Author: C. W. Gortner
Publisher: Random House
Date of publication: June 2012
So begins Isabella’s story, in this evocative, vividly imagined novel about one of history’s most famous and controversial queens—the warrior who united a fractured country, the champion of the faith whose reign gave rise to the Inquisition, and the visionary who sent Columbus to discover a New World.
I'm not normally a reader of historical fiction that involves a real person. I normally shy away because there is no way anyone would know what a person was thinking so many years ago. But, I am always up for trying something new. The Queen's Vow is the story of Queen Isabella of Castille and is told from her point of view. I knew nothing about this queen going into the story. I only knew that she financed the Columbus's trip to the Americas.
The author did a great job of capturing the feel of the time period. Isabella did not live a charmed life as one would think a future queen might. Instead it was hard and filled with danger. She seemed to be a brave woman with very strong religious convictions. Together with her husband, they were able to take back Spain and become powerful rulers. I liked their love story and can only hope that their relationship was as happy in real life. I thought the book was well written and interesting. There were a few times that I thought the book dragged a bit. Overall, I think anyone who likes this genre will enjoy the book. One thing I did enjoy was the afterward by the author. It give some more insight into the queen and her history. It's worth checking it out!
2 comments:
Thanks for your great review. I'm delighted to be here as part of my virtual tour and really hope your readers enjoy THE QUEEN'S VOW.
I enjoyed this one too, Kari. It's always a treat getting to read another blogger's thoughts on a book you've read.
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