I've been on a kick with Philippa Gregory novels lately. They've taken the place in my reading schedule of the "bath book" - mass-market historical romances that I read in the bathtub in the morning. I've finished the Cousins' War cycle and traveled into the Tudors. I may read a few more before drifting away from her again, or perhaps not. 

 

 

I really like a few things about Gregory's novels; equally, there are a few things that I don't like so much. She's wonderful with character - especially women. She gives a historical voice to females who often either had no public voice or whose public image was shaped by men over the centuries. She gives the plots and machinations of Renaissance politics great atmosphere. 

 

When reading Gregory, one must remember that she's playing fast-and-loose with history, and some of her choices regarding characters who are historic figures and their motivations have absolutely no documentation. These are historical FICTION, not History with a capital H. But they're pretty fun and easy to digest.

 

What I don't like - often her stories feel remarkably passionless. She covers so many years - decades even - of time in a novel it feels like driving through history at 55 mph. And her writing style sometimes confounds me. That was the case in "The Constant Princess," the story of the young years of Katherine of Aragon. 

 

Gregory's novels, for me, are most successful when they use a first-person point of view, and as a reader you spend the entire book inside the main character's head. "The Constant Princess" inexplicably shifts from third-person to first person, with only a change in typeface. The first-person sections are not diary entries. They are not testimony, nor are they letters. They are not even extended thought bubbles, as scenes happen within them. It's just the author wanting to have the best of both worlds - the ability to live in an omniscient world and to be inside her character's thoughts. 

 

However, there were things about "The Constant Princess" that I really, really loved. First and foremost, I naively have spent my whole life believing Katherine of Aragon's testimony that she and Arthur Prince of Wales never consummated their marriage. Henry was the bad guy. Why would Katherine ever lie?

 

Why, indeed? Could I never see before how much was at stake for her before? This novel not only removed that blinder, but Gregory chooses to give them a passionate, tender love story, making his death even more poignant. It was by far the most compelling part of this novel, and I was moved.

 

I would love to read a Catalina/Arthur love story again - this time at a slightly higher level of presentation. 

 

-cg

Bowled over.

Possibly one of the best books in The Cousins' War series, and, ironically, it was the only one I initially had very little interest in.

It ends everything; it brings everything together; the sisters of the Kingmaker's Daughter; echoes of the mysticism of The Lady of the Rivers; the history of The White Queen and The Red Queen; the crucial understanding of the transfer of power. And even the setting up of the plot for The Constant Princess and of the personalities of the Tudors that Philippa later explores in her works on Henry VIII.

 

How difficult and complex, indeed, it must have been for Elizabeth of York; born a princess of York; married to the "usurper" Tudor who defeated her uncle at Bosworth Field.

 

Creating a new dynasty that is both terrified of how to wield its new power and is spiteful of the old York influence and charm must have been a gargantuan political task---and Elizabeth of York takes personal targeting in this book for her house, her blood, and her allegiances.

 

And we see those allegiances evolve---as she goes from York princess to mother of Tudor royalty. She begins a new life, and she has children she loves.

 

When the time comes (though it pervades the book), which is she: York or Tudor?

Whom does she love more: her Tudor children or her York brother?

 

Would she see someone who claims to be her dead brother overthrow her husband and her childrens' inheritance in order to claim back the throne for the family into which she was born?

 

Or would she rather stand with the new faction to which she forcibly belongs and has learned to live in; the one that defines her beloved children?

 

Where are her allegiances?

 

Philippa Gregory does an astounding job---putting a human face on the very political machinations of crossed allegiances, confused identity, and transfers of dynastic power.

This is superb.

 

AND, for the record, I think her use of mysticism in the way certain dynasties are prophesied to be cursed depending on their involvement in the murder of the princes in the tower is brilliant.

Absolutely enjoyable. There's so much I didn't know about Katherine of Aragorn. Vivid descriptions of Granada and the Alahambra. It's been a while since I actually wanted to travel somewhere instantly just to see it, and this book's done it! Katherine's life was a difficult one, but she managed to fulfill her destiny through sheer determinacy and patience. The book focuses more on the years from when she was a child until her daughter Mary's birth, and I think it's right. We know what came later, so it's a lot more interesting and rewarding to know what came before.It was also great to have in such clarity the relationships between different historical figures that sometimes seem hard to place: Juana la Loca of Spain, for instance, was Katherine's sister. This puts the larger history of Spain, at least for me, in broader perspective.Definitely a must read!

Absolutely compelling to see what Katherine/Cataline went through in her life. Philippa Gregory has a very unique writing style and can weave together a great story while still remaining somewhat faithful to the original histories. But boy was Katherine annoying. No wonder Arthur died just to get away from her.

AuthorPhilippa Gregory was born in Kenya. She is a former student of Sussex University and receive a PhD and Alumna of the Year 2009 of Edinburgh University, her love for history and her commitment to historical accuracy are the hallmarks of her writing.Her other great interest is the charity she founded nearly twenty years ago; Gardens for The Gambia. Gregory lives with her family on a small farm in Yorkshire, where she keeps horses, hens and ducks.ReviewI came across a lot of Philippa Gregory reviews on both my Goodreads and various blogs I follow. I was not really familiar with her though I had heard of "The Other Boleyn Girl" and as all the reviews where positive I decided to give it a try. I started of with the first book in the Tudor Series "The Constant Princess" I am not sure if that is necessary but I like to read series in order. I liked the book. I can totally understand why people would say they love it but I did not really feel that enthusiasm with this book. It was clear that Gregory did her research very well. I loved how she placed people in the court and the description where enough to form images in my head of the surroundings and the buildings. There was a message of acceptance and understanding between countries and enemies which came forward at several occasions. The main character Catalina the Infanta of Spain, Katherine the Queen of England gave me a little mps while reading. She is a very strong character and it is clear where she gets her ideas from but it was a little on the edge of insanity. This made that it was easy in some parts of the book to connect to her and in others she scared me. I did get a message though that if you really set your mind to something you might be able to get what you want. I felt totally sorry for Henry/Harry though. He was very much abused by her. I love these intrigues though so I have very much enjoyed the story too and how King Henry put her in her place at some point.Some of the quotes from the book I liked a lot are"They say that at the mountain pass he looked back at his kingdom, his beautiful kingdom, and wept, and his mother told him to weep like a woman for what he could not hold as a man.""Just because one man calls him Allah and another calls him God is no reason for believers to be enemies""Words have weight, something once said cannot be unsaid. Meaning is like a stone dropped into a pool; the ripples will spread and you cannot know what back they wash against."