Did anyone else have a hard time getting through this? And any thoughts on her other books?

[Karen]

For me , P. Gregory is either on or off. I loved The Red Queen and The Other Boleyn Girl and thought that The Boleyn Inheritance was great. Her other novels were started and then cast aside as I couldn't find the voice of the novel - also am a long-time Tudor history buff , so I know the stories. I might try The White Queen again - P. Gregory is supposed to be an expert on Elizabeth Woodville and I love the whole Melusina thing.

[Heather]

Tina,

I loved that line from Thomas as well! He really amused me the whole time.

[Jacqueline]

My facorite bookof hers is The Wideacre Trilpogy all three books, Dont give up she is an excellent writer.

[Morgan]

I had a hard time reading it too! I like some of her other stuff but this was was not that good. I will not read The Red Queen...

[Jennifer]

okay, I downloaded a sample for The Red Queen and have to say that I'm finding it interesting. So, I will definitely be reading it. I just have to finish Snow Flower and the Secret Fan first! Also a fabulous book if you're interested in Chinese historical fiction.

[[deleted user]]

Really? I was engaged all the way through. The story is more subtle and less scandalous/eye-catching than something like The Other Boleyn Girl; perhaps that's what people have trouble with. But I thought Elizabeth Grey had a very unique and readable voice and story.

[Jeanna]

I am finding this very inspiring to read others thoughts on her books. I say this because I just finished "the white queen" and I enjoyed it. I didn't find it boring or hard to get through. Now if I can breeze through this one then the others must be fantastic. Thanks to all for the inspiration and curiosity to make me read her others.

[Jo]

I did have trouble getting through this one. Not as good as her previous books.

[Teresa]

My problem with The White Queen is that it's written in present tense, which I don't know, annoyed me a great deal. I think The Red Queen is also. I don't think her previous books on the Tudors are written in this style. I just found it very hard to follow a narrative written as though it is happening RIGHT NOW, when it all really occurred 500+ years ago.

[Melissa]

I loved The White Queen! I love Philippa Gregory's books, the only one so far that I had a hard time getting in to was The Red Queen. Another book I really loved was Queen By Right by Anne Easter Smith.

[Maggie]

I love PG and have read everything that she has done. TWQ i found hard going and a bit repetative, but carried on with it (not being one to give up on a book!)> I am almost finished with TRQ and found this a much better read altogether.
I agree with what others have said, start with the other Tudor novels - The Other Boleyn Girl is just brilliant!

[Karen]

I have enjoyed all of Philippa Gregory's books, with the possible exception of The Wise Woman, which was not typical of her other work.

[Tina Michelle]

The Wise Woman was disturbing, I will agree. I did enjoy it tho. The imagery is so strong I can truly see the scenes in my head. That counts for a lot with me.

[Susan]

No, I couldn't put this book down. Neither could I put the book The Other PRincess down. I'm looking forward to reading The Lady of the Rivers due to be released soon.

[Judi]

I have started The White Queen and having trouble getting throught it. But I really do like the time period is set in. I think that I just have to push through it by reading your comments. I am gald that I am not the only that feels this way about the book.

[Susan]

Judi wrote: "I have started The White Queen and having trouble getting throught it. But I really do like the time period is set in. I think that I just have to push through it by reading your comments. I am gal..."

You gotta be kidding, right? I was captivated from the git go.

[Jennifer]

I did persist and read The Red Queen. Just finished. Enjoyed it more than The White Queen but still struggled with the blind ambition and constant maneuvering of the main characters. So many suffered as they scrambled for power and wealth. But I'm glad I continued on with the second book and I will read others in the series. It's great getting other perspective and background info in this thread. Thanks!

[[deleted user]]

I have read many of her books and really enjoyed this one. I guess some people had a hard time because of the Melusina parts I cant wait to start on the Red Queen

[Samantha]

I may be in the minority. I love Tudor history but not PG books. It seems that she plays too "fast & loose" with known facts, which bothers me. If you know the truth, I don't want to read something made up just because it may be more dramatic. I did not like all the mythology thrown into TRQ & TWQ (or the overused "Bed, wife")but enjoyed these books despite that. Not a fan of The Other Boleyn Girl but I do plan on reading the new Lady of the River.

[[deleted user]]

Samantha wrote: "I may be in the minority. I love Tudor history but not PG books. It seems that she plays too "fast & loose" with known facts, which bothers me. If you know the truth, I don't want to read someth..."

Really? I liked the use of mythology and witchcraft because it gave a background of how the characters saw themselves in the world and in that time. The Melusina legend was interesting because it had some loose parallels to what happened to Elizabeth Grey. Also, the mythology didn't have to be real for the characters to believe it and let it shape their actions...People back then believed in witchcraft, after all. It kind of helped you get more in touch with the times, as it were.

[Ashley]

Farrah wrote: "I want to read her other books...I really love historical fiction. BUT...This was just so difficult to get through. The point of view seemed odd. Thoughts?"

This book was hard to get through. I agree read the tudor book they are very good. I was disapointed in this book because I love her other ones. My faviorte one is the Queen's fool.

[Susan]

re Ashley, I agree, I loved the Queen's Fool. That and the Other Boleyn are still my favorites. I'm reading the Red Queen, now, but it lacks any romance, which was always a good part of the others. The characters are getting a bit one-dimensional and it's heavy on the plots and battles.
She spoke in my neighborhood the other day. She's witty, but when she said she didn't read any other historical novelists but herself, I was a bit turned off. She could support other writers!

[Elisa Santos]

I am a PG fan for a long time now and though i haven´t read all of her work - around here, the only thing in Portuguese is the tudor series and niw the Cousins at War one - i have to say that the books are really engaging; i sympathized more with Elizabeth Woodville than Margaret Beaufort but in therms of writting style and engaging story, i liked them both and i have to say that even though i despise Margaret´s self-rightousness she was a very interesting read to make - the "mother-in-law from hell" that everyone despises but is craving to see what happens next. I loved them both and my personnal fave from the Tudor one´s is The Virgin´s Lover.

[Elisa Santos]

"but when she said she didn't read any other historical novelists but herself, I was a bit turned off. She could support other writers!"

Maybe she doesn´t read them because she simply does not have enough time for it.....remember that she is releasing 1 book a year and between the researching and the writting and the editing, i imagine that she can be in a bit of a time crunch.

[Ivana]

Farrah wrote: "I want to read her other books...I really love historical fiction. BUT...This was just so difficult to get through. The point of view seemed odd. Thoughts?"

It was too od to me .... I don't like the end at all and. Too many names and descriptions and so little action. Boring!

[Katherine]

I loved both the White and the Red Queen. I just finished Lady of the Rivers and loved that one too. I guess it's because I learned so much about that time period before the reign of the Tudors.

[Joy H.]

Hi Katherine,
Back in 2010, you recommended A Reliable Wife by Robert Goolrick. Today I borrowed it from the library and it looks like a compelling read. Now I see that you also liked The White Queen. So I will adding it to my to-read shelf. Thanks for the recommendations! I appreciate them.

[Margaret]

Joy H. wrote: "Hi Katherine,
Back in 2010, you recommended A Reliable Wife by Robert Goolrick. Today I borrowed it from the library and it looks like a compelling read. Now I see th..."

Hi Joy - I'm late to this party, but if you're still interested in the Plantagenets and the the Wars of the Roses but didn't care for Gregory's style, you could have a look at The King's Grey Mare and We Speak No Treason by Rosemary Hawley Jarman. They're older books, I read them years ago, but I remember being enthralled by them.

[Joy H.]

Margaret wrote: "Hi Joy - I'm late to this party, but if you're still interested in the Plantagenets and the the Wars of the Roses but didn't care for Gregory's style, you could have a look at The King's Grey Mare and We Speak No Treason by Rosemary Hawley Jarman. They're older books, I read them years ago, but I remember being enthralled by them."

Hi Margaret. Thanks for the suggestions. My old records show that I've read quite a few books by Philippa Gregory. Many of them were her older books which I read years ago:
The Little House
The Favored Child
Fallen Skies
Virgin Earth
A Respectable Trade
Earthly Joys
The Wise Woman
The Queen’s Fool
The Other Boleyn Girl

After reading The Other Boleyn Girl, I started getting tired of her style. Since then I haven't read any other books by Gregory. Your suggestions might be another alternative... or at least a basis for comparison. I'll follow up. Thanks again. Delighted to hear from you again!

[Patti]

I've read most of hers and I liked this one very much. Some of her can be "Harlequin Novel-ish" and while this still had romance, it focused more on the history than the love story.

[Susan]

Maria wrote: ""but when she said she didn't read any other historical novelists but herself, I was a bit turned off. She could support other writers!"

Maybe she doesn´t read them because she simply does not ha..."
I guess...but she did mention she likes older, established writers, Fitzgerald was one that comes to mind, and specifically said she doesn't read other historical fiction writers. I don't think it's a question of time. If it were, the way we are all so busy, no one would read!

[Elisa Santos]

S.B. wrote: "Maria wrote: ""but when she said she didn't read any other historical novelists but herself, I was a bit turned off. She could support other writers!"

Maybe she doesn´t read them because she simp..."

Maybe her personnal reads tend to go to other genres than her own - to take a break from the Hi-Fi scene, i would wager. For example, no i am in a swedish author´s splurge and not specifically in to HI-FI: needed to take a brake from it - there is only so much history facts i can read in sequence and process in my head - so, now, after Stieg Larsson i am turning my lights towards Camila Lackberg´s thrillers.

Yeah, with all the busy-ness we all have, no one would read, at all - i agree with you! And i will say even more: if it was not for the reading, to chill out at the end of the day, then my mental health would be in serious danger hahahah

[Susan]

Maria wrote: "S.B. wrote: "Maria wrote: ""but when she said she didn't read any other historical novelists but herself, I was a bit turned off. She could support other writers!"

Maybe she doesn´t read them bec..." Yes, you're right! I guess I just thought it would have been generous to mention fellow writers when she was specifically asked, but the fact is she has been wonderfully prolific and most of my knowledge of English Tudor (and now York, Lancaster) history comes from her books, so I admire her greatly, and I bought her two latest books at that event. Maybe it just takes single minded focus to be successful. Okay. I won't hold it against her!

[Elisa Santos]

The reading of her work made me want to know the real facts behind her books - that´s the stuff that makes a wonderfull writter, to me: they have to be able to spark my interest in getting to know what really happened.

[Lady Domino]

I enjoyed PG's Wildacre series, but I then didn't read any more of her work for many years, until recently when I picked up a copy of The White Queen. I did find it hard going, and although I finished it a few months ago and I have got a copy of the Red Queen, I can't seem to bring myself to start the Red Queen, as I seem to be expecting it to be as hard going as the The White Queen.

[Elisa Santos]

The Henry VIII of The Tudors series was just for audience purpouses: it didn´t depict the real Henry phisically, although mentally, his rage, his insanity, the spoil brat that i think he was Jonathan Rhys-Meyes pinned it down very well, but the phisical resemblance - never mind that! It was just and eye-candy for audiences that were not that much in to Tudor history and all of the sudden there was this Tudor craze all around. I will say that if it prompted people to know more of History and the real facts behind the serie, than it´s all good - but when i see people taking all of that for Gospel...nah, not so good: have to take it with a pinch of salt.

[Elisa Santos]

Yes, her books are very good.

[Alissa]

The third in the series was the best in my opinion- The Lady of the Rivers. I could barely force myself through The Red Queen, I just couldn't stand Margaret.

[Elisa Santos]

Margaret Beaufort was a very hatefull character but the sort of one "you love to hate" - i quite liked her although her rightousness get on my nerves.

[[deleted user]]

My favorite of the series was also The Lady of the Rivers. I also didnt like Margaret, Philippa Gregory did a good job to bring out such a strong response about a person.

[Cheryl]

I had no trouble getting through this book. This was actually my first book by Philippa Gregory AND my first book about the Wars of the Roses. I really loved this book. I plan to read this rest of the series and check out her other books! I'm starting tonight. :) One of my favorite charcters in has got be Anthony. I also really liked Edward IV too. :)

[Jess]

I did struggle slightly with this one, perhaps because, due to the characters' circumstances, there was very little light relief. Also, Elizabeth was a difficult heroine to like at times. I still enjoyed this though, and love Philippa Gregory's other books, especially The Other Boleyn Girl and her Wideacre Trilogy.

[De'Nae]

I had no problem getting through this one. It's the Red Queen that I am having problems with.

[Elisa Santos]

To me, the best of the Tudor series is The Virgin´s Lover, so try and check it out.

[Samantha]

I have read TRQ, TWQ, and Lady of the Rivers and was not really impressed by any of them. For an amazing (and better researched) novel on the War of the Roses try The Sunne in Splendour by Sharon Kay Penman. All of her novels are well written with focus on historical accuracy.

[Michelle]

Yeah, I read this after "The Other Boleyn Girl". This one took me a lot longer, and it wasn't nearly as long.

[★Ruth★]

Heather wrote: "Farrah,
Her other books are much better. I would read the Tudor books first. Everyone loves The Other Boleyn Girl, but my favorite is The Constant Princess.
Happy Reading!
Heather"

Oh I agree with you constant Princess was by far my favorite.

[Cyndee]

I loved so many of her books; from "Wideacre" to "The Boleyn Girl" to "The Other Queen."

This one, along with the Red Queen, bored me to tears. One of the things Gregory does is make you immediately care about her characters. For some reason, neither one of these characters were very compelling to me. Like so many of you, I was also disappointed with these books. I think they needed a little more character development, and less historical background.

[Cheryl]

I had no trouble getting through this book. This was actually my first book by Philippa Gregory AND my first book about the Wars of the Roses. I really loved . I've read (had a harder time with this one) and plan to read next. I must check out her other books! :) One of my favorite charcters in has got be Anthony. I also really liked Edward IV too. :)

[Cheryl]

Denae wrote: "I had no problem getting through this one. It's the Red Queen that I am having problems with."

I agree.