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3.71 AVERAGE
3.71 AVERAGE
informative
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Fairly middling book for me I’m afraid. It follows the life of Elizabeth Woodville the famous wife of Edward VI and towards the later part of the book her sons the missing princes in the tower. I knew a fair bit about Elizabeth Woodville and the War of the Roses and was looking forward to a contemporary novel about them but was left disappointed.
It felt really clunky particularly in the early stages of the book it was just another battle after another. I did enjoy the added element of witchcraft and the story of Melunisa. I did feel Gregory missed an opportunity here to do something more thought provoking.
It was informative and a good introduction to history. Average book.
It felt really clunky particularly in the early stages of the book it was just another battle after another. I did enjoy the added element of witchcraft and the story of Melunisa. I did feel Gregory missed an opportunity here to do something more thought provoking.
It was informative and a good introduction to history. Average book.
adventurous
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
So this was one of those exceptions when I actually saw the mini-series before reading the book. I have to say that The White Queen was spot on and faithful to the book. This was my first Philippa Gregory book and was not disappointed. I love how she made a history lesson fun by adding fictional elements of magic. This Queen Elizabeth was amazingly complex and I loved that she combined practicality and love. Always best when it works out that way. It's funny to think that a widowed mother of two of common birth could become a Queen when a couple hundred years later the whole institution would have fainted dead away had the King suggested such a union. Now, she did not live in feminist times by any means, but Elizabeth was certainly a driving force of her won destiny.
emotional
informative
relaxing
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
This book kick started my feverish interest in Medieval history!
I had heard about the mother of the princes in the tower, the woman who married a king for love....I had attempted a biography of her but it was really dry and a bit boring. Although this a a fictional portrayal of these events, it's so rich in detail and information that it's a great starting point for learning, or just a great read.
Elizabeth Woodville, the impoverished widow, marries the king for love, and live through the violent and complicated Wars of the Roses.
For those interested in the historical side of things, Gregory presents an alternative idea of what might have happened to the princes in the tower, and a decent version of Richard III too.
The reason I gave this 4 instead of 5 is the whole witchcraft story line. I know Elizabeth Woodville was accused of witchcraft but the idea of spells and curses altering the course of history bugged me a little bit.
Other than that, a great novel, and a great way to get introduced to this fascinating time period.
I had heard about the mother of the princes in the tower, the woman who married a king for love....I had attempted a biography of her but it was really dry and a bit boring. Although this a a fictional portrayal of these events, it's so rich in detail and information that it's a great starting point for learning, or just a great read.
Elizabeth Woodville, the impoverished widow, marries the king for love, and live through the violent and complicated Wars of the Roses.
For those interested in the historical side of things, Gregory presents an alternative idea of what might have happened to the princes in the tower, and a decent version of Richard III too.
The reason I gave this 4 instead of 5 is the whole witchcraft story line. I know Elizabeth Woodville was accused of witchcraft but the idea of spells and curses altering the course of history bugged me a little bit.
Other than that, a great novel, and a great way to get introduced to this fascinating time period.
informative
relaxing
slow-paced
adventurous
challenging
emotional
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
This quickly turned into a slog. Lots of grandiose statements: my family is so powerful nobody can touch us, wait, someone is plotting against us (no shit), I will get revenge, my family has a touch of water goddess and that means I can do witch craft and need to mention her and my abilities ad nauseam. I get it.
I had to give up on this book. It was so incredibly dull! So many names, and she married him, and he married her blah blah. I love history, and especially the War of the Roses a and the Tudors, but I didn't find there was a novel in this book, just a timeline - which I can get from a nonfiction book and with more depth. I understand that she couldn't change stuff as it really happened, but there was no passion, no characters.