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 her steely determination, seduces and marries the charismatic warrior king, Edward IV of York.
The Wars of the Roses. 1455-1485
The sleeping King Henry VI was manipulated by both his powerful wife the Queen Margaret of Anjou and his over mighty nobles. A challenger to these 'evil' Councillors in the form of Richard Duke of York sparked years of conflict between the two houses of Lancaster and York as they battled for the crown.
As a big fan (and student) of the Wars of the Roses I was really excited to read this book as Queen Elizabeth (Woodville) and her husband King Edward IV were really key players in the conflicts. It is said that "Behind every great man there is a great woman" and that rings very true through this tumultuous time in history. For every King that took the throne and every challenger to his reign, there was an equally powerful woman beside them and it's from this interesting perspective that Phillipa Gregory has written these amazing books.
Elizabeth Woodville as a character instantly won my sympathy as a young widow determined to win back the inheritance of her two small boys. However she was by no means a weak character. Gregory portrayed Elizabeth as a strong woman who knew exactly what she wanted and was prepared to take any steps necessary to get it. A fiesty, determined woman who let nothing get in her way. She approached the new warrior King, Edward IV for whom her deceased husband fought against to ask for his help. From that moment on she is caught up in the danger surrounding the throne of England and is pushed to the very end of her determination to survive.
Filled with mystery, magic, love and bloodshed, history is really brought to life and the historical basis to the books makes them a gripping and valuable read for anyone with an interest in the history of England and the early-modern period.
I give this book a 5 out of 5 and would really encourage you to read it.
These books by Phillipa Gregory are incredibly easy to find at the moment thanks to the popularity of the historical drama The White Queen based on two of the books in the series (The White Queen and The Kingmaker's Daughter) which is also definitely worth watching! (Although it's worth noting that the BBC iplayer suggests you should be 16+ to watch it due to some of the *ahem* scenes)
