The White Queen

June 29, 2009
The queen of British historical fiction (The Other Boleyn Girl
) kicks off a new series with the story of Elizabeth Woodville Grey, whose shifting alliances helped the War of the Roses take root. The marriage of 22-year-old Yorkist King Edward IV to 27-year-old widow Elizabeth brings a sea change in loyalties: Elizabeth's Lancastrian family becomes Edward's strongest supporters, while Edward's closest adviser, the ambitious earl of Warwick, joins with Edward's brother George to steal the English crown. History buffs from Shakespeare on have speculated about this fateful period, especially the end of Edward and Elizabeth's two sons, and Gregory invents plausible but provocative scenarios to explore those mysteries; she is especially poignant depicting Elizabeth in her later years, when her allegiance shifts toward Richard III (who may have killed her sons). Gregory earned her international reputation evoking sex, violence, love and betrayal among the Tudors; here she adds intimate relationships, political maneuvering and battlefield conflicts as well as some well-drawn supernatural elements. Gregory's newest may not be as fresh as earlier efforts, but she captures vividly the terrible inertia of war.

With the success of THE OTHER BOLEYN GIRL, British author Philippa Gregory has become wildly popular in the U.S. It's easy to see why in her latest heady mix of history, romance, and political intrigue as she teases apart the tangled skeins of the War of the Roses. Bianca Amato creates a powerful and compellingly believable Elizabeth Woodville, the commoner who married King Edward IV whose reign is most known for the disappearance of her two sons from the Tower of London. Amato captures Elizabeth's growing strength of purpose as she learns to play the game of court life and delivers a heartfelt portrayal of Elizabeth's fierce passion for her family's advancement and protection. D.G. (c) AudioFile 2009, Portland, Maine


Historians may endlessly debate the fate of the two princes who disappeared from the Tower of London during the War of the Roses. Gregory creates an enjoyable story that focuses on their mother, Elizabeth Woodville, and her relationship with King Edward IV. Narrator Susan Lyons's regal, self-possessed voice easily engages listeners throughout this story of conspiracies and murder, with its recurring focus on the water goddess Melusina. Lyons strategically uses brittle, harsh tones to express Woodville's fear and anger at the ever-growing dangers surrounding the eternal battles for control of England. Ultimately, it is Lyons's use of warmer tones as she portrays Woodville's genuine love for her family that brings the first novel in Gregory's newest series to life. A.R.H. (c) AudioFile 2010, Portland, Maine