Elizabeth from "The White Queen." She's older, but still the same conspiring twat from her book.
3)Henry Tudor is thoroughly unlikable. He's constantly flip-flopping on poor Elizabeth (I did feel sorry for her when he was around), and even though he calls her his love, he's written in a way that makes that love seem as everlasting as a stick of chewing gum.
4)Elizabeth constantly remembering her days at Richard III's court, where she was the shining star and beloved of the York king. We're never given too much detail about that, but, to paraphrase another goodreads reviewer, clearly it was Twu Wuv Forever. Actually, I'd have rather read a book about Elizabeth and Richard. That would have been intriguing and interesting, especially given the recent wave of publicity over the discovery of Richard III's body. Also a smart cash cow.
5)there's way too much foreshadowing. I have never liked this in any of the books written by Ms. Gregory. Somehow, Elizabeth magically knows that the Tudor line will end with a Virgin Queen, and-gasp!- her name will be Elizabeth too! Yes, the previous books in the series have shown Elizabeth's family possesses the Sight, but this was taking it a little too far.
6)Repetition of phrases. Ms. Gregory, with whatever power I have, I hereby ban you from using "D'you think" in any more of your books. You did it back in "The Boleyn Inheritance" and it didn't work then, and it really doesn't work now. Also: no more "Hush, (name). Hush." Equally irritating.

Somehow, Ms. Gregory, in spite of all this, I kept reading "The White Princess." Whether that was out of curiosity as to whether the plot would get any better or if Elizabeth would conjure up a personality overnight, I'm not sure, but I did. Maybe I'm just hoping that somehow you will return to the writing magic that possessed you when you wrote the Tudors books. I don't know-hey look, I said it for once! But I digress.

Ms. Gregory, I'm a fan of yours. I really am. And I also really love history, especially British history. So, it just makes me sad when it gets mangled, and when a good idea gets mangled too. Please, no more Cousins' War books. How about writing that Jane Seymour book? Or maybe going back before the Cousins' War and trying, oh, I don't know, Henry V's wife, Katherine? Or more books set in the 18th century, like "Earthly Joys"? Just please. Stop the madness. The Yorks/Lancasters/Nevilles/Tudors deserve better.

Signed,
An affectionate history/historical fiction fan

...more

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Nov 07, 2018 Gina rated it it was amazing

Shelves: england, history, favorites, the-tudors, royalty, fiction-based-on-fact

As a Tudor period history buff, I was, of course, drawn to this novel, as I am to anything written by one of the best authors regarding this time period, Philippa Gregory.

Gregory's books are always impeccably researched, giving the reader an authentic taste of life at the royal courts during the Tudor time period. Without being so detail oriented that you feel like you are reading a text book (as some I have read are - heavy on details, light on the people themselves), she balances the need to As a Tudor period history buff, I was, of course, drawn to this novel, as I am to anything written by one of the best authors regarding this time period, Philippa Gregory.

Gregory's books are always impeccably researched, giving the reader an authentic taste of life at the royal courts during the Tudor time period. Without being so detail oriented that you feel like you are reading a text book (as some I have read are - heavy on details, light on the people themselves), she balances the need to be able to imagine yourself legitimately in the late 1480's royal courts with a peek inside the lives of the King, Queen, and all of those who surround them.

In this incredible book, we are witness to the court of Henry VII who became King by defeating King Richard III of the House of York at the battle of Bosworth. Desperate to unite the houses of York and Tudor, Henry VII soon marries Princess Elizabeth, daughter of King Edward IV and his wife, Queen Elizabeth. Princess Elizabeth had been very much in love with the defeated King Richard III, and her love for him never waivers, despite her marriage to Henry VII and her eventual coronation to Queen (after she produces male heirs, Arthur who will eventually marry Katherine of Aragon, and Edmund).

Gregory is always quick to point out that her works are historical fiction, based on historical fact. She is beyond adept at weaving known history into her imagination of what those involved in the Royal Court system faced on a daily basis. There is always a fear of speaking words that could be construed as treasonous, a constant unknown of whom you can trust with confidences and who may be spies, a delicate balancing act of staying in the King's good graces while always knowing his crown can be challenged on any given day and your loyalties questioned, and the constant knowledge that, medically speaking, life is short due to the medical practices of the day. Childbirth was extremely dangerous, the "sweat" could sweep through a household and take many occupants, children were taken in an instant.

This view of the cousin's war, white rose of York vs red rose of Tudor, is a fantastic read. A 519-page tome, I read this in 5 days, reaching for it at every opportunity. ...more

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Aug 26, 2013 Ella rated it liked it

Yet again another PG tale that I couldn't wait to end, when it finally did; I almost cried with joy.

I like Philippa Gregory's books, they are quite often very good, but I haven't read one yet that wasn't overflowing with annoyances.

In this one, Henry VII is so paranoid, that it became nauseating. His position was understandable, but I grew weary of the constant worrying and nagging and his eyes popping out of their sockets every other page. He asked Elizabeth the same questions over and over aga Yet again another PG tale that I couldn't wait to end, when it finally did; I almost cried with joy.

I like Philippa Gregory's books, they are quite often very good, but I haven't read one yet that wasn't overflowing with annoyances.

In this one, Henry VII is so paranoid, that it became nauseating. His position was understandable, but I grew weary of the constant worrying and nagging and his eyes popping out of their sockets every other page. He asked Elizabeth the same questions over and over again until I literally wanted to fling the book across the room. It wasn't like he was going to believe his wife anyway, so why bother?

On Elizabeth's end; if I had read one more time how much she loved Richard, was meant to be with Richard, should have been with Richard; I don't know what I would have done.

Also, I grew weary of Elizabeth constantly repeating Henry's questions to her as if she were a parrot. Nobody talks like that in a conversation, not even during the 1400's.

One of the most irritating things was when "The boy" was referred to by Henry, and he would accuse his wife of knowing the boy's true identity, and she would act like she had never even heard of the subject. The boy? She would repeat stupidly. Yes, Elizabeth, the boy, the one that Henry is constantly going on and on about. Next he would ask her if she had any idea who people thought the boy might be, and once again she would look around stupidly and shake her head no, then finally decide that they might think he was her long lost brother, even though every darned body in the room knew that's who he was thought to be, and she and Henry had discussed it themselves many times.

Then there was the problem of the same dialogue page after page, only said differently so as to try not to let on that the same exact things are being said thousands of times, and that most of the book is filler.

I really wish PG would do something about her writing style, because her books are good, and some of the best around, but the way she writes always detracts from the story for me. ...more

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Oct 21, 2017 Sara rated it it was amazing

Shelves: historical-fiction, borrowed-from-library

This novel is Philippa Gregory at her best. If you have ever thought you might have enjoyed being a princess, prince, queen or king, this book ought to make you think again. How difficult to be born with a destiny that you must accept, including being bartered off in marriage to your worst enemy, and never having the choice of seeking love or even a simpler life.

I have always been fascinated by the mystery of the princes in the tower. Many of us are. This is one more look into the possibility of ...more

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Aug 29, 2013 Mike Dixon rated it really liked it

Phillipa Gregory set herself a hard task when writing about the court of Henry VII. The guy was dull. He didn't wage war, have numerous extramarital affairs and he didn't chop off the heads of unfaithful wives. Henry was a competent administrator who sorted out his country's financial problems and brought peace to a troubled realm. That's not a good basis for an exciting historical novel.
I guess that is one of the reasons why the book got such mixed reviews. I have always had a lot of respect fo ...more

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Sep 02, 2011 Jessie (Ageless Pages Reviews) rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 2013-reads, historical-fiction, reviews-2013, donated, series-completed, reviewed, finished-review-copy, received-for-review, hf-england, royal-family-tiffs-and-squabbles

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The Cousins' War series continues with the story of Elizabeth of York - granddaughter to Jacquetta Woodville, narrator of Lady of the Rivers (book three in the series), daughter of the protagonist from The White Queen (book one), daughter-in-law to the main character of The Red Queen (book two), and niece to Anne Neville, the focus of The Kingmaker's Daughter (which is book four). Though the series is not completely told in chronological o Read This Review & More Like It On Ageless Pages Reviews!

The Cousins' War series continues with the story of Elizabeth of York - granddaughter to Jacquetta Woodville, narrator of Lady of the Rivers (book three in the series), daughter of the protagonist from The White Queen (book one), daughter-in-law to the main character of The Red Queen (book two), and niece to Anne Neville, the focus of The Kingmaker's Daughter (which is book four). Though the series is not completely told in chronological order (which would consist of The Lady of the Rivers as the first, not third, entry), Gregory makes it easy to pick up Elizabeth's story and connect it to what has gone on in the novels that preceded her story.

Gregory is at her best when she writes adult historical fiction, and The White Princess is a strong, if repetitive and slowly-progressing, addition to her long-running series on what was then called the Cousins' War and is now termed The War of the Roses. Following Elizabeth from 1485 when she was the not-so-secret lover to the last Plantagenet King (and her uncle) Richard III to 1499 and the execution of her nephew by her Tudor husband, this detailed historical fiction fleshes out her character moderately well. It's a long book, and while some areas do drag in pace, Gregory gives voice to a woman who is long overlooked in favor of both her lover and then her husband. First person has been hit or miss for this author in the past, but she acquits herself well with the voice and narration of Elizabeth.

Those familiar with Gregory's style will find much the same to offer here in The White Princess. This is an author that knows what works for her, and sticks with it. There's no POV switching or too much subtlety, but there is minute detail and description that works well to foster atmosphere and a real sense of place for the audience. It's an interesting book, but it can be rather dry and slow-going, especially when it takes the author a bit of time to really get the plot moving a long and the characters interacting with one another in meangingful situations. Characters from the other novels play pivotal roles, especially the mothers of both Elizabeth and Henry, so while reading the prior novels isn't required, doing so would prove helpful in order to keep who is who and who wants what and who is against who, etc. straight.

Elizabeth, as the narrator and most defined character, is one of the better aspects to the novel. Her life is a complicated one due to her torn loyalties amongst the factions at her new husband's recently established court. England under Henry Tudor's nascent reign is a snarl of loyalties, families, alliances and betrayal; one that Elizabeth must navigate to help her family survive as losers in the winner's Court. She undergoes a constant tug-of-war between loyalty to the house of her husband and child and that of the house of her father and former lover. Though her relationship with her husband begins roughly (he killed her love, he rapes her to create Arthur), it grows into companionable friendship and creates real struggle for her as her own mother foments rebellion and plots to put another in Henry VII's place.

The White Princess can take turns into harsh territory, especially in regards to the treatment of women. Notably the first interactions between the future King and Queen can be hard to read. Henry, and his formidable mother, are shown in less than flattering light when first shown. It can be hard to grow to like him after the way he mistreats his intended, but Gregory succeeds in eventually portraying him as more than he appeared. Constantly wracked by suspicion and fear, her Henry VII is a complex and unpredictable man. You may not like him as a character, but you cannot deny that he is more than a one-dimensional character. Where she might lack in suspense and plotting, Gregory has proven her characterization is top-notch and lends well to creating interesting, well-defined versions of historical personages.

This is a series that just continues to grow. The White Princess ends with 10 years left in the reign of the fist Tudor king, and with a sixth book due out (The Last Rose), Gregory's novelization of the War of the Roses will continue - likely from another character's point of view. Fans of this author will find more to enjoy with her latest effort, and it stands as a rather solid entry in her bibliography. With a Starz tv show centered around this series, I only expect it to find a wider audience in the future, and have faith that the author can keep up at the same level. ...more

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Most promising of the series :)	21	147	Jul 05, 2016 06:17AM
Sinopsis en Español // Synopsis in Spanish	1	5	Feb 15, 2015 04:44PM
Nothing But Readi...: Gregory, Phillipa - The White Princess (The Cousin's War #5) ; Informal Buddy Read Start Date Sept 15, 2014	22	110	Oct 15, 2014 05:23AM
Phillipa Gregory ...: Richard III	4	117	Mar 08, 2014 09:03AM
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About Philippa Gregory

Philippa Gregory

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Philippa Gregory is one of the world’s foremost historical novelists. She wrote her first ever novel, Wideacre, when she was completing her PhD in eighteenth-century literature and it sold worldwide, heralding a new era for historical fiction.

Her flair for blending history and imagination developed into a signature style and Philippa went on to write many bestselling novels, including The Other Bo ...more