The Last Queen: A Novel
by C. W. Gortner
List Price:
Our Price: $3.01
You Save: $21.99 (88%)
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Buy Used: from $0.76 (click here)
Category: Book
See more book details and other editions
Book Summary Information
Author: C. W. GortnerEdition: Hardcover
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2008-07-29
ISBN: 0345501845
Number of pages: 384
Publisher: Ballantine Books
Book Reviews of The Last Queen: A Novel
Book Review: A Rare and Subtle Tragedy
Summary: 5 Stars
"The Last Queen" by C.W. Gortner is a historical novel which gives a fresh perspective on the life of the enigmatic Queen Juana of Castile. Gortner skillfully weaves together the loose threads of fact and fiction into a rare and subtle tragedy. The story of the daughter of Isabel of Castile and Ferdinand of Aragon, known to history Juana la Loca, is usually told with the emphasis on the passion between Juana and her faithless husband, Philip of Flanders. While Gortner's retelling captures Juana's passionate nature as never before, he also gives a fuller picture of her unique calamity by going beyond her relationship with miscreant Philip to the larger scope of the situations enveloping her. Until reading this book I had not fully grasped the fierceness of the political intrigues, the familial tug-of-war, and the basic struggle of good versus evil which rent Juana's heart, mind and soul. Gortner realistically but sensitively paints her gradual descent into agony as she fights to keep herself from unraveling.
"The Last Queen" combines riveting action with a compassionate portrait of a woman haunted by mental illness. While some fleeting love scenes may not be suitable for very young readers, the gist of the story far surpasses the realm of mere sensuality but takes on the vast range of political, cultural, and spiritual issues that were at stake. Renaissance Europe springs to life in this carefully researched novel, replete with colorful details about the various historical characters. Of course, Juana upstages everyone else. The more wild the incident, the more one can be certain that it truly happened.
Particularly vivid is the portrayal of Queen Isabel; her personality comes through so strongly in the book so that I almost feel that we have met face-to-face. Other than the fact that she was a queen and a matron, Isabel reminds me of the great St. Teresa of Avila, possessing similar determination and luminous faith. Juana's father Ferdinand is a complex character. One cannot help but love him like Juana does, which makes his later actions all the more disturbing.
Outraged in every way, Juana's ordeal encompasses the full gamut of suffering so as to have universal relevance. Hers was a dauntless courage. Her love of her people caused her not to flinch from any sacrifice. I marvel at her tenacity and greatness of heart, qualities shared with her mother Queen Isabel, and with her sister Catherine of Aragon, Queen of England. Juana, like Catherine, had a long battle with the powers of darkness incarnated in a turncoat spouse. Like Catherine, Juana's greatest love became her greatest foe and betrayer. Each queen had to endure disgrace and isolation for refusing to compromise on essentials. It is difficult to say which sister had the most complete immolation. They take their place with other tragic Catholic queens of history, such as Mary Queen of Scots and, of course, Marie-Antoinette.
Historical Books
Book Subjects
- Arts & Photography
- Biographies & Memoirs
- Business & Investing
- Children's Books
- Comics & Graphic Novels
- Computers & Internet
- Cooking, Food & Wine
- Entertainment
- Gay & Lesbian
- Health, Mind & Body
- History
- Home & Garden
- Horror
- Law
- Literature & Fiction
- Mystery & Thrillers
- Nonfiction
- Outdoors & Nature
- Parenting & Families
- Professional & Technical
- Reference
- Religion & Spirituality
- Romance
- Science
- Science Fiction & Fantasy
- Sports
- Teens
- Travel
Most talked about in Historical Books
Pirate Latitudes: A Novelby Michael Crichton
Harper; Published: 2009-11-24; Roughcut; Book
Best price: $2.28
Price in other shops:
The Master Butchers Singing Club: A Novelby Louise Erdrich
Harper Perennial; Published: 2004-02; Paperback; Book
Best price: $2.83
Price in other shops:
The Last Witchfinder: A Novelby James Morrow
William Morrow; Published: 2006-03-14; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $3.99
Price in other shops:
Zorroby Isabel Allende
HarperAudio; Published: 2005-05-03; Audio CD; Book
Best price: $3.01
Price in other shops:
The Hot Kid: A Novelby Elmore Leonard
William Morrow; Published: 2005-05-01; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $2.89
Price in other shops:
The Last Kingdom (The Saxon Chronicles Series #1)Mass Market Paperback; Book
Bones of the Hills (Conqueror, Book 3)by Conn Iggulden
Harper Collins Canada; Published: 2008; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $44.70
Marchby Geraldine Brooks
Penguin Books; Published: 2006; Paperback; Book
Gates of Rome (Emperor 1)by Conn Iggulden
Harpercollins Pb; Published: 2003-09-01; Mass Market Paperback; Book
Best price: $3.80
Girl With a Pearl Earringby Tracy Chevalier
Harper Collins Audio; Published: 2002-06-17; Audio Cassette; Book
Best price: $34.99
Similar books summaries and other product reviews
The Red Queen: A Novel (The Cousin's War)by Philippa Gregory
Touchstone; Published: 2011-06-07; Paperback; Book
Best price: $4.99
Price in other shops:
The Scarlet Lion (William Marshal, Book 2)by Elizabeth Chadwick
Sourcebooks Landmark; Published: 2010-03-01; Paperback; Book
Best price: $9.22
Price in other shops:
The Heretic Queen: A Novelby Michelle Moran
Three Rivers Press; Published: 2009-09-01; Paperback; Book
Best price: $5.94
Price in other shops:
Pale Rose of Englandby Sandra Worth
Berkley Trade; Published: 2011-02-01; Paperback; Book
Best price: $1.49
Price in other shops:
The Stolen Crown: The Secret Marriage that Forever Changed the Fate of Englandby Susan Higginbotham
Sourcebooks Landmark; Published: 2010-03-01; Paperback; Book
Best price: $7.94
Price in other shops:
Queen By Right: A Novelby Anne Easter Smith
Touchstone; Published: 2011-05-10; Paperback; Book
Best price: $4.31
Price in other shops:
The Tudor Secret (The Elizabeth I Spymaster Chronicles)by C. W. Gortner
St. Martin's Griffin; Published: 2011-02-01; Paperback; Book
Best price: $5.64
Price in other shops:
Katherine (Rediscovered Classics)by Anya Seton
Chicago Review Press; Published: 2004-05-01; Paperback; Book
Best price: $9.25
Price in other shops:
Lady of the Englishby Elizabeth Chadwick
Sourcebooks Landmark; Published: 2011-09-01; Paperback; Book
Best price: $6.18
Price in other shops:
The Confessions of Catherine de Medici: A Novelby C. W. Gortner
Ballantine Books; Published: 2011-05-24; Paperback; Book
Best price: $8.98
Price in other shops: