Plantagenet Princess, Tudor Queen by Samantha Wilcoxson is specifically about the life of Elizabeth of York.
This is a fabulous novel depicting the "under-the radar" details of a lesser-known important character in English History. The Daughter of Edward IV, niece to Richard III (and most likely perhaps more, however we will never truly know HOW much more), wife of Hendry VII (Henry Tudor), and mother to Henry VIII. A pivotal character in history, yet glossed over for her famous male counterparts.
Wilcoxson does an excellent job making sure that this fictional novel of her life is as historically accurate as possible and gives readers a glimpse of how difficult and trying her life truly was.
One has to sympathize in regards to the many losses she experienced (the Princes in the Tower), loss of her parents, her uncle (first love?), and the difficult marriage she was forced to consent to with Henry Tudor (and dealing with his overbearing mother Lady Margaret Beaufort, and the loss of 2 children (not including the last child that ended in the death of Elizabeth herself.
One has to be inspired by her perseverance in all that she lived through and overcame.
The author paints this picture perfectly and encourages the reader to dive in and search out more information in regards to WOR and the Tudor dynasty.
I give this book 5 stars.

Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to read this book in return for an honest review.

Honestly, I’ve never given any thought to the history of England from 1470 to 1503. And prior to reading this book, my knowledge of the Tudor monarchy was limited to documentaries that I’ve watched about the infamous Henry VIII and his many wives. This historical novel gives a fascinating glimpse of the life of Elizabeth of York, the first Tudor queen and mother of Henry VIII.

Elizabeth was portrayed as a kind, lovely person and I enjoyed spending time with her. In the world that she lived in, when a man’s word was law in his home and the king’s word was law in England, she achieved an amazing balance – yielding when possible without becoming a passive pawn in the cruel political games that surrounded her. She extended all of the compassion and kindness that it was in her power to give and then she left the rest to God.

Some portions of the novel truly transported me to another time, another place, another world. Other portions seemed as though they had been copied and pasted from a history book and, although I admire the historical accuracy of the novel, those passages seemed rather dry and lacking in good storytelling.

Both the third person narration and the dialogue were written in modern language and, although anachronistic, I think this was an excellent choice. After all, who would want to read a book filled with dialogue such as the following (I lifted this passage from a book by Thomas Malory that was published in 1485): “Wherefore make ye such dole?” said the lady. “I wot not,” said Pellinore, “but my heart mourneth sore of the death of her, for she was a passing fair lady and a young.”

I'm looking forward to reading the rest of this series.

Thanks so much to NetGalley and BooksGoSocial for a digital advance review copy in exchange for my honest review.

Note: this review is based on an ARC from Netgalley.

"Plantagenet Princess, Tudor Queen" is a historical novel of the life of Elizabeth of York. As a rabid fan of historical fiction, I was excited to read this take on Elizabeth. My feelings after the book are mixed, though, and it really depends on the author's intent.

If the book's intended audience is closer to middle school, the book is fine. It's a capable retelling and where the author is required to make interpretative decisions with the past, nothing is particularly egregious, I'd say. At worst, smaller me would've been annoyed at how fast the book moves, with time skips and chapters amounting to a few pages. There isn't a lot of characterization to speak of, the language is clean, and adult topics are kept politely off-stage from the reader.

If the book's intended audience is to sit among historical fiction for adults, though, I'd say it needs work. In particular, the lack of deep characterization and the speed of the plot movement gives the book a shallow, simple, flat feel. Occasional shifts from our main point of view (Elizabeth's) just underline our lack of attachment to the characters, because there seems to be nothing substantially different between the minds of different speakers. This is frustrating because there are moments where if the author had paused more and developed her scene further, thinking more visually about setting vs. just dialogue, we could have had a richer experience. I sometimes think of written works like baked goods, and if so, this is just a few steps above newly formed (delicious) dough. (Yes, I'm hungry. What of it?) Bottom line: There's something good that come of this, but I just don't see it on the pages as-is.

I'm obsessed with all things royal history. So this book spoke to me immedaitely. I didn't know much about Henry VIII's family (his mother and father basically). Thsi book delves into the relationship between Elizabeth and Henry from the beginning when he took the crown from Richard. Even though thrown together for political purposes, Elizaveth came to love her husband, even while grieving her former love Richard and her possibly murdered brothers in the tower.

The book moved quickly through Elizabeth's life, and even touched on maybe a little bit of post partum depression after one of her children are born. It shows her trying to remover herself from her mother's shadown and also fight for attention with her new husbands mother, who continued to grasp for power. It also touches on Henry growing up. It read like an exciting history book, and I lvoed learning more.

Plantagenet Princess, Tudor Queen is a surprisingly two-dimensional story of Elizabeth of York. I approached it knowing that Elizabeth of York was a compliant, pious woman, and was left with exactly the same feeling as I turned the last page. I would have expected to 'know' more about her by the end of the book than I did at the beginning, but this was not the case.

The story follows Elizabeth's life from her being in sanctuary as a four-year-old (and a very precocious one at that, who says things that no four-year old I've ever known has said) until her untimely death.

I am not doubting the amount of research that has gone into this book but I do believe the characters could have been given more 'life' to them. Even Henry's mother, Margaret Beaufort, is strangely muted. I was left feeling underwhelmed.

A firm 3/5 in appreciation of the research.

This book covers a LOT of history, and the author did a great job of pulling together the entire story of Elizabeth of York. I really enjoyed this book. The story moved along at a good pace, and the characterizations were well done.

This is well-written historical fiction, suitable for both young and older readers. It does a good job of humanizing a period of history that can feel very far removed from us today. It describes the life of Elizabeth of York, princess and queen of the late 1400s, member of the waning Plantagenet royal family, and eventually wife and mother of the emerging Tudor house. I felt so indignant at some of the aspects of life that these people took for granted... the battles, the executions to prevent other claimants to the throne, the idea that kings ruled by divine right and had the right to play God with the lives of their subjects...but me taking umbrage at all that and still managing to have a sympathy for the woman who feels she has to submit to all of it, was how I knew the book was well written.

This is a story about Elizabeth of York and how she became Queen. It is beautifully told. I highly recommend this book to fans of historical fiction.

I would like to thank Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book free of charge. This is my honest and unbiased opinion of it.

Plantagenet Princess, Tudor Queen is easy to read historical fiction about Elizabeth of York, mother to Henry VIII. She's not often the subject of historical fiction, being somewhat sublimated to her famous son, but she's worth a book, and the book is worth a read!

Plantagenet Princess, Tudor Queen starts when Elizabeth is very small (around 4 years old) and covers her entire life.. the war of the roses, the famous battle on Bosworth Field, the birth of her children, her marriage, everything. It's well written and an enjoyable read.

Princess Fuzzypants here: Elizabeth of York is one of the most fascinating women in a time ripe with fascinating men and women. First she is the daughter of a King, Edward IV and then the niece of a King, Richard III. As fond as she is of Richard, even she has doubts whether he might have if not murdered at least ordered the murder of her two younger brothers. The Plantagenet family had been tearing each other part during the War of the Roses seemingly with no end in sight.

After Henry Tudor defeated Richard, he becomes King with an even more tenuous grasp on direct lineage than many others. Elizabeth is the best possible solution for the divisions as the daughter of York but wife of Lancaster, forming the new line of Tudor. She expected little from her marriage and the love that grew between them surprised them both.

This was not to say there were many times when they were in conflict, none so great as when Henry felt forced into dealing harshly with her extended family members. She had suspicion throughout her life that he might have had a hand in the execution of her brothers. Yet, despite rifts that might have torn them apart, they seemed to be able to reconnect, even when she went on an arduous journey while pregnant. She desired to know the truth and she did discover it although neither Henry nor his malevolent mother would know.

A kindly and thoughtful woman of great beauty both inside and out, the people loved her and she softened Henry. She was the matriarch of the Tudor Dynasty. They lost much when they lost her.

The book provides a fair glimpse into the characters who moulded history, painting with many colours and lots of shades. No one is black or white and there is an empathy for the people who often had to wend their way through treacherous waters, often just trying to survive. As much as a historical fiction can, it gives an insight into the humans whom we seek to understand.

I give it five purrs and two paws up.

4 stars

This is a great book about Elizabeth Woodeville (eldest daughter of King Edward IV), a Plantagenet princess who becomes the wife of King Henry VII. Elizabeth has decided to put aside the hurts of her past, the deaths of her father Edward IV, brothers, and other relatives to marry Henry Tudor who some think doesn't deserve the throne.

There are those who feel that since he had very little “real” royal blood, he didn't deserve the throne and those who believed that since he won the throne on the battlefield he was not fit to become king. But Henry and Elizabeth surprisingly turn out to have a loving and devoted marriage and Elizabeth comes to love him in spite of the rumors and turmoil that surrounds the his reign.

The book shows that Elizabeth's mother, another Elizabeth, was a scheming and volatile woman. It shows a side of Henry that I hadn't read about before. Or perhaps I never considered it, but have read that they had a loving relationship. Henry's mother Margaret Beaufort was a very controlling woman and managed to get her own way most of the time.

While the book mainly focuses of Elizabeth, the reader meets many other people in Elizabeth's life: Henry, her cousins, her sister Cecily, her mother and her father and other relatives and those who played a major part in the War of the Roses. We see Elizabeth grow from a naive and too trusting girl to a woman not only of incredible beauty, but she matured to have a remarkable sense of self possession.

The book also discusses the War of the Roses and its major players and how the Plantagenet's played a part. It discusses how Henry finally triumphed over the unrest and put an end to the War of the Roses. Another underlying theme is what happened to the princes in the tower. It has long been speculated that Elizabeth's uncle King Richard III had them put to death, but the evidence has not yet been uncovered to prove that. Perhaps it never will be and this shall remain one of the unsolved mysteries of history.

Ms. Wilcoxson has certainly done extensive research in writing this book. The descriptions she draws with words are clear and beautifully drawn. It is a very easy and enjoyable read. This is my first Samantha Wilcoxson novel for I have relied mostly on Alison Weir and Hilary Mantle for my readings about the Tudor period. It won't however, be my last. I immediately went to Amazon to look for other books of hers and was pleased to see that this book is one of a series.

I want to thank NetGalley and BooksGoSocial for forwarding to me a copy of this most enjoyable book for me to read, enjoy and review.

PLANTAGANET PRINCESS, TUDOR QUEEN by SAMANTHA WILCOXSON is an historical novel in which the author has rounded out the characters' personalities without in any way changing the historical truth. The story is very well told and the characters are believable.
It is obvious that the author has done a great deal of research into the life of Queen Elizabeth, the first Tudor queen, and she is seen here as a devoted and loyal wife to the man she never wanted to marry, a loving mother, sister and friend. She was the daughter of a king, but was humble and caring, not wanting to draw attention to herself although she was incredibly beautiful. She was by nature a peacemaker.
We see what life was like in fifteenth century England, with, not only the poverty of the lower class, but also the dangers of having royal blood and the lack of freedom for those who were otherwise privileged. It was a world of conspiracy, war and bloodshed, plague and death, into which Elizabeth brought her children.
For anyone who enjoys historical fiction this book is a must read!
I was given a free copy of the book by NetGalley from BooksGoSocial. The opinions in this review are completely my own.

Historical fiction is an ever popular genre and in the last 20 years it can be argued, certainly in the UK that it has reached its zenith with such writers as Hilary Mantel, C J Sansom and Alison Weir. Combining known facts, the author's interpretation of the facts together with the imagining of what might have happened and have been said, done well it will give the reader both an entertaining read and an increase level of knowledge that they may now use to seek out further information of the subject and characters portrayed. A welcome addition to this genre is the American writer Samantha J Wilcoxson who has produced a series of books in the The Plantagenet Embers series.

In the Plantagenet Princess, Tudor Queen the author looks at the life of Elizabeth of York whose marriage to Henry Tudor was instrumental in uniting the country and ending the War of the Roses that had torn the nation apart. This is to say the least a complicated story with the continual fighting for supremacy between the Houses of York and Lancaster together with internal fighting within the respective Houses and the continual shifting of the loyalties of noblemen between them. However the author will navigate the reader through this tortuous tale of ever changing alliances and Machiavellian intrigue.

It must be said that the central premise of the book regarding the identity of the person chiefly responsible for the murder and disappearance of the "Princess in the Tower" goes against the general presumption that they were killed by King Richard but there is enough doubt and ambiguity to add credence to other claims. Although of course it is the author who propagates their theory into their fictional account of true events it is ultimately up to the reader to check other sources and come to their own conclusion.

The style of writing is certainly most readable and this book is an entertaining read from beginning to end and it is clear that a considerable amount of research would have been undertaken. Without doubt after reading this book one is most tempted to seek out other historical fiction titles that have been penned by this author.

Plantagenet Princess, Tudor Queen, Samantha J Wilcoxson

Review from Jeannie Zelos book reviews

Genre: Historical fiction

Sometimes I want a break from Romance, from Fantasy, and then I take a dip back in history. With these reads, as with most fiction I enjoy, I need to feel that events could have been real,. I hopefully get drawn into the story so I'm almost part of it, instead of a detached observer.
This story did all that and more, I really felt for the characters, wondered about events, even knowing British history so I had an idea of what would happen.

Samantha has stuck broadly to facts well known, but put her own interpretation on them. Thus all UK kids learn about King Richard putting his nephews into the Tower and that they disappeared, but we never really know, even now, if they died, escaped, were murdered, and if so by whom. Samantha has an interesting and plausible take on that.

The Tudors – books generally focus on Henry V111, but we're a bit earlier here, starting with his mother and her story from childhood. We see firsthand ( well, fictionally first hand) the trials her family went through, princesses in hiding, then out in the open and then frequently back in hiding or in Sanctuary for their safety. It was a tumultuous period, with different factions vying for the throne, each gathering their own support and some pretty bloody battles. Families were never really secure, knowing that through battle they could be deposed at any time...

I enjoyed seeing Elizabeth grow, marry, have children and seeing figures I know as adults in history, Henry and Arthur, it was interesting seeing them as children. I enjoy reading about lesser known figures from history such as Elizabeth, and the childhoods of more well known people.

An excellent read, had me swept up in the story, worrying for the families, and feeling sad for the girls who were married off as political pawns, and the boys who faced imprisonment or execution if there was a change of king. Tough times to be Royals.

Stars: five, a great historical read, that drew me in and made me feel “there” with the characters.

Arc via Netgalley and publishers

Thankyou to NetGalley, BooksGoSocial and the author, Samantha J Wilcoxson, for the opportunity to read a digital copy of Plantagenet Princess, Tudor Queen in exchange for an honest and unbiased opinion.
I love this era of history, which is the reason I jumped at the chance to review this book. I had not come across this author before, so I was quite interested to see how she would go.
I thought the book was very well written. The atmosphere, the historical characters, the scenery! I felt like I had been transported back in time and was watching the life of Elizabeth of York unfold. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and will be keeping a watchful eye out for more from this author. 4.5 stars.
Well worth a read.

Overall I enjoyed this tale, which was historically pretty accurate (with a few fictional stretches by the author that could not be proved either way). Elizabeth was a Plantagenet princess, living in sanctuary with her mother as the Tudors tried to take over the throne from Richard III. After the Battle of Bosworth, Henry Tudor becomes king and Elizabeth is betrothed to marry their erstwhile enemy, in the name of uniting the houses of York and Lancaster.

Her mother, and mother in law, are incredibly strong women, and Elizabeth comes over initially as a meek and pliable princess, but eventually she does build her confidence and makes her marriage work, although she can never quite shake off her suspicions about who was responsible for the deaths of her brothers - the Princes in the Tower.

The story is well told, with one exception. It is clear the author is American, as a number of Americanisms sneak into the text - for example 'fall' instead of 'autumn' is used several times, along with a number of anachronisms that would not have been used in speech in the fourteenth century, nor would they have been understood. This is a shame, as it jars the reader out of the story.

Over all the story is good, and the poetic licence doesn't really stray from one might have been, even if it's rather unlikely to be real, such as Elizabeth's relationship with her uncle Richard.

You are drawn into their lives, and feel part of the early Tudor court. The author obviously can't resist giving young Henry (VIII) some characteristics that were well documented in his later life - again, it's impossible to dispute at this distance. The fact that we know what happens to the characters doesn't detract from the tale - it is sensitively written and very readable.

Thank you to NetGalley and BooksGoSocial for allowing me access to the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

An excellent novel of the life of Elizabeth of York, daughter of Edward IV, niece of Richard III, wife of Henry VII, and mother of Henry VIII. She was the visible embodiment of the end of the War of the Roses.

I liked that it was a novel instead of a biography because it made the people more alive. It read quickly and was just delightful.

I really enjoyed this book. Well researched and it was great to that it did not show HenryVII as the total villain many books make him out to be. Perfect for any lover of Tudor history of the war of the roses

The story of Elizabeth of York, daughter of Edward IV and later wife to Henry VII, the first Tudor King. Also the mother of Henry VIII. In this historical fictional account of her life we are at the end presented with an answer to who killed the princes in the Tower.
An enjoyable read of what is probably a lesser known Queen.

Truly well written, well researched historical fiction about Elizabeth of York. As the mother of Henry VIII, Elizabeth was exposed to the heartless War of the Roses, pitting cousin against cousin for control of the English throne. A strong woman, Elizabeth lived her life mostly on her own terms, despite the controlling men in her life.