Book Review: The White Queen by Phillipa Gregory

Summary: 

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.

Review: 
My favorite thing about reading historical fiction is learning something new.  When I used to think about the royalty of England, I never thought about the constant struggle they endured to stay on the throne.  

The White Queen tells the story of King Edward, who was a member of the York family,  and the battle between the Yorks and the Lancasters for the throne. The families claiming ownership of the throne were, of course, very prosperous landowners.  The battles for the crown involved the families requiring the people who lived and worked on their land to fight for them.  Whoever could raise the biggest, best army won.  I can't believe I never knew or thought about this issue before!

The White Queen is told in the first person, which I just love, and is not as difficult a read as I expected.  I started and finished it on the way home from Destin (a seven hour trip).  It was just what the doctor ordered to break me out of my reading slump!  I would recommend this book to anyone.

Just One Gripe: 
The names.  There were several names used over and over (Richard, Thomas, Elizabeth, Edward, Henry, etc) and it became difficult to keep the characters straight.  This was not Philippa Gregory's fault, as this novel is based on historical facts, but it was confusing at times.  

The Best Thing About This Book: 
The narrative, the writing style, the development of the romance, I loved all of it.  I think my favorite thing is how Gregory weaves the legend of Melusina into the lives of Elizabeth and her relatives.

Appropriate for a younger audience: 
Yes

Score: 

Characters:  5/5

Plot: 5/5

Setting/Imagery: 5/5

Originality: 5/5

Ending: 5/5

Total Score:  25/25