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3.73 AVERAGE
3.73 AVERAGE
I started reading the ebook before switching to the audio book. Both are library loaners so I wasn't paying that much attention to specifics. I didn't realize the audio version was abridged until I started listening to it, but if I didn't know certain scenes were cut, I wouldn't miss them. The last book seemed to drag on and on forever (possibly because Henry VIII's story is told so much and you know what's coming next), so I decided I'm okay with this one being truncated.
Reason for switching: I borrowed a huge ebook volume containing several books in the series but didn't get very far into it before my loan was up. Rather than get back on the wait list, I went with the readily available audio book.
Final review: Nope. This dragged on and on and on, and it was even abridged! There's probably too much overlapping in the stories here, because the same story is told from different angles in at least three different books. It's so unnecessary.
Reason for switching: I borrowed a huge ebook volume containing several books in the series but didn't get very far into it before my loan was up. Rather than get back on the wait list, I went with the readily available audio book.
Final review: Nope. This dragged on and on and on, and it was even abridged! There's probably too much overlapping in the stories here, because the same story is told from different angles in at least three different books. It's so unnecessary.
relaxing
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Great historical fiction....looking forward to the next in the series.
My big resounding verdict to this book: a solid 'eh', so more like 2.5 stars rounding up. The last 10% I skimmed because I couldn't deal with it anymore.
The Constant Princess is about the story of Henry VIII's first wife, Katherine of Aragon, and describes her story from coming to England at a young age to marry Prince Arthur, his subsequent death, her attempts to marry Henry instead, and her time as Queen of England.
The story switches between 3rd person and 1st person views, and generally, the 1st person PoV didn't appeal to me as much, because it was mostly set in the premise of the book that Katherine had consummated her marriage with Arthur, and promised to lie for him as a last final oath of love so she could be Queen of England. The saccharine was a bit too much for me.
I would have preferred a more detailed look at the time when Henry is replacing her with Anne Boleyn. You only get a glimpse of that at the end of the book, which I find disappointing.
The Constant Princess is about the story of Henry VIII's first wife, Katherine of Aragon, and describes her story from coming to England at a young age to marry Prince Arthur, his subsequent death, her attempts to marry Henry instead, and her time as Queen of England.
The story switches between 3rd person and 1st person views, and generally, the 1st person PoV didn't appeal to me as much, because it was mostly set in the premise of the book that Katherine had consummated her marriage with Arthur, and promised to lie for him as a last final oath of love so she could be Queen of England. The saccharine was a bit too much for me.
I would have preferred a more detailed look at the time when Henry is replacing her with Anne Boleyn. You only get a glimpse of that at the end of the book, which I find disappointing.
A good book on the life and tribulations of KAtherine of Aragon, Henry VIII first wife. This novel talks about what happened with Katherine and her first husband, and how she ended married to Henry. This is fiction and more so then some of these, for we do now know for sure if Katherine and Arthur actually consumated their marriage, which does happen in this book. Another great book
Oh my...this was...spectacular. So interesting and well written. My only complaint was that the ending seemed sort of inconclusive. But other than that it was simply lovely.
I think this is my favorite Philipa Gregory book. It's not overly sexual but tells the story of Katherine, wife of King Arthur and then King Henry VIII. This is the story of her early life, long before Henry's betrayal and Anne Boleyn.
Ah romances históricos, a minha perdição. Ou, mais exactamente e para sermos precisos, uma das minhas muitas perdições no reino dos livros.
Catarina de Aragão fala-nos da primeira mulher das seis mulheres de Henrique VIII, Catarina, filha dos reis espanhóis e criada, desde tenra infância, para ser Rainha de Inglaterra.
Já me habituei à mestria com que Philippa Gregory nos conta as histórias das rainhas de Inglaterra, transportando-nos numa espécie de máquina do tempo até aos seus salões e passeios, fazendo de nós, leitores, seus confessores e amigos. Catarina de Aragão não é a excepção. Mas, se na maioria dos seus livros, acompanhamos toda a vida e obra das Rainhas, neste falha uma altura fundamental – quando Henrique VIII decide pedir a anulação do casamento para se poder casar com Ana Bolena. Há um hiato de 13/14 anos que não é preenchido e o livro termina quando Catarina é chamada a depor no tribunal. Termina precisamente com a chamada, deixando, ao leitor, adivinhar o que se passava na mente de Catarina.
Acredito que seria impossível relatar, na totalidade, a vida de Catarina mas, talvez tivesse sido possível encurtar a fase de espera pelo casamento com Henrique, após a morte de Artur, mas isto sou eu que acho, talvez porque me parece que seria mais interessante a parte que diz respeito à anulação do casamento do que propriamente o facto de Catarina ter passado dificuldades de ordem vária enquanto esperava que o casamento com Henrique fosse autorizado.
Ainda que essa fase possa ser abordada no próximo livro, que lerei logo que possível, não será pelos olhos desta grande mulher que foi Catarina, uma mulher muito à frente do seu tempo.
Mas, claro, Philippa Gregory é Philippa Gregory e os seus livros, ainda que menos bons que os outros – como é o caso deste – não deixam de ser de leitura muito agradável e de recomendação absoluta para quem gosta de romances históricos.
Catarina de Aragão fala-nos da primeira mulher das seis mulheres de Henrique VIII, Catarina, filha dos reis espanhóis e criada, desde tenra infância, para ser Rainha de Inglaterra.
Já me habituei à mestria com que Philippa Gregory nos conta as histórias das rainhas de Inglaterra, transportando-nos numa espécie de máquina do tempo até aos seus salões e passeios, fazendo de nós, leitores, seus confessores e amigos. Catarina de Aragão não é a excepção. Mas, se na maioria dos seus livros, acompanhamos toda a vida e obra das Rainhas, neste falha uma altura fundamental – quando Henrique VIII decide pedir a anulação do casamento para se poder casar com Ana Bolena. Há um hiato de 13/14 anos que não é preenchido e o livro termina quando Catarina é chamada a depor no tribunal. Termina precisamente com a chamada, deixando, ao leitor, adivinhar o que se passava na mente de Catarina.
Acredito que seria impossível relatar, na totalidade, a vida de Catarina mas, talvez tivesse sido possível encurtar a fase de espera pelo casamento com Henrique, após a morte de Artur, mas isto sou eu que acho, talvez porque me parece que seria mais interessante a parte que diz respeito à anulação do casamento do que propriamente o facto de Catarina ter passado dificuldades de ordem vária enquanto esperava que o casamento com Henrique fosse autorizado.
Ainda que essa fase possa ser abordada no próximo livro, que lerei logo que possível, não será pelos olhos desta grande mulher que foi Catarina, uma mulher muito à frente do seu tempo.
Mas, claro, Philippa Gregory é Philippa Gregory e os seus livros, ainda que menos bons que os outros – como é o caso deste – não deixam de ser de leitura muito agradável e de recomendação absoluta para quem gosta de romances históricos.