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3.71 AVERAGE
3.71 AVERAGE
books is as good as first one from this series. each characters are interesting in their own way.
i feel i am already addicted to Philippa Gregory novels. and i think i feel Crown on my head
but i must say that Jacquetta of Luxembourg mother of Elizabeth, was ideal woman, wife and mother for me- brave, wise, devoted. whilst Elizabeth was ambitious and vengeful. there were too many people she cursed forgetting her mother's warnings not to use curse as it can boomerang back.
ah and her relations with husband, enormous amount of mistresses and whores of Edward IV. and Elizabeth like *no problem, he is a king* and Edward * yes honey i can have whores but i love only you *
when i remember Jacquetta and Richard love story, That was true love
i feel i am already addicted to Philippa Gregory novels. and i think i feel Crown on my head
but i must say that Jacquetta of Luxembourg mother of Elizabeth, was ideal woman, wife and mother for me- brave, wise, devoted. whilst Elizabeth was ambitious and vengeful. there were too many people she cursed forgetting her mother's warnings not to use curse as it can boomerang back.
Spoiler
i hope she really could guess who was her real enemies and save Richardah and her relations with husband, enormous amount of mistresses and whores of Edward IV. and Elizabeth like *no problem, he is a king* and Edward * yes honey i can have whores but i love only you *
when i remember Jacquetta and Richard love story, That was true love
informative
mysterious
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
funny
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
This was my first Philippa Gregory novel and I have to say it's pretty good and it's one of my favorites. A must read.
DNF at 20%, the plot set out was weak and did not capture me to continue reading.
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Elizabeth Woodville, a young widow who stands to lose everything after her husband’s death, makes a desperate move and petitions King Edward IV to restore her late husband’s lands to her as he travels the road past her father’s estate. She gets more than she dreamed of when the attraction between her and the king is instant and irresistible. The two marry in a secret ceremony and Edward crowns her the Queen of England.
But the country has been at war for too long. Threats to Elizabeth’s family and children and Edward’s throne crop up at every turn. Can she navigate the treacherous times and keep her loved ones safe?
I read [b:The Other Boleyn Girl|37470|The Other Boleyn Girl (The Plantagenet and Tudor Novels, #9)|Philippa Gregory|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1355932638l/37470._SY75_.jpg|3248536] and [b:The Boleyn Inheritance|16180|The Boleyn Inheritance (The Plantagenet and Tudor Novels, #10)|Philippa Gregory|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1409318443l/16180._SX50_.jpg|816515] by Philippa Gregory years ago and enjoyed them both. I have some understanding of England’s history under Henry VIII though and I know pitifully little about the Wars of the Roses. That lack affected my enjoyment of The White Queen a bit. There’s a family tree at the beginning but it doesn’t actually show anyone who appears in the book. I was so confused! I still don’t understand why the publisher included that family tree. It might show the beginning of the wars but it wasn’t helpful at all with this period.
There’s a fantastical element woven throughout the novel that I didn’t care for either. Elizabeth is descended from a water goddess, Melusina, so Elizabeth and her mother have magical powers. They cast spells and curses and have strange forebodings. They hear Melusina singing when someone in their family is about to die. I’m making it sound like more of a plot device than it actually was but the fact that the author included it at all bothered me. I love reading fantasy and I don’t generally mind magical realism, but these fantastical touches felt out of place in a book about real people and events.
I liked Elizabeth herself though. Just think about the courage she showed as a woman petitioning the king in person–not in court, but on the side of the road. And that’s just the beginning. When she’s queen, she makes sure to place her family in positions of power too. She learns some of the art of intrigue and dips her toes into those waters to hold onto what’s rightfully hers. The Elizabeth in these pages is a force to be reckoned with.
I did enjoy learning a bit more about this period of history. As events unfolded, I realized that Elizabeth’s sons were the mysterious “Princes in the Tower” (which I only know about because of [b:Sent|3899465|Sent (The Missing, #2)|Margaret Peterson Haddix|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1442362517l/3899465._SY75_.jpg|3944773], a middle grade book). And now that I’ve finished The White Queen, I’m curious to find out how the throne went from the Yorks and Lancasters to the Tudors. This feels like something I should know more about but as an American, England’s vast history is daunting.
Those who know more about this period in history will probably like this more than I did. The history confused me a bit but Elizabeth was a strong character whom I enjoyed reading about.
But the country has been at war for too long. Threats to Elizabeth’s family and children and Edward’s throne crop up at every turn. Can she navigate the treacherous times and keep her loved ones safe?
I read [b:The Other Boleyn Girl|37470|The Other Boleyn Girl (The Plantagenet and Tudor Novels, #9)|Philippa Gregory|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1355932638l/37470._SY75_.jpg|3248536] and [b:The Boleyn Inheritance|16180|The Boleyn Inheritance (The Plantagenet and Tudor Novels, #10)|Philippa Gregory|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1409318443l/16180._SX50_.jpg|816515] by Philippa Gregory years ago and enjoyed them both. I have some understanding of England’s history under Henry VIII though and I know pitifully little about the Wars of the Roses. That lack affected my enjoyment of The White Queen a bit. There’s a family tree at the beginning but it doesn’t actually show anyone who appears in the book. I was so confused! I still don’t understand why the publisher included that family tree. It might show the beginning of the wars but it wasn’t helpful at all with this period.
There’s a fantastical element woven throughout the novel that I didn’t care for either. Elizabeth is descended from a water goddess, Melusina, so Elizabeth and her mother have magical powers. They cast spells and curses and have strange forebodings. They hear Melusina singing when someone in their family is about to die. I’m making it sound like more of a plot device than it actually was but the fact that the author included it at all bothered me. I love reading fantasy and I don’t generally mind magical realism, but these fantastical touches felt out of place in a book about real people and events.
I liked Elizabeth herself though. Just think about the courage she showed as a woman petitioning the king in person–not in court, but on the side of the road. And that’s just the beginning. When she’s queen, she makes sure to place her family in positions of power too. She learns some of the art of intrigue and dips her toes into those waters to hold onto what’s rightfully hers. The Elizabeth in these pages is a force to be reckoned with.
I did enjoy learning a bit more about this period of history. As events unfolded, I realized that Elizabeth’s sons were the mysterious “Princes in the Tower” (which I only know about because of [b:Sent|3899465|Sent (The Missing, #2)|Margaret Peterson Haddix|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1442362517l/3899465._SY75_.jpg|3944773], a middle grade book). And now that I’ve finished The White Queen, I’m curious to find out how the throne went from the Yorks and Lancasters to the Tudors. This feels like something I should know more about but as an American, England’s vast history is daunting.
Those who know more about this period in history will probably like this more than I did. The history confused me a bit but Elizabeth was a strong character whom I enjoyed reading about.
Any book that gets you really excited about history is a great book in my opinion, and so far I have not been disappointed with Philippa Gregory's work. I especially enjoy seeing history told from a female perspective, and in this case it is Elizabeth Woodville, the woman who wins the heart of Edward of York. To marry her he defies his ally, Richard Neville --thus sowing the seeds of discord that will grow into rebellion years later. This book is full of mystery and intrigue, as Edward and his brothers vie for power, and the women use whatever means they can to advance their own cause--including prayers and/or spells. At first Edward, Elizabeth and the Woodville family ascend to dizzying heights of power and influence, however resentment against them rises and eventually threatens Elizabeth's own sons--who become the famed "princes in the tower". The author does take a lot of artistic license with this point of history, and with the inclusion of supernatural elements within the story--and some readers may feel that she stretched things too far. (This makes for a lively discussion if you choose to do this with a book group, by the way). However I do think that her vivid writing style makes history come alive in a memorable and exciting way. So whether or not you agree with how she interpreted the facts available to us, you aren't likely to forget who Elizabeth Woodville was or that she was a living breathing passionate human being after reading Gregory's depiction of her.
adventurous
emotional
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes