The Woodville Women: 100 Years of Plantagenet and Tudor History

by Sarah J. Hodder

Elizabeth Woodville, queen to Edward IV and mother of the Princes in the Tower.

Elizabeth of York, daughter of Elizabeth Woodville and the first Tudor queen of England.

Elizabeth Grey, granddaughter of Elizabeth Woodville and Countess of Kildare, whose life both in England and across the Irish sea was closely entwined with the Tudor Court.

This is the tale of three generations of women, linked by their name, Elizabeth, and by their family relationship. The story begins in the reign of the great Plantagenet Kings with the life of Elizabeth Woodville and ends in the reign of perhaps England’s most famous dynasty, that of the Tudor kings and queens. Through the life of Elizabeth of York, the first Tudor queen and Elizabeth Grey, cousin to Henry VIII and Mary Tudor, we explore the Tudor court and its dealings with the Earls of Kildare.

From the birth of our first Elizabeth to the death of our last, these three women lived through wars and coronations, births and deaths, celebration and tragedy and between them they experienced some of the most exciting and troubled times in English history. Mother, daughter and granddaughter: individually they each have their own fascinating story to tell; together their combined stories take us on a journey through a century of English. 

Genres: History, Tudor Period, Nonfiction, Biography, Historical, British Literature, Womens

272 pages, Hardcover

First published October 30, 2022

About the author

Sarah J. Hodder began her career in publishing as a Production Manager for Shire Publications, but has had a love of books since childhood. She is passionate about medieval and Tudor history, her particular interest being in the lives of women.

Reviews

[A Mac · Rating 4 out of 5]

This work explores the lives of Elizabeth Woodville, Elizabeth of York, and Elizabeth Grey, three women who were influential in England’s history during the 15th and 16th centuries.

I enjoyed the author’s use of primary documents, both as sources and for direct quotes, but that she also used modern histories and research as well. I do think the quotes would have been more impactful if only portions of letters/documents were used in the original text while the remainder was summarized. The inclusion of in-text references and a list of the sources at the back was wonderful. This greatly added to the depth of the work and my confidence in the author’s writing. This work was fascinating – gaining insights into these women adds so much to European history of the 15th and 16th centuries.

While this work was about the women, the author also made sure to include plenty of context. Relevant cultural details surrounding topics such as childbirth or religion at the time also added to this work. I also enjoyed that the author used the lives of these women to discuss the social and political events and changes that were occurring during their lives. This was an excellent way to ground the book in the broader context of history.

I did feel that the section about Elizabeth Grey was the weakest. Because not much is known about her or recorded in history, this chapter includes a lot of speculation concerning her life. I still enjoyed it and understand why the author chose to include it, but it may not be satisfying for some readers.

I recommend this work to history lovers, or anyone interested in learning more about this period of England’s history. My thanks to NetGalley and Pen and Sword Publishing for allowing me to read and review this work, which will be published October 30th, 2022. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.

[Juliew. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well researched and written with the exception of a few misplaced,old,out of date concepts.I was of course very familiar with Elizabeth Woodville's story as well as that of Elizabeth of York however less familiar with Elizabeth Grey's story.I learned a lot and was pretty blown away by the amount of detail.I loved that the author used first hand sources as well as modern and I have just become a big fan of her work.

Much thanks to Netgalley for sending me a copy in exchange for my honest review.

[Naomi's Bookshelf · Rating 4 out of 5]

These are the women who impacted British history and have mostly been forgotten. The three Elizabeths were fantastic to read about. The intricate details of their marriages, children and stories were all there and the best part is that it was all about them. This is a book for anyone who loves the hidden side of history.

I received an arc via Netgalley in exchange for a honest review.

[Melisende · Rating 2 out of 5]

Okay - so what did I think. Well, what I had hoped for was a bit more about the Woodville Women - not just three Elizabeths. Whilst it is fairly obvious that there was a lot of research involved, the application could have done with some finessing. It is a very pro-Tudor piece, covering the usual myths, rumours and tropes, interspersed with assumption and supposition.

The first part deals some background including that of the period in which these women lived; Elizabeth Woodville's mother, Jacquetta of Luxembourg; the potential (and I stress potential) household dynamics, with a whole of lot of myth (including the legend of Melusine) and repeated referencing the works of Christine de Pizan. Whilst there is some merit to this introductory chapter, there is much that should have been left out.

The second part looks at mother and daughter - Elizabeth Woodville and Elizabeth Plantagenet - both queens of England, before the final part deals with Elizabeth Grey - though interesting in her own right, a rather curious choice.

Whilst we began with Jacquetta, and followed this with her daughter, granddaughter, and great granddaughter, as I mentioned, I was looking for a few more female family members. The inclusion of Elizabeth Woodville's sisters and nieces would have fleshed this out to present a more rounded overview of this particular familial branch of women. It is clear, however, that these three main women - four if we include, as we should - Jacquetta - managed to navigate the male dominated political world of their own times, to ensure that their place in it would not go unnoticed nor unremarked.

I would suggest that before diving head first into this tome, a little preemptive research of your own would be recommended.

[Madeleine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Elizabeth Woodville, Elizabeth of York, and Elizabeth Grey. Mother, daughter, and granddaughter. Three women witnessed the end of the Plantagenets era and the Tudors. The first two Elizabeths are well-known from the various fictions; the third one was new to me. Therefore, I was happy to learn something new.
I would call this book history from the women's point of view. The standard history books are full of politics, battles and male roles. Here we can read how the women felt when their men fought. However, there is much more in The Woodville Women. Besides the expected biography of the three family members, we can learn a lot about other women of that time (their surnames are famous for the lovers of this period!). The general facts related to the subject of this book (the dark and warm room in which women gave birth to their children should recreate the womb) are also included.
I enjoyed this book because it provided me with thorough information on the period I know from fiction. Moreover, the Woodville Women allowed me to meet real historical characters.

Thank you to NetGalley and Pen and Swords History for a free digital review copy. This is my honest review.

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Edward IV's family and courtiers were shocked when he married the beautiful commoner Elizabeth Woodville. He was supposed to marry a French princess, or at least a foreign royal. 'Heavy the head that wears the crown' goes the old saying, and Edward IV had to bear great trials during his reign, due to his battles with Henry VI, and the treachery of his brother George and The Kingmaker. Elizabeth, a supportive wife, helped him through it all, but she is still accused of being too ambitious for her family. Rumours of witchcraft still abound! She lived through exciting and dangerous times, involving two terrifying escapes into sanctuary.

Elizabeth's legacy lived on through her daughter, Elizabeth of York, who united the White and Red Roses by marrying Henry VII, Henry VIII's father. Elizabeth had to battle her powerful mother-in-law, but by all accounts, she and Henry had a loving and happy marriage. Elizabeth was kind and generous to her family.

Elizabeth Grey married a feisty Irishman, who often got into trouble with Henry VIII, even being imprisoned in the Tower. Her story could be a novel, and I would love to find out more about her.

Sarah J. Hodder brings these women to life in this captivating book, which is, as always, well-researched. She recreates the atmosphere of the times vividly, with extracts from documents and letters, and descriptions of the colourful era.

I received this free ebook from NetGalley in return for an honest review.

[BAM doesn’t answer to her real name]

12/31/22

[Alexandra · Rating 3 out of 5]

Long time ago I heard fact about England court political and war become the inspiration behind an epic fantasy Game of Thrones. I love how complicate and bloody those series both in political and physical war, that's why I want to learn more nonfiction and true events from England throne. The Woodville Women is told us stories of three Elizabeth in their family line. Elizabeth Woodville, Elizabeth of York, and Elizabeth Grey. I always love read history and I am glad can learnt about it from here.

This book come with alot data and infos about each characters. All of that give us insight about background each Elizabeth but not much depth. The storytelling style is kinda difficult to follow at beginning when I personally feel like drowning into infos, names and dates. But after I found my footing I can follow the writing style perfectly. This book will peak reader interest who love history NF to doing personal research and digging more infos about England history.

3.5


Thank you Netgalley and and Pen and Sword History for let me read my copy. I am grateful and my thoughts are my own.

[Eugenia · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a pretty decent read, well researched and written though this author definitely has read a lot of Alison Weir because she loved to inject what she felt the characters were feeling or thinking, aka using phrases like "she must have felt" or "this must have been" repeatedly. Some readers don't mind it but I found it super distracting,

[historic_chronicles · Rating 4 out of 5]

Elizabeth Woodville, Elizabeth of York and Elizabeth Grey. These three women were connected in more ways than just the common use of a first name. Elizabeth Woodville forever changed the fortunes of the Woodville family when the Yorkist King Edward IV took her as his wife in an apparent act of love. Elizabeth of York, their daughter, would continue the legacy of the Yorkist line when the Tudor heir and eventual King Henry VII married her, ending the Wars of the Roses and ushering in the Tudor Era. As granddaughter of Elizabeth Woodville through her first marriage, Elizabeth Grey experienced the tumultuous rise of the Tudors with her tense marriage to Gerald Fitzgerald, 9th Earl of Kildare that would test the loyalties to crown and kin.

I am no stranger to Hodder's work. Having read both The Queen's Sisters and The York Princesses previously and finding myself greatly impressed by the research and passion shown in these works, I was only too pleased to read this work when the author reached out to me to send a copy.

Hodder's research is without fault. While the stories of Elizabeth Woodville and Elizabeth of York have been told time and time again, she manages to refresh them with an intense analysis of the women by viewing them from a different angle. We investigate their footprint, their wardrobe and their relationships, gaining a far greater insight than before.

The author's skill at uncovering the lives of women who have been hidden throughout history is highlighted with the inclusion of Elizabeth Grey. A welcome addition and a fascinating woman in her own right, her story drives home the peril of what it meant to be a woman during this time attempting to navigate such a male-driven society.

Those with a keen eye for the women behind the Wars of the Roses and the early rising of the Tudors are sure to wish to add this to their shelves. I eagerly await Hodder's next work.

[Anne Morgan · Rating 3 out of 5]

An overall well researched book on a few key women to live during the time of the Wars of the Roses. I definitely liked how well author Sarah Hodder placed people and their ideas or actions in the historical context of the time. Elizabeth Woodville and Elizabeth of York's sections were particularly well done in historical documentation and context. Elizabeth Gray's section I had more trouble with, since there seemed to be little documentation on her life and so much of the section was speculation and focused more on the men in her family, or the other men and women she might have known who were doing more famous things at the time. It often seemed like Elizabeth Grey was in there more as an excuse to talk about the Boleyn family and the scandals of Henry VIII's many marriages instead. Speculations about how they felt, while I assume in there to try and make the women more relatable, just threw me out of the history and annoyed me with far too much of the "no doubt she would have hugged her child" type statements that were-to me- highly unnecessary. The book also needed some major editing to remove misspellings and lots of repetitions in some sections that often made the book feel amateurish while other sections were better written.

Overall a book worth reading, especially for history lovers, and definitely check out the bibliography for more sources.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

[Elena · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.


The Woodville Women follows three generations of women from the same family: Elizabeth Woodville, her daughter Elizabeth of York, and her granddaughter Elizabeth Grey.

This work reminded me why I love reading history books. It was well researched but also very readable. I liked how it used the lives of the three women to explore the political and historical changes of the period. I also appreciated how, even though for most of the time it's impossible to know what these women felt or thought, she attempted to challenge some popular misconceptions about them, and how she tried to explain some of their actions.

I must say I enjoyed the parts about Elizabeth Woodville and Elizabeth of York more. I had never heard of Elizabeth Grey before, and, even though it was interesting to learn more about Ireland through her personal history, I found myself a little bored towards the end. But all in all it was definitely a good read, which I would recommend.

[Carly Rushforth · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this ARC from the Publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I was thrilled to receive this book as I’ve long since had a fascination with Tudor History and I’ve watched countless tv dramas recreating the life of Elizabeth Woodville and read fiction novels about all The Woodville Women .

When I read the first page I just knew that this book was going to be incredible, you can just tell that so much research has gone into it and that makes the words just leap off the page.

I was fascinated learning all the intricate details of each woman’s family and ties that brought them to be at the forefront of our history.

I recommend this to anyone who loves history and strong fierce women.

Does anyone else love Plantagenet & Tudor history ? If so leave me a comment.

[Kara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley for an advanced copy!

Three generations of women: Elizabeth Woodville, Elizabeth of York and Elizbeth Grey.

Hodder digs deep into the record to go back multiple generations of Elizabeth Woodville's family, on both the paternal and maternal line, showing how she wasn't as low born as her enemies tried to make her out to be. Hodder tracks her rise from minor nobility to queen, and fairly paints a portrait of a woman who worked hard to try and help those she loved as well as having to deal with so much criticisms.

As we see her story play out we learn more and more about her eldest daughter, Elizabeth of York, who then goes on to be queen of England herself, thanks largely in part to her own mother's finagling. Hodder rejects previous portrayals of Elizabeth of York as powerless and in a cold marriage, showing just how close she and Henry VII grew and what she was able to do for the people around her.

And then, as we get into the reign of Henry VIII, Hodder explores the often overlooked life of Elizabeth Grey, granddaughter of Elizabeth Woodville and niece to Elizabeth of York. Due to this Elizabeth's marriage to the Earl of Kildare, she gets sucked into the violent bog of Irish politics, but she never just goes along with events, always working hard to protect her family and to try and keep them safe.

Hodder does a good job finding specifics about the lives of each woman, and when the record is sparse, she takes a wider view at what most women of the era were going through, showing both the lives of these specific women, but also showing how England changed in so many ways over these three generations. A fascinating study of the era and of this family.

[LOIS · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an informative and very well-researched book about the influential Woodville women. especially the

three Elizabeths. All of them had a voice behind the throne. of England. The facts have been woven into a

well-described narrative. of one hundred years. It is a compelling read from the myth of Melusine to

royalty, and dynasty.

[Kendra · Rating 1 out of 5]

When you're writing history, you can't use assumptions or jump to conclusions or assume that the people you're writing about are like you or have a life like yours in any way. This poorly-written account of Elizabeth Woodville, her daughter Elizabeth of York, and her granddaughter, Elizabeth Grey, is full of assumptions and guesses and personal opinion. There's a lack of research and contextualizing, and there are so many other, better works on these same people that there is no way I could recommend this to anyone.

[Shawn Thrasher · Rating 2 out of 5]

Started out decent, but ended up flat. Needed some oomph.

[Heidi Malagisi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Three women in one family who shared the same first name saw England change over a tumultuous century. They saw the end of the Plantagenet dynasty and the rise of the Tudors while on the sidelines of great battles. Through heartaches and triumphs, the women of the Woodville family became princesses and queens that would transform the political landscape of England forever. These three women, Elizabeth Woodville, Elizabeth of York, and Elizabeth Grey, were incredible examples of what it meant to be medieval royal women. They are featured in Sarah J. Hodder's latest book, "The Woodville Women."

I want to thank Pen and Sword Books and NetGalley for sending me a copy of this book. I have read other books by Sarah J. Hodder about women from the Woodville family, so when I heard about this title, I wanted to see what new information she would share with her audience.

We begin our adventure into the Woodville family by exploring the matriarch of this rather extraordinary family, Jacquetta of Luxembourg, the future wife of Richard Woodville. For a woman of Jacquetta's status to marry a man well below her rank was unheard of in medieval Europe, but their union would change history during the tumultuous time known as the Wars of the Roses. Their daughter, Elizabeth Woodville, would marry a Lancastrian soldier named Sir John Grey of Grosby, but when John died, she caught the eye of the young Yorkist king, Edward IV.

During King Edward IV's reign, Elizabeth Woodville, now queen of England, showed her true strength. As a mother to a large family, including the infamous Princes of the Tower, and her eldest child Elizabeth of York, Elizabeth Woodville fought for her children's rights, even after her beloved husband's death. Elizabeth of York would follow in her mother's footsteps and become Queen of England when she married the victor of the battle of Bosworth Field, Henry Tudor, the patriarch of the Tudor dynasty.

The woman who proved the most fascinating character in this particular book for me was Elizabeth Grey, the daughter of Thomas Grey and Cecily Bonville. Elizabeth Grey would marry Gerald Fitzgerald, 9th Earl of Kildare, who she met at the Field of Cloth of Gold. They would live in Ireland and have many children together, but things were not smooth sailing as Kildare's rivalries would lead to rebellions in Ireland and land him in the Tower of London a few times. Although Kildare had a rocky relationship with King Henry VIII, Elizabeth Grey was cordial with her royal relation.

Hodder was able to tell the stories of these three women in an illuminating way that reminds readers of the tales of Elizabeth Woodville and Elizabeth of York while giving new insights into their lives and telling the story of Elizabeth Grey. This book was engaging and informative, just like Hodder's previous books. If you want a book that tells the thrilling tales of Elizabeth Woodville, Elizabeth of York, and Elizabeth Grey, you should check out "The Woodville Women" by Sarah J. Hodder.

[Carmen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book.

I wanted to read this book because I love reading about Elizabeth of York and there’s not a lot out there about her (I’m not a fan of Philippa Gregory). My knowledge of her mother, Elizabeth Woodville, has a few facts, but not a lot. And I had never heard of Elizabeth Grey before (the only Grey I know is Jane Grey).

The focus of this book is how all three of these women, are connected together by their familial ties and their name as they live through many kings and almost the entire Tudor dynasty. [For EoY fans, there is talk of the George Buck letter and it’s basically, “EoY was wanting RIII to mediate her marriage with some guy in France, not HVII.”] I will say it was disappointing to go from two queens [Woodville and York] and then read about, Grey, who I’m still trying to figure out what her importance was. She never attained the level of queen so it’s odd to dedicate a third of a book to a non-queen when the other two-thirds were about queens.

I will say there are a lot of names coming at you. I wouldn’t say this is a beginner-level book but if you have some awareness of the War of the Roses, then you should be fine.

Like other Tudor books, there is little to do with the three women because there are hardly any records about them. We don’t know their thoughts and feelings, just suspicions of what those may be, so be prepared for a long history lesson with the three Elizabeths thrown in. I will say that I found it odd/hilarious that there is meticulous attention to detail everywhere else and then glosses over Bosworth in less than a paragraph. You know the battle that guaranteed the start of the Tudor dynasty.

There are parts where it was confusing to read since the author would state something and then take a page to backtrack and explain the previous statement.

There is a family tree available, but it’s at the back of the book. This would be better suited at the front especially since the author jumps right into storytelling that things get a little lost.

This book is obviously researched very well, but since there isn’t much left of the women’s whereabouts and what they felt, a lot is left up to conjecture.

[Mariama Thorlu-Bangura · Rating 4 out of 5]

"The Woodville Women" by Sarah J. Hodder is an engaging read. She focuses on the lives of Elizabeth Woodville, wife of King Edward IV; their daughter Elizabeth of York, wife of King Henry VII & mother to the ever famous Henry VIII; and Elizabeth Grey, cousin to Henry VIII. These three women lived through some turbulent times, and endured losses that would probably emotionally destroy most women. Yet Hodder is able not just to tell their story but to demonstrate the strength and grit these women had to survive. Secondary (and I use this term lightly) figures include Jacquetta of Luxembourg, mother to Elizabeth Woodville; Cecily, sister to Elizabeth of York; and finally, all the various males that made life difficult, from king down, with their political machinations and power struggles. No matter how many books I read on the Wars of the Roses & the Tudor era, I always learn something new with each new book on the time period. That was the case with this book. I learned about Jacquetta's background, about Elizabeth Woodville's first marriage and the drama following the first husband's death, and about Elizabeth Grey, whose descendant Jane Grey would briefly (extremely briefly) be Queen of England. It was great discovering more about these figures, but sometimes the text was a little wordy, particularly when Hodder includes entire letters. Also, while it may take away from the authenticity of the letters, I feel it would be easier for the reader to understand if those letters included were written in today's English rather than how they wrote English in Tudor times. It's hard to grasp the point of the letter if you're busy trying to decipher a particular word due to odd spelling. Despite those two issues, this was worth reading because it gave a new take on a period in time on which soooo much has been written. Thanks to NetGalley, Sarah Hodder, and Pen & Sword for this advanced reader copy that I voluntarily read and reviewed.

[Susan Johnston · Rating 5 out of 5]

Princess Fuzzypants here: Three generations of Woodville women, two queens and one great-aunt of another queen, they lived during a transformative time in English history. The first Elizabeth won the heart of Edward IV and was his Queen and the mother of his legitimate children, including the second Elizabeth. Edward and his brother Richard were the last Plantagenets. The little princes who died in the Tower were her children too and would have followed their father on the Throne. Needless to say, those years of “musical” Kings, were fraught with danger for her and her daughter. In those days, power was masculine and all that a woman could wield was influence and intrigue.

Her daughter, the second Elizabeth was the conciliator between the Plantagenets and the Tudors as the wife of Henry VII and mother of Henry VIII. Her years as Queen were tempestuous too but they established the dynasty of the Tudors. The final Elizabeth, niece of the first and cousin of the second, also lived a colourful life in the Courts of England and France. Her life is less documented but provides the link that validated Jane Grey, the nine day Queen. All three women named Elizabeth had impact of varying degrees but through their lives, we see the world from the War of the Roses to the reigns of Mary and Elizabeth.

Well written and researched, it is a fascinating story. I enjoyed it immensely. Five purrs and two paws up.

[Amy McElroy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Having previously read Sarah's books; The Queen's Sister's, The York Princesses and Cecily Bonville-Grey, I was thrilled to see Sarah continuing to write women's history and especially women I am really interested in.

Sarah looks at three women; Elizabeth Woodville, Elizabeth of York and Elizabeth Grey and I loved every word. I really enjoyed reading about the background of all three women, particularly Elizabeth Woodville and her parents, Jacquetta and husband Richard Woodville. Rather than focusing on the bits that are much more known we are treated to aspects of their lives that are not commonly written about such as where they resided and how they spent their time.

Sarah uses her research to track where the women would have been during certain times to tell a rounded history of three generations. Between them these women lived through some of the most tumultous times in England and it was wonderful to read about this era of history from a refreshingly different perspective.

To say I enjoyed this would be an understatement, its a well researched, detailed but not boringly so, wonderfully written book. I was so entranced by reading about Elizabeth Woodville and her coronation I could almost see it.

Sarah clearly has a passion for this subject and as a huge fan I can only hope she continues to bless us with her work.

[loopyloulaura · Rating 3 out of 5]

Three women living during a time of political and social upheaval: Elizabeth Woodville, Elizabeth of York and Elizabeth Grey.
The Woodville Women is a non fiction history book about a grandmother, daughter and granddaughter who witnessed and participated in major events during the Wars of the Roses and Tudor reigns.
Elizabeth Woodville was the queen of Edward IV. Her daughter Elizabeth of York married Henry VII. Elizabeth Grey was the granddaughter of the first and niece to the second. All three women were hugely affected by the national and personal politics of the Wars of the Roses and the continuing impact this had on the Tudor era.
This was an enjoyable book which was underpinned by solid research. However it often slipped into the classic male narrative about the Wars of the Roses and forgets about the focus on women due to the lack of evidence. The focus is further undermined by the use of lots of 'might have known'/'might have felt'/'might have thought'.
The ARC I read also had an annoying use of formerly instead of formally and bought instead of brought, with incorrectly used apostrophes dotted throughout (hopefully all resolved in the final print).
The Woodville Women is a well researched book about three key figures but is limited by lack of sources

[Joy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was given a free copy of this e-book in exchange for my honest review.

Sarah Hodder should be applauded. Her book The Woodville Women traces the lives of three little spoken of women during the the Wars of the Roses and subsequent reigns of Henry VII and VIII. While it can be a bit dense at times, it is a remarkably accessible text that brings the lives of the Woodville Women into the reach of the general crowd, rather than the academic sphere. Her book is a fun jaunt through their history examining their portrayals and speculation as to the ways in which they may have reacted to certain events in their lives that, while not exactly scholarly, helps make the text more engaging. As someone deeply familiar with these women and this time period, this book is a great reminder of why they are so interesting and an excellent study of the interconnectedness and value of family in this time period.

[Flora · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sarah J. Hodder has written a most readable, informative and enjoyable history of the Woodville women. I like to read history like that. Actually I found that the accounts of Elizabeth Woodville and Elizabeth of York were much better than that of Elizabeth Grey. In fact I am uncertain how Elizabeth Grey came into the story other than to make the third Elizabeth. Perhaps It’s in the story of Elizabeth Grey that the long quotes in confusing old English appears. Those are my pet peeves as I am usually too impatient to decipher what the quote is saying when all the “i”s become “y”s.

Having said that, I did find that this was a worthwhile read and I learned a few more interesting facts and details about these intriguing historical figures.

4 stars from me overall but 5 stars for the first two Elizabeths.

[Cathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this an interesting read overall. Taking the lives of three generations and looking at both their lives and the wider political/social context, worked quite well. It is more of an overview, so you get the background history but not too much depth. The focus is on what can be said about these women, and while it is clear there are a lot of gaps and some speculation, the details that are here are really interesting. I loved the inclusion of the letters, they were fascinating to read. I also liked the more objective look at Elizabeth Woodville and her family, looking at what we actually can prove, and allowing the reader to draw their own conclusions.
My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in return for an honest review.

[Darrah · Rating 4 out of 5]

**I received an e-ARC of this book through NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.**

This was probably one of the most straightforward accounts of the Wars of the Roses that I have read. Sarah Hodder provided enough political context within her accounts of the Woodville Women, that it was extremely easy to follow. Writing history without making the subject matter sound stuffy and dull is difficult. Hodder created a space to enjoy this historical account without feeling like you have to hold a Ph.d in Medieval history. Highly recommend for fans of the White Princess tv series or Philippa Gregory.

[Tiyasha Ganguly · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have been fascinated by this period and intrigued about Elizabeth Woodville and Elizabeth of York ever since I watched the series on Starz based on the same. This book is an amazing and informative read if you too are intrigued about these women who lived and played a significant role during this period.

It is well researched and the narrative style is quite engrossing. I loved the introduction section that provided an overview to set the context before we get into the book.

Thank you NetGalley and Pen & Sword for this eARC in exchange of my honest opinion.

[Kindlelover 1220 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Three generation of women who share a common name, Elizabeth. They share more than a name, their lives are intertwined through the Royal Tudor court. The three women experienced love, family and tragedies. A poignant story of the lives of these women and what they had to endure as women in a royal court. They carved a place in history. This a wonderful account of their lives.

Disclaimer: Thank you NetGalley and Pen and Sword History for this review copy and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Rae Nason · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book covers 3 generations of Plantagenet women who all had a lasting, significant impact on English history. Elizabeth Woodville, her daughter Elizabeth Tudor, and a granddaughter, Elizabeth Gray.

This book was well researched and written in a way that was informative, enlightening, and entertaining. These three women all experienced love, war, and tragedy. Their places in history are well established and we are lucky to be able to learn how these women (and others of the era) made their mark and influenced history.