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Product Description
From Publishers Weekly
The 1492 conquest of Granada makes for high adventure and royal intrigue in this second sparkling historical from Gortner (The Secret Lion). Spanish Princess Juana, 13, watches as her parents, King Fernando and Queen Isabel, unite Spain, vanquish Moors and marry their children off to foreign kingdoms for favorable alliances: Princess Catalina becomes first wife to Henry VIII; Princess Juana, who narrates, is shipped off to marry Philip of Flanders, heir to the Hapsburg Empire. Although Juana balks at leaving Spain for the north and a husband she has never met, their instant chemistry soon turns to love. Years and children later, Juana unexpectedly becomes next in line to the Spanish crown and must carefully navigate every step of the journey from Flanders to Spain, fearful of alienating husband or parents or both. Emotional and political tensions soar as Juana's loyalties are tested to their limits. Disturbing royal secrets and court manipulations wickedly twist this enthralling story, brilliantly told. (July)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
Review
“This moving tale of Juana la Loca (the Mad) vividly re-creates the passion, politics, and betrayals that drove a smart and spirited queen to the brink of insanity . . . or perhaps, as C. W. Gortner suggests, to the pretense of insanity–a pretense that baffled Juana’s enemies and led to triumph for her children and her country. The Last Queen is an absorbing account of one of history’s most fascinating women, from her never-before-told point of view.”—Donna Woolfolk Cross, author of Pope Joan
“I ached for this intelligent, one-of-a-kind queen. Her struggle and passion kept me up until the early hours of the morning. A page-turner, a nail-biter, an eye-opener: I loved being possessed by The Last Queen!”—Ki Longfellow, author of The Secret Magdalene
“A vibrant tapestry of love and hate . . . brings to life an extraordinary queen at an unforgettable time in history.”—Sandra Worth, author of Lady of the Roses
“An exquisite evocation of a dangerous era and of a forgotten queen.”—Holly Payne, author of The Virgin’s Knot
“Gripping and unforgettable . . . captures Juana of Castile’s electrifying drama.”—Judith Merkle Riley, author of The Water Devil
“I ached for this intelligent, one-of-a-kind queen. Her struggle and passion kept me up until the early hours of the morning. A page-turner, a nail-biter, an eye-opener: I loved being possessed by The Last Queen!”—Ki Longfellow, author of The Secret Magdalene
“A vibrant tapestry of love and hate . . . brings to life an extraordinary queen at an unforgettable time in history.”—Sandra Worth, author of Lady of the Roses
“An exquisite evocation of a dangerous era and of a forgotten queen.”—Holly Payne, author of The Virgin’s Knot
“Gripping and unforgettable . . . captures Juana of Castile’s electrifying drama.”—Judith Merkle Riley, author of The Water Devil
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
a truly unforgettable read,
By
This review is from: The Last Queen: A Novel (Paperback)
With his debut novel The Last Queen, author C.W. Gortner has painted a powerful, moving and haunting portrait of Queen Juana de Castile, the last queen of Spain known as Juana La Loca or the Mad Queen. Written in the first person, this book easily transported me into Juana's world as she tells of her childhood, her tumultuous marriage to Philip, heir to the Habsburg Empire and her unexpected and incredible rise to the position of Queen of Spain'a position for which she fought and sacrificed everything.The Last Queen is a gripping story that takes you by the hand and doesn't let go until the last page is turned. It is a drama that comes to life under Gortner's deft pen and meticulous historical research. It is a story of passion, of love for one's land and people, of longing for love and the innocence of childhood. Ultimately, Queen Juana's story is a sad one, filled with intrigue, betrayals, and psychological-political battles against power-hungry clergymen, monarchs, and lords. It is a story that will stay with you long after you've read the last words. Gortner's style of writing is simply beautiful. It drew me in every time I picked up the book. His writing brought the setting and characters to life rendering them vivid and exotic and very real. Here's an example from page 27: "The Alhambra reclined on its hill, tinted amethyst in the dusk. Above its towers, the sky unfurled like violet cloth, spangled with spun-glass stars." Sometimes Gortner's descriptions were utterly breathtaking (I read them twice just to savour them) and his storytelling brilliant, making me keenly feel Juana's isolation, her heartbreaking separations, and her engulfing desperation. There are a few explicit but brief sex scenes that thankfully do not use vulgar terms. However, this book isn't a romance novel and these scenes are not glorified. I admired Juana's fidelity to her husband, although he did not reciprocate. Gortner skilfully portrayed the strengths and weaknesses of the female monarch and how a man could use his manhood to conquer. But Juana's spirit was not easily broken. A reader may be sceptical when a man writes in the voice of a woman, but Gortner's portrayal captured Juana's feelings, fears and pride so convincingly, I related to her as a woman. The author states in his own words regarding this fact: 'I can't afford to be ambiguous: I must become the person I am writing about and stay true to the facts of her life, even if she does something that I, as myself, would not do.' I was really taken in by this novel, especially since the topic of losing one's mind or suffering from extreme mental trauma can be more easily understood given certain circumstances, and Juana's situation was certainly one that could drive a person to insanity. But sometimes, insanity is a matter of perspective. If you like historical fiction, you must add this book to your reading list. It is truly an unforgettable read. For me, Gortner has just become one of my favourite authors.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
moving, absorbing, unputdownable!,
This review is from: The Last Queen: A Novel (Paperback)
This is one of the best books I have ever read and I have read quite a few. Let me also say that I am a snob and I set the bar high when I am judging books. The tale of poor Juana is as engrossing as it is disturbing and the writing is as intense as it is smooth. The writing style is pleasant and easy to read. There are some spanish words for 'colour', but not too many.I should make special mention of the fact that the author, who, in spite of being male, has done a superb task of writing the book from a woman's point of view. Being a woman myself, I was pleasantly surprised that the male author could produce such a poignant and absorbing piece of work, which accords well with female emotions and thinking.I cannot judge the historical accuracy of this novel, but the author does seem to have put a lot of research into it. The story is told by Juana in the twilight of her life. She reminisces about her past life even as she is locked up after being branded a madwoman. Even though I was very disturbed by the sordid tale of Juana's life, I simply could not put the book down until I had finished it and even then, it kept haunting me for a couple of days. The revelations made about european society in the 16th century were eye-opening. The atrocious way in which women were treated in those days (even royalty like Juana) made me thank heaven I was born now and not back then! In a stolidly male world, a young but courageous Juana battles physical and mental abuse just to live with respect and dignity. The other message from this novel is that the life of a princess and/or prince is no cakewalk. Every little girl who has ever dreamt of being a princess or marrying a prince should read this book, which reveals the truth about the ugly, loveless, wretched lives of royals.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars
An Engrossing Novel about 'Juana the Mad',
By
This review is from: The Last Queen: A Novel (Paperback)
The Last Queen is and engrossing novel about Juana, daughter of Isabella and heiress of Castile. I know very little of the history of Spain, but I do know a lot about another daughter of Isabella : Catherine of Aragon, first wife of Henry VIII of England. All I knew about Juana was that her father, Ferdinand, declared her insane because she clawed and raged at any woman who looked sidlong at her husband, Philip the Fair, and that she dragged his corpse with her around the country.This novel shows a sane woman, as determined to rule Castile in her own right as her mother was, and as her sister was to remain the wife of Henry. Mr Gortner demonstrates that her jealous rages and the lengthly funeral procession were not signs of madness, but the actions of a woman protecting her rights against the rapiciousness of Philip and Ferdinand, the men who should have protected her. They sought to con her and cast her aside, ruling in her name. She refused to be used, refused to abdicate, refused to give up her children and their rights. In the end ... Reading this novel, I sensed the passionate woman Juana must have been. Her sister and her mother refused to be pushed aside by their husbands. She must have been like them - and like them, she paid bitterly to hold her self-esteem. A fine book, simular to Jean Plaidy's best.
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