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mbenzz's review against another edition
4.0
I really enjoyed this book. Behind Henry VIII, Charles II is my favorite monarch. I've read his story from the point of view of three of his main mistresses and both his nieces, Mary and Ann. I'm not sure why it took me so long to come around to Catherine, but it was certainly a very different look at the most licentious court England had seen in quite some time.
Catherine's mother started planning a marriage between her daughter and Charles when Catherine was just a little girl. England was under the puritan rule of Oliver Cromwell at the time, but she was certain that someday the monarchy would be restored. When it was, her daughter would be the one to join Portugal and England, which would help to drive Spain away from attacking the small country. Catherine grew up dreaming of a romanticized version of Charles. She couldn't wait for the time to come when she would leave for England...very unusual at the time since most royal Princesses dreaded leaving their homeland to marry a strange Prince from a far-away, unfamiliar land.
Catharine's mother's intuition proved correct, and at the ripe old age of 23, she finally sailed to England to marry her dashing King. One thing that surprised me was Ms. Plaidy mentioning very pointedly that Catherine did NOT get married by proxy in Portugal, when in fact, she did. In Lisbon on April 23, 1662. This would have been to assure that there would be no doubt that she was the Queen of England during the journey from Portugal to England and married to King Charles II.
Upon Catherine's arrival, the dream she had built up was quickly shattered, and reality set in. She truly did love Charles, but she was shocked to discover that he kept mistresses...and a lot of them (over the years). It took her a while before she learned that she would never be the only woman to hold the heart of the King, but once she truly accepted him for who he was, they loved one another very deeply. Charles was extremely protective of his little Queen...he would not tolerate his mistresses speaking ill of her, and he refused to divorce her once it became apparent that she would never give birth to a son.
Overall, this was an excellent realistic look into the court of Charles II. This is not the sex-filled gossipy mistress version, but the real story from a loving wife and Queen who came to this country from a very different place and just wanted to fit in. My only issue with the book, and why I gave it 4 stars instead of 5, was the second half seemed much more rushed. There was a lot of 'As the years passed...', which would quickly fly over 3-5 years. It's almost like Ms. Plaidy realized the book would be way too long if she continued writing it in the same descriptive manner as the first half, so she cut back on the dialogue and descriptions dramatically in the second half. It didn't take away from the story too much, but some events were quickly told to us almost as an afterthought, instead of finding out how these events affected certain people. In the end, though, I absolutely recommend this book, especially if you love Restoration England. Yes, the mistresses are fun, and their side of the story is always more exciting, but it's definitely worth the time to get to know the wife of England's Merriest Monarch.
Catherine's mother started planning a marriage between her daughter and Charles when Catherine was just a little girl. England was under the puritan rule of Oliver Cromwell at the time, but she was certain that someday the monarchy would be restored. When it was, her daughter would be the one to join Portugal and England, which would help to drive Spain away from attacking the small country. Catherine grew up dreaming of a romanticized version of Charles. She couldn't wait for the time to come when she would leave for England...very unusual at the time since most royal Princesses dreaded leaving their homeland to marry a strange Prince from a far-away, unfamiliar land.
Catharine's mother's intuition proved correct, and at the ripe old age of 23, she finally sailed to England to marry her dashing King. One thing that surprised me was Ms. Plaidy mentioning very pointedly that Catherine did NOT get married by proxy in Portugal, when in fact, she did. In Lisbon on April 23, 1662. This would have been to assure that there would be no doubt that she was the Queen of England during the journey from Portugal to England and married to King Charles II.
Upon Catherine's arrival, the dream she had built up was quickly shattered, and reality set in. She truly did love Charles, but she was shocked to discover that he kept mistresses...and a lot of them (over the years). It took her a while before she learned that she would never be the only woman to hold the heart of the King, but once she truly accepted him for who he was, they loved one another very deeply. Charles was extremely protective of his little Queen...he would not tolerate his mistresses speaking ill of her, and he refused to divorce her once it became apparent that she would never give birth to a son.
Overall, this was an excellent realistic look into the court of Charles II. This is not the sex-filled gossipy mistress version, but the real story from a loving wife and Queen who came to this country from a very different place and just wanted to fit in. My only issue with the book, and why I gave it 4 stars instead of 5, was the second half seemed much more rushed. There was a lot of 'As the years passed...', which would quickly fly over 3-5 years. It's almost like Ms. Plaidy realized the book would be way too long if she continued writing it in the same descriptive manner as the first half, so she cut back on the dialogue and descriptions dramatically in the second half. It didn't take away from the story too much, but some events were quickly told to us almost as an afterthought, instead of finding out how these events affected certain people. In the end, though, I absolutely recommend this book, especially if you love Restoration England. Yes, the mistresses are fun, and their side of the story is always more exciting, but it's definitely worth the time to get to know the wife of England's Merriest Monarch.
wildwolverine's review against another edition
4.0
Unfortunately for Catherine of Braganza, she is one of those queens who is overshadowed by a larger than life husband and king and by his many dynamic mistresses. Presented here as a dutiful, demure, and permissive wife, Catherine is the reader's eyes and ears to the English Restoration and the years afterwards. She paints an unforgettable portrait, and in the process, she becomes unforgettable herself.
When Catherine comes to England, she is utterly ignorant of English customs, the language, and the nature of the man she has married. Despite being in her early twenties, she is like a child. According to the book, Catherine's powerful mother had been holding out for an alliance with England for a long time, which is why it boggles my mind that she wouldn't think to employ and English-language tutor for her daughter, who was apparently quite studious. Seems like the proactive thing to do, but what do I know?
That said, Catherine is far more adaptable than her predecessor Henrietta Maria was. It is this adaptability that endears her to Charles II who, by all accounts, is flippant about controversy but willing to hold onto the throne no matter what the cost. Here, he's painted as a rather relaxed monarch, both in morals and policy, but if one reads between the lines, we see a statesman who is astute and cunning. He knows how to keep his subjects happy, though there are time when he could and should assert his rights as king more, especially when it comes to the Popish Plot.
A lot of historical events are covered here, and they're quite thrilling to read, almost as thrilling as the various mistresses that cross the page. Ironically, through them, we see Catherine grow into herself and even acquire some agency, though it is minimal. There are Barbara Castlemaine, Nell Gwynne, and Louise Keroualle. Each of them offers the king something different, but none of them offer the stability and tranquility that Catherine promises. It's this hold she has on Charles that prevents him from divorcing her, despite her inability to have children. Moreover, she is able to leverage her position as England's queen to influence events from her native Portugal. Her naivety enhances her patriotism, and she comes off as a monarch determined to do good.
This is where the book unceremoniously cuts off. Just as Catherine is about to ascend to the regency of her homeland Portugal, long after Charles has died and his brother James has been deposed, Plaidy ends the book. It's so disappointing because the book isn't that long. There was definitely space to explore this chapter of Catherine's life where she wielded unprecedented power to protect her nascent Portugal from the clutches of Spain during her brother's ill health. I would have loved to learn more but, alas, I must rely on other sources to do that.
Overall, this is a moving book. Sometimes pitiable, sometimes exciting, but always intriguing. I know very little about the Stuart dynasty and the Restoration, so I appreciated this glimpse into that time period. Another entertaining entry by Plaidy that I must recommend to historical fiction lovers.
When Catherine comes to England, she is utterly ignorant of English customs, the language, and the nature of the man she has married. Despite being in her early twenties, she is like a child. According to the book, Catherine's powerful mother had been holding out for an alliance with England for a long time, which is why it boggles my mind that she wouldn't think to employ and English-language tutor for her daughter, who was apparently quite studious. Seems like the proactive thing to do, but what do I know?
That said, Catherine is far more adaptable than her predecessor Henrietta Maria was. It is this adaptability that endears her to Charles II who, by all accounts, is flippant about controversy but willing to hold onto the throne no matter what the cost. Here, he's painted as a rather relaxed monarch, both in morals and policy, but if one reads between the lines, we see a statesman who is astute and cunning. He knows how to keep his subjects happy, though there are time when he could and should assert his rights as king more, especially when it comes to the Popish Plot.
A lot of historical events are covered here, and they're quite thrilling to read, almost as thrilling as the various mistresses that cross the page. Ironically, through them, we see Catherine grow into herself and even acquire some agency, though it is minimal. There are Barbara Castlemaine, Nell Gwynne, and Louise Keroualle. Each of them offers the king something different, but none of them offer the stability and tranquility that Catherine promises. It's this hold she has on Charles that prevents him from divorcing her, despite her inability to have children. Moreover, she is able to leverage her position as England's queen to influence events from her native Portugal. Her naivety enhances her patriotism, and she comes off as a monarch determined to do good.
This is where the book unceremoniously cuts off. Just as Catherine is about to ascend to the regency of her homeland Portugal, long after Charles has died and his brother James has been deposed, Plaidy ends the book. It's so disappointing because the book isn't that long. There was definitely space to explore this chapter of Catherine's life where she wielded unprecedented power to protect her nascent Portugal from the clutches of Spain during her brother's ill health. I would have loved to learn more but, alas, I must rely on other sources to do that.
Overall, this is a moving book. Sometimes pitiable, sometimes exciting, but always intriguing. I know very little about the Stuart dynasty and the Restoration, so I appreciated this glimpse into that time period. Another entertaining entry by Plaidy that I must recommend to historical fiction lovers.
ana3333's review against another edition
3.0
Meh. Not bad, but not great either. This book covered a fairly interesting historic figure and did a decent job of considering what Catherine's personality and thoughts might have been like. However, many parts of this book, especially the parts about the Popish Plot, read like a Wikipedia entry.
Plaidy's hallmark is presenting the facts without overdramatizing or making stuff up. However, at a certain point, a little emotion and drama is called for. This is supposed to be a novel, not a biography.
Plaidy's hallmark is presenting the facts without overdramatizing or making stuff up. However, at a certain point, a little emotion and drama is called for. This is supposed to be a novel, not a biography.
rkravitz's review against another edition
4.0
Jean Plaidy is one of my favorite authors. Catherine of Braganza is a queen that I had not read about before and I really enjoyed this portrait of her life.
analisrsr's review
3.0
Read my review at:
http://ani-read.tumblr.com/post/60799687330/the-pleasures-of-love-by-jean-plaidy
http://ani-read.tumblr.com/post/60799687330/the-pleasures-of-love-by-jean-plaidy
fenwench's review against another edition
sad
slow-paced
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
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