Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.96 AVERAGE
3.96 AVERAGE
slow-paced
I am so glad I don't live in that time period. I would be pulling out my hair if I had to. I've always wandered why king henry the 8th had 6 wives so finding this seemed like a good start on each individual wife. This retelling of the 1st queen was tragic. I made people laugh describing my frustrations with her naiveté and her almost fanatic loyalty to the Roman church and henry. I really wanted to jump in and shake her.
But I am aware that's the point of history; even a mostly true account of this book. It's to show how far we've come in terms of treating others as equals, and I'm grateful to not be living in that time period.
But I am aware that's the point of history; even a mostly true account of this book. It's to show how far we've come in terms of treating others as equals, and I'm grateful to not be living in that time period.
Having read many of Weir's non-fiction books, I wanted to try the Six Tudor Queens series. Whenever I read about Katherine of Aragon, it's frustrating to set aside my 21st-century lens on her 16th-century reality. The fact that she was badly treated by her putz of a husband is well known as is the fact that most women of today would not deal with his bullshit. In this book, Katherine is a product of her upbringing which includes the expectations instilled in her by her royal parents. These are the major reasons why it's easy to see her as an emotional punching bag. You can't help but cringe when you know she is being left in the dark regarding the King's "Great Matter". Throughout it all, the queen remains loyal to her marriage vows thereby protecting her daughter's right to succession to the throne. She would be an excellent poster child for what it means to be a good Catholic. I'm looking forward to seeing how her story intertwines with Anne Boleyn's in the next novel of the series.
In this first novel of the Six Tudor Queens series, I am impressed by how the author blended historical facts with a story so good it kept me turning over 600 pages! Katherine of Aragon has always been my favorite queen however this book really showed me just how much grit and determination she had while in the midst of very sad circumstances.
How can I like next book (queen) after I red this book?
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
So long, but glad I stuck with it. I don't know much about the intricacies of English royalty, so it was educational and entertaining. Also pretty heartbreaking.
Really enjoyed this one can’t wait to work on wife two.
This is the second time reading this book and as before, it remains hard to put down. Queen Katherine has always been my favorite of King Henry's wives. Alison Weir does a wonderful job not only with her writing abilities but in preservation of history. I shall enjoy re-reading the rest of this series