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sezzysoo91's review against another edition
adventurous
informative
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
lesapaul's review
informative
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
book_concierge's review against another edition
3.0
Book on CD performed by Jill Tanner
Book six in her Plantagenet and Tudor series focuses on Catalina, Infanta of Spain, daughter of Queen Isabela and King Ferdinand, and known in English history as Katherine of Aragon, first wife of Henry VIII.
I admit that I knew little about Katherine, other than her end (thrust aside in Henry’s mad affair with Anne Boleyn). I never realized that she was the daughter of Isabela and Ferdinand, that she’d been trained as a warrior queen, and that she’d been betrothed to Henry’s older brother Arthur when she was but four years old. This was one fierce lady; intelligent, mentally and emotionally strong, an astute observer and able to plot and plan with the best of them.
Gregory gives the reader a strong female lead, and I was caught up in the story at the beginning, but I found that the story seemed to bog down in details. I got tired of the “waiting” and can only imagine how Katherine felt enduring those years of “limbo” while she waited for a marriage and an heir.
Jill Tanner does a fine job performing the audiobook. She sets a good pace and really brings Katherine to life. I get the sense of how young they all were at the outset. (Katherine and Arthur were married only five months when he died, leaving her a widow at age seventeen.) And Tanner gives the young Henry a boyish immaturity that really contrasts with Katherine’s steady and superior thought process.
Book six in her Plantagenet and Tudor series focuses on Catalina, Infanta of Spain, daughter of Queen Isabela and King Ferdinand, and known in English history as Katherine of Aragon, first wife of Henry VIII.
I admit that I knew little about Katherine, other than her end (thrust aside in Henry’s mad affair with Anne Boleyn). I never realized that she was the daughter of Isabela and Ferdinand, that she’d been trained as a warrior queen, and that she’d been betrothed to Henry’s older brother Arthur when she was but four years old. This was one fierce lady; intelligent, mentally and emotionally strong, an astute observer and able to plot and plan with the best of them.
Gregory gives the reader a strong female lead, and I was caught up in the story at the beginning, but I found that the story seemed to bog down in details. I got tired of the “waiting” and can only imagine how Katherine felt enduring those years of “limbo” while she waited for a marriage and an heir.
Jill Tanner does a fine job performing the audiobook. She sets a good pace and really brings Katherine to life. I get the sense of how young they all were at the outset. (Katherine and Arthur were married only five months when he died, leaving her a widow at age seventeen.) And Tanner gives the young Henry a boyish immaturity that really contrasts with Katherine’s steady and superior thought process.
megw91's review against another edition
informative
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5
marieintheraw's review against another edition
3.0
It's very oddly paced. I know Katherine was in England for longer than she was married to Henry (because of the whole brother marriage thing) but it feels like trying to cover her whole life until Henry moves on was just too much and so some parts feel like they aren't being written with as much care as others (particularly towards the end)
sslovesbooks_1's review
5.0
As a history teacher in Scotland we don’t cover really any of the Tudor period and I was blown away by this book about Henry VIII’s first wife Katherine of Aragon.
I have read a few of Philippa Gregory’s books from the Plantagenets series and enjoyed them but I had such a great time with this one. Katherine is portrayed as such a strong and determined woman and her drive to become a good queen and wife was such an inspiring read. I loved her character in this one.
This book put me through a raft of emotions, I was teary of the death of her first husband and as the story moved on I became more and more sympathetic to Katherine’s position. As for Henry, I was not a fan but I learned so much about a period in history I don’t really know that much about. It really gave such an insight into the power of the court and the goings on.
I’ve already finished the next book on Anne Boleyn and again really enjoyed it and I am off down a rabbit hole of Tudor England. Once I’ve completed this series I’m going to go to Alison Weir and her six queens series for some comparison. I’m also reading Wolf Hall so I’m truly cemented back in the 16th century.
I would recommend the audio book for this, it totally brought Katherine and the time to life.
Historical fiction fans would love this and it was my favourite book of January.
I have read a few of Philippa Gregory’s books from the Plantagenets series and enjoyed them but I had such a great time with this one. Katherine is portrayed as such a strong and determined woman and her drive to become a good queen and wife was such an inspiring read. I loved her character in this one.
This book put me through a raft of emotions, I was teary of the death of her first husband and as the story moved on I became more and more sympathetic to Katherine’s position. As for Henry, I was not a fan but I learned so much about a period in history I don’t really know that much about. It really gave such an insight into the power of the court and the goings on.
I’ve already finished the next book on Anne Boleyn and again really enjoyed it and I am off down a rabbit hole of Tudor England. Once I’ve completed this series I’m going to go to Alison Weir and her six queens series for some comparison. I’m also reading Wolf Hall so I’m truly cemented back in the 16th century.
I would recommend the audio book for this, it totally brought Katherine and the time to life.
Historical fiction fans would love this and it was my favourite book of January.
mdeck24's review against another edition
emotional
informative
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
missbecca's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
informative
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
kristiinaness's review against another edition
3.0
This wasn't the most exciting book but I'm glad I read it before The Other Boleyn Girl because I feel like it was good background. Even though of course, it is very fictional historical fiction.