A poor widow, Elizabeth Woodville, is left with nothing after her husband is killed in battle, leaving her and her two sons penniless. Believing that she is meant for something greater, she sets her sights on the young King Edward of the House of York. After a short courtship, he marries her in secret and she finds herself as the Queen of England.
Queen Elizabeth is very clever, and very manipulative of the King. Despite being a nobody, she convinces the King to marry her, and sets about installing her vast family into as many important positions in court as possible. This series is written from the point of view of the women of the families, since their stories are so often ignored, and this has been done incredibly well. This book is the first in a series about the Cousin's War, between the houses of York and Lancaster for the throne of England, each family believing that it is theirs by birthright.
I love a bit of historical fiction, and Philippa Gregory's has to be some of the best in the world.
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