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A review by drey72
The Queen's Vow: A Novel of Isabella of Castile by C.W. Gortner
3.0
I love a good historical fiction, and I especially wanted to branch out from the English monarchs I tend to read about. So when offered the opportunity to read The Queen’s Vow, I jumped. After all, Isabella isn’t English, and she’s the Queen who sent Christopher Columbus on his way across the ocean. Of course, she’s also the Queen who authorized the Spanish Inquisition, so I’m not overly enamored of her…
Isabella is not yet four when her father dies and her half-brother Enrique ascends to the throne. Isabella and her little brother Alfonso are hurried away for their safety, and she doesn’t return to court for nine years.
When she does, though, Isabella and her brother Alfonso are separated, and both get embroiled in court politics – by chance, association, misdirection, and even with eyes wide open. She’s loyal enough to Enrique and Spain to not want to cause trouble, but sometimes it seems as though the fates conspire against her even in that.
Isabella is a fascinating character. Sometimes she’s too melodramatic, and I have to remember she’s still just a teenager. She’s smart, devout, and opinionated. I thought it was too bad that she relinquishes a lot of her opinions to Fernando upon their marriage, because some of the decisions she made were to placate him – whereas she might have done the opposite and stood firm otherwise.
The Queen’s Vow is an engrossing tale of this fascinating Spanish Queen, and a must-read for historical fiction fans who love the time and place.
drey’s rating: Pick it up!
Isabella is not yet four when her father dies and her half-brother Enrique ascends to the throne. Isabella and her little brother Alfonso are hurried away for their safety, and she doesn’t return to court for nine years.
When she does, though, Isabella and her brother Alfonso are separated, and both get embroiled in court politics – by chance, association, misdirection, and even with eyes wide open. She’s loyal enough to Enrique and Spain to not want to cause trouble, but sometimes it seems as though the fates conspire against her even in that.
Isabella is a fascinating character. Sometimes she’s too melodramatic, and I have to remember she’s still just a teenager. She’s smart, devout, and opinionated. I thought it was too bad that she relinquishes a lot of her opinions to Fernando upon their marriage, because some of the decisions she made were to placate him – whereas she might have done the opposite and stood firm otherwise.
The Queen’s Vow is an engrossing tale of this fascinating Spanish Queen, and a must-read for historical fiction fans who love the time and place.
drey’s rating: Pick it up!