THE WHITE QUEEN

Historians may endlessly debate the fate of the two princes who disappeared from the Tower of London during the War of the Roses. Gregory creates an enjoyable story that focuses on their mother, Elizabeth Woodville, and her relationship with King Edward IV. Narrator Susan Lyons's regal, self-possessed voice easily engages listeners throughout this story of conspiracies and murder, with its recurring focus on the water goddess Melusina. Lyons strategically uses brittle, harsh tones to express Woodville's fear and anger at the ever-growing dangers surrounding the eternal battles for control of England. Ultimately, it is Lyons’s use of warmer tones as she portrays Woodville's genuine love for her family that brings the first novel in Gregory's newest series to life. A.R.H. © AudioFile 2010, Portland, Maine [Published: APRIL 2010]