The White Queen

I recorded it and only watched it last night. I know that life wasn't like that in those times, but it wouldn't make good television.

I enjoyed it and am looking forward to the rest of the series - although I agree there is an awful lot of sex. Gets a little boring so I just fast forward!!

Deedaa I loved 'Katherine' It was one of my favourite books.

I read the White Queen and also the Kingmaker's Daughter, about The Duke of Warwick's daughter Anne Neville who married Richard III. Really enjoyed them both, particularly the latter with the recent discovery of Richard III's bones. I didn't do the Wars of the Roses at school and reading both these books gave me the impetus to read up about that era. Will probably read the other books in "The Cousins' War" series. Saw the 1st part of the White Queen last night, it seems to be true to the book, so far, will probably stick with it hope it doesn't deviate too much. I believe Phillipa Gregory set out to make them historically accurate but the setting in episode 1 was a bit too romantic and idyllic for me.

I was about 14 when I first read Katherine janthea and hoped for a long time that John of Gaunt would come riding up and sweep me away

Me too, Deedaa. It is one of my all time favourites and I must read it again this summer. Why was it so appealing to teenagers?

I loved Katherine. Forever Amber appealed to teenagers as well.....I wonder why? [blush}

I must say some of the sex was quite a revelation to a sheltered fourteen year old

The White Princess has just come out. Gregory's latest. About Elizabeth's daughter (another Elizabeth - older sister to the Princes in the Tower) who was married off to Henry Tudor after he won at Bosworth. Hence carrying on the York genes and Woodville genes into the tudor dynasty.
Someone recently referred to Bosworth as "the time the Welsh successfully invaded England".

The S.O. has read that they've got to tone it down for the American market; I thought that's why they'd spiced it up so I reckon they've miscalculated a bit there.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2346670/This-White-Queen-travesty-Your-Majesty-Why-howlers-like-concrete-steps-metal-railings-rubber-boots-turning-TVs-new-period-drama-laughing-

This sums up everything I thought about the White Queen - looks like I was right about the zips

We'll be looking for some more howlers tonight, Deedaa. Does anyone know where it's being filmed? I loved the setting for Grafton Manor.

It has come in for a bit of stick for the white teeth,zips, 6-pack and waxed chest, hasn't it? I liked the observation that Elizabeth was said to be the greatest beauty of her day, but in those days you counted as a beauty if you had more teeth than boils!

Oh dear, I really quite enjoyed the first episode, despite ultra clean people and that zip - which I really hoped wasn't because I thought the Beeb were better than that. Now I shall be looking out for mistakes rather than enjoying the drama. And to film it in Belgium..... I did enjoy the book so much too. Ho hum.

Thought last nights was slow and boring.

Nail polish?!!!! I know she was a queen but I don't think so!

I can't get past the floaty, snowy white gowns either.

And it looked like her mother was wearing her very own mosquito net.

I wondered if Laurence Llewelyn Bowen was going to leap out from behind a curtain and do a make-over on the Royal bedroom.

I saw the zip. Put me off. Shan't watch anymore.

I was a bit dubious about them flying a Harris Hawk. I know there was a strict hierarchy controlling what birds you were allowed to keep. The lowest was the kestrel, as in A Kestrel for a Knave, and it went up through sparrow hawks, goshawks and peregrines. I've not seen Harris Hawks mentioned.

I like Phillippa Gregory's books but after I have waded through them I have no desire to see them on TV. Its not the aristocracy that look false its the poor. Like in films about the 30s. Actually there is enough old clothing being collected. They should take some of that and wash it and remake it into ragged dresses and capes.
The clothes they wore were stiff with dirt and sweat and hair must have been in dreadlocks it was so seldom washed. Doesn't sound like BBC theatre though.

DH picked up on that as well, Deeda but we think they used Harris Hawks because they're easier to train for filming and are bigger so look more impressive on screen.

I believe Harris hawks weren't flown in England until the 1960s. I haven't watched this weeks episode yet - should I bother?!

The books gives better clarity to the main players and the various relationships, my husband is reading my White Queen at the moment he was mixing up "the Margarets" Anjou and Beaufort, who later became Stanley. It's typical of most dramas, the books are always better.

Mumsnet have ripped the series to shreds!

I will put in a quick word for Phillipa Gregory's book The Women of the Cousins' War. It is much more factual and has a lot of interesting stuff in it.

Heavens. How many books has she written on the cousins' war?

After watching The Tudors I find I can now let these series wash over me without worrying too much about the historical detail . I'll have catch up with last weeks episode now that I know there are hawks in it. I think they'd've had to go to South America to get Harris Hawks. Who was flying the bird? If it was the King it should have been an eagle [I think].