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3.71 AVERAGE
3.71 AVERAGE
emotional
informative
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I love the story of the war of the roses and this is a good but boring tale of a part of history we already know. I wish this book was better, it needs to be faster. I so want to read the full series but i don't know
I have to say that The White Queen was a pleasant surprise. I've been a fan of Gregory for some time now and have been disappointed with her recent publications. This novel, however, was really quite good! She's jumping into an earlier period, that of the Plantagenets, and has returned to her earlier writing style, which I find vastly superior to what she did with her later novels such as The Boleyn Inheritance and The Other Queen. Elizabeth Woodville was a fascinating woman and Gregory paints a much more sympathetic picture of this ill-fated Queen than her contemporaries tend to do. Elizabeth Woodville certainly deserves more credit than she received/s. Sadly, the medieval misconception that she practiced the dark arts with her mother besmirched her character for most of medieval England and this has, for some reason, carried down to modern day. Bottom line: she got a bad wrap, as did most other powerful, intelligent and beautiful women in medieval and early modern Europe (Ann Boleyn, Catherine de Medici, etc.). I'm very excited to see what other Plantagenet characters she covers. I'm thinking she may have to go backwards as she ended The White Queen just before Tudor usurped the throne. My only complaint is how she ended this one. I felt Gregory should have just told all of Elizabeth's story. There wasn't much left to it by the time she ended the book anyway...
Gregory is back and this is one pleased historical fiction fan!
Gregory is back and this is one pleased historical fiction fan!
Having an interest in history but not knowing a lot, this book was very well-written for me. In these kinds of stories it can be tough to keep people straight, especially with so many of the same names, but the author does a great job at helping the reader keep them straight - - constantly giving little tidbits of background when a name is mentioned to remind you which Edward or Richard etc. she is speaking about. I am definitely interested in continuing this series, and also do want to read the series for which this series is a prequel.
Overall, this book was pretty good but I didn't find it as engaging as the other Philippa Gregory book that I've read (The Other Boleyn Girl). I thought the story started off well but towards the end it seemed a bit plodding, a bit like the author was just trying to get all the details in.
I don't have any background in the War of the Roses so I can't comment on the accuracy of the historical accounts (although the author mentions in her notes at the end that this work contained more fiction than many of her other novels due to the lack of historical documents available from this time). I will admit that it can be extremely difficult to keep track of all of the Richards, Edwards, Georges, Margarets and Elizabeths but the author does a good job of clarifying which character is being referred to.
I think if you enjoy English history and have enjoyed other Philippa Gregory novels that you'll enjoy this book. I think I will add the second book in the series, The Red Queen, to my to-read list.
I don't have any background in the War of the Roses so I can't comment on the accuracy of the historical accounts (although the author mentions in her notes at the end that this work contained more fiction than many of her other novels due to the lack of historical documents available from this time). I will admit that it can be extremely difficult to keep track of all of the Richards, Edwards, Georges, Margarets and Elizabeths but the author does a good job of clarifying which character is being referred to.
I think if you enjoy English history and have enjoyed other Philippa Gregory novels that you'll enjoy this book. I think I will add the second book in the series, The Red Queen, to my to-read list.
It took me awhile to get into this book, but it generally takes me a while to get into a Philippa Gregory anyway. Still a great read.
I just couldn't get in to this book. I skimmed so many pages just so I could move on.
I truly enjoyed going back to my days teaching Shakespeare; however, my hormones made me too sensitive to all the violence and war! Hopefully I'll pick it up again.
This historical fiction novel is narrated first person through the person of Elizabeth Woodville. She is an extremely interesting protagonist having lived first in an aristocratic family, then being secretly married to the King and rising to become Queen of England. King Edward IV and she face numerous challenges to their rule and Elizabeth bravely faces loss and uncertainty later in life. She is a fiercely protective mother and calculating player in the struggle for power.
With The White Queen Philippa Gregory has once again has taken the facts she found in her research and spun a fast paced tale of intrigue and suspense. I was appalled by the mistrust and constant turn of loyalties, cousin against cousin, brother against brother, throughout the novel. The hunger and thirst for the control of the monarchy is unrelenting and all consuming. The mystery of the missing princes remains largely unsolved, but a plausible theory woven into this novel.
Incorporating the legend of Melusina and magical powers adds a bit of fantasy to this tale. I gave it **** for being well written and always interesting. I was continually wondering… now what’s going to happen????
With The White Queen Philippa Gregory has once again has taken the facts she found in her research and spun a fast paced tale of intrigue and suspense. I was appalled by the mistrust and constant turn of loyalties, cousin against cousin, brother against brother, throughout the novel. The hunger and thirst for the control of the monarchy is unrelenting and all consuming. The mystery of the missing princes remains largely unsolved, but a plausible theory woven into this novel.
Incorporating the legend of Melusina and magical powers adds a bit of fantasy to this tale. I gave it **** for being well written and always interesting. I was continually wondering… now what’s going to happen????
adventurous
informative
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
A solid installment in the series. Gregory has a masterful way of intertwining history and fiction into a gripping narrative.