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3.96 AVERAGE
3.96 AVERAGE
emotional
informative
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
3.5 stars. I received this as an ARC through Netgalley. I think this is one of the most readable narratives I have read of Katherine's life. I have started but never been able to finish Jean Plaidy's saga and therefore was happy to have another author take the subject on. I found Katherine more approachable here and felt sadness for the turn of her life. While I enjoyed it and getting to read a well done version of Katherine's life... I really felt I was getting an inordinate amount of detail at times. I am hoping the finished product has a solid editor behind, because I believe cutting the down the story a bit would be beneficial. Yes, Katherine had a long and eventful life, but some years felt repetitive, especially towards the end.
How the wheel of fortune spins!
Well-researched
Excellent storytelling
This is the story of Katherine, daughter of Isabella I of Castile and Ferdinand II of Aragon and the first wife of King Henry VIII.
This is a tale recounted by a beloved queen and by all accounts a principled and courageous person.
A True Queen to the end, but an unhappy, wronged and betrayed one as Henry's infatuation with "The Night Crow" Anne Boleyn and his dismay that his union with Katherine had produced no surviving sons led to annul his marriage to her and marry Anne.
Hats off to Alison Weir, a superbly researched, beautifully detailed, heart wrenching account of the first wife of Henry VIII of England, Katherine of Aragon.
The daughter of Isabella of Spain and Ferdinand of Aragon, Catalina is sent to England at fifteen years of age to marry Prince Arthur, the older brother of Prince Henry (Later King Henry VIII). Torn from her privileged life in Spain and forced to change her Name to Katherine for the sake of appearances, Catalina is welcomed by the subjects of the then King Henry VII, and is dutifully wed to his oldest son, Arthur. However, it soon becomes apparent that Arthur is not in good health, and he passes away a few short months following the wedding.
Katherine is then subjected to the ever changing moods of Henry VII. Denied a return to Spain, but forced into an almost reclusive lifestyle in England, eventually betrothed to Arthur's brother Henry, she is kept in the dark about whether her second wedding will ever take place.
Imagine her joy when Henry VII's death leads to fresh proposals from the new King, Henry VIII. However, her subsequent marriage to, and life with her Henry is not to be the fairy tale she imagined.
Alison Weir's expert research and eloquent penmanship show Katherine as the strong, self assured yet humble woman she was. It is plain from the outset that the early years of King Henry VIIIs reign would have been disastrous had it not been for her level head and keen knowledge of the complexities of rule bestowed on her by her own parents. Weir also portrays the violent love she held for Henry right until her death, and the heartbreak she suffered at his hands.
Based on new insights from leading historians, and letters in Katherine's own hand, this is an exceptional account of an exceptional woman, who would remain The True Queen of England until her dying day.
A must for any avid readers of Tudor History and associated Historical Fiction.
The daughter of Isabella of Spain and Ferdinand of Aragon, Catalina is sent to England at fifteen years of age to marry Prince Arthur, the older brother of Prince Henry (Later King Henry VIII). Torn from her privileged life in Spain and forced to change her Name to Katherine for the sake of appearances, Catalina is welcomed by the subjects of the then King Henry VII, and is dutifully wed to his oldest son, Arthur. However, it soon becomes apparent that Arthur is not in good health, and he passes away a few short months following the wedding.
Katherine is then subjected to the ever changing moods of Henry VII. Denied a return to Spain, but forced into an almost reclusive lifestyle in England, eventually betrothed to Arthur's brother Henry, she is kept in the dark about whether her second wedding will ever take place.
Imagine her joy when Henry VII's death leads to fresh proposals from the new King, Henry VIII. However, her subsequent marriage to, and life with her Henry is not to be the fairy tale she imagined.
Alison Weir's expert research and eloquent penmanship show Katherine as the strong, self assured yet humble woman she was. It is plain from the outset that the early years of King Henry VIIIs reign would have been disastrous had it not been for her level head and keen knowledge of the complexities of rule bestowed on her by her own parents. Weir also portrays the violent love she held for Henry right until her death, and the heartbreak she suffered at his hands.
Based on new insights from leading historians, and letters in Katherine's own hand, this is an exceptional account of an exceptional woman, who would remain The True Queen of England until her dying day.
A must for any avid readers of Tudor History and associated Historical Fiction.
had to return it to the library :/ I think I'll re-borrow and read it again soon though!
challenging
informative
tense
slow-paced
DNF - I enjoyed the first half of the book a lot. It was well written and interesting. I just lost steam halfway through and wasn’t able to get back into it.
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
This is good, but does get long in places. (I always forget how *long* to took Henry to really get rid of Katherine and marry Anne!)
emotional
informative
inspiring
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix