∎ [PDF] Gratis The Constant Princess Philippa Gregory 9780743272483 Books

The Constant Princess Philippa Gregory 9780743272483 Books

Download As PDF : The Constant Princess Philippa Gregory 9780743272483 Books

The Constant Princess Philippa Gregory 9780743272483 Books

That's a Dorothy Parker quote, and one I'm quite sure she would have used on this egregious piece of inconstant scholarship and boring, anachronistic repetition. I'm a huge Tudor fan, and I found this book just about unreadable, only plowing through to the finish because I wanted to see how bad it got. Pretty bad. If I had been playing a drinking game every time the author said "I am the Infanta of Spain, the Princess of Wales and destined from birth to rule England!", I'd have been blind drunk in the first hundred pages. She attributes to Catalina. daughter of Ferdinand and Isabella, a deep love for Moorish customs, then a few hundred pages later turns her into a racist bitch about the Moors and a fan of the Inquisition; she perpetuates the Shakespearean canard about Richard III murdering his nephews when even back in the day it's in the public record that they never believed such a thing; she's got all sorts of modern attitudes about sex and feminism that never existed in the 1500s; and, oh, suggests that Henry VII had the hots for his daughter-in-law and that Katherine lied to Henry VIII about her virginity and personally, in armor, led the English army to and at Flodden. A complete waste of time and perversion of history. I won't be reading any of Gregory's work again.


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The Constant Princess Philippa Gregory 9780743272483 Books Reviews

This is the story of Henry VIII's first wife, Katharine of Aragon. It is about her beginning in Spain and continues as she becomes Princess of Wales and then, Queen of England.

It is an amazing story. She is born Catalina of Aragon, youngest daughter of King Ferdinand of Aragon and Queen Isabella of Castile. The two managed to run the Moors out of Spain, begin the Inquisition, and unite Aragon and Castile into the realm of Spain. Catalina stays with her mother on the battlefield, learning battlefield strategy and viewing Isabella donning armour and leading the troops into battle. Throughout the narrative, we learn about the great society of the Moors, about their great learning in medicine and science and their tolerance of all religions. Not so the Catholic Isabella and Ferdinand, who drive the Moors and the Jews from Spain and impose Roman Catholic doctrine on all citizens.

Catalina has been promised to Henry VII's oldest son, Arthur, since infancy, in efforts towards a union of Spain and England. She has been raised in the belief that her destiny is to be Queen of England. At the age of 15, she is married in England to Arthur and the two take up residence in Wales, since Arthur is Prince of Wales, next in line for the throne. His father, Henry VII is the first Tudor king. Catalina and Arthur loathe each other at first, but soon fall madly and deeply in love. They are only supposed to meet once a week to begin an heir, but through a secret passage, Arthur goes to Catalina and they make mad, passionate love every night.

But not for long. In the fifth month of their marriage, Arthur develops "the sweats" (unknown disease, but thought to be caused by bad sewage and water, similar to cholera). Within days, he is dead. Philippa Gregory thinks that on his death bed, he extracted a promise from Katharine, which lie would change the course of English history. In any event, fact or fiction, the lie went down in history as fact. "The lie" enables her to marry the second son, Henry, to become Henry VIII and fulfill her destiny as Queen of England.

Katherine is 6 years older than Henry. It takes a few years, during which time she is pursued by the father, Henry VII, and suffers from poverty when she is ignored. But Henry the Younger has quite a crush on his late brother's widow, and finally, they are married.

We know that she was eventually supplanted by Anne Boleyn, but there is a lot of living to do before that time is reached. Henry was not trained to the kingship as was his older brother, Arthur and has been vastly spoiled by his grandmother. He remains vain, selfish, willful and hedonistic to the point where Katherine takes over the running of the kingdom by paying bills and assuming all the necessary duties to keep the court afloat and afford Henry's self-indulgent, extravagant life style.

This is a magnificent story of a queen who knew how to run a court logistically and when Henry was absent with a war against the French, how to man, supply and lead an army against the Scots, and win it.

It is also about her struggles towards motherhood, of babies lost and one, Mary, born. It is a story of her unending, timeless love for Arthur and how she fulfills her destiny to be queen of England through "the lie."

Gregory's narration is juxtaposed through a third person account of historical events and Katherine's private thoughts at every step of development.

This story of Queen Katherine is a compelling narrative from beginning to end. In the concluding passages as Anne Boleyn appears on the scene, we know how it will all turn against Katherine. There is therefore a touch of sadness for this great woman and outstanding queen, as we realize what struggles she has ahead of her. But that cannot dim, the greatness of her achievements.
What I LOVE about this depiction of Katherine (or Catalina) of Aragon is that it's a 100% different take on her as a person, and quite frankly I like it a lot more and almost feel like it's more realistic.

Catalina is the daughter of the first monarchs of Spain and one of the greatest Queens of Europe, Isabella of Castile, and I've always had a hard time accepting that Catalina was this simple pious pawn of a Queen married to Henry VIII. She was raised in battle and saw her parents come to power by taking a citadel that hadn't been taken in 700yrs, and then saw them further grow their empire...so she had to be more than that, and there has to be more to her than that...and I think Philippa Gregory has captured that side of her without stretching too far. Catalina is still a Princess (and a woman) in 15th century Catholic Europe with limited power, but Philippa shows us how Catalina has influence over a nation, and over history, despite that.

This is the Katherine of Aragon that I want to believe existed. She had strength beyond her piety, she had passion beyond motherly love, and she was an ambitious, intelligent, and strong Queen Regant, not a simple obedient Queen Consort. Philippa shows us that Catalina was a player in her own right- not just a pawn....and I love it!!

Next to The Lady of the Rivers, this so far is my 2nd favorite book in this series.
It goes on, and on, and on... with long boring didactic passages, alternating between the third person narrative and the first person by Katherine. I have loved Philippa Gregory's other novels in the Plantagent and Tudor series, but this one is difficult. I suppose I'll finish it, but am discouraged that I'm only 43% through and struggling with the style. After reading other reviews, I also am tempted abort and to read another historical novel about Katherine, which, being more accurate and interesting according to another review, is what I'd recommend, but for me, having bought this, to switch would be a waste of money. Will probably slough through, but struggling.
That's a Dorothy Parker quote, and one I'm quite sure she would have used on this egregious piece of inconstant scholarship and boring, anachronistic repetition. I'm a huge Tudor fan, and I found this book just about unreadable, only plowing through to the finish because I wanted to see how bad it got. Pretty bad. If I had been playing a drinking game every time the author said "I am the Infanta of Spain, the Princess of Wales and destined from birth to rule England!", I'd have been blind drunk in the first hundred pages. She attributes to Catalina. daughter of Ferdinand and Isabella, a deep love for Moorish customs, then a few hundred pages later turns her into a racist bitch about the Moors and a fan of the Inquisition; she perpetuates the Shakespearean canard about Richard III murdering his nephews when even back in the day it's in the public record that they never believed such a thing; she's got all sorts of modern attitudes about sex and feminism that never existed in the 1500s; and, oh, suggests that Henry VII had the hots for his daughter-in-law and that Katherine lied to Henry VIII about her virginity and personally, in armor, led the English army to and at Flodden. A complete waste of time and perversion of history. I won't be reading any of Gregory's work again.