The White Queen by Philippa Gregory
- Historical Fiction -
reviewed by Amanda
borrowed paperback from my mom
Links
Author’s Website : http://www.philippagregory.com/
Amazon : hardback / paperback / eBook
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This book in 6 words:
Another fabulous book by Philippa Gregory
Why did I read this? And am I glad I did?
I have read many other historical fiction books by Philippa Gregory and loved them. So when my mom gave me this book, I didn’t hesitate to read it. I am glad I did. History has always fascinated me, and Gregory has an ability to make the past come alive. Also a note on the book order: this is apparently the first book about the “cousins’ war” though other than The Red Queen to be released later this summer, I am not sure of the exact order, as a third book seems to be in the works about the mother of the main character in The White Queen. And there is also the possibility of yet another book about one of the White Queen’s daughters. Does anyone else know more about this?
Brief Summary
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.
via Amazon.com
Plot/Pacing/Writing Style
The most striking aspect of the writing style for me was the use of the 1st person present tense narrative. I found the present tense awkward at first, but as I got drawn into the book, it wasn’t such a big issue. In some ways, I feel like the use of the present tense allows you to break down the distance of time; you are right there with everyone. The pacing was decent, as was the plot, though I felt a little cut off at the ending; when I finished the book, I felt like there should have been another chapter for me to read. Though I suppose there IS more for me to read, just in another book.
Characters
There is only Elizabeth Woodville. There are other central characters in this book, but it is dominated by Elizabeth. I took an instant liking to Elizabeth that somewhat dissipated by the end of the book. In some ways, my interest was transferred from Elizabeth to other characters, like her daughter, which could just be my personal reaction, or the author’s intention: if I am interested in what happens to Elizabeth’s daughter by the end of this book, I am bound to read The White Princess, when it is released. I also loved the little bit of witchcraft/magic that was intertwined in this book, and Elizabeth’s mother is an interesting character worth the extra mention.
Recommendations
If you have read and liked other historical fiction novels by Philippa Gregory, then you have to read this one. If you like historical fiction, but haven’t read a Philippa Gregory book yet – get to it! 
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I haven’t read much (or really any…) historical fiction, but I think this would be something I’d like. I’ll definitely be getting this from the library.
I love historical fiction and this one sounds good, I’ll add it to my list. Thanks for the awesome review!
Tara, you should try it! I love reading about kings and queens and royalty in general.
I like PG but I am always either really loving or hating her books. She has to be the most inconsistent writer I know. I am glad this one is good and The Red Queen isn’t far behind right? I will have to read this one now
Felicia, The Red Queen is due out in the beginning of August I believe.
I haven’t read a lot of historical fiction lately, but I used to love it. I still enjoy it, but I seem to have swung over to more paranormal romance/urban fantasy, lol! But I have read a few Philippa Gregory books, and I think she’s a great author!
Cynthial11, if you love historical fiction, you should like this one.
Natalie, whenever you need a break from paranormal romance/urban fantasy, then I would recommend a Philippa Gregory book!
Yes! Another good one from Ms. Gregory! I just love her books, though I haven’t started on this series. I have read probably 5 or 6 of her books and loved every single one of them! She’s addictive.
Mrs. DeRaps, this is the first in the series… I wish I would have known that before I read it. Not that it really makes much of a difference, I suppose. I’ll probably have to read the next books.
Except for Gregory’s “The Other Queen” book I absolutely loved them. I recommend them highly to anyone who likes historical fiction. I just got my ARC of The Red Queen” and a copy of “The White Queen”. As the review results were from one extreme to the other on TWQ, I’m glad to see that you loved it. Plan to start it tonight and jump right into TRQ. Gregory has an amazing way of making history come to life and I was so hoping this series would be no exception.
I love the way you did this review and even though I haven’t read historical romance in years I think I might have to look into Gregory’s books. Thanks!
My mother gave me “The White Queen” and “The Red Queen” to read and I couldn’t put them down. They are both excellent books. I was looking up the history About the Tudor family and Henry the 7th and Henry the 8th as I was reading the books. Ms. Gregory is spot on with the English history. I did not realize how far back the Tudor family went in English history. I also did not realize the meaning of the Tudor rose. Very good books and I cannot wait for the 3rd book in the series to be published. “The Other Boline Girl” is another good book of Ms. Gregory’s which follows the line of history in the 2 queen books.