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A review by fangrunnins
The White Queen by Philippa Gregory
2.0
i'm being generous and rounding up in the rating because there were parts i did enjoy of this book (and because i know this will be among my favorite of her books) but there is so much i dislike about this book i cannot rate it much higher.
here's the thing: the plot is historical. that is not on gregory. what happened, happened. some characters were unberable, but i thought it made sense because that is how they were, and that is how they would have come across to elizabeth at the time. at the very least, i think it is realistic for that to be so. but the events are told so boringly. we jump from this happened to this happened at neck-breaking speed, and while i get it that it is done to cover pretty much two entire reigns (edward iv's since he married elizabeth and then all of richard iii's), it doesn't stop it from feeling too much. the execution was simply not one i enjoyed.
there are other nitpicks i could make: i didn't enjoy the writing at all time. elizabeth is not very likeable all the time (i like her most of it, but sometimes her internal monologue was unbearable). i personally don't like the idea of "yes, lets grab this actual accusation made against them of being witches and make it true" (but that falls into personal preference, and i am aware). despite all the ricardian arguments re something that happens (is it a spoiler if they are theories that have been around for centuries for an event that is, what going on half a millennium by now. i don't know. i'll err on the side of caution i suppose), it is not one i personally believe in. the foreshadowing is so heavy handed that anyone who knows a bit of history can see where it is going, and some who do not, probably will too. anyway. what can i say. i don't particularly enjoy this book - i might try my hand at a few more books by gregory but i have a feeling i will not enjoy the books. i hope i am wrong, of course.
here's the thing: the plot is historical. that is not on gregory. what happened, happened. some characters were unberable, but i thought it made sense because that is how they were, and that is how they would have come across to elizabeth at the time. at the very least, i think it is realistic for that to be so. but the events are told so boringly. we jump from this happened to this happened at neck-breaking speed, and while i get it that it is done to cover pretty much two entire reigns (edward iv's since he married elizabeth and then all of richard iii's), it doesn't stop it from feeling too much. the execution was simply not one i enjoyed.
there are other nitpicks i could make: i didn't enjoy the writing at all time. elizabeth is not very likeable all the time (i like her most of it, but sometimes her internal monologue was unbearable). i personally don't like the idea of "yes, lets grab this actual accusation made against them of being witches and make it true" (but that falls into personal preference, and i am aware). despite all the ricardian arguments re something that happens (is it a spoiler if they are theories that have been around for centuries for an event that is, what going on half a millennium by now. i don't know. i'll err on the side of caution i suppose), it is not one i personally believe in. the foreshadowing is so heavy handed that anyone who knows a bit of history can see where it is going, and some who do not, probably will too. anyway. what can i say. i don't particularly enjoy this book - i might try my hand at a few more books by gregory but i have a feeling i will not enjoy the books. i hope i am wrong, of course.