Weekly Reader Philippa Gregory Edition: The White Queen (The Plantagenet and Tudor Court Series Vol. II) by Philippa Gregory; Engaging War of the Roses Read From The Point of View of Queen Elizabeth Woodville

Weekly Reader Philippa Gregory Edition: The White Queen (The Plantagenet and Tudor Court Series Vol. II) by Philippa Gregory; Engaging War of the Roses Read From The Point of View of Queen Elizabeth Woodville




By Julie Sara Porter

Bookworm Reviews

Spoilers: Chances are if you watched Game of Thrones or read George R.R. Martin's series, A Song of Ice and Fire, then you are familiar with The War of the Roses also known as the Cousin's War. This period in English history was the springboard for the epic fantasy series about several rival families, particularly the Lannisters and the Starks vying for the Iron Throne.

In real life two families, the Lancasters and the Yorks, vied for the English throne. The two families both had roses for their emblems-red for Lancaster and white for York. They battled for years with much bloodshed between cousins, siblings, and friends many who turned their coats for whoever was on the winning side. While the war ended temporarily when the Yorkist King Edward IV won the throne, it didn't officially end until the marriage of Lancaster-backed Henry Tudor AKA Henry VII to Elizabeth of York. The two ascended the throne as king and queen creating the Tudor dynasty culminating in the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. Philippa Gregory captures that tumultuous time with her second chronological book in the Plantagenet and Tudor Court Series (but seventh written in general and first in the Cousin's War portion of the series), The White Queen.


The White Queen is among the best of the series because it has one of the most fascinating protagonists: Elizabeth Woodville, wife of King Edward IV.

We meet Elizabeth Woodville right where Lady of the Rivers left her off as a war widowed mother facing poverty and about to directly ask King Edward for protection even though she is from a Lancaster supported family. She appears under an oak tree, dressed in her finest gown, and stands in front of the riding king to solicit his help. Impressed by her nerve and beauty, Edward not only agrees but is attracted to her. She is attracted to him as well, but she's no fool. She refuses to to acquiesce to being his lover (after all Edward's reputation with women is rather well known), so Edward does the next best thing: proposes marriage and she accepts.

This was historically accurate that Edward wed Elizabeth Woodville shortly after meeting her and stunned the people by marrying a commoner with Lancaster ties. It is one of those plot points that would be so unbelievable if it weren't so true. However, Gregory provides us a few plausible explanations why the two married in such haste.

The first is Elizabeth's character. When Edward attempts to sleep with her, she refuses then threatens to stab herself if he assaults her. Edward recognizes her strength of character and her fearlessness as seeing the king as an equal and not a superior. He realizes that she would not only make a good wife, but a powerful ally in her own right.

The other reason is a bit more fantastical. As we remember from Lady of the Rivers, Elizabeth is descended from Melusine, a water spirit from Breton legend that was half woman half-sea creature. Elizabeth and her mother, Jacquetta have inherited Melusine's abilities which include casting spells and curses and having psychic premonitions called the Sight. The mother and daughter practice these abilities in secret and one of those spells involved making the handsome king protect her in any way possible. Obviously, that included marriage. This storyline plays into the accusations against Elizabeth Woodville for witchcraft. Gregory's plot plays with the possibility that there might have been some truth to the rumors.

Unfortunately, after Edward and Elizabeth marry, she makes some powerful enemies: Richard Neville, Duke of Warwick AKA “The Kingmaker”, who helped Edward get the throne and George, Duke of Clarence and Edward's spiteful younger brother. Their hatred for Elizabeth increases when Edward promotes her brothers to key positions and marries her sisters off to wealthy noblemen putting Elizabeth's family, the Rivers, into power. Elizabeth is aware of the tension that exists between herself, Warwick, and George but she does not act on it until the duo betray Edward for the Lancaster king, Henry VI and kill Elizabeth's father and brother.

Elizabeth is an interesting multi faceted character. Even when she is put into sanctuary temporarily when Henry VI becomes king again (and gives birth to her son), she is never at a loss for a plan. She keeps ties with others including Margaret Beaufort, mother of Henry Tudor, a Lancastrian backed noble. In a true example of keeping enemies closer, Margaret once served as Elizabeth's lady in waiting, a fact neither forget as they work together to vanquish other enemies eventually including Edward's younger brother, Richard, later Richard III who legend would call “The Wickedest Uncle,” but history shows him as more nuanced than many believe just like everyone else in this book.
Elizabeth also solicits help through unlikely sources such as Elizabeth Shore, her husband Edward's mistress who acts as courier between Elizabeth and her allies.

Elizabeth knows when to speak up such as declaring that her brother, Anthony will train her son, Edward the future heir. She also knows when to be silent as she has a vision of Edward, her husband, and his brothers, George and Richard murdering Henry VI in the Tower of London. Elizabeth keeps silent justifying that the mentally ill silent king may not have been a threat but he was her husband's enemy therefore hers.

Elizabeth will do anything to protect her family. When her father and brother are killed, Elizabeth sends a curse to Warwick and George. She sees this curse fulfilled when both men are violently killed. She is also protective of her children as shown in her moments with Princes Edward and Richard before their uncle Richard III sends them to the Tower of London where they will enter infamy as the “Princes in the Tower.” Gregory gives some provocative theories as to their deaths and identities and how Elizabeth is determined to ensure their survival even if she is not physically present.


However Elizabeth is a very flawed character. Nowhere is this more evident than when she is in sanctuary after her husband's death and her brother-in-law, Richard’s ascension. As she is in hiding with her daughters, Elizabeth makes some reckless decisions like trusting the wrong people and is filled with vengeance when she learns her sons may be dead.

Left alone, she hits her son's killer with a curse that their family line will die out without a male issue on the throne until a barren female takes power. (History proves her right.) Her curses and decisions become more unhinged and ruthless to the point that her daughter, Elizabeth of York, accuses her of caring more about the throne than her own family. Elizabeth Woodville becomes a woman driven by rage and vengeance because that's all she has left.

The White Queen is among the best books in the series because it makes Elizabeth Woodville a compelling character who is a doting mother, a cunning schemer, a vengeance driven monster, and a strong woman of power all in one.