Monday 3 June 2013

BBC To Go All Medieval This Summer...

The BBC is launching a new 10 part historical drama based on Phillipa Gregory's Wars of the Roses novel The White Queen. The central character is Elizabeth Woodville, wife of Edward IV so expect lots of political machinations, monumental battles and inevitably some kissing! The trailer looks pretty good...

 


I'm not sure what the book is like, SWMBO is a big WOTR fan and has read the series and says they are pretty good. It is quite strange how medieval and renaissance historical fiction is dominated by female authors (despite odd forays by the likes of Bernard Cornwell) whereas most other period tend to be male dominated (with odd exceptions mike Manda Scott). Whilst not having read Gregory's Cousin's War series I would recommend anyone wanting to read some historical fiction from the period to try Sharon Penman's excellent The Sunne in Splendour.

4 comments:

  1. Sounds like a historical version of Game of Thrones, or the Tudors with more chainmail. Could be an interesting watch.

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  2. Hmm, looks VERY interesting. Please remind us via FB when this is about to start :)

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  3. I agree about Sharon Penmans Sunne in Splendour. Excellent book - very Ricardian, but that's not a bad thing in my opinion. Woodville does not come out well in her version of events! For a very different take on the life of Edward IV read Julian Rathbones Kings of Albion.

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  4. This looks pretty interesting - of course, Australia probably won't get it until next year, worse luck!

    I've always had an interest in the period, and I read Paul Murray Kendall's 'Warwick the Kingmaker and the Wars of the Roses' years ago. Out of print now, but if you can lay hands on a copy, I recommend it heartily.

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