The White Queen
A 15th
Century Plantagenet Novel of Suspense
Philippa
Gregory
Touchstone (Hardcover)
ISBN-10: 1-4165-6368-7 (1416563687)
ISBN-13: 978-1-4165-6368-6 (9781416563686)
Publication Date: August 2009
List Price: $25.99
Synopsis (from
the publisher): 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.
Review: Philippa
Gregory creates a thrilling historical adventure tale that includes a
still unsolved mystery of two missing princes in The White Queen, the first in the
War of the Cousins (or War of the Roses) series.
The White Queen covers a
21-year period in the life of Elizabeth Woodville. Married at a young
age to Sir John Grey, she was soon a widow after Grey was killed
fighting for the Lancastrian Cause. The battle was against the Yorkist
Cause, for which young Edward IV had just been crowned King. This civil
war is recorded as the War of the Cousins, but is also popularly
referred to as the War of the Roses since a red rose represented the
Lancasters and a white rose the Yorks. Elizabeth marries Edward in
secret, but their union does nothing to unite the country. As Elizabeth
is now the wife of the King, who represents York, she becomes known as
the White Queen.
During this turbulent period, Elizabeth and Edward IV have 10 children,
including two sons, the eldest of which, Edward V, assumes the throne
at only 12 years of age on his father's death. He is quickly overthrown
by his uncle, Richard III, who declares Edward IV's marriage to
Elizabeth invalid, their children illegitimate. Edward V and his young
brother Richard disappear behind the forbidding walls of the Tower of
London, never to be seen or heard from again.
Henry Tudor of Lancaster eventually overthrows Richard III, but the War
of the Roses isn't over. Each has been promised marriage to the eldest
daughter of Elizabeth and Edward IV, ensuring that Elizabeth will be
Queen Mother to the throne.
The White Queen can be
read from many perspectives, all of them rewarding in their own way.
The history seems to be meticulously researched, the narrative replete
with details that add depth, interest, and authenticity to the story.
It is also a love story, often told with a great deal of poignancy.
Finally, there is the fate of the two young princes who were taken away
from their mother, and whose disappearance to this day remains shrouded
in mystery. The author crafts an intriguing and plausible story to
explain what may have happened, but of course, the truth may never be
known. The White Queen is an
exceptional novel and is highly recommended.
Special thanks to guest reviewer Betty of The Betz Review for contributing her review of The White Queen and to Wiredset for providing a copy of the book for this review.
Review Copyright © 2009 — Hidden Staircase Mystery Books — All Rights Reserved
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Mysteries in this series ...
The White Queen
Touchstone (Hardcover), August 2009
ISBN-10: 1-4165-6368-7 (1416563687)
ISBN-13: 978-1-4165-6368-6 (9781416563686)
Omnimystery keywords for The White Queen ...
Location(s) referenced: London, England.
