The White Queen- Philippa Gregory BOOK REVIEW

"1464. Cousin is at war with cousin, as the houses of York and Lancaster tear themselves apart...
...And Elizabeth Woodville, a young Lancastrian widow, armed only with her beauty and steely determination, seduces and marries the charismatic warrior king, Edward IV of York. Crowned Queen of England, surrounded by conflict, betrayal and murder, Elizabeth rises to the demands of her position, fighting tenaciously for her family's survival. Most of all she must defend her two sons, who become the central figures in a mystery that has confounded historians for centuries: the missing Princes in the Tower."

This is the third book I have read of Gregory's Woman from War of Roses collection, however, this was the first in the series so I've done them a bit back to front, but as I said in my other reviews (the RED QUEEN and the KINGMAKER'S DAUGHTER) it doesn't matter which book you read first or last because they follow the exact same story just told from different points of view.

This is the story of Elizabeth Woodville who literally came from the bottom of the heap to being crowned Queen of England. I personally believe that in the TV show on BBC she is shown really very poorly because in the book she is far more a human with emotion rather than a Queen of ice like she is portrayed in show. In the book you get to really see things from Elizabeth's point of view; I am not saying that she wasn't a determined woman who certainly knew how to persuade her husband, but she certainly wasn't the villainous witch that she is portrayed as in the show and the other two books.

Her main priority is to have boys so that the House of York have heirs after her husband; she does this well and has two healthy boys. Not only does she have two boys she also has six healthy girls (she gives birth to another boy and girl who die shortly after birth or in their early years). So after she has done her duty as a wife her main concern is to make sure that her princes get on the throne and that the girls marry well and maybe become queen's themselves.

They always say that a mother's fury is something to be beckoned with and I truly believe that everything she did after she had her children was to keep them safe, but also to make sure that she had an heir on the throne. She certainly wasn't going to give that one up easily and she literally stages rebellions from sanctuary which despite being unsuccessful showed everyone that she wasn't going to simply give away her throne.

In both the book and the show they talk about Elizabeth being a witch and possessing the Seer quality. Do I think this is real or fake? Well no one knows for sure (and before you say "oh magic isn't real" well since you have no proof that it isn't real I will not accept that it isn't). Either way it is a gift that her daughter Princess Elizabeth her eldest daughter, also had. This created some very interesting theories and plot in the book which made her character seem all the more interesting. Its hard to say whether her curses really worked or if it was all just coincidence but either way it gives Elizabeth Woodville an air of mystery.

I'd obviously recommend reading this series, so far my favourite is still The Kingmaker's Daughter, but this is a close second. I am currently on the last but one book in the series The Lady of the River's and once the White Princess is out in paperback I will review that for you as well.

4/5 STARS

The Red Queen- Philippa Gregory BOOK REVIEW

“1453, Heiress to the red rose of Lancaster, Margaret Beaufort is a strikingly pious child. Saints’ knees he stigmata, she has a fierce and unwavering sense of destiny, if not a nun, then she’ll be Queen of England and sign her name Margaret Regina: Margaret R.

Still a girl, Margaret is sent to a loveless marriage in remote Wales. There she gives birth to a son whom she names for the King, he cousin Henry VI of England, who is sinking into madness. Determined to put her Henry on England’s throne, regardless of the overwhelming power of the York dynasty, she sends him into exile and pledges him in marriage to the daughter of her enemy Elizabeth Woodville.

Meanwhile, devoted in her belief that her House is the true ruler of England, Margaret feigns loyalty to the usurper King Richard III and masterminds one of the greatest rebellions of all time.”

Before reading the book but watching the TV show I have come to the conclusion that Margaret is slightly mad. Driven by her belief that it is God’s will to put her Henry on the throne. She is as the blurb states in a loveless marriage at the start and an even less so one later on, married only for personal gain and a place in court.

After reading the book you can’t help but feel so sorry for Margaret Beaufort. She was a disappointment to her mother because she was a girl and not a boy, she is given a betrothal when she is only 6 and gets re-betrothed when she is 9. She is only 12 when she finally marries and is a widow at 14 after carrying her husband’s child. Then to make matters worse she is made to re-marry to Henry Stafford and forced to give up her child. Well, I don’t know about you but my childhood certainly wasn’t that bad. Her mother is wicked woman and an absolute beast; I just simply cannot understand how a mother can have so little love for her child. It must have really sucked to be a girl in Margaret’s time, to never have a say in your life, but instead it be all to do with your parents and later your husband is a completely horrendous thought.

She continues to be told what to do throughout her life but she always holds on to the unwavering sense that she is doing the will of God, she believes that he speaks to her. She will stop at nothing to get her son on the throne of England. She even marries to get a place in court so as to get her closer to getting her boy on the throne. She is a very strong, pious woman.

I didn’t enjoy this book as much as the Kingmaker’s Daughter purely because of the amount of battle and I felt as if Margaret kept repeating herself about the will of God, which of course is supposed to happen because that is what she lives for and is the main plot line and her driving force behind everything she does, but I did find it getting a little bit trying. If anything I am more intrigued to read about ‘The White Princess’ Elizabeth Woodville’s daughter, which is due to be released sometime in August. She seems to be a rather significant figure in both of the books towards the end of them and I’d like to find out more about her.