jay_sy's review against another edition
informative
sad
medium-paced
- Loveable characters? No
3.0
I used to really enjoy reading about the Tudors, and their history gave me a glimpse into some aspects of Spanish history, especially because of Katherine of Aragon, and later, Philip II. So, Even though I don’t really know anything about Spain or Juana la loca, what little I read made her sound like a particularly interesting historical figure, so I was keen to read The Last Queen by C.W. Gortner.
As I read, I found I’m not really connecting with the characters, though the story became more interesting one she left for Flanders. Juana is constantly at the mercy of others, repeatedly kept in the dark. I know it’s unfair to her, and the story is constrained by historical accuracy but I find a lot of her actions frustrating and the narrative doesn’t help me to feel sympathetic towards her. While I might not care for Juana but I found
But I really found myself wanting more. The events of someone's life can be interesting, but what I like are the details and minutia of daily life that makes the characters come to life. I also noticed that the author seems to really like metaphors and uses them liberally.
Overall, I would give this a 3 out of 5.
As I read, I found I’m not really connecting with the characters, though the story became more interesting one she left for Flanders. Juana is constantly at the mercy of others, repeatedly kept in the dark. I know it’s unfair to her, and the story is constrained by historical accuracy but I find a lot of her actions frustrating and the narrative doesn’t help me to feel sympathetic towards her. While I might not care for Juana but I found
Spoiler
Philip and Don Miguel extremely maddening and couldn’t wait to see their downfall. It was disappointing that Don Miguel got away in the end. It really seemed that everyone was out for power, and I felt for Juana when her father betrayed her. It was sad that while she had a childhood spent with parents and siblings, her own children never received the same. She had so little of her own in her life, and almost all of it got taken away from her.But I really found myself wanting more. The events of someone's life can be interesting, but what I like are the details and minutia of daily life that makes the characters come to life. I also noticed that the author seems to really like metaphors and uses them liberally.
Overall, I would give this a 3 out of 5.
nobyeddalt's review against another edition
adventurous
informative
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
tanyaaugust's review against another edition
5.0
I think Im obsessed with her. I could barely put this book down - it was soooo good. The ending literally broke my heart.
kat7321's review against another edition
3.0
If you're into this time period and royalty history, you will love this. Flavored with the flair of Spain, this historical royalty novel stays very close to the historical facts, and history can be stranger than fiction! The extraordinary life of Juana is, at times, hard to believe. Yet her persona is sympathetic as well as strong. Enjoyed this book very much.
sheila_p's review against another edition
4.0
A historical fiction book I couldn't put down! Juana la Loca, I had never heard of her. Her story is fascinating and full of twists and turns that kept me up long after I should have turned out the light. The story takes place in 1600th century Spain and is the story of a would-be queen and the despicable men in her life. There are always despicable men! I fell into the story, the author didn't romanticize and the writing isn't fluffy or filled with unnecessary details. He did paint a vivid picture and I cared about Juana, felt I understood her enough to want to keep turning the pages. And I liked the ending.
disconightwing's review against another edition
4.0
One of the more enjoyable historical fiction novels I've read in a long time. A quick read and refreshingly not about the Tudors.
erikawastaken's review against another edition
4.0
I love Historical Fiction and Spain. So this book was a win-win. I like the way the author captured the character and the way her views.
There were a few moments where it pushed toward the romance genre, but overall a good read.
There were a few moments where it pushed toward the romance genre, but overall a good read.
dja777's review against another edition
4.0
I enjoyed this book a lot. I had heard of Juana La Loca, but knew very little about her. There were occasional places where the language sounded too modern -- I winced when the author has Juana say, "I could care less..." -- but in general it was an interesting, captivating bit of historical fiction. I was hoping to find the author's first book, The Secret Lion, but couldn't even through interlibrary loan. I'll have to see about buying a used copy on line.