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3.96 AVERAGE
3.96 AVERAGE
I will start by saying that this book is phenomenally researched and I would really recommend it to anybody that is interested in history because wow, it really is a learning journey. I don't actually know tons about this era outside of my primary school history lessons so I found it really intriguing to learn more context behind the surface level information I recognised from being a child. I felt as though It really brought the names I knew to life and made them real people as appose to pieces of history to learn about and I really enjoyed the perspective of Katherine and the way that it really humanised the history.
I really loved learning more about Katherine and her relationship with Henry, I think she is one of the least spoken about queens so it was nice to understand her life and the dynamics a little more as well as getting some insight into Henry in his early life to understand what led him down the pathway we all know very well.
One thing I would say with this one, is it did at time feel very heavy on information and a little like a history textbook. Although historical fiction is a genre I gravitate towards I would say this book was a lot more history leaning than any book I have read previously so definitely worth keeping in mind if like me history isn't your normal genre.
I went into this one expecting it to be quite slow and I would say in the most part it definitely was that but in a way that felt right to the amount of information being shared and what was going on. However there were parts of this story that did feel a little rushed over. I think its hard writing a story that is so close to history as this one, in the sense that it removes some of the artistic licence of the author I suppose to flesh out the characters and dynamics (or at least I am making the assumption that this is why) in ways I would expect from a book that was more fiction leaning and for me it just left parts of the story a bit unsatisfying and a little bit dull.
Overall I think this book was really interesting and I am definitely intrigued by the rest of the series but at times it was a little slow going and is definitely meant for those with a keen interest in history as I imagine it would be a little tedious to get through if you weren't interested in that.
I’ve really looked forward to reading this one as I’m a lover of British history, particularly this time period, but I didn’t know much about Henry’s wives, other than what I learned in primary school and from Six the Musical. It is clear that Alison Weir has done a huge amount of research and I feel like she did a really good job of writing from Katherine’s pov and telling her story.
Katherine seemed to be a loveable person and the way that she was treated is awful, and I can imagine it was only worse in real life. I thought it was really interesting to read about the royal family and how they operated at the time, and how women were basically just baby making machines.
There were times where I felt like I was reading a history textbook, whereas other times felt like a whistle stop tour. The characters did lack depth in my opinion, but obviously we need to bear in mind that Alison Weir is writing from the sources that she can find and doesn’t have first hand experience to draw from.
Overall, I really enjoyed this and got on well with the writing style. I’m looking forward to continuing with Anne Boleyn’s book.
Katherine seemed to be a loveable person and the way that she was treated is awful, and I can imagine it was only worse in real life. I thought it was really interesting to read about the royal family and how they operated at the time, and how women were basically just baby making machines.
There were times where I felt like I was reading a history textbook, whereas other times felt like a whistle stop tour. The characters did lack depth in my opinion, but obviously we need to bear in mind that Alison Weir is writing from the sources that she can find and doesn’t have first hand experience to draw from.
Overall, I really enjoyed this and got on well with the writing style. I’m looking forward to continuing with Anne Boleyn’s book.
Reading historical novels is always strange to me, especially when they are based on real, prominent people, because I know what happened to these people historically, but I still identify so deeply with their struggles and somehow hope for a happier resolution than they got in real life, which of course isn't going to happen. Reading about Katherine of Aragon's cycle of hope, joy, and crushing despair and she has pregnancy after pregancy, miscarriage after stillbirth is heartbreaking, and Alison Weir is great at giving just that tantalizing bit of hope that maybe this time Katherine will get what she longs for, but historically it was not to be. It always amazes me gow good historical writers manage to make people come alive in this way.
Another great thing peculiar to this series is that the changing perspectives of the individual books allow the same events to be interpreted through the perspective of their several principal characters, and that allows Weir to present a number of valid versions of history, especially where the record is scanty. A great way to get a rounded picture of life at the court of Henry VII.
Another great thing peculiar to this series is that the changing perspectives of the individual books allow the same events to be interpreted through the perspective of their several principal characters, and that allows Weir to present a number of valid versions of history, especially where the record is scanty. A great way to get a rounded picture of life at the court of Henry VII.
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Brilliant book….mixing historical fact and just a little fiction make this a compelling read on the tragic life of Henry VIII’s first wife. I’m sure all his Queen’s will have my sympathy when I get to their stories too…but I truely believe that Katherine suffered the most torment even if she kept her head. Definitely recommend if interested in The Tudors at all.
challenging
informative
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
DNF. I wanted to like it, but I couldn’t get into it, and I gave up about 32% of the way in.
Wow—I enjoyed this historical novel so much more than anticipated. Although I’m familiar with the history around Henry VIII’s divorce of his first wife, I didn't know much about Katherine herself. She was immensely popular, and – as described by the author – courageous and principled. Apparently, she was also a kind, warm, and generous friend and queen. Her life was tragic and this book is sad, and I’ve found myself holding Katherine in my heart in the days since finishing it. This is probably 4 1/2 stars, but I'm rounding up because I'm grateful to the author for her work.
I love learning about King Henry the VIII's wives and I've read and enjoyed many non-fiction books by Alison Weir, so I was excited to learn about this series! No surprise - it was well-written and full of historical information. I really liked it! I wanted to start reading the next one in the series right away, but I had other books I needed to get to. I'm definitely in a Tudor mood though, because I went to see Six and I'm rewatching The Tudors (not my favorite, but oh well). I'm looking forward to reading the book about Anne next! Hopefully soon!
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated