Elizabeth of York, daughter of Edward IV of England, sister of the Princes in the Tower, wife of Henry VII, and mother of Henry VIII, is the central figure in this novel and the women who emerges in the narrative is certainly plausible for what is known about this historical figure. I found the author's description of Elizabeth's actions and efforts between her father's death and her marriage to Henry VII the most interesting portion of the novel and made me wish more sources exist for this time in Elizabeth's life. Overall, this was an easy read and highly recommended for fans of the Tudor era. ( )

Her father seized the throne from a weak and feeble king, married a commoner and tried to unite the country. Her uncle usurped her brothers and had them killed then asked Elizabeth to marry him. She was torn, promised to a rival heir but running out of time. When she finally got her marriage Elizabeth was still having to balance politics with family.
The often told tale of Elizabeth of York is given the Weir spin in this book and is all the better for it. Above most other historical fiction writers, Weir brings a historians eye first and foremost. This means her books are based on known fact and painstakingly researched before the gloss of romance is placed on them. To this end they really are superior historical fiction and very enjoyable for that. ( )

Elizabeth of York - The Last White Rose is my sixth book by Alison Weir, and astonishingly (or not) they've all been five star reads.... including this one!

Elizabeth of York was the first Tudor queen and was born in 1466. Thanks to reading a number of books by Philippa Gregory over the years - namely The White Queen, The Red Queen and The Lady of the Rivers - I was reasonably familiar with the Houses of Lancaster and York and of course the War of the Roses. Given the number of Richards, Elizabeths and Henrys of the period, I was grateful for this foundational knowledge and able to relax immediately into the story.

The novel begins in 1470, when Elizabeth is just 4 years old and takes the reader through to her death from childbed fever (or post partum infection) in 1503. It should be noted that Elizabeth of York - The Last White Rose is a standalone historical fiction novel, and unconnected to her Six Tudor Queens series. In following her life, the novel does seem to take the same chronological structure as her Tudor Queens novels, and could easily be read alongside any of the novels I've linked in this review.

The reader gets a great sense of Elizabeth, and her portrayal by Jodie Comer in the historical drama miniseries The White Princess, in addition to Michelle Fairley's portrayal of Lady Margaret Beaufort, were both firmly in my mind as I was reading.

"I will be Queen of England! I care not whether I hang, burn or drown in the attempt, for otherwise my life is not worth living." Page 220

The novel covers the disappearance and potential murder of the two Princes in the Tower in 1483, a case from history that still fascinates historians today. The Princes were Elizabeth of York's younger brothers and I enjoyed exploring this topic in To The Tower Born by Robin Maxwell back in 2011. Alison Weir has her own take on Richard III and what transpired in the Tower of London, which is very different to Philippa Gregory's version of events. However, it should be said that a centuries old unsolved disappearance lends itself to multiple interpretations and I enjoyed Alison Weir's here.

The future King Henry VIII is one of many children born (yes, Elizabeth of York is the mother of Henry VIII) and we see him grow as a charming young boy at the periphery of this novel, only to lose his brother Arthur to the sweating sickness in 1502. When Elizabeth dies Henry is just 12 years old, so it was comforting to know what happens to him and his siblings long after the book concludes. No cliffhangers here!

As in her previous books, Weir's writing in Elizabeth of York was evocative and I managed to keep up with the various betrothals, alliances, rebellions, pretenders, usurpers, treasonous plots, royal progresses, betrayals and executions.

Researching in preparation for this review, I just learned that Elizabeth of York - The Last White Rose is the first in a new series by Alison Weir called Tudor Rose. As I write this, there are a further two books planned and the series will be about a mother (Elizabeth of York), a son (Henry VIII) and a daughter (Mary I); a series spanning three generations. I can tell this is going to be an epic series and I'm eager to keep reading. Will the next one continue the 5 star streak? Let's see.

* Copy courtesy of Hachette Australia * ( )

First Tudor Queen!

Ah! Tudor times! I’ve always been fascinated by those Tudors, tantalised by the cut and thrust and their political jousting, and the sheer ruthlessness of those who would be King, or kingmakers. After all the stakes were high.
Technically, this is a fascinating look at the life of Elizabeth of York and the plots surrounding her family as the highest role in the land is grappled for. Thoroughly researched and explained, the complexity of regal politics is well described. I must say I found the characters difficult to relate to and harder to engage with as events unfolded. The conversations between them were often stilted. The result for me? Somewhat flat and my interest flagged.

A Random House - Ballantine ARC via NetGalley ( )

I was able to finish this in two settings and it was a great read! Elizabeth of York lived an interesting life. I enjoyed the little twists that the author added to the story. The one where Elizabeth finds out about what happens to her brothers was quite interesting! As with all of Alison Weirs novels it's well written and the one thing I have always enjoyed is that she keeps the facts right but adds where it needs to but still allows it to flow well together and make sense. Really great read! ( )