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The White Queen

(The Plantagenet and Tudor Novels #2)

Philippa Gregory (Goodreads Author)

3.94 · Rating details · 158,796 ratings · 7,299 reviews

Brother turns on brother. The throne of England is at stake. The deadly Wars of the Roses have begun. . . ."They ruled England before the Tudors, and now internationally bestselling author Philippa Gregory brings the Plantagenets to life through the dramatic and intimate stories of the secret players: the indomitable women."Elizabeth Woodville, a woman of extraordinary bea ...more

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Hardcover, 415 pages

Published August 18th 2009 by Atria Books

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Feb 27, 2010 Maliha rated it it was ok

Shelves: historical-fiction

Alright, I honestly did not like this novel. I can't believe this woman has written more than 10 books? I've been trying to conjure up excuses to give Gregory some credit but this novel just wasn't my style. Mainly because all it really is, is a detailed historical timeline with a little embellishment here and there; its bland soup. Her writing style in the beginning of the book was abominable. The first 10 pages were all I, I, I, and then He, He, He. What I'm trying to say is that there was no Alright, I honestly did not like this novel. I can't believe this woman has written more than 10 books? I've been trying to conjure up excuses to give Gregory some credit but this novel just wasn't my style. Mainly because all it really is, is a detailed historical timeline with a little embellishment here and there; its bland soup. Her writing style in the beginning of the book was abominable. The first 10 pages were all I, I, I, and then He, He, He. What I'm trying to say is that there was no sentence variation, making the story very annoying to read after about five minutes. She improves on this towards the middle of the book but not immensely; her writing style is still pretty "feeling-less".

I also did not like the plot, now this I cannot blame on Gregory as she can not be held responsible for the irritating nature of the Old Regime. There are some take-away lessons from this story about power and "government" but after a while, the atrocities that men and women committed just to gain power became a little redundant and even annoying. Its like okay how many times are going to fight for someone else's throne? It just seemed like all these people had to do before the advent of television was go to war and try and become King of so and so. I would HATE to have lived in that era or to be a Queen or a Princess and be caught up in the endless web of greed. I hold all these views thanks to Gregory's perspective.It would be great to read something about this era written from the perspective of a common man.

Gregory really had something going with the witch side plot line. Magic always adds intrigue to a predictable story. But this was a very minute part of the novel. Most of the novel was just this happened and then that happened and then we were happy (summary) and then we went to war. The war details were great! This is why I'm even giving the novel two stars. There was a lot of detail there and you really could see the battles happening. The personal relationships were colorless though so unless you need to learn about the House of York for history class, I wouldn't waste my time with this book. ...more

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Jan 17, 2014 Sean Barrs rated it really liked it

Shelves: historical, love-and-romance, 4-star-reads

This was my first Philippa Gregory novel, and it was such an excellent introduction to the author and genre. It actually inspired me to read more historical fiction by a variety of writers. I like Gregory’s style because the history, and intensity, is not sacrificed by the romance in the plot. Indeed, the romance is a mere element of the story, and not the story itself. So, now, many years later, I’m glad I picked this book up. I like Gregory's Elizabeth; she has such sharp claws.

A woman who k ...more

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Dec 26, 2009 Madeline rated it liked it

Shelves: no-judgements, historic-fiction

Considering that I've now read six of her books, it pains me to say that I might be getting over Phillipa Gregory. Most of the reviews for The White Queen were good, and I expected to like it. But for the most part, it was just...meh.

So, plot summary: we've moved back in time from the Sexy Sexy Tudors to the Sexy Sexy Plantagenets, but unfortunately these people do a lot less fucking and a lot more plotting. Also witchcraft, which was weird.

Reasons I Did Not Particularly Love This Book:
-The ma Considering that I've now read six of her books, it pains me to say that I might be getting over Phillipa Gregory. Most of the reviews for The White Queen were good, and I expected to like it. But for the most part, it was just...meh.

So, plot summary: we've moved back in time from the Sexy Sexy Tudors to the Sexy Sexy Plantagenets, but unfortunately these people do a lot less fucking and a lot more plotting. Also witchcraft, which was weird.

Reasons I Did Not Particularly Love This Book:
-The main character, Elizabeth Woodville, apparently came from a family that actually claimed to be descended from the water goddess Melusina. Okay, I can stand by that, but then Gregory takes it a step further (several steps, actually) and decides that not only do Elizabeth and her mother regularly perform spells that actually work, but they both have the Sight. Capital S. Gregory's pulled this trick before, with the vision-having character in The Queen's Fool, but it wasn't a major plot point there, and ultimately didn't influence the story that much. The supernatural element in this one borders on the ridiculous - Elizabeth whistles in a storm to stop Henry Tudor from invading London. I am not making this up, but Gregory is.
-This is a prequel, so there's lots of foreshadowing to what's going to happen in the next books. And it's very, very blatant foreshadowing. Characters are always saying things like, "Henry Tudor will never be king, none of the Tudors will" and "I trust Richard with my life, he's a great brother" and I can just see Philippa Gregory winking from behind the page, singing "I know what's gonna happen, I know what's gonna happen!" SO DO I, PHILIPPA.
-Elizabeth Woodville is traditionally vilified, which seems like a good enough reason to write a book from her perspective, but even when she's telling the story she can't hide the fact that she's kind of...evil. She manipulates people to serve her own agenda, is ruthless in securing the throne for her children even after Richard takes over and her kids just want to go home, and she also holds very creepy grudges against anyone who killed a member of her family. Her dad and one of her brothers gets killed in battle, and from then on every single time she mentions the men responsible she's like, "I'm going to kill them. They are dead men. I'm going to kill them so hard with magic and then I will make necklaces out of their spines and dance naked on their graves." Tone it down, woman!
-Every single man is named either Edward, Richard, George, or Henry. A family tree is provided at the beginning of the book, but since it stops at Edward IV and his brothers, it's no help at all when it comes to tracking Elizabeth's ten million siblings and children.

Maybe I'm moving beyond Philippa Gregory. This makes me sad, mostly because it means I need to find a new series of trashy guilty-pleasure books to read. ...more

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Jan 07, 2012 James rated it really liked it

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

Excellent follow up. And I do love this family. Good storytelling - especially with the connections to the first book and the subsequent ones. You see the other side of the story which is a sign of a good storyteller. Nice one, Ms. Gregory. Plus there's the secret of the two princes locked in the tower. Did Richard do it? The language is beautiful. I just love reading these re-creations, imagining the beauty and the glow of the language, the scenes and the words. If you love history, and you're ...more

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Aug 05, 2014 Ahmad Sharabiani rated it really liked it

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

The White Queen (The Plantagenet and Tudor Novels, #2), Philippa Gregory

The White Queen is a 2009 historical novel by Philippa Gregory, the first of her series The Cousins' War. The story of Elizabeth Woodville, queen consort of King Edward IV of England.

Young widow Lady Elizabeth Grey puts herself in the path of King Edward IV to seek his assistance in reclaiming her late husband's estate for her sons, but it is love at first sight for both of them.

They marry in secret, which later puts Edward The White Queen (The Plantagenet and Tudor Novels, #2), Philippa Gregory

The White Queen is a 2009 historical novel by Philippa Gregory, the first of her series The Cousins' War. The story of Elizabeth Woodville, queen consort of King Edward IV of England.

Young widow Lady Elizabeth Grey puts herself in the path of King Edward IV to seek his assistance in reclaiming her late husband's estate for her sons, but it is love at first sight for both of them.

They marry in secret, which later puts Edward, Elizabeth and Elizabeth's entire family at odds with Richard Neville, 16th Earl of Warwick, who had helped place Edward on the throne expecting to control the young king. Masterminded by Elizabeth's mother Jacquetta, an experienced courtier formerly allied with the ousted queen Margaret of Anjou, Edward and Elizabeth secure strategic marriages and positions for Elizabeth's siblings and other relatives to bolster Edward's power and alliances against Warwick.

Edward and Elizabeth have three daughters, and Warwick rebels, attempting to put Edward's malleable younger brother George, Duke of Clarence on the throne instead. Edward foils their plan and reconciles with Warwick and George to consolidate his power, but not before Warwick executes Elizabeth's father, Richard Woodville, Earl Rivers and brother, John Woodville. Elizabeth vows revenge. ...

تاریخ خوانش نسخه اصلی روز شانزدهم ماه آگوست سال 2017میلادی

عنوان: ملکه سفید کتاب دوم از سری تودور و پلانتاژنه؛ نویسنده فلیپا گرگوری؛

الیزابت وودویل (1437میلادی – هشتم ماه ژوئن سال 1492میلادی) از سال 1464میلادی تا زمان درگذشت «ادوارد چهارم» در سال 1483میلادی، همسر ایشان و ملکه ی انگلستان بودند؛ در زمان تولد او، خانواده اش رتبه ی بالایی در میان اشراف‌زادگان انگلیسی نداشتند؛ همسر نخست وی «جان گری»، از حامیان خاندان «لنکستر» بود، که در سال 1461میلادی در جنگ کشته شد.؛ «الیزابت» از آن ازدواج دو پسر داشت؛ «ادوارد چهارم» همسر دوم او بود، و این ازدواج باعث صعود خانواده ی «الیزابت»، در میان اشراف‌زادگان شد، و این امر باعث ایجاد دشمنی با این خانواده، در میان سایر اشراف گردید.؛ «الیزابت» پس از درگذشت «ادوارد چهارم»، و حتی پس از برکناری پسرش «ادوارد پنجم» از سلطنت، توسط «ریچارد سوم»، همچنان بر سیاست انگلستان تاثیرگذار ماندند، به نحوی که در به سلطنت رسیدن «هنری هفتم»، در سال 1485میلادی نقش مهمی ایفا کردند؛ اما پس از به سلطنت رسیدن «هنری هفتم»، به تدریج جایگاه خود را به مادر «هنری» واگذار کرد، و از دربار فاصله گرفت؛ «الیزابت» از ازدواج با «ادوارد چهارم» صاحب ده فرزند شدند؛ یکی از فرزندان «الیزابت یورک» بود، که با «هنری هفتم» ازدواج کرد، و مادر «هنری هشتم» بود؛ به این ترتیب همگی پادشاهان انگلستان، از «هنری هشتم» به بعد، و همچنین همه ی پادشاهان «اسکاتلند»، از «جیمز پنجم» به بعد، از نوادگان «الیزابت وودویل» هستند.؛ پس از به سلطنت رسیدن «هنری هفتم»، و در سال 1487میلادی، «الیزابت» از دربار فاصله گرفت، و باقی عمر خود را در یک صومعه سپری کرد؛ مشخص نیست که این کناره‌ گیری به خواست خود او بوده، یا تحت فشار «هنری هفتم» انجام شده است.؛ «الیزابت» در روز هشتم ماه ژوئن سال 1492میلادی درگذشت، و در روز دوازدهم ماه ژوئن همان سال در کنار همسرش در «قلعه ویندسور» به خاک سپرده شد

تاریخ 26/08/1399هجری خورشیدی؛ ا. شربیانی ...more

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May 29, 2009 Erika rated it it was amazing

Philippa Gregory’s latest historical fiction release is, to put it mildly, absolutely amazing. I think this is one of her better books--on par with The Other Boleyn Girl. The scope of The White Queen is just as if not more epic, in terms of literary drama, than the rise and fall of Anne Boleyn at the hand of King Henry VIII. It focuses on The War of the Roses, a bloody war of politics and rival family members pitted against each other as the Yorks and Lancasters fought to become the next ruling Philippa Gregory’s latest historical fiction release is, to put it mildly, absolutely amazing. I think this is one of her better books--on par with The Other Boleyn Girl. The scope of The White Queen is just as if not more epic, in terms of literary drama, than the rise and fall of Anne Boleyn at the hand of King Henry VIII. It focuses on The War of the Roses, a bloody war of politics and rival family members pitted against each other as the Yorks and Lancasters fought to become the next ruling family of England.

I didn’t know much about this time in England’s history except that the Tudors, as part of the House of Lancaster, are the winners and the symbol of Henry VII’s unification of the two houses is the Tudor Rose. Of course, since it’s a war of cousins, as soon as I began reading, I had a hard time keeping track of this huge family and found a really handy family tree on Wikipedia made specifically for following the lineage and contributing royals to this war. Even with that, it’s hard to keep track of three generations of names like Richard, Edward, and George. But I think I did fine.

The White Queen is told through the voice of Elizabeth Woodville, a widow of the House of Lancaster with two sons left fatherless from the war with the Yorks. She finds herself in the middle of her mother’s plotting and is soon exerting her ambitions on the upstart York King Edward IV. Gregory imagines theirs being a true romance, despite Edward’s kingly indulgence of other women--she manages to make Edward and Elizabeth’s relationship seem much deeper than political ambition. They are married in secret--an act which eventually comes back to haunt them and puts their positions in danger. Rumors and scandals spread by rivals--even Edward’s own brother--threaten to overturn Elizabeth’s good luck and the safety of her large family of heirs.

Among the accusations is a cry of witchcraft at the hand of her mother, Jacquetta, who believes herself to be a descendant of Melusina, the mythic influence of The Little Mermaid fairy tale. Wielding strange beliefs in the power of her little spells and enchantments, the inclusion of this in the text adds an elusive and magical femininity to The White Queen and like Philippa Gregory’s other books, both confirms and denies age old questions of the wickedness once believed to be punishable only by drowning or burning. It’s just as easy to believe in the childhood mysteries and superstitions drawn out into her burgeoning womanhood as it is to think Elizabeth’s successes and failures are the result of her and her mother’s ambitious and well thought out machinations.

If I read correctly, there are also references to stories of Cinderella and real-life influences for the myth of Robin Hood. Belief in fairy tales or not, they add an ambiance and counter the surprisingly bloody and graphic battle scenes Gregory writes with the confidence of a writer who’s been doing it her whole life. I’ve read eight of her books--in none of them do I remember ever reading the specifics on combat. That she does venture bravely into that arena emphasizes the extend of the war fueled by the political ambitions of the York and Lancaster families. If she hadn’t, I don’t think I would have understood the gravity, the severity, or the consequence of the war as much. I’m grateful and impressed--Gregory has definitely gone up a notch in my book. She reenforces her existing mastery of writing scandal, intrigue, romance, and the political maneuvering and flirtations of the court. But she also shows off skills I never knew she had; the darker side of Gregory’s writing is just as inviting as it is graphic.

I think it’s this addition to the book and the almost magical realism of the Rivers family and the storms they wield that make this a really spectacular first part in a trilogy (The Cousins War) that will include two other titles: The Red Queen and The White Princess. Of course, Philippa Gregory’s mastery over English history and phenomenal research makes for spell-binding historical fictions when combined with her superb storytelling and attention to the type of detail that adds veracity and momentum to every one of her books.

It helps that she wrote about such a tumultuous and dramatic time in English history--ripe for literary exploration. With the way she approaches her subjects and writes, I think Philippa Gregory could make almost any period in history sound scrumptious. That being said, the mysterious disappearance of the Princes in the Tower was an event way outside of my bubble of knowledge--I admit, I cheated and Googled the phrase to learn what about their fate has become so profound. After reading the book, I’m tickled to learn that Gregory has intertwined their fictitious fate with that of Henry VIII in The Other Boleyn Girl who blames Anne Boleyn for his impotence and her inability to produce a healthy heir. I had to laugh as I read the curses of Elizabeth and her daughter. After all, Henry VIII, if Elizabeth’s magic is to be believed, has the right to place the blame on his troubles elsewhere--he’s just blamed the wrong woman is all!

In any event, I completely recommend this book to fans of historical fiction and anyone interested in reading a riveting story of love, jealousy, and vengeance. And I absolutely recommend this to Philippa Gregory fans. She’s reinvented herself in this one, I think and proves she can use fairy tales, romance, and gore in the same book and make it all completely plausible. I can’t say enough how much I loved this book. You should go pre-order it right now. Right now. ...more

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Sep 29, 2009 Stacey rated it it was ok

Here is a thought that has probably never occurred to anyone while reading a Philippa Gregory novel: You know what this book needs? More politics!

Gregory is best known for her fictionalized tales about the lives of the Kings and Queens of England, most famously The Other Boleyn Girl. This is a genre I like to call Historical Harlequin, whereby there may be some actual fact but it is mostly sappy, glorified romance in what was probably just a time period more miserable than the 90’s. She turns fa ...more

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Apr 22, 2010 Kate rated it liked it

Shelves: 2013, fiction, cannonball-read, historical-fiction

2013 update: It's been three years since I wrote this review. Just read the book again and my opinion remains the same.
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I have a confession to make: I’ve been known to read trashy books. Now, this isn’t something that I like to shout from the rooftops, but if you spent your days reading Chaucer, you would unwind with something less cerebral too. I’ve done the romance novel thing, but the formula becomes grating after a while. So, my most turned to brainless literature is mediocre historical 2013 update: It's been three years since I wrote this review. Just read the book again and my opinion remains the same.
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I have a confession to make: I’ve been known to read trashy books. Now, this isn’t something that I like to shout from the rooftops, but if you spent your days reading Chaucer, you would unwind with something less cerebral too. I’ve done the romance novel thing, but the formula becomes grating after a while. So, my most turned to brainless literature is mediocre historical fiction.

I don’t think Philippa Gregory stared out as a mediocre artist. Her break-out novel, The Other Boleyn Girl , was pretty gripping and presented a side of that worn out Tudor saga that I hadn’t heard before. Unfortunately, her work has started to go down a long, dull hill. She’s now turning her attention to the final years of the Plantagenet reign over English with The White Queen .

The White Queen follows the rise of Elizabeth Woodville, a commoner widow, who captures the eye of the young King Edward IV and rises to be the queen of the penultimate reign of a Plantagenet monarch. This period of time has been much discussed by artists and historians as an era of greed and blood. Many a historian has portrayed Edward IV’s queen as the head of a family of grasping bloodsuckers who wormed their way into the highest positions in the kingdom, much like the Boleyns a few generations later. Shakespeare even dedicated his pen to a play based on the period: Richard III . There’s an incredible amount to tell and so many points of view to take in.

Unfortunately, Gregory decides to take the least believable route. Inspired by the whispers of witchcraft that surrounded the Woodville family (which was supposedly descended from a water goddess), Gregory portrays Elizabeth Woodville, her mother, and daughter Elizabeth (later Queen Elizabeth, wife of Henry VII) as practitioners of wizardry. What made Edward fall for Elizabeth? A ring tied to a string. What made a boat carrying important dignitaries toss violently over the sea? A storm called up by witches’ breath. What withers Richard III’s sword arm and cripples his health? A curse and a locket. Really, Philippa, really?

I think her choice in plot devices shows an author taking the easy way out. Elizabeth Woodville, whether you liked her or not, was a force to be reckoned with. She defied an ordained king by claiming sanctuary for herself and her children in a basement. She suffered through accusations that her husband had been a bastard, sired by a lowly English bowman. She climbed to the highest position in the land and hung there through some of the greatest storms in English royal history. And Gregory credits it to witchcraft? Ugh.

Seriously, if you find this era interesting, pick up Sharon Kay Penman’s The Sunne in Splendour , a hefty novel that relies on history and the strength of the characters. Gregory would indeed need witchcraft to reach her standard of work. Sadly, I’m probably going to end up reading Gregory’s next book, which will be a depiction of the same events, just from the point of view of Margaret Beaufort, mother to Henry Tudor. I will grit my teeth in irritation, then maybe through my Kindle in the trash, but I will read it shamefaced. Why am I so weak?! ...more

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Feb 23, 2019 Gary rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Elizabeth Woodville was the Queen of Edward IV, the mother of the murdered princes in the tower, and the grandmother of Henry VIII. She played a larger role in the period of the War of the Roses then she is often credited with, and her portrayals in the books have usually been less than sympathetic. This novel covers her story over a span 0f 21 years from the time she is wood by the debonair Edward IV in the midst of the bloody War of the Roses until the eve of the Battle of Bosworth in which Ri Elizabeth Woodville was the Queen of Edward IV, the mother of the murdered princes in the tower, and the grandmother of Henry VIII. She played a larger role in the period of the War of the Roses then she is often credited with, and her portrayals in the books have usually been less than sympathetic. This novel covers her story over a span 0f 21 years from the time she is wood by the debonair Edward IV in the midst of the bloody War of the Roses until the eve of the Battle of Bosworth in which Richard III was defeated by Henry Tudor and killed.
She gives a more sympathetic portrayal of Elizabeth Woodville than she does of her subject in The Other Boleyn Girl (Anne Boleyn) and her books about Queen Elizabeth. I love novels about English medieval and Tudor history and was quite excited to find this She portrays her characters in a multidimensional fashion in the novel which I liked.
Her portrait of Elizabeth is of a strong, ambitious and determined woman who although she can be ruthless and conniving , greatly cares for her children, and can show generosity of spirit. Perhaps it is close to the real character of Elizabeth Woodville. The saga of the Rivers family is an interesting one as many of the characters she covers in this novel appear in Shakespeare's Richard III.

Richard, Duke of Gloucester is portrayed as ruthless and cruel, extremely self-serving and cunning, not the saintly figure of Sharon Penman's The Sunne in Splendour, yet he is absolved of blame by Gregory for the deaths of the princes.
Interesting aspects of this novel include Elizabeth's witchcraft- she curses Richard III so that his arm withers and he weakens and alludes to the scene in Richard III where he flounders at the battlefield of Bosworth before his death, desperate for a horse. She curses whoever had ordered the death of her son, Edward V, and the facts that would unfold point to the perpetrator being Henry VII, who as Elizabeth Woodville incanted would lose his firstborn son in youth and his grandson (Prince Arthur brother of Henry VIII and Henry VIII's only son Edward VI).

Her sorcery is a central part of the novel and much is made of her reputed descent through her mother, Jaquetta of Burgundy from the feminine spirit of sacred springs and rivers, Melusina. The book includes a figure of the time I have always much liked, Edward's beautiful mistress (and mistress of many others)Jane Shore, who is referred to by Elizabeth as 'the Shore Whore'but eventually Elizabeth after gaining much help from Mistress Shore, is unable to not like her. As Elizabeth exclaims after her cruel penance by King Richard: 'Harlot or Angel: God bless her".
she puts forward in her novel the story that her youngest son Richard of York, the other prince was smuggles to safety and replace by Elizabeth Woodville with a peasant boy who died in the tower together with Prince Edward.
Also shown here is the fascinating and romantic character of Elizabeth Woodville's daughter Elizabeth of York, mother of Henry VIII. A compelling blend of romance and history, Gregory has done her research well and gives a more than satisfactory coverage of The Wars of the Roses and the waxing and waning fortunes of the Yorks and Lancasters as well as Elizabeth's family, the Rivers. I found it a complete page turner. ...more

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Feb 13, 2011 Iset rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Recommends it for: Lovers of romance and fairytales

Recommended to Iset by: No one

Shelves: medieval-age-1000-to-1400ce-fiction, historical-fantasy

Before I even began reading the novel, I noticed one or two problems. Though small, they're worth noting. Gregory includes a royal family tree at the front of the book, to demonstrate the Houses of York and Lancaster, but according to this tree Edmund Tudor was married to King Henry VI at some point. I've got to say I burst out laughing at this. I understand that it's a genuine mistake, but seriously? Didn't Philippa Gregory or an editor or someone catch this before the book went to press? Putti
Before I even began reading the novel, I noticed one or two problems. Though small, they're worth noting. Gregory includes a royal family tree at the front of the book, to demonstrate the Houses of York and Lancaster, but according to this tree Edmund Tudor was married to King Henry VI at some point. I've got to say I burst out laughing at this. I understand that it's a genuine mistake, but seriously? Didn't Philippa Gregory or an editor or someone catch this before the book went to press? Putting a family tree in the beginning of a book is kind of an important deal to get right - you put it in so that your readers could understand the character relationships in your book, so you want to make sure that the tree is accurate!

Getting into the book, at first it didn't seem that bad. The writing style felt somewhat different initially, and I reasonably enjoyed the imagined scenes of how Edward and Elizabeth came together. It was a bit fairytale romance, but I could look past that, and the stuff with the reeling in of the ring I could dismiss as superstitious custom. However, Philippa Gregory is quickly up to her old tricks again. Jacquetta's comeback to Edward's mother? Please. Talk about simplistic dialogue. What was up until that point a continuous coherent plot begins to jump about as necessity dictates; from September 1464 we jump to May 1465, then to Summer 1468 which is a chapter only lasting a little more than three pages, then suddenly from that we've jumped way ahead to Summer 1469. At one point we even jump ahead FIVE YEARS from 1478 to 1483! All the romance suddenly feels sucked out from Elizabeth and Edward's relationship and all they do is have the same old discussion about Edward having to ride off and leave her to put down another rebellion... My issue here is not the history (because Edward did have several rebellions to contend with), but Gregory skipping ahead in this manner, providing us only with a few short pages before skipping ahead again. I understand perfectly that there are fewer sources on what these people were doing than there were on the Tudors, but shouldn't a good writer be plausibly filling in the gaps and developing their characters rather than rushing ahead to get to the next big event? This writing feels hasty and rushed, and no wonder it feels like all Edward talks about is riding off to the next rebellion: Gregory is just covering the same ground over and over and cutting out huge chunks of what is happening in between.

Gregory sure does like her repetition too - we are endlessly told of how Elizabeth and her mother Jacquetta are, according to legend, descended from the mythical water goddess or spirit Melusina, and Elizabeth brings up that annoying dark locket more times than I've had hot dinners. As an example of the kind of interminable repetition; "These are gowns as good as I wore when I was queen. 'Good God, Elizabeth,' I say. 'Where do you get your gowns from? This is as fine as anything I had when I was Queen of England.' " The sheer anachronisms of the words Gregory puts into the mouths of her characters is hilarious. At one point Jacquetta calls George "an utter numpty". I had to stop reading in order to roar with laughter at that point. The word "numpty" didn't even enter the dictionary until 2001 and began life as a slang word in the 20th century. I even read at one point a character say "Oh my God!" I'm pretty sure that in the 15th century, what with the character who says it being a staunch Catholic and all, this would be considered blasphemy.

It's not just an anachronistic word here or there either. Sometimes the actual quality of the English that Gregory writes is below average. Take this example: "Perhaps to save all the family who named themselves Rivers in order to honour the water-goddess who was the founder of their family". This is horribly clunky and inelegant English. A more correct writing of that sentence would be; "Perhaps to save all the family who named themselves Rivers in order to honour the water-goddess who was their founder". An editor should have picked up on this kind of poor phrasing, and for that matter you would hope that the author themselves would write with enough quality and skill not to produce ugly, clunky sentences like that. Another really annoying linguistic feature in this book is that whenever Elizabeth refers to her sons by her first marriage, she calls them "my boy, Richard Grey" and "my son, Thomas Grey". Granted, Elizabeth had two sons named Richard, so I can understand why one might need to distinguish between them in writing, but why does she need to call Thomas by his full name? Elizabeth only had one son named Thomas. It's obvious that Philippa Gregory uses this clumsy phrasing of their full names because she thinks her readers are stupid and won't understand what's going on or who she's talking about, even if the situation and names have been explained several times at the start of the book. It's denigrating. There are other grammatical errors throughout the text, and at one point Elizabeth Woodville talks to her own daughter and refers to "your uncle, Thomas" - you'd think what with all the repetition of "my son, Thomas Grey" Gregory could get it straight that Thomas would be the half-brother of Princess Elizabeth, not her uncle.

Written in first person perspective from Elizabeth Woodville's point of view, and in the present tense, it becomes apparent about a third of the way into the book that Gregory has actually painted herself into a corner by doing this. Whenever events in the rebellions occur outside of Elizabeth's knowledge, she has no real way of writing it. This is the danger of writing first person instead of third person for a story which you know is going to have more scope than one person's experiences. One way she gets round this is through messengers, which felt acceptable and certainly the most plausible method, but she is forced to use that device so often that it quickly becomes repetitive. Another way she does it is by pandering to this mythologising of Elizabeth and Jacquetta, and having them dream it as part of their powers of witchcraft. The third and most annoying way is that she sometimes resorts to switching out to third person just to write battle scenes that Elizabeth was absent from. This switching over into third person, when the majority of the book is in first person, is immensely jarring, and reading those scenes it quickly becomes apparent how Gregory is awkwardly trying to find a way out of her fix.

I also didn't like the inclusion of genuine magical powers on the part of Jacquetta and Elizabeth Woodville in the novel. Instead of bringing to life the flesh and blood, flawed and subtle personalities of real people from history, it just turns them into glossed over fairytale figures. It's sensationalism - just like her inclusion of completely disproven slander about Anne Boleyn in "The Other Boleyn Girl" - there was no reason for its inclusion, it was just an attempt to make the story more salacious. Making Elizabeth and Jacquetta genuine witches in this novel does the real women no favours whatsoever, it merely panders to the kind of scandals that they had to suffer being gossiped about them. A few final words must be said about the novel's ending. It ends rather abruptly, however the princes in the Tower incident forms the climax of the tale. Clearly the curse is meant to be ironic, but the irony is thick and heavy, almost as if Gregory were nudging me repeatedly and winking at me and saying "Do you get it? Do you get it yet? Do you see what I've done there? Because we all know how THAT turns out, don't we?" Unfortunately what Philippa Gregory thinks is subtle foreshadowing in her novels is about as subtle as a ten foot neon sign. Also what she does is not really foreshadowing - it's hindsight. For once I'd like to see a character in a Philippa Gregory novel make a prediction or curse that does not happen later in history.

Overall, the book feels rushed and hasty with big chunks missing from the story, further marred by lack of thorough research (Nonsuch Palace, word and phrase anachronisms, the accusation of Edward's illegitimacy) and where research is done it is often altered even when it doesn't make sense in the plot to do so. The romance between Edward and Elizabeth starts off as fairytale sap and then quickly sputters out into a string of repetitive goodbyes. The text is blighted by poor English, grammatical errors, and internal mistakes such as Thomas Grey suddenly being called Princess Elizabeth's uncle instead of her half-brother and the family tree showing Edmund Tudor married to Henry VI. The interpretation of Jacquetta and Elizabeth and their family as witches does the real women no favours, painting them as fairy story characters and not real people, and turns the plot into a silly series of deus ex machinae whenever Elizabeth is in a tight spot, thus eliminating most of the sense of risk, danger and tension from the story. It's clear that Philippa Gregory has no understanding of either the times she is writing about or the real people who lived through them. She makes a bad choice by writing the book in present tense from the first person perspective of Elizabeth Woodville, and she struggles to get around this restriction when she has to convey events that were outside Elizabeth's experience. Ultimately "The White Queen" is far too narrow and personal in scope to convey the complexities and subtleties of historical events, reduced down to a popularity contest of personal relationships, with the wider picture woefully forgotten. Sharon Penman's The Sunne in Splendour is still the gold standard for the retelling of the reigns of Edward IV and Richard III, and "The White Queen" falls well short. Anyone wanting to read about this period in history should avoid this book, as there are so many better options out there. ...more

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Oct 13, 2017 Kai rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: feminist-as-fuck, owned, 2017

“If there is love enough, then nothing - not nature, not even death itself- can come between two who love each other.”

The White Queen is the sequel to The Lady of the Rivers and they both had their strengths and weaknesses. They each tell the story of a powerful woman in a kingdom ruled by men. These women fight for their lives, their loves and their children - out of a sense of survival as well as out of ambition and a hunger for power.
Even though their stories are this impressive, I often str ...more

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Oct 01, 2013 Duane rated it really liked it

Shelves: rated-books, historical-fiction, reviewed-books, 21st-century

The White Queen is the fictional story of the life of Elizabeth Woodville, wife of King Edward IV. Philippa Gregory does her usual fine job of bringing her characters to life and making it enjoyable to read. I don't know how accurate her stories are, or any other writer in this genre for that matter. I was introduced to royal historical fiction by Norah Lofts and have also read Alison Weir and Jean Plaidy, among others. In this book Gregory focuses on the Plantagenet's and The Cousins War period ...more

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Dec 15, 2016 Charlotte May rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: historical-fiction, favourites

After reading The Other Boleyn Girl - I loved Philippa Gregory, and would pick up virtually anything she'd written.
I watched the BBC adaption of The White Queen which I thoroughly enjoyed, so went for the book series. All four that I've read (The Lady of the Rivers, The White Queen, The Red Queen and The Kingmaker's Daughter) so far have an incredible focus on the powerful women during the Tudor Court and the War of the Roses. I knew very little about this time period but Gregory makes it easy t ...more

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Aug 21, 2009 Brandy rated it did not like it

Recommends it for: NO ONE

Not what I was hoping for. The book jacket is better than this book. I finished it, but barely. The story went on and on and on- drama and drama and drama. Gregory's other books were interesting and hard to put down. This story was lacking the same intensity. The main character's voice was weak and a bit whiny. The first 100 pages were about how much she loved her husband, the king- how much she wanted him, how great the sex was and then what she gave to her family once she was queen. Too trivia ...more

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Jan 28, 2013 Dorie - Cats&Books :) rated it really liked it

Shelves: all-time-favorite, literature, historical-fiction

I really enjoyed The White Queen, it had been a while since I read a book from this period. No one does it like Ms. Gregory!

Very interesting cousins against cousins tales of love, treachery, death, battle won and lost. The ruthlessness of the royalty to stay in power and the individual prices they pay, death of their family, children, themselves. As always the characters are well described and Elizabeth is drawn in great depth. The author makes the characters seem real and the settings are vivi ...more

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Apr 23, 2018 Andrea rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: on-kindle

This is my first book I've read from this author,I've read Elizabeth freemantle books which are really good,who also writes historical books.well what a fantastic read looking forward to the next book.the red Queen in which I watched the programme not so long ago wanted me to read this authors books as it was so good.its was a well written easy to read it's great to get more facts.highly recommend. ...more

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Sep 06, 2009 Sara rated it really liked it

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 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 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 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.
...more

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Nov 20, 2018 Krystal rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: loved-up, owned, chick-lit, historical-fiction, disappointments, struggletown

I'm honestly worried for the other half-billion novels written by Philippa Gregory.

This novel is only slightly less dull than the (chronological) first, The Lady of the Rivers. Once again it just spans too long a period, meaning that there's not a lot of attachment to what's happening. There are a lot of battles, a ton of births and deaths, and keeping track of claims to the throne is about as easy as keeping track of Australia's Prime Minister.

Our protagonist, Elizabeth - the titular White Quee ...more

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Jun 12, 2009 Misfit rated it liked it

Shelves: historical-howlers, penman-is-better

The White Queen is the first in a new series Gregory is writing based upon the Plantagenets and the Wars of the Roses - or The Cousins War as she calls it. The book begins as a widowed Elizabeth Woodville waits on the side of the road with her two young sons to plea for her dower lands from Edward IV. Several years younger, Edward is captivated and must have her - but Elizabeth holds out for a wedding ring and gets it. Elizabeth is crowned queen and immediately goes about getting the best positi The White Queen is the first in a new series Gregory is writing based upon the Plantagenets and the Wars of the Roses - or The Cousins War as she calls it. The book begins as a widowed Elizabeth Woodville waits on the side of the road with her two young sons to plea for her dower lands from Edward IV. Several years younger, Edward is captivated and must have her - but Elizabeth holds out for a wedding ring and gets it. Elizabeth is crowned queen and immediately goes about getting the best positions and marriages for her relatives, which earns the enmity of just about everyone else. The story continues as Edward battles with Margaret of Anjou and the deposed Henry VI, as well as his treacherous brother Clarence and Warwick, The Kingmaker, and finally culminates at the death of Edward IV (that's known history, no spoilers here), and his brother Richard ascends the throne. That's really about all I want to tell you about the plot. If you're familiar with the period you know the basics and if you're not it's way too complicated to try and put it all into a review.

I found the writing overly repetitive to the point that I felt like I was being clubbed over the head. Whether it be the first chapters where she keeps referring to twenty-two year old battled hardened Edward as a "boy" (counted it at least six times on one page), to the locket with the names written in blood, as well as the ever present and over bearing references to her ancestor Melusine - I got the point the first time. Outside of the first few chapters at the beginning of their relationship I didn't pick up much chemistry between Edward and Elizabeth - they should have sizzled right off of the pages and instead they fizzled. But worst of all was the magic and spells cast by Elizabeth and her mother, whether you buy it or not I found the casual way everyone in the book treated it more than just a tad bit unbelievable. It’s just another day in the park and I’ll whistle up another storm to thwart my enemies. I think with all the people who hated her someone would have had her tried as a witch.

One last minor nitpick and thanks to Robin and Susan who spotted this – one of Elizabeth’s palaces is Nonesuch (or Nonsuch). Google that and you’ll find that it was built by Henry VIII. Oops. I am recommending this one only for die-hard Gregory fans, you’re better off reading Penman’s fabulous Sunne in Splendour. If you’re not sure get it from the library first. Glad I did. ...more

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Feb 15, 2020 HBalikov rated it really liked it

Gregory is a historian, first. Her Ph.D. from Edinburgh University informs her approach to her fascination with 15th and 16th century Britain. This book is a prelude to many of her novels on Tudor England. It concerns the twenty years beginning in 1464 when the country was still roiled by the War of the Roses, the battle between Plantagenet cousins, York and Lancaster, for England’s throne.

For this novel, Gregory chooses to parallel the folktale of the water “goddess”, Melusina, with the life o Gregory is a historian, first. Her Ph.D. from Edinburgh University informs her approach to her fascination with 15th and 16th century Britain. This book is a prelude to many of her novels on Tudor England. It concerns the twenty years beginning in 1464 when the country was still roiled by the War of the Roses, the battle between Plantagenet cousins, York and Lancaster, for England’s throne.

For this novel, Gregory chooses to parallel the folktale of the water “goddess”, Melusina, with the life of Elizabeth, who becomes (as a “commoner”) the Queen of England to Edward IV. For someone who is “a stickler” for historical accuracy, it is a delicate balance.

“When the goddess Melusina fell in love with the knight he promised her that she would be free to be herself if she would only be his wife. They settled it that she would be his wife and walk on feet but once a month, she might go to her own chamber, fill a great bath with water, and, for one night only, be her fishy self…For he loved her and he understood that a woman cannot always live as a man. He understood that she could not always think as he thought, walk as he walked, breath the air that he took in. She would always be a different being than him...He understood that she needed her time alone… They had children together, and they grew in health and beauty; he grew more prosperous and their castle was famous for its wealth and grace…”

Of course, Gregory is tipping her hand, because the parable of the knight and the goddess doesn’t end well. She tells us that early on, though Melusina’s story is stretched out, we also learn that Elizabeth believes that, on her mother’s side she is a descendant of Melusina. Others consider both Elizabeth and her mother to resort to “witchcraft” on occasion and they may have the gift of “foresight” and the ability to put a curse on others.

Does all of this matter? Only a little for me, maybe more for other readers. For me, the strength of the book is the perspective of Elizabeth on her family, their ambitions and their fears. In this time of turbulence everybody was only a step away from exile or death. Edward failed in his attempts to unify the crown (and it was left to the Tudors to try). Elizabeth tried to embed her family deep into the nobility of England but that also came up short. By taking us through this “personal account,” Gregory achieves a level of intimacy that normal historical accounts lack.

Postscript: One of the best examples is an exchange between Elizabeth and her first child by King Edward.
"If you surrendered now, we might get my brothers back."
"That would be for me to go right back to where I came from.."
"Were you not happy at Grafton with your mother and father, and with the husband who gave you Richard and Thomas?" she asks quickly, so quickly that I do not prepare my answer carefully.
"Yes," I say unguardedly."Yes, I was."
"That is all I want for myself," she says. "All I want for my sisters. And yet you insist on making us heirs to your misery. I want to be heir to the days before you were queen. I don't want the throne: I want to marry a man whom I love, and love him freely..."
"Then you would deny everything that makes you a Plantagenet, a princess of York. You might as well be Jemma the maid if you don't desire to be great than you are, if you don't see your chances and take them."
"...I would rather be Jemma the maid than you...Jemma can go home to her own bed at night. Jemma can refuse to work. Jemma can run away and serve another master. But you are locked to the throne of England and you have enslaved us too." ...more

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Jul 18, 2018 Sonja Arlow rated it it was ok

Shelves: audio-books, historical-fiction, 2018-read

2.5 stars

Let me start by saying its not the author’s fault that every second person in the book is either called Edward or Richard but it made the listening experience a bit confusing at times.

In the past few years I have come around to her Tudor series by listening rather than reading them and they were all without fail very entertaining and educational.

But this one did not grip me until the last 1/4 when the story focused on the mystery of the missing princes in the Tower of London.

There was a ...more

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Apr 26, 2017 A.G. Howard rated it it was amazing

My first Philippa Gregory novel, and I was swept away by her well-researched details and plot. I've always been fascinated by the War of the Roses, and to step into Queen Elizabeth's shoes was a delight. She's such a strong character, and watching her quest for power via manipulations and an indomitable will was mesmerizing. I loved it. However, I tried reading "The White Princess" and couldn't relate to that main character at all; she seemed much weaker IMO. So I'm hesitant to continue this par ...more

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Aug 18, 2009 Alycia rated it liked it

Shelves: kindle-books, historical-fiction, medieval

I have to start out this review with a disclaimer. This is a wonderful piece of historical fiction. The author, Philippa Gregory took facts and obscure history to weave an exciting tapestry of power, greed, and betrayal set against the backdrop of the late medieval British court in the late 1400's.

Our heroine Elizabeth Woodville, comes from mostly humble origins with a uniqueness of her own. Her mother's Burgundy family are descendants of a water goddess, Melusina. Wishing, tricks and witchcraf I have to start out this review with a disclaimer. This is a wonderful piece of historical fiction. The author, Philippa Gregory took facts and obscure history to weave an exciting tapestry of power, greed, and betrayal set against the backdrop of the late medieval British court in the late 1400's.

Our heroine Elizabeth Woodville, comes from mostly humble origins with a uniqueness of her own. Her mother's Burgundy family are descendants of a water goddess, Melusina. Wishing, tricks and witchcraft do make recurring appearances in this book. Elizabeth starts out begging the new King, Edward IV for her deceased husband's land as an inheritance for her two sons. After this initial meeting, Elizabeth wins the heart of the new young King and they secretly marry. Edward is from the House of York that took the throne by force through war from King Henry of the House of Lancaster.

Throughout this book, King Edward has to constantly fight to keep his throne from the former King Henry and his plotting wife, Margret de Anjou. This is the first book of a War of the Roses trilogy. This war is also called the Cousin's war where cousins fight against cousins depending on loyalties and physical location in the kingdom. It also eventually turns into a brother's war, brothers fighting against brothers. King Edward not only has to constantly defend his throne and royal line, but he has to do so against his brothers George (who dies a traitor's death) and Richard (who betrays his loyalty to his brother and king) after his trusted adviser, the Kingmaker, Warwick decides to take his power and elevate himself or his family towards the throne once he no longer has control over what Edward does. Edward starts listening to his wife's advice.

I think a central theme in this book is women of incredible strength. It seems back then (a time period where enlightenment was just starting) in order to survive you had to have faith and a strong constitution to make it through life during a time when women were only valued for the heirs that they left. Women were seen as a commodity, and only worth the grave or a nunnery if they could not produce sons. Which was an incredible feat back then to survive childbirth, let alone have multiple children or even multiple sons. Elizabeth Woodville is with child almost every year to secure her husband's line and the Plantagenet rule. (Plantagenet rule was before Tudor rule, the Tudor royal line was established once the throne was fought and won). Being a strong woman was even more necessary to plan and plot to keep your family in power if you were Queen of England.

One way Elizabeth did this was through wishing, sometimes ill wishing, magic tricks, and the like taught by her mother. Sometimes it seemed like Elizabeth did not believe in this, but it gave her courage to do so. Other times in this novel, her wishing did help turn the tide in her family's favor, but always came back to her to ruin whatever goal she and her family were trying to achieve. Her family was never really safe from the curses and prayers she offered. Her mother and herself were accused of witchcraft at one point in the book.

After King Edward dies, we see Edward's sons, the Prince and soon to be King Edward and his brother Prince Richard in danger of their lives from their uncle (Edward IV youngest brother) who swore to be an adviser and protector until Prince Edward could rightfully rule by himself, now this uncle is a claimant as King himself. More battles are fought, new men rise to power, such as Henry Tudor and a Howard (Ann Boleyn's ancestor)set their sights from winning the throne for the young king, to then plotting for the throne themselves. Unfortunately the young king is lost, and presumed dead. His brother is put into safe hiding. The loss of Prince Edward is heart wrenching. The reader never knows for sure if he is alive or will be found. Elizabeth believes for the longest time that he cannot be dead, despite various rumors circulating the kingdom. Then she finally accepts that this must be so, that her oldest son will never be able to claim what is rightfully his. The end of the book closes with the return of Prince Richard to Elizabeth.

True to British court at this time and Gregory's writing we are caught up in an onslaught of constant plotting and intrigue. This really drives the book forward, without it, the novel would have dragged on, which it unfortunately does in some parts. I liked the paranormal aspect of Elizabeth, but felt at some parts I was reading two different books at the same time, the different aspects didn't always connect neatly. This being said, I rate this book a solid 3.5 stars out of 5 and recommend this book to any Gregory fan or someone looking for a solid British historical fiction to try. I am interested in checking out the next book in the series, The Red Queen, which is released August 19, 2010. ...more

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Jun 06, 2013 Sarah u rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: bored, wars-of-the-roses, also-on-tv, historical-fiction

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. This *still* doesn't impress, sadly.

Elizabeth Woodville's story is extraordinary, rising from humble origins to queen and mother of ten royal children, two of them the famous princes in the Tower. The way the story was handled in this novel, however, didn't do a lot for me.

Firstly, there was the Melusina/witchcraft *thing*. Magic explained everything; how Elizabeth captured the king, why the battlefields were misty in 1471, how Elizabeth conceived a son- and Richard's withered arm. (Oh yes, she This *still* doesn't impress, sadly.

Elizabeth Woodville's story is extraordinary, rising from humble origins to queen and mother of ten royal children, two of them the famous princes in the Tower. The way the story was handled in this novel, however, didn't do a lot for me.

Firstly, there was the Melusina/witchcraft *thing*. Magic explained everything; how Elizabeth captured the king, why the battlefields were misty in 1471, how Elizabeth conceived a son- and Richard's withered arm. (Oh yes, she went there.)

Then there's the narrative itself, which was rather simple and very repetitive. People's names and titles were constantly repeated; Anthony was always "my brother Anthony", Elizabeth's sons from her first marriage are always referred to as "my Grey sons" or "my sons Richard and/or Thomas Grey", Clarence was always "George, Duke of Clarence", even in speech- its as if Gregory is afraid her readers are so stupid they will forget who people are. There were also instances of historical inaccuracy, which irked a bit (Elizabeth, at one point, visits Nonsuch palace!) but I am able to shrug these off in this case, as they didn't appear to deliberately malign any historical figure.

In addition to this, there is too much telling and not enough showing. Towards the end of the book when Elizabeth is in sanctuary for the second time, we are *told* that Elizabeth and Margaret Beaufort have become allies while Margaret served as one of Elizabeth's ladies, and she helpfully sends Elizabeth a note giving her clues about the way the political wind is blowing; however not one single scene between the two ladies is written down for us while their relationship is developing, the two share no private moments, no conversation. There are huge time jumps in the narrative, which seem to me to be a bit of a cop out of giving us a more personal look into the life of Elizabeth during peacetime; we jump from one 'exciting scenario' to another, and even then a lot of the time the scenes fail to come to life. I didn't feel as though I got an insight into Elizabeth's relationships, her marriage or her queenship, which is a shame really. This book could have been a lot better. ...more

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May 18, 2013 Anushka rated it it was ok

Shelves: major-facepalm, disappointed

Okay, so I lied when I said I had no idea why I was reading this. :P
I read it because it is being adapted into a TV Show starring Max Irons! . (Hear that, girls?)

Historical fiction -that too romance- is not my thing, not at all. I've tried my hands on quite a few historical books but ended up liking just one out of them ( Girl With A Pearl Earring ) and after reading this one I think I should just give up this genre. It is not made for me.

For the reason mentioned above and because of all the pr ...more

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Dec 12, 2019 Emma added it · review of another edition

Shelves: readingmyshelves, dnf

DNF

Not even the subject matter can save this disaster.

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Jan 22, 2010 Alyce (At Home With Books) rated it really liked it

If you had asked me last month what the War of the Roses was about I would have probably made some crack about the Michael Douglas movie of the same name in order to distract from my ignorance of this particular segment of history.

Once I started reading The White Queen I realized that I was familiar with parts of the plot from reading Richard III years ago. Even this knowledge was pretty scanty - just something about two boys being imprisoned in the tower. While I had some idea of the outcome of ...more

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Apr 25, 2017 Shirley Revill rated it it was amazing

Shelves: owned-books, thought-provoking, history, historical-fiction, educational

Absolutely love books by Philippa Gregory and I have never been disappointed yet. Storytelling at it's best. Recommended. ...more

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Nov 29, 2009 Ladiibbug rated it it was amazing

4.5 stars

Book One in a new series featuring the War of the Roses era of English history

This is a wonderful historical tale, a book that pulled me in from the first few pages and never let go. Thrilling, fast moving, this is a deliciously engrossing read!

I was even more thrilled to read that this book explored one of the biggest mysteries of history -- (no spoiler) Richard III. History is not my strong point, but this entire subject is fascinating to me.

I'll definitely be anxious to continue with ...more

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Nov 04, 2014 Melissa ♥ Dog/Wolf Lover ♥ Martin rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Enjoyed the book a great deal although so many things made me mad of course. This always happens when you have a lot of jerks that need a good beat down or in those days beading before they cause trouble. It seems they get it a little too late! I love the first season and I own it:) I like it better than the book because I can actually see the players. I can't wait to read more of her books! ...more

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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

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The Plantagenet and Tudor Novels (1 - 10 of 15 books)

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“He promised her that he would give her everything, everything she wanted, as men in love always do. And she trusted him despite herself, as women in love always do.” — 319 likes

“A man will always promise to do more than he can do to a woman he cannot understand.” — 141 likes

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The White Queen

(The Plantagenet and Tudor Novels #2)

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