CallieMar
DIS Veteran
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- Aug 31, 2013
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5/20 - The White Queen by Philippa Gregory
From Goodreads:
Brother turns on brother to win the ultimate prize, the throne of England, in this dazzling account of the wars of the Plantagenets. They are the claimants and kings who ruled England before the Tudors, and now Philippa Gregory brings them to life through the dramatic and intimate stories of the secret players: the indomitable women, starting with Elizabeth Woodville, the White Queen.
The White Queen tells the story of a woman of extraordinary beauty and ambition who, catching the eye of the newly crowned boy king, marries him in secret and ascends to royalty. While Elizabeth rises to the demands of her exalted position and fights for the success of her family, her two sons become central figures in a mystery that has confounded historians for centuries: the missing princes in the Tower of London whose fate is still unknown. From her uniquely qualified perspective, Philippa Gregory explores this most famous unsolved mystery of English history, informed by impeccable research and framed by her inimitable storytelling skills.
This isn't as soapy as Philippa Gregory's previous novels. It reads more like a detailed historical timeline, with some witchcraft thrown in (Elizabeth's mother claims to be a direct descendant of the water goddess Melusina, and casts a few spells to turn things in Elizabeth's favor). Less gossip in the bedchamber, and more political intrigue. It's almost entirely written in the first person from Elizabeth's perspective but there are a few battleground scenes which is jarring since she was never anywhere near the fighting. And it was difficult keeping track of everyone since they all seem to be named Edward, Richard, George or Henry. I knew very little about the Plantagenets coming into this book and found it very interesting, and will finish out the series eventually.
From Goodreads:
Brother turns on brother to win the ultimate prize, the throne of England, in this dazzling account of the wars of the Plantagenets. They are the claimants and kings who ruled England before the Tudors, and now Philippa Gregory brings them to life through the dramatic and intimate stories of the secret players: the indomitable women, starting with Elizabeth Woodville, the White Queen.
The White Queen tells the story of a woman of extraordinary beauty and ambition who, catching the eye of the newly crowned boy king, marries him in secret and ascends to royalty. While Elizabeth rises to the demands of her exalted position and fights for the success of her family, her two sons become central figures in a mystery that has confounded historians for centuries: the missing princes in the Tower of London whose fate is still unknown. From her uniquely qualified perspective, Philippa Gregory explores this most famous unsolved mystery of English history, informed by impeccable research and framed by her inimitable storytelling skills.
This isn't as soapy as Philippa Gregory's previous novels. It reads more like a detailed historical timeline, with some witchcraft thrown in (Elizabeth's mother claims to be a direct descendant of the water goddess Melusina, and casts a few spells to turn things in Elizabeth's favor). Less gossip in the bedchamber, and more political intrigue. It's almost entirely written in the first person from Elizabeth's perspective but there are a few battleground scenes which is jarring since she was never anywhere near the fighting. And it was difficult keeping track of everyone since they all seem to be named Edward, Richard, George or Henry. I knew very little about the Plantagenets coming into this book and found it very interesting, and will finish out the series eventually.