Review: The White Queen – Philippa Gregory

Synopsis: Internationally bestselling author Philippa Gregory brings the tumult and intrigue of The Wars of the Roses to vivid life through the women of the House of Lancaster and the House of York, beginning with the story of Elizabeth Woodville, the White Queen. A woman who won the love of a king and ascended to royalty by virtue of her beauty, Elizabeth fought tenaciously for the success of her family — her daughter who would one day unite the warring dynasties, and her two sons whose eventual fate has confounded historians for centuries: the Princes in the Tower. An active player in the power struggles that surrounded her, she made hard and courageous choices, always trying to protect those whom she loved. Informed by impeccable research and framed by her inimitable storytelling skills, Philippa Gregory gives an unforgettable voice to an extraordinary woman at the heart of a devastating conflict.

Title: The White Queen
Author: Philippa Gregory
Publisher: Pocket Books
Pages: 438
ISBN: 9781847394644

Rating:

My brilliant friend (not sucking up here at all!) has a tendency to bulk-lend me books. Yes. I’m serious. She might as well be my personal library; my last installment of books to read totaled to 17! The White Queen was one of them.

She got me interested in reading the story after a catch up at your typical old-fashioned London pub (can’t help but love them!). We talked of life, love, jobs … and books. She had to tell me about this brilliant series she was reading by Philippa Gregory. She described it as incredible and, by the end of her 20 minute summary, I was itching to get my hands on it.

I borrowed the book about 6 months after the catch up and didn’t start it for another 8 months. I was a little put off by the cover (I despise tv-tie-in covers) and even more put-off by the tiny font … God, I sound old.

Once I finally started the book, I’m afraid I wasn’t impressed. It’s a great plot and I’ve always been intrigued by the Princes in the Tower but, I was left wanting. The writing was bland and uninspiring, and I found I just didn’t care for any of the characters.

To be honest, I preferred my friend’s version of the story. There was excitement, drama and a sense of magic in what she described (it helps that she writes for a living!). With Gregory’s version, there was just ridiculously small text.

So. I did something I’ve never done before. I stopped reading it. Queue sounds of shock and horror. Yes. I know. I quit on a book. I got over a quarter of the way through and thought: nope, not worth it. There are simply too many books to get through in the world for me to waste my time on something I’m not enjoying.

And that’s the way cookie crumbles … or whatever the saying is. Sorry Philippa, I tried really hard. It just wasn’t for me.