Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.96 AVERAGE
3.96 AVERAGE
I have become very interested in the time period of Henry VIII. Like most people, I had some idea of Henry VIII, but not much. I have now read a book about his sister, Margaret, and this book about his first/true wife, Katherine. It's fascinating to read the different perspectives and different views that the authors have. Yes, I know I'm reading historical fiction and not history, which makes it more interesting to me. I like reading histories, but historical fiction allows for the authors to make some decisions based on their research or deductions, which I find fascinating. The two books I have read painted very different pictures. Now I can't wait to read one about Anne Boleyn. The short one I read already painted an interesting picture. I look forward to more.
emotional
informative
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
This book was fascinating and a great read! If Katherine of Aragon isn’t a saint, I don’t know who is! Her piety and incredibly generous (& forgiving!) heart and spirit are commendable. She set a remarkable example of faith and goodness, as she remained true to herself and her faith throughout her life despite all of the (often cruel and unfair) trials she had to endure.
Having finished this book such an adoring fan of Katherine, I’m curious if I will be able to find one shred of sympathy towards Anne Boleyn (who seemed so evil and conniving) as I read her story!
Having finished this book such an adoring fan of Katherine, I’m curious if I will be able to find one shred of sympathy towards Anne Boleyn (who seemed so evil and conniving) as I read her story!
Katherine of Aragon The True Queen by Alison Weir
Rating: 3/5
Summary: This book follows Katherine of Aragon from her time arriving in England all to her death. It gives an insight into what she could have been feeling and thinking throughout her marriage to King Henry VIII.
Review: This book was an interesting one to read. I enjoyed it and definitely learned a lot from it. Historical fiction isn’t really a genre that I am much into. However, this book was enjoyable. It did read slow for me in some parts and I definitely found myself wanting to skip ahead in some points. However, I otherwise enjoyed it and liked following Katherine throughout the story. I felt many emotions throughout the book and was definitely holding back tears near the end of the book.
There are so many things I learned that I hadn't known before. It was great to learn those things. I constantly found myself looking up some of the things to learn more about them. If you are interested in learning more about Henry’s first wife, this is the book for you.
TWs: miscarriage , grief, child death, confinement, death, adult/minor relationship, body shaming, sexual content
Rating: 3/5
Summary: This book follows Katherine of Aragon from her time arriving in England all to her death. It gives an insight into what she could have been feeling and thinking throughout her marriage to King Henry VIII.
Review: This book was an interesting one to read. I enjoyed it and definitely learned a lot from it. Historical fiction isn’t really a genre that I am much into. However, this book was enjoyable. It did read slow for me in some parts and I definitely found myself wanting to skip ahead in some points. However, I otherwise enjoyed it and liked following Katherine throughout the story. I felt many emotions throughout the book and was definitely holding back tears near the end of the book.
There are so many things I learned that I hadn't known before. It was great to learn those things. I constantly found myself looking up some of the things to learn more about them. If you are interested in learning more about Henry’s first wife, this is the book for you.
TWs: miscarriage , grief, child death, confinement, death, adult/minor relationship, body shaming, sexual content
3.5/5
Whilst I can't fault the historical detail of the book, it didn't grip me as much as I would have liked. Perhaps because I've heard Katherine's story so many times, it didn't feel like it had anything new to offer me and whilst it was historically accurate, there were a good 100 pages of 'she sends a letter, gets moved to another house' which felt a little interminable and a bit more editing was needed. However I think it got across a good sense of Katherine, her beliefs and motivations. I think that my over-familiarity with her story perhaps hindered my enjoyment of the book, but I am looking forward to the later ones in the series as I know less. Not a bad book, but not my favourite.
Whilst I can't fault the historical detail of the book, it didn't grip me as much as I would have liked. Perhaps because I've heard Katherine's story so many times, it didn't feel like it had anything new to offer me and whilst it was historically accurate, there were a good 100 pages of 'she sends a letter, gets moved to another house' which felt a little interminable and a bit more editing was needed. However I think it got across a good sense of Katherine, her beliefs and motivations. I think that my over-familiarity with her story perhaps hindered my enjoyment of the book, but I am looking forward to the later ones in the series as I know less. Not a bad book, but not my favourite.
I love Philippa Gregory books but this was so much better. Well researched and completely engaging.
I'm mixed on this. Alison Weir seems to struggle with dialog and pace. It felt stilted at times and was more about Henry at times than Katherine. I did enjoy finding out more about her early life and this book provided that.
I love the Tudor period and couldn't wait to read this book. I have always felt bad for Katherine and how Henry just threw away their marriage after she couldn't give him an heir but this book made me really empathize with her situation. The scheming and politics were really so unbelievable and so interesting to read. I would say this was a 3.5 stars for me. There were some parts that bored me but were necessary for a history context.