After seeing The Other Boleyn Girl in the theatre, I decided to read the book. While waiting for it to come in from amazon, I picked up a copy of The Constant Princess at a local store to pass the time and find out more about Henry VIII's first wife and queen, Catalina, The Infanta of Spain, Katherine, Queen of England.
This book starts out with Catalina at the age of 3 and continues until the turmoil surrounding the Boleyn debacle, however the Boleyn debacle is not widely covered. Instead, an intense understanding of who Katherine is and the changes she goes through in her heart through the years are discovered. Catalina, born and bred to reign and bound by unforeseen promises must fulfill her destiny and in the process grow from a girl to a woman and a true Queen. We also get a clear picture of Henry VIII from childhood through adulthood.
Intensely satisfying, deeply moving, and yearnfully heartfelt, this novel will take you places in your thoughts that you were not expecting. You will pore over the ideas presented, and wonder over the scenarios and reactions of the characters involved. You will live the events of Katherine's life as if you were she, or perhaps one of her ladies in waiting.
Full of suspense, betrayal, misunderstanding, longful yearning, tenacity, and the exposure of the dark thoughts of the every person's inner heart, this book will remind you that we are indeed all human, from the peasant to the royal. A quick, and satisfying read, this one will have you turning pages long after the lights should be out for a restful night's sleep. Instead you'll be up late thinking about a woman who lived 500 years ago and half a world away.
A must read. |
The Constant Princess Books In Print, Audio Books.