My review of The White Queen by Philippa Gregory

About the book:

Philippa Gregory presents the first of a new series set amid the deadly feuds of England known as the Wars of the Roses.

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. 

My review:

This book was easy to read and held my interest. I had a lot of interruptions so it took longer than usual to finish, but that was by no means due to story. The characters were solid and believable. After watching The White Queen on Starz (three times) I decided to buckle down and read the book. I loved story as much, if not more than, the others (Red Queen, White Princess, etc. that I've read previously.)

Philippa has a way with words that brings scenes to life. She writes with a dignity that is refreshing because she doesn't need to infiltrate the stories she writes with sex in order to truly entertain. The book followed the made-for-TV series closely. The mini-series was based on her novels about the Tudors and Plantagenets. I've been fascinated by the Cousins' wars (War of the Roses) for years. The brutality of power and the fear that infiltrated their minds and hearts made it a tough time to live in. All stories set in Medieval England fascinate me. I would highly recommend this book to historical fiction lovers- especially those who find the 1400 -1550s intriguing.

The White Queen was published by Touchstone Books and released in August 2009.