The White Queen: A Cousin's War Novel

The White Queen: A Cousin's War Novel , by Philippa Gregory
 
Fans of historical fiction, and especially those who are enthralled with medieval England, will rejoice that Philippa Gregory has begun a new series which centers on the Plantagenets, who ruled England from the 12th through the 15th centuries. The White Queen is Elizabeth Woodville, a commoner who married Edward IV, a member of the York branch of the Plantagenets. Gregory spins Elizabeth's life's tale with all the historically rich detail and interesting writing that has endeared her to legions of readers for years. The subtitle, "A Cousin's War Novel", captures so much of Plantagenet rule over England as various branches of that royal family battled each other for control of the English throne. Yet, with her customary skill, Gregory makes Elizabeth's years as the White Queen and Edward's warring with his royal cousins in The War of the Roses come alive so well. The ending leaves one waiting for the next installment. As with her series on the Tudors, who followed the Plantagenets in ruling England, Gregory gives the reader a wonderfully entertaining and rewarding reading experience.
-Roy