Philippa Gregory returns with a brand new series. This time, set in the less well-known Plantagenet era before the Tudors popularly known as The War of the Roses.
The White Queen introduces readers to the Cousins' War through the eyes of Elizabeth Woodville, a long forgotten (and generally disliked) York queen of England. The novel begins with Elizabeth's chance meeting with the young King Edward of York, not long after his defeat of the Lancaster King Henry. Elizabeth, newly widowed, comes to Edward with a financial plea - but ends up getting more than money in return. Elizabeth manages to ensnare the young King with her remarkable beauty, and the two scandalously and secretly marry for love without the permission of any of Edward's advisers.
When Elizabeth is finally presented at court as Edward's wife and the new Queen, the plotting and intrigue begins. Elizabeth, with the help of her Burgundy-born mother, grows from a simple and somewhat naive young woman into a masterful political plotter to navigate the wild English court. Elizabeth quickly moves to raise the status of her family through marriages and alliances while building support for King Edward's claim to the throne - but it isn't long until the old Lancaster threat returns.
Gregory's new series is a breath of fresh air. After so many Tudor-era books (and a barrage of Tudor-related fiction all over the bookshelves and the television waves) it was refreshing to read about another fascinating, turbulent period of English history that is just as engaging (if not more) than Henry VIII's infamous marriage habits. The Plantagenet period, especially the Cousins' War (or the War of the Roses) is the perfect period to pull from, due to its near-constant warfare, betrayal, intrigue, compelling characters, and, most importantly, collection of fascinating mysteries that have never quite been solved.
Gregory admits in her Author's Note that The White Queen has the most fiction of all her novels so far, primarily because the period has scant information available, but this seems to do the novel more of a service than a disservice. Gregory perfectly infuses history with fiction - there's enough history to make the story believable and even educational, but enough fiction to keep readers flipping pages with engaging characters (especially Elizabeth) that are complex and powerful. I especially enjoyed Gregory's take on the mystery surrounding the two princes who disappeared while being kept in the Tower of London. She seamlessly integrates historical fact with fictional speculation in a way that is both logical and intriguing.
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