The White Queen
I had the amazing pleasure of being able to read Philippa Greggory's Counsins' War series while being in England. I even got the chance to visit York as well as tour the Tower of London, which only made this book more real to me.
I am completely in love with the way that Philippa Gregory brings history to life. Not only that, but she is able to make women who lay at the margins of history to the forefront of the story in a way that makes them strong, ambitious, gentle, loving, and real. Her portrayal of Elizabeth Woodville had me amazed and inspired by a young widow who fell in love and became Queen of England. I was touched by the love she showed for her husband, her children, and her family. But I was also wary about her ambition, and at times I was downright angry with the way that she so willingly risked everything and ignored her children's wishes in order to get what she wants. She does not seem to have been a woman who was worried about making enemies. It is both admiral and frustrating.
The White Queen is, in my opinion, the best love story in the whole series. I truly believe that Elizabeth and Edward were in love and they never gave up on one another. Yes, their relationship is also the most passionate and physical, but there is a deep love that flows through the pages of the book, and I'd like to believe that this was true of the real royal couple. And I think it must have been since he chose to publicly announce their marriage and make her queen in spite of all of the problems that might bring. Do I think that she had a stronger influence over her husband than anyone else? Probably, but I do not think that she controlled him as so many of her contemporaries must have believed.
This book, and most of the series, plays with the idea of magic and powerful women, exploring the ways that people at the time would have dealt with and explained women like Elizabeth. I find it really interesting to see the way that Philippa Gregory weaves this into the narrative. These novels are so empowering and wonderful, and they have given me a whole new appreciation for the Wars of the Roses and for women in Late Medieval England.
Whether you like history or romance, or even fantasy, this book is worth reading. Philippa Gregory's prose is wonderful, and she makes history so rich that it's easy to forget how limited the information on these women truly is.
I am completely in love with the way that Philippa Gregory brings history to life. Not only that, but she is able to make women who lay at the margins of history to the forefront of the story in a way that makes them strong, ambitious, gentle, loving, and real. Her portrayal of Elizabeth Woodville had me amazed and inspired by a young widow who fell in love and became Queen of England. I was touched by the love she showed for her husband, her children, and her family. But I was also wary about her ambition, and at times I was downright angry with the way that she so willingly risked everything and ignored her children's wishes in order to get what she wants. She does not seem to have been a woman who was worried about making enemies. It is both admiral and frustrating.
The White Queen is, in my opinion, the best love story in the whole series. I truly believe that Elizabeth and Edward were in love and they never gave up on one another. Yes, their relationship is also the most passionate and physical, but there is a deep love that flows through the pages of the book, and I'd like to believe that this was true of the real royal couple. And I think it must have been since he chose to publicly announce their marriage and make her queen in spite of all of the problems that might bring. Do I think that she had a stronger influence over her husband than anyone else? Probably, but I do not think that she controlled him as so many of her contemporaries must have believed.
This book, and most of the series, plays with the idea of magic and powerful women, exploring the ways that people at the time would have dealt with and explained women like Elizabeth. I find it really interesting to see the way that Philippa Gregory weaves this into the narrative. These novels are so empowering and wonderful, and they have given me a whole new appreciation for the Wars of the Roses and for women in Late Medieval England.
Whether you like history or romance, or even fantasy, this book is worth reading. Philippa Gregory's prose is wonderful, and she makes history so rich that it's easy to forget how limited the information on these women truly is.
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