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3.73 AVERAGE
3.73 AVERAGE
(2019 Epic Reads Seasonal Challenge #03: Read a book that is perfect for the summer.) I wish the book had ended at the Church and not the trial. Catalina de Aragón suffered so much throughout her life and yet is remember so dignified, I cannot help but admire her very much. I would have enjoyed the illusion of a happy ending for her, even knowing it was not so in real life.
Loved it! Learning about the early days of Catalina was fascinating! Now I need to read about Queen Isabella!
This book didn't grab me at first, but once it did I was hooked. So don't give up on it if you don't like it at first. The one thing that bugged me about the book was that the italicized writings were always from Katherine's POV, but the normal text jumped perspectives constantly without warning. It was hard to tell who was telling the story sometimes. Sometimes it felt like Katherine, other times Arthur, or even just a random narrator impartial to the story.... really irritating.
emotional
medium-paced
I loved this book. If you liked The Other Boleyn Girl or have any interest in life during the times of Henry VIII, then this is a must-read!
I do like the controversial nature of the Tudors and this book is no exception. Catherine's life holds many issues that will never be resolved, namely the "big lie". Interesting take on her relationships with Arthur and Henry. Good book.
I always love Gregory's books, especially about the Tudors.
I would give it a 3.5 if I could. This is the story of Katherine of Aragon, whom I remember reading about in The Other Boleyn Girl, a book I loved. This story shares how she came to be the Queen of England and at what cost. I enjoyed the story, but found the writing a bit tedious at times. It went between first and third person, and I think I would have preferred just the third person point of view. Still, it's such a fascinating time in history and I love reading about it!
I do enjoy this book, but there are a few things that bother me.
There does seem to be rather a modern perspective running throughout the book, with some characters behaving in a way and believing in things that they surely wouldn't have.
But I enjoyed reading this part of our history from Catherine's point of view. From her childhood in Spain to her first marriage to Arthur and following his death, to his brother, Harry.
There does seem to be rather a modern perspective running throughout the book, with some characters behaving in a way and believing in things that they surely wouldn't have.
But I enjoyed reading this part of our history from Catherine's point of view. From her childhood in Spain to her first marriage to Arthur and following his death, to his brother, Harry.
I’ve read all the books in chronological order. This book has a different set up compared to the other books and whilst I enjoyed learning about the early life of the great Katherine of Aragon, I found the timeline hard to follow. I wish Phillipa Gregory wrote this story in the same format as the others, to allow the reader to connect all the books. The extra information about the Moors was fascinating as I’m sure not many people know that this is how Spain became to be.