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The White Queen by Philippa Gregory

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boswellbaxter
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Post by boswellbaxter » Fri September 25th, 2009, 2:14 pm

[quote=""Miss Moppet""]I've bailed.


I did flip to the end to read the author's note, which I thought was very good and clear about what was fiction and what wasn't. Not that I know this period at all so I can't really judge, but from a reader's point of view it was good.[/quote]

Except that even there, she gives misinformation. Jacquetta simply wasn't convicted of witchcraft, as Gregory claims in her author's note. She was exonerated by the king's council. The document showing that Jacquetta was acquitted can be found on Google Books in the Calendar of Patent Rolls, 1467-77, pg. 190:

The duchess complains that Thomas Wake, esquire, in the time of the late trouble caused her to be brought in a common noise and slander of witchcraft throughout a great part of the realm, insomuch as he caused to be brought to Warwick to divers of the lords present when the king was last there an image of lead made like a man of arms of the length of a man's finger broken in the middle and made fast with a wire, saying that it was made by her to use with witchcraft and sorcery, and for the performing of his malicious intent entreated one John Daunger, parish clerk of Stoke Brewerne, со. Northampton, to say that there weru two other images made by her, one for the king and one for the queen, whereunto the said John Daunger neither could nor would be entreated, and the king commanded the said Wake and John Daunger to attend upon the bishop of Carlisle, the earl of Northumberland, the lords Hastynges and Mountjoye and Master Roger Radcliff to be examined, and their examination is here annexed, and in the great council on 19 January last she was cleared of the said slander, wherefore she prays that the same may be enacted of record.
Susan Higginbotham
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Divia
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Post by Divia » Fri September 25th, 2009, 7:27 pm

I think we all know that Gregory fudges her fact and her ahem ...knowledge of said facts. I just wish others wouldnt take her word as gold.
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nona
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Post by nona » Fri September 25th, 2009, 8:23 pm

I will start reading the White Queen this weekend with the best intentions.

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Miss Moppet
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Post by Miss Moppet » Sat September 26th, 2009, 1:00 pm

[quote=""boswellbaxter""]Except that even there, she gives misinformation. Jacquetta simply wasn't convicted of witchcraft, as Gregory claims in her author's note. She was exonerated by the king's council. The document showing that Jacquetta was acquitted can be found on Google Books in the Calendar of Patent Rolls, 1467-77, pg. 190:[/quote]

Thank you BB. I think not only is it misinformation, but isn't it an opportunity missed? Would there have been a hearing and would Jacquetta have had to speak up to defend herself? Could have made a dramatic scene!

Edited again to say: looking again at the document, it looks like the whole thing was set up to clear Jacquetta not convict her. So not a real trial as such. But any way you slice it the PG version is wrong.

Edited to say: Nona, I wish you luck.
Last edited by Miss Moppet on Sat September 26th, 2009, 1:26 pm, edited 2 times in total.

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nona
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Post by nona » Sun September 27th, 2009, 10:56 pm

ok I've kept up here with reviews and personal thoughts on The White Queen. I started it yesterday and well I'm not but 30 pages into and well.....I like it as a historical fantasy, in the first several pages I'm scratching my head wondering how could she know this or that and so forth. Overall though I like it though I remember to take it with a grain of salt.

pitterpatter
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Post by pitterpatter » Mon October 12th, 2009, 10:25 pm

Usually I'm a big fan of Philippa Gregory's work. I know that it's historically inaccurate but I think it can't be denied that her writing is very entertaining. I would buy one of her books on Monday and be done in a few days, it was nearly impossible to put it down.

However, I don't really have that feeling with The White Queen. I'm on page 92 now and I need someone to please tell me if I should keep going! I usually love the romance in Gregory's writing (it's my guilty pleasure) but so far, I don't quite understand how the king and Elizabeth fell in love. One page he was trying to do a not-so-nice thing to her, and the next he married her. The character development (so far) isn't exactly my favorite.

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Divia
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Post by Divia » Mon October 12th, 2009, 10:43 pm

The only reason I can think of, and its corny, was love at first sight. Well, for him it was lust at first sight, but thens he wouldn't submit and it drove him wild with um desire?

I agree not the best way to write, but I was more bothered by how many times she repeated herself.
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pitterpatter
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Post by pitterpatter » Mon October 12th, 2009, 10:47 pm

Yes! I agree with you. It seems like every page is almost identical to the page before. I really don't know whether I should keep going with this.

I wish this had a little more intrigue; since the first few pages, it's been perfectly clear where this story was going. And I know some people would say that with historical fiction, you always know what's going to happen to a certain extent, but there's always some mystery going on or something to keep you reading. Right now, I feel like there's nothing like that, nothing that keeps me wondering what will happen next.

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Divia
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Post by Divia » Mon October 12th, 2009, 11:00 pm

I enjoyed it, and the majority of people seem to like it better than her last. I'd give it a few more chapters. :) But if its super painful for ya, then you may have to pass.

Did you like the Last Queen?
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pitterpatter
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Post by pitterpatter » Mon October 12th, 2009, 11:03 pm

I think I'm going to go ahead and give it maybe a hundred more pages, and see what happens next. Maybe it'll be one of those books which has a slow start but a great ending.

Yes I loved the Last Queen. That was definitely one of those books which I couldn't put down!

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