I don’t think I have ever read a biography where the author is so biased against their subject. The clue is in the sub-title ‘Edward IV’s Chief Mistress,’ John Ashdown Hill puts forward the case that Elizabeth Woodville was not married to Edward IV because he had already married Eleanor Talbot. All the events of Elizabeth Woodville’s Queenship are viewed against this theory and the author implies throughout that Elizabeth was involved in her alleged rival’s death, and the deaths of others. Although in the conclusion, he states that these are just hypotheses, Ashdown Hill, in my opinion does not try to create a balanced argument. While the inclusion of the full text of original sources makes interesting reading, for me the book is too biased to be enjoyable.
Thank you to Pen and Sword History for my review copy.
