The White Queen

Thursday, May 27, 2010 Posted by Soraya Zainal
I better made this post quick before the accessibility to Blogger.com is lost again.

First of all, sorry for the missing post last week. I was busy with work and also with my personal matters. Huhu.. no excuse, but I know I had the effort :P

I was supposed to update this blog with a book review last week, The White Queen by Philippa Gregory. This is the third book I read from her. The other two was the famous The Other Boleyn Girl and The Other Queen. As I was always fascinated by the England royal family fictions, when I saw that book on 50% sale on Popular.. I bought it on a whim.



I expect the book will always be as its predecessor in the Tudor series, full with dark secrets(as Natalie Portman's character), backstabbing, incest and hopelessly devoted female (as ScarJo's character). I was so wrong.

The Cousin's War is a much better read than the Tudor series.

In one week time, I have re-read the book twice. While this book have been reviewed as the "nearest" Philippa ever get to sticking to the real history, I feel the book have a strong female leading character that did not make me feel "Owh, jahatnye die ni". It was fascinating, and I can feel it really happened at that particular times. Of course, there was the forbidden magic and the power of good witches.. but, I can accept that plot better than the evil queen plot.

I am bad at writing a book review, but if you are interested to know more about the book you can read it from this site http://www.philippagregory.com/thewhitequeen/twitter/ as the author have rewritten the book in twitter style and you can get the gist of the books in about 100 clicks or more :P

I love her writing because she can make the most polite conversation hurts.. Such as these in The Other Boleyn Girl.

"Good Evening , Sir John. I hope that you will accept a little gift from me.'
I should be honored, Your Majesty.'
I want to give you a little carved stool from my privy chambers. A pretty little piece from France. I hope you will like it.'
I should be grateful.'
It is for your daughter. For Jane. To sit on. She seems not to have a seat of her own but she must borrow mine."
— Philippa Gregory (The Other Boleyn Girl)

That was how Philippa portrayed how Queen Anne Boleyn's dialogue with the father of Jane Seymour to stop his daughter from flirting with her then husband, King Henry VIII. Before the queen was beheaded, of course.


"Jane,' I said quietly.
She opened her eyes, she had been far away in prayer.
Yes, Mary? Forgive me, I was praying.'
If you go on flirting with the king with those sickly little smiles, one of us Boleyns is going to scratch your eyes out."
— Philippa Gregory (The Other Boleyn Girl) 

..and this is how the queen's loyal sister warn Jane Seymour for the same cause. Heheh... I wish I was that articulate when I curse my exes infidelity :P


P/s: I will try to collect all her books as soon as my pocket permits :D




Some people loves when I wrote on MultipleEyes, they say they love this side of me that is capable of writing other than about my hate and anger. But, some of my loyal readers (loyalkah?) from my personal blog feels that I have lost my touch. But, seriously people... how can I write about my own negative feelings when I am contented and happy with my own life?
Labels:
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)