[Book Reviews] Elizabeth of York: The Last White Rose/The Golden Prince – Alison Weir

Elizabeth of York: The Last White Rose

[Book Review] Elizabeth of York: The Last White Rose – Alison Weir by Roachie’s Reviews @laurajroach
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Elizabeth of York: The Last White Rose

Author(s): Alison Weir (author), Balbusso Twins (cover illustrators)
Publisher: Headline
Publication date: May 2022

AN ENGLISH PRINCESS, BORN INTO A WAR BETWEEN TWO FAMILIES.

Eldest daughter of the royal House of York, Elizabeth dreams of a crown to call her own. But when her beloved father, King Edward, dies suddenly, her destiny is rewritten.

Her family’s enemies close in. Two young princes are murdered in the Tower. Then her uncle seizes power – and vows to make Elizabeth his queen.

But another claimant seeks the throne, the upstart son of the rival royal House of Lancaster. Marriage to this Henry Tudor would unite the white rose of York and the red of Lancaster – and change everything.

A great new age awaits. Now Elizabeth must choose her allies – and husband – wisely, and fight for her right to rule.

I am by no means a history buff but I am fascinated by the Plantagenet and Tudor dynasties. Alison Weir produces, in my opinion, by far the best historical fiction on these eras and I was so happy to be approved on Netgalley for her forthcoming book Henry VIII: The Heart and the Crown. Since this is the second book of a trilogy, I started off with Elizabeth of York: The Last White Rose.

Most historical fiction I’ve read in the past has featured Elizabeth of York as a side character and it was refreshing to get her perspective from childhood, including her family dynamics, the death of her father, and eventual marriage to Henry Tudor (Henry VII).

What I found most compelling about this book is Weir’s portrayal of the passage of time. There is a particular point in Elizabeth’s childhood where she has taken sanctuary in a monastery with her mother and siblings, and is there for some time. During this part of the book, I really felt like they’d been there a long time. That’s not to say the book was slow or dull in any way, it was simply the slowing down of the narrative to reflect the enclosed, trapped situation the characters found themselves in.

Elizabeth’s character development was nothing short of brilliant. She had autonomy and drive; I felt her emotions with her, particularly during times of heightened anxiety. It was easy to understand the fears she lived with, particularly during the Perkin Warbeck years and her doubts as to whether this man was really her brother or not.

Between these two books, Weir has released a short story called The Golden Prince, which is from the perspective of Prince Harry’s (Henry VIII’s) wet nurse, which brings books 1 and 2 of The Tudor Rose series together. I have to confess this one wasn’t for me, potentially because I wanted more from a short story than it was able to provide.

That being said, Elizabeth of York: The Last White Rose is a brilliant piece of writing by Weir and I can’t wait to get stuck in to Henry VIII: The Heart and the Crown.