A review by jay_sy
The Last Queen by C.W. Gortner

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 

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.