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Product Description
Review
'It would be hard to make history more entertaining, lively or engaging' Sunday Express
'Queen of the historical novel' Mail on Sunday
'Gregory brings to life the sights, smells and textures of 16th-century England' Kate Mosse, Financial Times
'Rollicking, page-turning stuff' Metro
'Of Woodville herself, Gregory makes a fascinating heroine; strong, ambitious, vengeful, beautiful and tinged with more than a hint of witchcraft. Popular history at its best' Daily Mail
‘History comes gloriously alive as widowed Elisabeth Woodville of the House of Lancaster seduces and marries Yorkist King Edward IV. From then on conflict, betrayal and murder stalk her life as the Queen of England’ Mirror
‘As with The Other Boleyn Girl, Gregory’s clever blend of fact and fiction is a lot racier than the average historical biography ... her tale of Elizabeth Woodville’s tenacious fight for her family’s position during the Wars of the Roses oozes sex appeal and suspense’ Glamour magazine
‘Lady Margaret Beaufort – cold, clever, calculating – will stop at nothing to put her son Henry Tudor on the throne. Gregory is very good at describing the bitchiness of the women in this tale of dynastic rivalry’ Telegraph
'Entrancing' Telegraph
'an informative and riveting read from start to finish' Edinburgh Evening News
'Gregory brings this period of history and another strong female character to life with the same colour and intrigue she applies to all her novels' Glasgow Evening Times
'A gripping read' South Wales Echo
'...whips along with lashings of historical intrigue' Company
'Gregory's novels are, in fact, meticulously researched pieces of historical scholarship. For each novel she immerses herself in dozens of primary and secondary sources, before transforming them into vivid fiction' Sunday Telegraph
Book Description
The #1 New York Times bestselling author presents the first book in a new series set amidst the tumult and intrigue of england’s passionate family feud, The War of the Roses.
Meet the Plantaganets. Like the Tudors, they live high and love passionately, but this family story is set against the backdrop of The War of the Roses, a long war, pitting brother against brother, for the throne of England. Now Philippa Gregory, master chronicler of British royal history, brings this family drama to life through the lives of its women, beginning with the story of Elizabeth Woodville, the White Queen. The White Queen tells the story of a common woman who ascends to royalty by virtue of her beauty, a woman who rises to the demands of her position and fights tenaciously for the success of her family, a woman whose two sons become the central figures in a mystery that has confounded historians for centuries: the so-called missing princes in the Tower of London. From her uniquely qualified perspective, Philippa Gregory explores the most famous unsolved mystery of English history, informed by impeccable research and framed by her inimitable storytelling skills. Timed to publish in the English language simultaneously around the world—and heralded by a global online event followed by author appearances in the United Kingdom, Canada, the United States, and Australia—The White Queen ushers in the dawn of a great new era for Philippa Gregory. For the first time, one of our most beloved authors will have one exclusive English language publisher—Simon & Schuster—the perfect platform from which to launch what is sure to be another bestselling, classic series.
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Most helpful customer reviews
21 of 21 people found the following review helpful
3.0 out of 5 stars
Underwhelmed,
By
This review is from: The White Queen: A Novel (Hardcover)
That's about the only word I can come up with to describe my feelings. 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.Unfortunately, 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 a 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 some readers at another site 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.
4.0 out of 5 stars
great insight to these lives and times,
By
This review is from: White Queen, The (Paperback)
Really enjoyed this book. The characters were so interesting and well developed through the story. It gave a glimpse of what life was like in this time, the instability and terrors facing women, and how they had to be master manipulators and schemers just to survive. So far the only book by PG I thought was disappointing was The Other Queen (storyline was way too repetitive.) Now on to The Red Queen...
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
3.0 out of 5 stars
The White Queen,
By Joyce Jameson "Traveller" (Toronto, Canada) - See all my reviews
This review is from: The White Queen: A Novel (Hardcover)
If you like English history and have a lot of patience, this is the book for you. I was quite disappointed with the slow pace of the story - too much detail and not enough action. However, it provided a nice overview of the Wars of the Roses and showed the unstable government that people had to live under. I'd recommend it to avid Gregory fans - or history buffs.
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