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Search - The Constant Princess
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Book Description:
I am Catalina, Princess of Spain, daughter of the two greatest monarchs the world has ever known... and I will be Queen of England.
Thus, bestselling author Philippa Gregory introduces one of her most unforgettable heroines: Katherine of Aragon. Known to history as the Queen who was pushed off her throne by Anne Boleyn, here is a Katherine the world has forgotten: the enchanting princess that all England loved. First married to Henry VIII's older brother, Arthur, Katherine's passion turns their arranged marriage into a love match; but when Arthur dies, the merciless English court and her ambitious parents--the crusading King and Queen of Spain--have to find a new role for the widow. Ultimately, it is Katherine herself who takes control of her own life by telling the most audacious lie in English history, leading her to the very pinnacle of power in England.
Set in the rich beauty of Moorish Spain and the glamour of the Tudor court, The Constant Princess presents a woman whose constancy helps her endure betrayal, poverty, and despair, until the inevitable moment when she steps into the role she has prepared for all her life: Henry VIII's Queen, Regent, and commander of the English army in their greatest victory against Scotland.
Thus, bestselling author Philippa Gregory introduces one of her most unforgettable heroines: Katherine of Aragon. Known to history as the Queen who was pushed off her throne by Anne Boleyn, here is a Katherine the world has forgotten: the enchanting princess that all England loved. First married to Henry VIII's older brother, Arthur, Katherine's passion turns their arranged marriage into a love match; but when Arthur dies, the merciless English court and her ambitious parents--the crusading King and Queen of Spain--have to find a new role for the widow. Ultimately, it is Katherine herself who takes control of her own life by telling the most audacious lie in English history, leading her to the very pinnacle of power in England.
Set in the rich beauty of Moorish Spain and the glamour of the Tudor court, The Constant Princess presents a woman whose constancy helps her endure betrayal, poverty, and despair, until the inevitable moment when she steps into the role she has prepared for all her life: Henry VIII's Queen, Regent, and commander of the English army in their greatest victory against Scotland.
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Top Member Book Reviews
7 member(s) found this review helpful.
Philippa Gregory does a fantastic job with historical novels. I gained a newfound respect for a Queen who is typically portrayed as a simpering, jealous older woman. Gregory shows us the strength in Catherine...I thoroughly enjoyed this new insight into this historic character.
6 member(s) found this review helpful.
I have always had sympathy for Katherine of Aragon, and now I have even more. What a lovely story of courage, fortitude, and love. Once again, Philippa Gregory has written a well-researched fictional account of historical events. While no one knows exactly why Katherine did things as she did them, Gregory's book provides a plausible and compelling reason. I hope you will enjoy this book as thoroughly as I did.
3 member(s) found this review helpful.
This novel about Katherine of Aragon begins further back in time then most tales about her - in Moorish Spain where we learn more about Catalina, Princess of Spain
3 member(s) found this review helpful.
Katherine of Aragon is mostly ignored in books about this time in history, other than that she was pushed off the English throne by Anne Boleyn and was the mother of Queen Mary. This is a fascinating account of Katherine as a person in her own right and relates how she helped shape the early years of Henry VIII's reign -- another Gregory triumph.
3 member(s) found this review helpful.
Great insight into Henry VIII's first wife. She may not have been quite as famous as Anne Boleyn, but after reading this novel I'm certain she was more interesting and compelling.
3 member(s) found this review helpful.
Another great book by Philippa Gregory. This one is about Katherine of Aragon. I would also recommend The Other Boleyn Girl, The Queen's Fool, and The Virgin's Lover by this author.
3 member(s) found this review helpful.
This is a wonderful story of Katherine of Aragon and her life. It is a fantastic retelling of many events from her time with her parents on the battlefield and continuing through her marriage to Arthur and Henry the Eighth.
2 member(s) found this review helpful.
This book is well written and a good read, but it wasn't a book I couldn't easily put down. It inspired some research into the Tudor family thereby growing my store of knowledge. Overall, I am glad I read this book.
Julie L. (
2 member(s) found this review helpful.
Much better than I thought it would be. I knew nothing about Katherine beforehand, so the historial innacuracies didn't bother me at all. I was swept up in the Tudor life!
Rose S. (
2 member(s) found this review helpful.
Very good. Fascinating woman!
Please Rate these Book Reviews
I enjoyed this book. Katherine is someone that we don't hear much about until she is being dethroned by Anne Boleyn. It was very interesting to be reminded that she had history before this happened. It was also good to remember that Henry came from somewhere too. The book was a good read and if you enjoy historical novels, this is a good one of balancing history and character.
This book was good for what it is. The historical fiction genre can be a little too Danielle Steele for my taste and Gregory can certainly be so also. However, she does it with enough nuance in this novel that I found that I didn't mind it. It was a little hard to get into at first, as military history was my downfall in college but I found myself drawn into the story. I was extremely emotionally affected by many episodes in the book and by Gregory's interpretation of Catherine of Aragon and her life. I, in fact, had to put the book down for a week because I couldn't think about anything else and it was really getting to me. The ending is abrupt but necessary for your sanity after the heartbreak that you will feel throughout the book's duration. I recommend this novel for amateur and professional historians everywhere but beware: you must have not let your historical prowess get the best of you. Just enjoy the story for what it is.
Excellent writing. great attention to detail. Liked the way the author wove the thinking of Katherine of Aragon with the actual events that were happening around her. You get a feeling for the time as well as the characters perspectives. It was an amazing time.
Insightful and entertaining look into the life and head of a fascinating woman in history. The plot is not as well-developed and engrossing as some of Gregory's others, but still an interesting read.
I have been reading much about English history and this gives more insight to Katherine and her life, hard to put down, made her actions so much more understandable and her early life in Spain provided understanding of the woman she became, even in the worst times. This book also gives us understanding of what shaped Henry the VIII into the selfish despot he became
Interesting history of Katherine of Aragon, Henry VIII's first wife & how she attained her esteemed position to become Queen. I got lost with the overwhelming details of the battles, the political jockeying going on in the last quarter of the book. It was confusing & bored me. Over all a good book but not a favorite. Liked The other Boleyn girl MUCH better.
I thought this was much better than The Queen's Fool but not as good as The Other Boleyn Girl. I've gotten used to Gregory's repetitious writing style. The minor historical changes she made didn't bother me. It is fiction after all. A minor nitpick: I wish her thoughts about Bessie Blount and Henry Fitzroy had been included.
Oh... this was good! It's a nice change to read from the "woman's" perspective. How awesome it would be to read the real diaries of history's famous women. I can hardly wait to get onto the next couple of books within this series!
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