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A review by oashackelford
Reign of Madness by Lynn Cullen
2.0
Juana is the daughter of King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella of Spain, and third in line to both of her parents thrones. As was customary at the time, Juana is married off so that the Spanish crown can strengthen its alliances across Europe. The book covers Juana's life and eventual fall into madness that the history books tell us about, but from Juana's point of view.
I wanted to like this book, I really did, but Juana's inaction in her own life is infuriating. Juana as a character just seems to let everyone else make her choices for her and seems to be watching her own life from the sidelines while everyone disrespects her. I understand that this book is based on a historical figure and the author is bound by the real world parameters of her life, but this was the most frustrating book that I have read in a long time. Nothing about it is romantic, and you can't even argue that in the end Juana won because she was being left alone, because, sure she was being left alone, but she is trapped and not really living her life at all. That isn't freedom. You can't even really say, "well historically women have just had to put up with a lot." People had women for queens and rallied behind them. It is hard to believe that she wasn't a little bit mad, because if she was sane then why would she sit back and just let her life happen to her instead of taking charge of her own life. I did not enjoy this book at all and I wish I had my time back.
I wanted to like this book, I really did, but Juana's inaction in her own life is infuriating. Juana as a character just seems to let everyone else make her choices for her and seems to be watching her own life from the sidelines while everyone disrespects her. I understand that this book is based on a historical figure and the author is bound by the real world parameters of her life, but this was the most frustrating book that I have read in a long time. Nothing about it is romantic, and you can't even argue that in the end Juana won because she was being left alone, because, sure she was being left alone, but she is trapped and not really living her life at all. That isn't freedom. You can't even really say, "well historically women have just had to put up with a lot." People had women for queens and rallied behind them. It is hard to believe that she wasn't a little bit mad, because if she was sane then why would she sit back and just let her life happen to her instead of taking charge of her own life. I did not enjoy this book at all and I wish I had my time back.