York versus Lancaster

‘The White Queen’ – Philippa Gregory

Internationally bestselling author Philippa Gregory brings the tumult and intrigue of The Wars of the Roses to vivid life through the women of the House of Lancaster and the House of York, beginning with the story of Elizabeth Woodville, the White Queen. A woman who won the love of a king and ascended to royalty by virtue of her beauty, Elizabeth fought tenaciously for the success of her family — her daughter who would one day unite the warring dynasties, and her two sons whose eventual fate has confounded historians for centuries: the Princes in the Tower. An active player in the power struggles that surrounded her, she made hard and courageous choices, always trying to protect those whom she loved. Informed by impeccable research and framed by her inimitable storytelling skills, Philippa Gregory gives an unforgettable voice to an extraordinary woman at the heart of a devastating conflict.

I have had this book on my shelf for so long, getting my hands on it after watching the television series. However, as I soon learnt, Gregory’s book is one of a series and they all start to interweave one another. Result? Feeling a bit overwhelmed, this novel has been pushed to the back of my pile and it was through my reading challenge that I felt like it was high time I jumped in, feet first, to read this historical story.

So, now I have finished it, I can’t help but wonder why I didn’t pick this up sooner. I loved this well-written, immersive book that brings alive a turbulent time of British history. With the War of the Roses, I could not tell you very much at all: my knowledge of earlier English history is Stuart-based, Queen Elizabeth or, of course, the infamous Henry VIII. Gregory’s writing reminded me of Alison Weir and, whilst this was also a lengthy book, I hardly noticed because I was so drawn into the story.

With books like these, I always feel a sense of trepidation regarding the number of characters involved. Yes, there are a lot here and it doesn’t help that there are several Georges, Richards and Edwards. However, Gregory’s story-telling meant you don’t feel too overwhelmed by the different personalities: the characterisation was developed and detailed that I could easily keep track of everyone. This definitely made the book more enjoyable.

Seeing how calculating the warring families were during this time, it is a wonder there was ever peace. It is clear that the writer has done extensive research and it felt like I was learning about history but without having to read a dense textbook. Following Elizabeth Woodville and how she becomes Queen of England, she is never truly secure in her role and is constantly threatened with conflict and betrayal. The case of the missing Princes is also referred to towards the end of the story, piquing my interest in this period even further.

This book had me transported back to a turbulent England and I loved reading how loyalties were questions and suspicion was prevalent. I could not imagine living in such uncertain times and I really sympathised with how the women became pawns in the patriarchal society – used to further alliances and secure the throne.

I loved this book and it has definitely whetted my appetite for more from Gregory. I really hope to read further books in this series to extend my knowledge of this time period because it was so well-written and an enjoyable novel.

Book Bingo 2024 category completed: A book you’ve had for more than four years.