Title: The White Queen

Author: Philippa Gregory

Genre: Historical Fiction

Publisher: Touchstone

Format: Paperback

Pages: 408

Rating: 5/5 stars

*Warning: mature content. Parents please be advised.*

Synopsis:

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.

With The White Queen, Philippa Gregory brings the artistry and intellect of a master writer and storyteller to a new era in history and begins what is sure to be another bestselling classic series from this beloved author.

Review:

Here is the first book I read in March!

I absolutely loved this book! I like how Gregory took one tiny aspect of history and just ran with it!
Not much is known about the life of Elizabeth Woodville, as there aren’t much in the records. She eventually became Queen of England when she married Edward IV, who was a York claimant to the throne during the War of the Roses. The book followed her marriage to the King, and how they had to continue to fight for their claim. As always, Gregory took a couple rumours of history and spun an intricate tale of love, loss, and fighting for what you think is yours!
One aspect that is interesting is the inclusion of magic in the book. A lot of the time, women were accused as witches if they came across as too powerful, and Elizabeth represented just that! She believed herself to be descended from the water goddess, Melusina, and therefore had the power of sight, as well as ill wishing! This was an interesting aspect to include in the book!
I love this period in history, and I really want to read the rest of the books in this series!

Happy reading!