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That Lady
Married at 13 and losing an eye in a duel a year later, Ana, the Princess of Eboli is heiress to the estates and titles of Spain's leading family. A dutiful wife with ten children, rumours begin that she is mistress to Philip II.
Desmond Hogan provides the introduction.
Desmond Hogan provides the introduction.
393 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1946
27 people are currently reading
367 people want to read
About the author
Kate O'Brien
49 books55 followersKathleen Mary Louise "Kate" O'Brien, was an Irish novelist and playwright.
After the success of her play, Distinguished Villa in 1926, she took to full-time writing and was awarded the 1931 James Tait Black Prize for her novel Without My Cloak. She is best known for her 1934 novel The Ante-Room, her 1941 novel The Land of Spices and the 1946 novel That Lady. Many of her books dealt with issues of female sexuality — with several exploring gay/lesbian themes — and both Mary Lavelle and The Land of Spices were banned in Ireland. She also wrote travel books, or rather accounts of places and experiences, on both Ireland and Spain, a country she loved, and which features in a number of her novels. She lived much of her later life in England and died in Canterbury in 1974; she is buried in Faversham Cemetery.
The Glucksman Library at the University of Limerick currently holds a large collection of O'Brien's personal writings. In August 2005, Penguin reissued her final novel, As Music and Splendour (1958), which had been out of print for decades. The Kate O'Brien weekend, which takes place in Limerick, attracts a large number of people, both academic and non-academic.
Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
After the success of her play, Distinguished Villa in 1926, she took to full-time writing and was awarded the 1931 James Tait Black Prize for her novel Without My Cloak. She is best known for her 1934 novel The Ante-Room, her 1941 novel The Land of Spices and the 1946 novel That Lady. Many of her books dealt with issues of female sexuality — with several exploring gay/lesbian themes — and both Mary Lavelle and The Land of Spices were banned in Ireland. She also wrote travel books, or rather accounts of places and experiences, on both Ireland and Spain, a country she loved, and which features in a number of her novels. She lived much of her later life in England and died in Canterbury in 1974; she is buried in Faversham Cemetery.
The Glucksman Library at the University of Limerick currently holds a large collection of O'Brien's personal writings. In August 2005, Penguin reissued her final novel, As Music and Splendour (1958), which had been out of print for decades. The Kate O'Brien weekend, which takes place in Limerick, attracts a large number of people, both academic and non-academic.
Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
January 3, 2020
It’s remarkable that a book in which so little actually happens in front of the reader’s eye can be so utterly compelling, but That Lady is an almost perfect piece of historical fiction, imagining the complex of relationships among three historical figures in a way that renders them entirely human, not just personages moving about in a timeline of great events.
The titular lady is Ana de Mendoza, a leading aristocrat in 16th-century Spain; her dear friend King Philip II; and her lover, Antonio Perez, Philip’s right-hand man in matters of state and diplomacy. There is history here, not in the world-events sense but in the personal sense; Ana and Philip have always been strongly attracted to one another, and a combination of circumstances and Philip’s own sense of honor and propriety kept them from striking while the iron was hot, as it were; as the book opens, they have put any notional passion firmly behind them, Ana believes, and settled into a warm and intimate friendship. Ana’s sitting room is the one place on earth where Philip can be a man, and not a king.
But Ana’s affair with Antonio gives lie to all of that, or at least sets Philip on a destructive course in which he fails to separate Philip the king from Philip the man; his possessiveness of Ana drives a raging abuse of power that destroys lives and families and friendships and, arguably, diplomatic relations. And much of the book sees Ana pacing her rooms—rooms in Madrid or rooms in her country home in the duchy of Pastrana, which becomes her prison—talking with Antonio, or with her old friend the Cardinal, or with her spirited, loyal duena Bernardina, or with her adoring daughter Anichu, grappling with her conscience over her sin of adultery or trying to work out the limits of her duty to Philip. Off screen, statesmen betray Philip and are murdered; trials for treason and murder are begun and halted and begun again; Ana’s older children go into society or off to war; Ana’s son-in-law commands the Spanish Armada into disaster. Meanwhile Ana remains at home, waiting for news, and trying to work out in her mind the nature of her relationships with Philip, with Antonio, and with God.
What makes all that talking and thinking so compelling is, perhaps, the delightful goodness of Ana herself. There is such a sympathetic sweetness to the way she paces in agitation, absently pressing her fingers to her eyepatch (Ana de Mendoza legendarily lost an eye in a swordfight at age 13). Ana sees the world with moral clarity, and is completely, naively, and loveably certain that everyone else can be brought around to her viewpoint with enough patience and love. She is tragically loyal to Philip, even while she defends her conviction that his right to control his subjects ends at the threshold of their bedrooms. Philip’s tyranny is heartbreaking to Ana because it reflects a breakdown of the friend she has known and loved all her life. And it’s heartbreaking to the reader, because what else can Ana do but hold to her convictions?
The titular lady is Ana de Mendoza, a leading aristocrat in 16th-century Spain; her dear friend King Philip II; and her lover, Antonio Perez, Philip’s right-hand man in matters of state and diplomacy. There is history here, not in the world-events sense but in the personal sense; Ana and Philip have always been strongly attracted to one another, and a combination of circumstances and Philip’s own sense of honor and propriety kept them from striking while the iron was hot, as it were; as the book opens, they have put any notional passion firmly behind them, Ana believes, and settled into a warm and intimate friendship. Ana’s sitting room is the one place on earth where Philip can be a man, and not a king.
But Ana’s affair with Antonio gives lie to all of that, or at least sets Philip on a destructive course in which he fails to separate Philip the king from Philip the man; his possessiveness of Ana drives a raging abuse of power that destroys lives and families and friendships and, arguably, diplomatic relations. And much of the book sees Ana pacing her rooms—rooms in Madrid or rooms in her country home in the duchy of Pastrana, which becomes her prison—talking with Antonio, or with her old friend the Cardinal, or with her spirited, loyal duena Bernardina, or with her adoring daughter Anichu, grappling with her conscience over her sin of adultery or trying to work out the limits of her duty to Philip. Off screen, statesmen betray Philip and are murdered; trials for treason and murder are begun and halted and begun again; Ana’s older children go into society or off to war; Ana’s son-in-law commands the Spanish Armada into disaster. Meanwhile Ana remains at home, waiting for news, and trying to work out in her mind the nature of her relationships with Philip, with Antonio, and with God.
What makes all that talking and thinking so compelling is, perhaps, the delightful goodness of Ana herself. There is such a sympathetic sweetness to the way she paces in agitation, absently pressing her fingers to her eyepatch (Ana de Mendoza legendarily lost an eye in a swordfight at age 13). Ana sees the world with moral clarity, and is completely, naively, and loveably certain that everyone else can be brought around to her viewpoint with enough patience and love. She is tragically loyal to Philip, even while she defends her conviction that his right to control his subjects ends at the threshold of their bedrooms. Philip’s tyranny is heartbreaking to Ana because it reflects a breakdown of the friend she has known and loved all her life. And it’s heartbreaking to the reader, because what else can Ana do but hold to her convictions?
January 25, 2025
Tostonífera, repetitiva, deforma la historia, está plagada de anacronismos y bastante mal escrita. Este intento de convertir a la princesa de Éboli en una heroína liberal y romántica lo único que consigue, en mi opinión, es mostrarla como una tarada histérica que se ríe sin venir a cuento, se vuelve loca por un tipo despreciable que le hace descubrir el placer sexual y por él hace que el Imperio Español entre en crisis. Los soliloquios pseudo filosóficos y los interminables y repetitivos diálogos dan vergüenza ajena, aparte de sopor.
December 24, 2018
Every two months or so I and my friend meet to binge-watch historical dramas. Last August we saw La Conjura de El Escorial aka “The Escorial Conspiracy” (it was very good), about the murder of the treasury secretary Juan de Escobedo in 1578. The movie was very good; the villains were Antonio Perez, the secretary of Philip II, and his lover Ana de Mendoza, Princess of Eboli, possibly the richest and most powerful woman in Spain at that time. I didn’t know much about her apart from one memorable mention in de Coster’s epic The Legend of Thyl Ulenspiegel, which I’d grown up on – and in that book all Spanish people are monsters, and their king Philip II is the arch-monster; of course Princess of Eboli is portrayed as his mistress who “slept with him out of fear, not desire”. I love de Coster’s book, but it doesn’t mean I believe it; especially when it comes to a woman’s reputation.
Princess of Eboli is the heroine of Kate O’Brien’s novel, and she is a real heroine too – a heroic character, a seemingly impossible one. She’s always loving, patient, loyal and steadfast to the very end when she loses everything – while losing nothing; she will always have the love of those she prizes the most. She’s also entirely believable and sympathetic. It’s amazing, really, how the author has made me care about her – and how she made me devour the book which is not a straightforward historical novel but rather a a polemic (against totalitarism? patriarchy? fascism? all three?), which is scant in detail and anachronistic in dialogue, where arguably not much ever happens! So: how? I don’t know. I know that I couldn’t get enough of it.
The painting on the cover is the real portrait of the Princess, who was said to have lost an eye in a duel.
June 25, 2019
La princesa de Éboli es un personaje que siempre me llamó la atención. Había cogido este libro prestado en la biblioteca en dos ocasiones. Por h o por b no llegué a leerlo. A la tercera fue la vencida y me he alegrado mucho.
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Como maniático de la novela histórica, me gustan las biografías que engloban la totalidad de la vida de sus protagonistas. No es el caso. Al contrario que otras novelas como la escrita por Almudena de Arteaga que te narra su vida entera (aunque de forma más sintética), aquí la historia comienza con una Ana cabizbaja, melancólica, en el meridiano de su vida, tras su viudez.
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Eso no quita que aquello que te cuenta sea exhaustivo y brillante: el episodio de Escobedo; su ambigua relación con Felipe, el rey; sus hijos..., es decir, se narra muy bien la evolución de sus protagonistas, sus dilemas morales, las distintas relaciones... Se aprecia también un toque costumbrista que hace que parezca que te trasladas a las escenas que recrea.
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Por decir algo negativo, no habría estado de más que no se diese por hecho el conocimiento previo de ciertos acontecimientos históricos, personajes... porque el lector que no haya leído demasiado de este periodo, podría resultarle algo confuso. Aunque hoy existe la wikipedia
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Como maniático de la novela histórica, me gustan las biografías que engloban la totalidad de la vida de sus protagonistas. No es el caso. Al contrario que otras novelas como la escrita por Almudena de Arteaga que te narra su vida entera (aunque de forma más sintética), aquí la historia comienza con una Ana cabizbaja, melancólica, en el meridiano de su vida, tras su viudez.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Eso no quita que aquello que te cuenta sea exhaustivo y brillante: el episodio de Escobedo; su ambigua relación con Felipe, el rey; sus hijos..., es decir, se narra muy bien la evolución de sus protagonistas, sus dilemas morales, las distintas relaciones... Se aprecia también un toque costumbrista que hace que parezca que te trasladas a las escenas que recrea.
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Por decir algo negativo, no habría estado de más que no se diese por hecho el conocimiento previo de ciertos acontecimientos históricos, personajes... porque el lector que no haya leído demasiado de este periodo, podría resultarle algo confuso. Aunque hoy existe la wikipedia
July 21, 2012
A fantastic historic novel set at the court of Philip II of Spain at the end of the 16th century. Beyond the very interesting descriptions of contemporary events, etiquette and court life, I was completely seduced by the admirable and likeable heroine, and the story of how her love life influenced the politics of Spain. The characters come to life very effectively thanks to the subtlety and great power of the style and I became so attached to them that their fate made my heart beat and also made me cry. I was grabbed by the pace at first, then as the action slowed down I was drawn by the rich and moving tapestry of human feelings and dilemmas, which became more and more heart-breaking until the bitter and desolate end.
This was my first Kate O'Brien novel; I enjoyed it as much as I would a good Daphne du Maurier novel and I look forward to reading more!
This was my first Kate O'Brien novel; I enjoyed it as much as I would a good Daphne du Maurier novel and I look forward to reading more!
April 14, 2013
Un perfecto retrato de-Ana de Mendoza y de la Cerda- Princesa de Éboli y duquesa de Pastrana. Una mujer considerada en su época muy bella, con mucho poder,intrépida y fascinante en medio de las poderosas relaciones que mantenía con los principales personajes de la corte de Felipe II.
Muy bien descritos los personajes y la trama.
Muy bien descritos los personajes y la trama.
March 22, 2020
I decided to give this a try after a recommendation from another group I'm in on facebook. Sadly this tale of Anna Mendoza, hher affair with a younger married man and her friendship with king Philip of Spain did nothing for me. Boring and a lot of less than true facts in this left it a real struggle.
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February 25, 2018Definitivamente necesito las 3 estrellas y media. ¡Por favor!
September 20, 2025
Un gran descubrimiento, jamás me hubiera atrevido a leerla si no fuera porque una persona me lo recomendó hace más de cinco años,... hoy después de todo este tiempo lo he finalizado, no sin cierta angustia, pero muy emocionado.
August 24, 2024
So so unexpected!! I really didn’t think I’d love this but fell in love with the characters and got so hooked on the story I kept forgetting I was reading a book and thought I was watching a tv show or something UGH LOVE. Was a bit too slow paced at times I thought
January 6, 2022
Esa dama a la que no quieren nombrar no es sino Ana de Mendoza, la tuerta, princesa de Eboli por su marido fallecido al que ha dado diez hijos en trece años, y al que idolatraba pese a su edad. Ella es la heredera de la riquísima y poderosísima familia de los Mendoza, y todos creen que está o estuvo liada con el rey Felipe II pero sólo son habladurías y los amores son platónicos y amistosos. Pero se enamora como una jovenzuela del secretario de estado o primer ministro de Felipe, Antonio Pérez, trabajador, ambicioso y mujeriego, quien la corresponde en este amor.
En medio se cruza Juan Escobedo, secretario de don Juan de Austria, de quien se sospecha que sus ambiciones pueden poner en peligro al propio Felipe.
Finalmente Felipe decide que Escobedo debe ser eliminado, y así sucede, pero antes se ha inmiscuido en los asuntos de la tuerta y el Pérez, por lo que no se sabe si Pérez ha mandado su muerte por obediencia al rey o por motivos personales, pues entró en la alcoba en que yacían y los acusó de fornicadores y de mancillar el honor del padre de Ana, quien había sido también secretario de estado y mentor de Pérez y del propio Escobedo. Ana intentará luego proteger con todas sus fuerzas a Pérez, que se va quedando sin el apoyo del rey, y a merced de las intrigas de otros nobles. Él dirige el “partido liberal”, frente a los reaccionarios.
Cuando por fin el rey se entera de los amores de Pérez y Ana, no lo puede soportar, pues ella era su amor platónico, y no acepta ... el caso es que finalmente decide encerrar a ambos, y lo hace con ella en la torre de Pinto, donde sufre penalidades junto a su más que criada Bernardina, y luego prisionera en su propia casa de Pastrana.
Finalmente, Pérez consigue huir a Aragón, y allí es protegido, lo que ocasiona la invasión de Felipe, pero consigue huir a Francia, donde acabará sus días.
Ana enfermará y morirá prematuramente envejecida, por no haber querido renunciar a la posibilidad de ver a Pérez, que era casi lo único que la pedía el rey. Por supuesto que así tampoco lo va a ver, pero conserva el orgullo y no cede al chantaje real.
En la historiografía, Pérez tiene fama de crápula, libertino, gastador y corrupto, aunque también inteligente y hábil, a la vez que formado en las mejores universidades europeas. Su exilio, primero en Francia y luego en Inglaterra, los uso para atacar a Felipe (inicio de la leyenda negra, escribiendo incluso dos libros). Intentó sin conseguirlo obtener el predón del rey, y proporcionó valiosa información a las potencias enemigas de España. Escobedo fue nombrado a su propuesta, pero luego actuó por su cuenta, por lo que Pérez convenció al rey de que era el instigador de un proyecto de traición de Don Juan de Austria.
En medio se cruza Juan Escobedo, secretario de don Juan de Austria, de quien se sospecha que sus ambiciones pueden poner en peligro al propio Felipe.
Finalmente Felipe decide que Escobedo debe ser eliminado, y así sucede, pero antes se ha inmiscuido en los asuntos de la tuerta y el Pérez, por lo que no se sabe si Pérez ha mandado su muerte por obediencia al rey o por motivos personales, pues entró en la alcoba en que yacían y los acusó de fornicadores y de mancillar el honor del padre de Ana, quien había sido también secretario de estado y mentor de Pérez y del propio Escobedo. Ana intentará luego proteger con todas sus fuerzas a Pérez, que se va quedando sin el apoyo del rey, y a merced de las intrigas de otros nobles. Él dirige el “partido liberal”, frente a los reaccionarios.
Cuando por fin el rey se entera de los amores de Pérez y Ana, no lo puede soportar, pues ella era su amor platónico, y no acepta ... el caso es que finalmente decide encerrar a ambos, y lo hace con ella en la torre de Pinto, donde sufre penalidades junto a su más que criada Bernardina, y luego prisionera en su propia casa de Pastrana.
Finalmente, Pérez consigue huir a Aragón, y allí es protegido, lo que ocasiona la invasión de Felipe, pero consigue huir a Francia, donde acabará sus días.
Ana enfermará y morirá prematuramente envejecida, por no haber querido renunciar a la posibilidad de ver a Pérez, que era casi lo único que la pedía el rey. Por supuesto que así tampoco lo va a ver, pero conserva el orgullo y no cede al chantaje real.
En la historiografía, Pérez tiene fama de crápula, libertino, gastador y corrupto, aunque también inteligente y hábil, a la vez que formado en las mejores universidades europeas. Su exilio, primero en Francia y luego en Inglaterra, los uso para atacar a Felipe (inicio de la leyenda negra, escribiendo incluso dos libros). Intentó sin conseguirlo obtener el predón del rey, y proporcionó valiosa información a las potencias enemigas de España. Escobedo fue nombrado a su propuesta, pero luego actuó por su cuenta, por lo que Pérez convenció al rey de que era el instigador de un proyecto de traición de Don Juan de Austria.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 10, 2025
A bit of slow, light historical fare, dramatizing the second act of Ana de Mendoza, Princess of Éboli's life after the death of her husband Ruy Gomez (aka Philip II of Spain's top adviser).
If you know a bit about Spanish history in this period, I won't need to spoil the plot. It centers on a love affair between Ana and another important counselor at court, but also on the completely insular life Ana leads, shielded from the outside world, knowingly kept in a jar so that Philip the king can look at her whenever he wants, to feel like he has shown some small degree of restraint by NOT sleeping with his late adviser's wife.
Of course, Ana lives in the lap of luxury and doesn't seem to expect to leave her surroundings or palaces at all. But beginning an affair! Oh boy. Philip does not like that. And so we follow Ana's very, very, very slow realization that Philip is actually... (checks notes) a sad little tyrant with no respect for any law and too much pride for his own good. And I will note that for a monarch who was pretty much absolute de facto, it always struck me as telling that Philip would go out of his way to cover his tracks, hide or burn correspondence, and give instructions on how certain events (like assassinations) should be reported as natural deaths... Why go to that all trouble if you think you have the right??
Ana doesn't hide, and she thinks she will be forgiven. She isn't.
Recommended if you're interested in the period or want to try wonderful Kate O'Brien's prose (I stumbled upon O'Brien by accident and was delighted to find a mid-century lesbian Irish author with quite the varied catalogue).
If you know a bit about Spanish history in this period, I won't need to spoil the plot. It centers on a love affair between Ana and another important counselor at court, but also on the completely insular life Ana leads, shielded from the outside world, knowingly kept in a jar so that Philip the king can look at her whenever he wants, to feel like he has shown some small degree of restraint by NOT sleeping with his late adviser's wife.
Of course, Ana lives in the lap of luxury and doesn't seem to expect to leave her surroundings or palaces at all. But beginning an affair! Oh boy. Philip does not like that. And so we follow Ana's very, very, very slow realization that Philip is actually... (checks notes) a sad little tyrant with no respect for any law and too much pride for his own good. And I will note that for a monarch who was pretty much absolute de facto, it always struck me as telling that Philip would go out of his way to cover his tracks, hide or burn correspondence, and give instructions on how certain events (like assassinations) should be reported as natural deaths... Why go to that all trouble if you think you have the right??
Ana doesn't hide, and she thinks she will be forgiven. She isn't.
Recommended if you're interested in the period or want to try wonderful Kate O'Brien's prose (I stumbled upon O'Brien by accident and was delighted to find a mid-century lesbian Irish author with quite the varied catalogue).
March 26, 2024
Esta autora irlandesa, fascinada tanto por la Princesa de Éboli como por Santa Teresa de Jesús -a quien también dedicó un libro entero-, nos adentra en la vida de Ana de Mendoza tras enviudar hasta sus últimos días. Aquí la Santa es mencionada en diversas ocasiones debido, sobre todo, a sus conflictos con la princesa.
Los primeros capítulos son algo monótonos, pero irá adquiriendo interés a raíz de la intervención de algunos personajes que pasan por su vida, tales como el rey Felipe II, Antonio Pérez y el cardenal Quiroga, arzobispo de Toledo. Con ellos tendrá conversaciones filosóficas que dan un poco de vida a la narración, ya que la novela cuenta la vida de esta mujer en su etapa de madurez y decadencia; atrás ya quedaron los años de juventud junto a su marido el portugués Ruy Gómez.
Y aunque la escritora advierte que los diálogos y personalidades de los personajes son de su invención, llama la atención la actitud de la protagonista cuando se enfrenta a su cautiverio como una aventura épica. Hoy día sería como esos ricos que viajan de vacaciones a países subdesarrollados.
Por otra parte, pienso que ha sabido captar bien la esencia del carácter castellano y el aragonés.
En cuanto a O´Brien, ésta vivió en España durante los años veinte hasta la Guerra Civil y asimismo publicó una novela autobiográfica basada en sus experiencias en Bilbao y Portugalete, lugares donde trabajó como institutriz. Es loable que una británica se maraville de la historia y cultura española y que además la haya inspirado a escribir.
Los primeros capítulos son algo monótonos, pero irá adquiriendo interés a raíz de la intervención de algunos personajes que pasan por su vida, tales como el rey Felipe II, Antonio Pérez y el cardenal Quiroga, arzobispo de Toledo. Con ellos tendrá conversaciones filosóficas que dan un poco de vida a la narración, ya que la novela cuenta la vida de esta mujer en su etapa de madurez y decadencia; atrás ya quedaron los años de juventud junto a su marido el portugués Ruy Gómez.
Y aunque la escritora advierte que los diálogos y personalidades de los personajes son de su invención, llama la atención la actitud de la protagonista cuando se enfrenta a su cautiverio como una aventura épica. Hoy día sería como esos ricos que viajan de vacaciones a países subdesarrollados.
Por otra parte, pienso que ha sabido captar bien la esencia del carácter castellano y el aragonés.
En cuanto a O´Brien, ésta vivió en España durante los años veinte hasta la Guerra Civil y asimismo publicó una novela autobiográfica basada en sus experiencias en Bilbao y Portugalete, lugares donde trabajó como institutriz. Es loable que una británica se maraville de la historia y cultura española y que además la haya inspirado a escribir.
March 27, 2020
This novel is a series of set pieces interspersed with narrative exposition, which gives it to my mind an interesting and experimental feeling rhythm, like a mix of play and essay.
During the corona isolation of 2020 I have somewhat inadvertently begun a a journey of Spanish & Latin American themed literature, with this in the middle. Following on from El Cid, it was interesting to read this narrative set to the backdrop of themes of Castilian aristocracy and the consolidation of the idea of Spain. Next I will be moving on to Love in the Time of Cholera and then, hopefully, Don Quixote for the first time.
During the corona isolation of 2020 I have somewhat inadvertently begun a a journey of Spanish & Latin American themed literature, with this in the middle. Following on from El Cid, it was interesting to read this narrative set to the backdrop of themes of Castilian aristocracy and the consolidation of the idea of Spain. Next I will be moving on to Love in the Time of Cholera and then, hopefully, Don Quixote for the first time.
March 30, 2020
Thirteen years of imprisonment fails to destroy the Princess of Eboli's opposition to the tyranny of her one time friend and confidant Philip II of Spain in this psychologically astute and philosophically fascinating, atypical historical novel that's as relevant today as it was in 1946 when it was published.
December 20, 2021
No lo termino, lo dejo hacia la página 150 después de darle muchas oportunidades. Me gustaba el principio la recreación de ambientes pero llega un momento en el que ni me entero de lo que está pasando...
November 26, 2017
interesting read; Bitter sweet romance and hard decisions between friendship and love. O'Brien deals with that special aspect of love -'if I can't have her, no one shall'- efficiently and plausible
January 19, 2019
Intriguing plot
Hard work to keep track but worth the intense effort
Hard work to keep track but worth the intense effort
September 12, 2021
Rather slow and repetitive
March 8, 2022
Me ha gustado mucho de la manera que esta escrito y como puedes conocer la evolucion del personaje pero realmente no creo que haya mucha veracidad en la historia.
May 3, 2022
Me pareció súper interesante, una trama entretenida y bien escrita.
February 1, 2023
Just a really outstanding piece of historical literary fiction.
January 21, 2026
Buena historia, mala traducción
December 22, 2016
The pacing is a bit slow and the tone - most notably in the dialogue - seems a bit anachronistic at times for the historical subject. The choice of what scenes O'Brien chooses to illustrate is also a little bizarre. The reader is privy to a number of long, repetitive conversations, but miss the most important piece of action in the entire drama (and the excuse of a third-person limited narrator is not applicable, since Ana is privy to the action in question).
Yet, nonetheless, I found myself engrossed in this book, particularly (and remarkably, considering the pacing and action-in-passing issues are particularly acute here) in the third part. Perhaps it is simply that the Escobedo affair forms a very good basis for a novel, though not necessarily this novel.
Yet, nonetheless, I found myself engrossed in this book, particularly (and remarkably, considering the pacing and action-in-passing issues are particularly acute here) in the third part. Perhaps it is simply that the Escobedo affair forms a very good basis for a novel, though not necessarily this novel.
May 21, 2013
one of those books that have sat on my shelves for years since I bought it at a secondhand shop, I read it because I've just watched Brief Encounter, and Celia whatever goes to the library and is pleased to find the latest Kate O'Brien. Which intrigued me, and all the more so when I discovered that That Lady is about an affair. It was so very old-fashioned, reams of exposition interspresed with the livlier scenes, totally at odds with the 'show, don't tell' that is hammered home to writers these days. This took some getting used to, and made the book seem slow to start with, but I am glad I stuck with it, because towards the end I was not wanting to put it aside to go to sleep...
March 27, 2020
It took twice as long to finish than I expected. I found it quite boring. The story was too slow to move along. I did not like the author's repeated use of the word 'hysterical'. I am learning Portuguese so becoming interested in the history of Iberia in general. Not wasted time at all.
The treatment of women - and particularly Philip's power over his supposed friend - just makes me angry. The double standard is written in very well, however. I usually like Virago titles more.
The treatment of women - and particularly Philip's power over his supposed friend - just makes me angry. The double standard is written in very well, however. I usually like Virago titles more.
February 17, 2013
Beautiful
Read
February 24, 2014Love, pasion and drama
July 31, 2015
Not as compelling as her novels that dealt with periods and places closer to her life.
May 9, 2016
See my review here:
https://whatmeread.wordpress.com/2016...
https://whatmeread.wordpress.com/2016...
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