Through Alison’s exceptional articulation, she opens our eyes to their pivotal contributions, their daily trials, their subtle voices, their ambitions, and their societal limitations.īefore reading Alison’s latest book Elizabeth of York The Last White Rose my knowledge of Plantagenet history was sparse and confined to a rather complicated board game I received as a child, called Kingmaker which allowed players to fight out the War of the Roses by choosing characters and picking a side, be it the White Roses (the Yorks) or the Red Roses (the Lancasters) and through strategy and battles you fought for the Crown (and little tip here, you always needed the Earl of Warwick to win!) I was utterly fascinated by this game and the names and roles of its cast of characters and it inspired my reading choices as I grew older. For me, Alison is masterful at marrying factual history with insightful, intuitive, and imaginative fiction, allowing her readers to inhabit the lives of remarkable, resilient, regal women whose vital roles in our past all too often have been relegated to the margins and footnotes of the past we are taught. I literally clapped my hands in glee and anticipation, how could I not! History fans everywhere (my self included) are already enamoured with Alison’s skill at reanimating and reimagining our Tudor heritage, with her extensive knowledge and in exquisite detail. When as a lover of historical fiction, I heard that Alison was embarking on a new series of books the Tudor Rose Trilogy.

Now Elizabeth must choose her allies – and husband – wisely, and fight for her right to rule Marriage to this Henry Tudor would unite the white rose of York and the red of Lancaster – and change everything. But another claimant seeks the throne, the upstart son of the rival royal House of Lancaster. Then her uncle seizes power – and vows to make Elizabeth his queen. Two young princes are murdered in the Tower. But when her beloved father, King Edward, dies suddenly, her destiny is rewritten. Eldest daughter of the royal House of York, Elizabeth dreams of a crown to call her own.

The spellbinding story of Elizabeth of York, the first Tudor queen.Īn English Princess, born into a war between two families. My review is based on my experience of the book and any thoughts expressed here are solely mine alone.

Thank you to Anne Cater, Random Things Tours & Headline for my gifted copy and for having me on the blog tour for this book. Available: 12th May 2022 in Hardback, eBook & Audiobook

Elizabeth of york the last white rose