This book provides the most original characterization of Catherine/Catalina of Aragon as I've ever read. Gregory takes one side of the Henry/Catherine controversy and not only runs with it, she wins the marathon. Please remember, this is a work of FICTION and whether or not Gregory's Catalina is true to life, aside from the position Gregory and Catalina take, I find Catherine's inner self intriguing and so animated so as to make me forget the popular image of her as a dour, elderly woman who ... (show more)

This book provides the most original characterization of Catherine/Catalina of Aragon as I've ever read. Gregory takes one side of the Henry/Catherine controversy and not only runs with it, she wins the marathon. Please remember, this is a work of FICTION and whether or not Gregory's Catalina is true to life, aside from the position Gregory and Catalina take, I find Catherine's inner self intriguing and so animated so as to make me forget the popular image of her as a dour, elderly woman who wouldn't let go. History forgets that Catalina was loved by Henry and that her charm and beauty were legendar. She was, during her lifetime, one of England's most popular queens and her successor, Anne B., had no chance at ever winning the hearts of her subjects. Gregory's Catalina is every inch a princess and a woman I would have loved to have had the chance to know. Fortunately, this novel gave me that opportunity. (show less)

This was the first Gregory novel I read; although I had been meaning to read her work for years, it took the pressing of this book into my hand by a friend at work to get me to actually do so. I have a background in British history and an interest in Sephardim in England. Sometimes a little knowledge is a dangerous thing, but my background not withstanding, Gregory did a great job of transporting me to the time and place. Perhaps her greatest success in this and her other Tudor novels is to r... (show more)

This was the first Gregory novel I read; although I had been meaning to read her work for years, it took the pressing of this book into my hand by a friend at work to get me to actually do so. I have a background in British history and an interest in Sephardim in England. Sometimes a little knowledge is a dangerous thing, but my background not withstanding, Gregory did a great job of transporting me to the time and place. Perhaps her greatest success in this and her other Tudor novels is to relay the absolute fear that permeated English society at the time of the religious upheaval. With monarchs and therefore religious policy shifting with every regime turnover and public memory being what it was, there was no safe public profession of belief. Perhaps her success of transmitting that underlying terror is what attracts me most to her works. I'm now looking forward to reading her WWI novels. More on those soon... (show less)