Product Description

The first in a stunning new series, The Cousins War, is set amid the tumult and intrigue of The War of the Roses. Internationally bestselling author Philippa Gregory brings this family drama to colourful life through its women, beginning with the story of Elizabeth Woodville, the White Queen The White Queen tells the story of a common woman who ascends to royalty by virtue of her beauty, a woman who rises to the demands of her position and fights tenaciously for the success of her family, a woman whose two sons become the central figures in a mystery that has confounded historians for centuries: the Princes in the Tower whose fate remains unknown to this day. From her uniquely qualified perspective, Philippa Gregory explores the most famous unsolved mystery, informed by impeccable research and framed by her inimitable storytelling skills.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #167 in Books
• Published on: 2009-08-18
• Released on: 2009-08-18
• Binding: Hardcover
• 400 pages

Review
'Gregory has again given the past the kiss of life'
--Daily Express, 7 August 2009

'This fast-paced and incident-packed read vividly recreates the deperate times of the Wars Of The Roses; all murder and strategy, passion, betrayal, castles and long, sweeping dresses. Of [Elizabeth] Woodville herself, Gregory makes a fascinating heroine; strong, ambitious, vengeful, beautiful and tinged with more than a hint of witchcraft. Popular history at its best.'
--Daily Mail, 21 August 2009

Review
`Robust, unpretentious and rather shamefully compelling'

About the Author
Philippa Gregory was an established historian and writer when she discovered her interest in the Tudor period and wrote the internationally bestselling novel The Other Boleyn Girl. Now she is looking at the family that preceded the Tudors: the magnificent Plantaganets, a family of complex rivalries, loves, and hatreds. Her other great interest is the charity that she founded nearly twenty years ago: Gardens for The Gambia. She has raised funds and paid for 140 wells for the primary schools of this poor African country. A former student of Sussex university, and a PhD and Alumna of the Year 2009 of Edinburgh University, her love for history and commitment to historical accuracy are the hallmarks of her writing. She lives with her family on a small farm in Yorkshire. She welcomes visitors to her site www.PhilippaGregory.com

Customer Reviews

Historical Intrigue
This is my second Philippa Gregory book after reading The Other Queen and I found it very intereresting, compelling reading. It explores a story behind one of British history's most enduring and famous mysteries - the missing princes in the Tower of London. The White Queen herself is a very ambitious woman (Elizabeth Woodville) who is also incredibly beautiful - she uses her beauty to capture the heart of the newly crowned boy king. She marries him and becomes royalty. As she then battles with tenacity to retain her position it is her two sons that become the central figures - there is the fictional link to the princes in the tower. The White Queen does bring the period to life and I welcome more books like this that raise questions from history and stir an interest in the general public. { Steve Horsfall does the same with the thriller Full Story Inside, which includes a link to the skeleton of a baby in Edinburgh Castle - another enduring mystery }. I am now looking forward to the other books in this series.

Underwhelmed
That's about the only word I can come up with to describe my feelings. The White Queen is the first in a new series Gregory is writing based upon the Plantagenets and the Wars of the Roses - or The Cousins War as she calls it. The book begins as a widowed Elizabeth Woodville waits on the side of the road with her two young sons to plea for her dower lands from Edward IV. Several years younger, Edward is captivated and must have her - but Elizabeth holds out for a wedding ring and gets it. Elizabeth is crowned queen and immediately goes about getting the best positions and marriages for her relatives, which earns the enmity of just about everyone else. The story continues as Edward battles with Margaret of Anjou and the deposed Henry VI, as well as his treacherous brother Clarence and Warwick, The Kingmaker, and finally culminates at the death of Edward IV (that's known history, no spoilers here), and his brother Richard ascends the throne. That's really about all I want to tell you about the plot. If you're familiar with the period you know the basics and if you're not it's way too complicated to try and put it all into a review.

I found the writing overly repetitive to the point that I felt like I was being clubbed over the head. Whether it be the first chapters where she keeps referring to twenty-two year old battled hardened Edward as a "boy" (counted it at least six times on one page), to the locket with the names written in blood, as well as the ever present and over bearing references to her ancestor Melusine - I got the point the first time. Outside of the first few chapters at the beginning of their relationship I didn't pick up much chemistry between Edward and Elizabeth - they should have sizzled right off of the pages and instead they fizzled. But worst of all was the magic and spells cast by Elizabeth and her mother, whether you buy it or not I found the casual way everyone in the book treated it more than just a tad bit unbelievable. It's just another day in the park and I'll whistle up another storm to thwart my enemies. I think with all the people who hated her someone would have had her tried as a witch.

One last minor nitpick and thanks to some readers at another site who spotted this - one of Elizabeth's palaces is Nonesuch (or Nonsuch). Google that and you'll find that it was built by Henry VIII. Oops. I am recommending this one only for die-hard Gregory fans, you're better off reading Penman's fabulous Sunne in Splendour. If you're not sure get it from the library first. Glad I did.

The White Queen
Before I begin I do want to say the book I read was an uncorrected proof so the story I read may be subject to change. Saying that though, if it is changed by anyone they must be mad!

There is no way I'm giving any of this books plot or story away! It is brilliant full stop. It's written by Philippa Gregory. Who wrote some others I've read in the past and wasn't too sure about like, The Favoured Child and The Other Boleyn girl. BUT this one was brilliant. The fact that it rained for a couple of days which forced me inside to read, did me no harm either,

This book follows the Princes in the tower and is a fantastic murder mystery and one that has genuinely gone unsolved for hundreds of years.

As I said I will not give even the slightest allusion as to the story line or what happens. All I will say is don't literally judge this book by the cover. I wouldn't have thought a murder mystery set the thick end of 600 years ago would have been my kinda thing, I couldn't have been more wrong.

I wouldn't recommend sitting down and reading it in 2 or 3 sittings as much as you may want to, make it last, think of it like a fine wine or 30 year old single malt treat yourself, some books I read are the literary equivalent of big dumb action movies, others are more like dramedy, drama/comedy. This is like the 3hr BBC costume drama that everyone watches only to be later surprised that they like it.