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The Royal Diaries
Isabel: Jewel of Castilla, Spain, 1466
When the King of Spain decides to use the marriage of his fourteen-year-old sister for political gain, young Isabel finds creative and clever ways to avoid becoming a bride until she meets the man whom she wants to wed.
205 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2000
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3413 people want to read
About the author
Carolyn Meyer
112 books1,088 followersCarolyn Meyer is as versatile a writer as you will find. Along with historical fiction and realistic novels for young adults she has written nonfiction for young adults and books for younger readers on topics as diverse as the Amish, the Irish, Japanese, Yup'ik Eskimos, a rock band, rock tumbling, bread baking, and coconuts. And ten of her books have been chosen as Best Books for Young Adults by the American Library Association. In her most recent historical novels she has dealt with the young lives of Mary Tudor, Princess Elizabeth, Anastasia, and Isabel of Castilla, Spain.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 188 reviews
April 23, 2017
Continuing my project of reading this entire beloved series from my childhood. There was nothing wrong with this one, it was quite good in some places. I enjoyed reading about the dynastic turmoil between Enrique and Alfonso, the feuding royal brothers and the warring factions for the crown. I also enjoyed reading about Queen Juana, who sounds deliciously awful.
But this one wasn't one of my favorites just like it wasn't one of my favorites when I read it as a kid. Although Isabel of Castile is an interesting historical person, her diary features a lot about prayer and wondering whether conversos are true Christians and more prayer. I know this was an important part of her character, but it is hard to hold that up favorably to the glitzier, showier members of the series like Marie Antoinette, Elizabeth I, Anastasia Romanov, and Cleopatra (my favorites then and now). It's also a bummer that the epilogue and historical notes is basically just like "Yeah, Isabel and Ferdinand expelled all the Moors and Jews and persecuted anyone who wasn't a Christian and caused a ton of pain and suffering and death hope you had fun reading her journal!!" If I was a young reader who didn't know anything about Isabel of Castile and had bonded with her through her diary and read that, I'd be shocked and disappointed. Not that they shouldn't include all of that (I mean, she totally did do it), but maybe they could have framed it differently for a middle grade book? I don't know.
But this one wasn't one of my favorites just like it wasn't one of my favorites when I read it as a kid. Although Isabel of Castile is an interesting historical person, her diary features a lot about prayer and wondering whether conversos are true Christians and more prayer. I know this was an important part of her character, but it is hard to hold that up favorably to the glitzier, showier members of the series like Marie Antoinette, Elizabeth I, Anastasia Romanov, and Cleopatra (my favorites then and now). It's also a bummer that the epilogue and historical notes is basically just like "Yeah, Isabel and Ferdinand expelled all the Moors and Jews and persecuted anyone who wasn't a Christian and caused a ton of pain and suffering and death hope you had fun reading her journal!!" If I was a young reader who didn't know anything about Isabel of Castile and had bonded with her through her diary and read that, I'd be shocked and disappointed. Not that they shouldn't include all of that (I mean, she totally did do it), but maybe they could have framed it differently for a middle grade book? I don't know.
March 23, 2018
Such good memories! RTC
July 8, 2023
This was dated with an overly romantic storyline.
As a descendant of Enslaved West Africans I don't like Isabel or her descendants🤷🏾♀️
None the less this was boring.
The politics of this time are complicated, and Isabel emerged as a power player and heavy hitter.
I loved the Spanish historical drama, Isabel, which handled similar issues in a more satisfying way.
As a descendant of Enslaved West Africans I don't like Isabel or her descendants🤷🏾♀️
None the less this was boring.
The politics of this time are complicated, and Isabel emerged as a power player and heavy hitter.
I loved the Spanish historical drama, Isabel, which handled similar issues in a more satisfying way.
November 14, 2014
"To see her speak was divine."- Fernandez de Oviedo
Setting:Spain, 1466-1468
Coverly Love?:Yes! I’ve always loved the beautifully illustrated covers this series has.
Plot:Princess Isabel is a sister caught between two brothers. On the one hand, her older stepbrother Enrique is supreme leader of Castilla and León, and she’s forced to obey his every command. On the other hand, her brother Alfonso has raised rebel forces and claimed himself King of Castilla, effectively driving a wedge throughout the Spanish empire. Half the kingdom despises Enrique and supports Alfonso, while the other half thinks the exact opposite. In the midst of it all, Enrique is in control of his little sister’s every move, including who her future husband will be. The only problem is that all the husbands he picks for her are either despicable, ugly, old or a combination of all three. Can Isabel find a way to reunite the warring kingdoms of Spain AND find true love in the process?
During my middle school years, The Royal Diaries series and its sibling companion series Dear America, My Name is America, and My America were my bread and butter. I absolutely loved these series and pretty much read every single one of them. If you had asked me way back when (about 7 or 8 years ago) about my feelings for this book, I would have rated it 5 stars and said it was the best thing ever written in the history of the universe (7th grade Katherine talking here). Feeling nostalgic and wanting something quick to read since college is being unusually cruel and taking up all of my spare time, I decided to return to these childhood favorites of mine and take a trip down reading memory lane.
Boy oh boy, how the years can change your reading perspective.
As a 20 year old woman reading it now, I can safely say that while I do think this book is GOOD, I don’t think it’s the best thing ever written (my 12 year old self is scolding me right now). Mainly the whole plot line was finding poor Isabel a husband. That’s it. And the storyline read, at times, more like one of those boring history documentaries than an actual fictional diary. Granted, the publishers of these books made the authors adhere to a strict structure that they had to stick to, but at times, the plotline could border on the dry side.
Characters:Hi, my name’s Isabel. I’m a princess with a horrible older brother who seems to want me to be completely miserable by marrying me to some fat, old, ugly, fanatical man whom I care nothing about whatsoever. All I’m doing is waiting for my Fernando to come. I’ve only heard of him once, but I’m madly in love with him all the same. So all I have to do is wait! And… that’s all I do in this book.
Isabel doesn’t exist in this book solely for this purpose, but it sure seemed like it. Of course, in her defense, there wasn’t a whole lot a princess COULD hope for during that time period. The only thing you really were good for was marrying one of your cousins who was a prince/king of another empire so you could produce a son. So technically, it isn’t her fault. Nevertheless, it sometimes felt that I was reading the diary of a robotic Spanish princess than the supposedly headstrong princess she was.
I would mention the other characters, but they either played so little a role in the story or were so comically over characterized that it seems rather pointless to mention them here. But some key players are Enrique (the bad brother), Alfonso (the good brother), Beatriz (Isabel’s BFF), Clara (the perpetually sour spinster aunt/nursemaid), Catalina (Isabel’s other BFF and lady in waiting), Queen Juana (psycho-terror queen and wife of Enrique), Isabel’s many suitors (see below), and Archbishop Carillo (her fairy godfather/priest).
Pros:Well, for once no one had to worry about their head being chopped off, haha!! And revisiting a childhood favorite is always an enjoyable task. So points for sentimental feels!!
Cons:Basically, this whole book revolved around the every present and important question…
Who will Isabel marry?
I would have liked a wee bit more substance than that, thank you very much. Also, the surprising case of instalove took me off guard a bit. Wasn’t expecting that for a middle grade novel. And more characterization would have been nice.
Love Triangle?:Um…. The jury’s out on this one. On the one hand, Isabel has to deal with 4 suitors vying for her hand in marriage. On the other hand, she only has one man in mind; Fernando, heir to the throne of Aragon. She doesn’t love any of the 4 her brother’s picked out for her, and their romantic feelings are never revealed (though I would imagine they loved her money more than her looks and intelligence). So…. yes??
What do you all think; should this be classified as one big love pentagon? Or not?
Instalove?:Yes, surprisingly; Isabel first hears of her cousin Fernando from her friend Beatriz and falls in love with him at first mention. I wouldn’t have expected it, but hey; if he was the only marriageable option that wasn’t old, fat or ugly, I would’ve been enormously relieved as well ;)
A Little Romance?:Isabel is pretty picky when it comes to potential suitors. She gets bounced back from one to the other. She has not one, not two, but FIVE suitors. You heard me; 5. There’s King Afonso V of Portugal (a greedy lout), Pedro Girón (an even greedier lout), Richard, Duke of Gloucester (barely mentioned) and Charles, Duke of Berry (so nonmemorable I don’t even remember him). And then there’s Fernando. Oh Fernando!!! She doesn’t even have to lay eyes on him (not even a picture) to know he’s the one for her. Haha, and they say instalove doesn’t exist in history….
Conclusion:This certainly wasn’t a horrible book, but it wasn’t terribly exciting either. It’s funny how your perspective of things can change once you get older.
Read This!:Honestly, any of the Royal Diaries books are good. So read those, especially if you like reading about famous princesses or if you’re between the ages of 9-13.
Watch This!:HBO made 3 of the Royal Diaries books into TV movies (along with some Dear America titles), and this book was one of them. It deviates a LOT from the book (ex, the while Fernando/Isabel meeting is a lot more romanticized and Clara and Beatriz are combined characters), but it’s a fun little movie to see, nonetheless.
June 6, 2021
Don’t you just hate it when you really root for someone and they turn out to be a really cruel person in the future? I knew nothing about Isabel, the Jewel of Castilla. I didn’t even know she was the Queen who supported Christopher Columbus’s journey to the ‘new world’.
This book definitely did its job, which is to introduce readers to Queen Isabel of Spain, or to give readers who are already aware of her, a background. I learned a lot about her and quickly became sympathetic to her situation.
Her older brother Enrique is King of Castilla, but her younger brother Alfonso wants to take over. The most powerful nobles in the kingdom decided they didn’t like King Enrique anymore, so they declared Alfonso also King of Castilla. Castilla is now split into two kingdoms, and the people are split between the two kings. Alfonso wants to take the throne from Enrique, so throughout the book the two brothers are trying to gain more supporters than the other, in order to gain more power. Isabel is caught right in the middle. She likes Alfonso better than Enrique, but is trying to stay impartial so Enrique won’t punish her. She is in his care and must stay in his favour.
Spain was a really rough, divided country back then, and I don’t actually know how well it’s doing now. It must be better than it was in the 14-1500s. It was really interesting learning a bit of the history of a country that I don’t actually know much about. I know they still have the royal family, King Felipe VI, Queen Letizia, and their daughters Princess Leonor and Princess Sofía.
Isabel spends a lot of her time in prayer, her Christian faith being very important to her. She writes of her many worries about what is going to happen to her brothers, to her mother, and to her. She really went through a lot during the several years this diary covers.
I was really rooting for her! I was really invested in her struggles and really felt for her. When she ended up starting the Spanish Inquisition I felt like she had just betrayed me, and I’m not even Jewish! She betrayed her people. Hiring her horrible confessor again made me feel like she was being a hypocrite. She hated him so why would she put him in a place of power?
I also felt betrayed on behalf of her friend Catalina Valera. Is that secondhand betrayal? I don’t know if that’s what you’d call it, but anyways. Catalina is a fictional character who is a friend and lady-in-waiting to Isabel for a while. Catalina is a converso, a Jewish person who converted to Christianity. Many people - later including Isabel - strongly believed that they were false Christians who continued to practice their Jewish faith in secret. Even though Catalina wasn’t real, it makes Isabel’s betrayal of the Jewish people and the conversos that much more shocking, and horrifying. We should be horrified by Isabel’s actions, but I didn’t really like having her betray her friend like this. Maybe the author just wanted to emphasize that what Isabel did was bad. Still, it made the ending and historical note even worse to read.
I really appreciated the cast of characters at the back, determining who was who, and whether they were fictional or not. I also really, really appreciated the guide to the Spanish language. It teaches you how to pronounce some of the Spanish words and names in this book, explains some of the regular rules for pronunciation, and explains how Castilian Spanish differs from regular Spanish. That was a really cool addition.
Isabel and Fernando did do a lot of good things for Spain, and Isabel is perhaps most famously remembered for being the Queen who supported Christopher Columbus in his exploration of the Americas. Spain became a very powerful country and flourished for a long time after the deaths of King Fernando, and Queen Isabel.
I don’t entirely understand Queen Isabel’s mind but this was a good introduction to her and historic reign. What I really like about these books is that it shows a more human side of royalty. In historic times they seemed so distant, and kind of like they weren't really human. The royals today do a much better job at being real, down to earth, genuine, caring and friendly. It helps us understand that life as a royal was - and still - is a lot more difficult than it looks.
This book definitely did its job, which is to introduce readers to Queen Isabel of Spain, or to give readers who are already aware of her, a background. I learned a lot about her and quickly became sympathetic to her situation.
Her older brother Enrique is King of Castilla, but her younger brother Alfonso wants to take over. The most powerful nobles in the kingdom decided they didn’t like King Enrique anymore, so they declared Alfonso also King of Castilla. Castilla is now split into two kingdoms, and the people are split between the two kings. Alfonso wants to take the throne from Enrique, so throughout the book the two brothers are trying to gain more supporters than the other, in order to gain more power. Isabel is caught right in the middle. She likes Alfonso better than Enrique, but is trying to stay impartial so Enrique won’t punish her. She is in his care and must stay in his favour.
Spain was a really rough, divided country back then, and I don’t actually know how well it’s doing now. It must be better than it was in the 14-1500s. It was really interesting learning a bit of the history of a country that I don’t actually know much about. I know they still have the royal family, King Felipe VI, Queen Letizia, and their daughters Princess Leonor and Princess Sofía.
Isabel spends a lot of her time in prayer, her Christian faith being very important to her. She writes of her many worries about what is going to happen to her brothers, to her mother, and to her. She really went through a lot during the several years this diary covers.
I was really rooting for her! I was really invested in her struggles and really felt for her. When she ended up starting the Spanish Inquisition I felt like she had just betrayed me, and I’m not even Jewish! She betrayed her people. Hiring her horrible confessor again made me feel like she was being a hypocrite. She hated him so why would she put him in a place of power?
I also felt betrayed on behalf of her friend Catalina Valera. Is that secondhand betrayal? I don’t know if that’s what you’d call it, but anyways. Catalina is a fictional character who is a friend and lady-in-waiting to Isabel for a while. Catalina is a converso, a Jewish person who converted to Christianity. Many people - later including Isabel - strongly believed that they were false Christians who continued to practice their Jewish faith in secret. Even though Catalina wasn’t real, it makes Isabel’s betrayal of the Jewish people and the conversos that much more shocking, and horrifying. We should be horrified by Isabel’s actions, but I didn’t really like having her betray her friend like this. Maybe the author just wanted to emphasize that what Isabel did was bad. Still, it made the ending and historical note even worse to read.
I really appreciated the cast of characters at the back, determining who was who, and whether they were fictional or not. I also really, really appreciated the guide to the Spanish language. It teaches you how to pronounce some of the Spanish words and names in this book, explains some of the regular rules for pronunciation, and explains how Castilian Spanish differs from regular Spanish. That was a really cool addition.
Isabel and Fernando did do a lot of good things for Spain, and Isabel is perhaps most famously remembered for being the Queen who supported Christopher Columbus in his exploration of the Americas. Spain became a very powerful country and flourished for a long time after the deaths of King Fernando, and Queen Isabel.
I don’t entirely understand Queen Isabel’s mind but this was a good introduction to her and historic reign. What I really like about these books is that it shows a more human side of royalty. In historic times they seemed so distant, and kind of like they weren't really human. The royals today do a much better job at being real, down to earth, genuine, caring and friendly. It helps us understand that life as a royal was - and still - is a lot more difficult than it looks.
January 31, 2025
While I would have loved more details of every day life and what things looked like, this was still a very interesting and insightful read. I enjoyed it immensely, the tension of the day and the maturity and growth of Isabel were portrayed well, which is difficult in this type of book.
September 21, 2022
Full disclosure, every time I reread this one, I feel guilty about it... Queen Isabel, as an adult, was a horrible person, racked by religious mania, she began the horrible inquisition of Christians. Interesting fact maybe some don't know, but her granddaughter, Mary (daughter of Isabel's daughter Catherine who married Henry VIII) , followed heavily in her grandma's footsteps when she took the throne in England and began her own inquisition there..
However, this is a good adaption of a young Isabel. Again, this is one of Meyer's best offerings to the series, and I think it's important to understand all different kinds of historical figures, whether or not you agree with them or completely understand their motives.
However, this is a good adaption of a young Isabel. Again, this is one of Meyer's best offerings to the series, and I think it's important to understand all different kinds of historical figures, whether or not you agree with them or completely understand their motives.
August 14, 2013
Isabel: Jewel of Castilla is a fictional diary of Isabella the first who reigned Castile (now Spain) in the 15th century. The diary is about Isabel as a teenager and the lead up to her wedding. Isabel is the daughter of Juan II of Castilla and Isabel I of Portugal. Her father dies and her mother goes into a deep state of depression. Isabel’s brothers Enrique and Alfonso divide the kingdom, each proclaiming that they are the rightful king. They vie for control over Isabel, as they both want her to make a marriage alliance with anyone who they think can help defeat the other.
I thought this book was okay, not one of the best out of the Scholastic Royal Diaries series. Isabel is a little dour at the start of the book because she uses her diary to record all the sins that she has committed. I was put off by the diary entries listing all the trivial sins that she had committed, such as being angry or taking a day off. Although I have taken into account that people in the 15th century were devout and serious. I’ve also read that the real life Isabel was a deeply religious woman and when she was queen, she set about the Spanish Inquisition which led to the execution of a lot of non-Christians.
Fortunately, as the book progresses, she lightens up a bit and starts to record more positive things in her life. However, the book is mostly about her anxiously wondering who she will marry. It’s a pity that she lived in a time when all that a woman could look forward to was marriage. However, as a princess she was more fortunate than most women in that era being that she was rich and educated. The book really gets more interesting when Isabel decides to marry a man of her choice and makes a few daring escapes to get to him. There aren’t any steamy hook-ups in the book as the marriage is more to do with convenience and the lesser evil. While Isabel is not swooning over a lover, she has quiet hopes that she will have a happy marriage.
I love reading about royals of the past, particularly about the women. They manage to do extraordinary things despite the restrictions placed onto them because of their gender. So while this book was not one of my favourites, I don’t regret reading it.
I thought this book was okay, not one of the best out of the Scholastic Royal Diaries series. Isabel is a little dour at the start of the book because she uses her diary to record all the sins that she has committed. I was put off by the diary entries listing all the trivial sins that she had committed, such as being angry or taking a day off. Although I have taken into account that people in the 15th century were devout and serious. I’ve also read that the real life Isabel was a deeply religious woman and when she was queen, she set about the Spanish Inquisition which led to the execution of a lot of non-Christians.
Fortunately, as the book progresses, she lightens up a bit and starts to record more positive things in her life. However, the book is mostly about her anxiously wondering who she will marry. It’s a pity that she lived in a time when all that a woman could look forward to was marriage. However, as a princess she was more fortunate than most women in that era being that she was rich and educated. The book really gets more interesting when Isabel decides to marry a man of her choice and makes a few daring escapes to get to him. There aren’t any steamy hook-ups in the book as the marriage is more to do with convenience and the lesser evil. While Isabel is not swooning over a lover, she has quiet hopes that she will have a happy marriage.
I love reading about royals of the past, particularly about the women. They manage to do extraordinary things despite the restrictions placed onto them because of their gender. So while this book was not one of my favourites, I don’t regret reading it.
August 23, 2010
I've never been interested in Spanish history before but then I heard about C.W. Gortner's book about Juana la Loca and I felt I need some simple back story and was lucky enough to have this book in my library. I didn't realize how long Spain was at war with itself. The strife lasted for quite some time so to think about Isabel and her husband Fernando bringing both Castilla and Aragon together, despite what happens during the Inquisition, is really amazing. This book focused on Isabel from 1466 to 1468. A couple years prior to her rise to the thrown. She is used much like a pawn in chess between her brothers and then again between her brother Enrique and the rebel faction that wanted him off the thrown. If Isabel hadn't been so headstrong she probably wouldn't have ended up with Fernando and wouldn't have gotten out from under King Enrique's thumb. It was also nice to read about the relationship between Isabel and her ladies. They were so loyal to her, in a time when that was quite uncommon.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 28, 2024
{May 2024 Reread}
Eh. Improves quite a bit as it goes on, but still isn't very remarkable.
2.5 stars
<< sixth book read for my 2024 Royal Diaries self-challenge >>
🎧 "Rose" by The Oh Hellos
Eh. Improves quite a bit as it goes on, but still isn't very remarkable.
2.5 stars
<< sixth book read for my 2024 Royal Diaries self-challenge >>
🎧 "Rose" by The Oh Hellos
December 14, 2012
I was really interested in reading this book because I wanted to read more about royalty from Spain (or, rather, at the time, it was the kingdoms of Leon and Castile, Aragon, and Granada. Maybe some others too, but those are the ones I remember). All I knew about Isabel is that she is particularly famous for helping Christopher Columbus’ plans on traveling to the Americas. This is a middle school book, but perfect for my purpose of wanting an introduction to Isabel. Also, I adore the Royal Diaries series, lots of good middle school memories. I never read this one when I was a kid though, this is my first read through.
Isabel starts off as 13 or 14 years old in this book. Her father died a while back, and currently, the kingdom is split between her two brothers — Enrique, her older half-brother and Alfonso, her younger, full blooded brother. Isabel is caught in the middle between her warring brothers, but tries her best to stay neutral. She is currently staying with Enrique, who is keen to marry Isabel off to someone for political advantage. With some good luck, Isabel manages to avoid being wed off to some much older, ugly and cruel men. She hears about the Prince of Aragon, Fernando, the only royal who is actually around her age. She hears that he is handsome and kind. With her brother trying to push her into marriage, Isabel tries to convince him that she should marry Fernando. Her brother Enrique breaks promise after promise, however, and in the end, Isabel has to take matters into her own hands.
I feel that this is definitely one of the best Royal Diaries books I’ve read. Some of the other ones have pretty skimpy and weak plots, but this one on Isabel felt interesting, consistent and well done. Isabel is not merely a passive character in this story, describing events as they unfold — which is what I felt some of the other books in this series sometimes do. She is actually a true part of the story, and initiates events on her own. I had no previous knowledge as to the politics of the Spanish peninsula during this time period, so everything that happened was fresh and new to me. I suspect if you had actual knowledge about Isabel and her time period, it might not be as surprising and it might feel kind of predictable. I had no idea what to expect though, so it was all new and wonderful knowledge to me.
Isabel herself is portrayed as a religious young woman who tries to push for peace and harmony. She does not like her brothers fighting, as it splits the entire family up and means civil war in their kingdom. However, she is definitely not a passive little mouse. She wants to take her destiny into her own hands. She didn’t want to marry the old men Enrique wanted to set her up with, so she secretly pushed her own agenda (with some outside help, of course) to try to marry the Prince of Aragon. Pretty admirable in that time period, when women had to obey men, and Enrique was also king!
If you enjoy the Royal Diaries series, this is definitely a must-read! Well written, well plotted, and for those like me with no historical knowledge on Isabel, very fascinating!
Isabel starts off as 13 or 14 years old in this book. Her father died a while back, and currently, the kingdom is split between her two brothers — Enrique, her older half-brother and Alfonso, her younger, full blooded brother. Isabel is caught in the middle between her warring brothers, but tries her best to stay neutral. She is currently staying with Enrique, who is keen to marry Isabel off to someone for political advantage. With some good luck, Isabel manages to avoid being wed off to some much older, ugly and cruel men. She hears about the Prince of Aragon, Fernando, the only royal who is actually around her age. She hears that he is handsome and kind. With her brother trying to push her into marriage, Isabel tries to convince him that she should marry Fernando. Her brother Enrique breaks promise after promise, however, and in the end, Isabel has to take matters into her own hands.
I feel that this is definitely one of the best Royal Diaries books I’ve read. Some of the other ones have pretty skimpy and weak plots, but this one on Isabel felt interesting, consistent and well done. Isabel is not merely a passive character in this story, describing events as they unfold — which is what I felt some of the other books in this series sometimes do. She is actually a true part of the story, and initiates events on her own. I had no previous knowledge as to the politics of the Spanish peninsula during this time period, so everything that happened was fresh and new to me. I suspect if you had actual knowledge about Isabel and her time period, it might not be as surprising and it might feel kind of predictable. I had no idea what to expect though, so it was all new and wonderful knowledge to me.
Isabel herself is portrayed as a religious young woman who tries to push for peace and harmony. She does not like her brothers fighting, as it splits the entire family up and means civil war in their kingdom. However, she is definitely not a passive little mouse. She wants to take her destiny into her own hands. She didn’t want to marry the old men Enrique wanted to set her up with, so she secretly pushed her own agenda (with some outside help, of course) to try to marry the Prince of Aragon. Pretty admirable in that time period, when women had to obey men, and Enrique was also king!
If you enjoy the Royal Diaries series, this is definitely a must-read! Well written, well plotted, and for those like me with no historical knowledge on Isabel, very fascinating!
May 17, 2022
As a fan of European history, I enjoy The Royal Diaries, which depict the lives of royal young ladies during pivotal periods of time. Isabel, who went on to become the Queen of Spain, is known for working with her husband King Ferdinand to finance Christopher Columbus' search for the New World. It's interesting to read the interpretation of what she may have been thinking and going through during her teen years. I also appreciated the Historical Notes at the back of the book that detailed how her life played out. The unfortunate part was that she and her husband initiated The Inquisition. According to her diary entry, this persecution of Jews and Moors came about because of a sermon she heard from a priest, who seemed to have some misconceptions of Jews who converted to Catholicism. One other thing that made this story was compelling was realizing that Isabel is the mother of Catherine of Aragon, who became the first wife of King Henry VIII.
December 13, 2015
Isabel was one of the few royal women who was actually able to have a partnership and equal ruling power with her husband. She was politically savvy, clever and incredibly brave. This story shows how she had to be intelligent in order to claim her throne at a very young age. This one shows her childhood up to when she married Fernando and how she managed to work with her elder brother Enrique.
September 16, 2017
I liked this when I was younger it was one of my favorite royal diaries but this time around I wasn't the biggest fan. I enjoyed the history section and learning about the connections these people had with the tudors in England
December 24, 2019
Truth be told this is totally a 3 star rating, but I gave it an extra star for being one of my childhood favorites. Strange how many overtly religious books I enjoyed (this one is only overtly because Queen Isabel was very Catholic) for growing up in a non religious family.
May 13, 2015
This is a well written book, but I found it boring.
August 9, 2025
These books, specifically the Elizabeth Tudor one, ignited my lifelong love of european monarchical history. I will always remember picking up this one after and having my mind blown to find out Isabella’s daughter was Catherine of Aragon. I also want it known that this book is what taught me that “Barcelona” would have been pronounced THAT way - I knew it before it was cool!
These are great little fun books and it was a particularly silly but fun re read as an adult, especially after just visiting Segovia / Madrid and re reading some Jean Plaidy Isabella as well. I was startled to find Isabella’s racism and prejudice quite blatant in the book - I have no doubt Isabella was brought up to view non-Christians as inferior, but I did find it surprising that the author included it in a children’s diary so matter of factly - good for her! And the note on the dark side of Isabella’s reign in the historical notes was poignant and age appropriate - goes to show you can teach children true history in the right way.
These are great little fun books and it was a particularly silly but fun re read as an adult, especially after just visiting Segovia / Madrid and re reading some Jean Plaidy Isabella as well. I was startled to find Isabella’s racism and prejudice quite blatant in the book - I have no doubt Isabella was brought up to view non-Christians as inferior, but I did find it surprising that the author included it in a children’s diary so matter of factly - good for her! And the note on the dark side of Isabella’s reign in the historical notes was poignant and age appropriate - goes to show you can teach children true history in the right way.
July 20, 2025
3.5/5 - The first third was slow and I worried the story would drag most of the way, but then it picked up and the rest was quite engaging: political intrigue, the plague, spies, and lots of journeying. I refreshed my lacklustre Spanish history and although Isabel’s religious beliefs made her a cruel queen later in life (the Historical Notes section is fantastic in these!), you can sympathize with her early life story.
January 14, 2021
Not the most riveting in this series. Isabel didn't write much beyond "still waiting for [x]" in most entries, which got very boring.
June 18, 2020
Kind of hard to keep track of family members at the beginning, but it got better at the end. I really enjoyed reading the epilogue and the historical notes, very interesting.
August 2, 2022
This book is pure nostalgia for me. I loved this series as a kid and found this one randomly at a little free library.
This is not my favorite of the series - Isabel is a little hard to like, honestly. She's very holier than thou and super judgmental. She definitely thinks she knows it all while professing to know nothing which is extra obnoxious in a 14 year old. This does all work out for her, as she goes on to be very powerful, but she's really unlikable (both in the book and real life, lol). I think this series is fantastic and the book was very readable and well written. There is definitely something to learn from this!
This is not my favorite of the series - Isabel is a little hard to like, honestly. She's very holier than thou and super judgmental. She definitely thinks she knows it all while professing to know nothing which is extra obnoxious in a 14 year old. This does all work out for her, as she goes on to be very powerful, but she's really unlikable (both in the book and real life, lol). I think this series is fantastic and the book was very readable and well written. There is definitely something to learn from this!
February 23, 2011
Isabel, Jewel of Castilla / 0-439-07805-9
A solid addition to the Royal Diary series, Isabel deals with the young adulthood of the queen who would later become the patron of Christopher Columbus. The diary centers around the dilemmas that Isabel faces as she chooses which of her two brothers to support as king, and as she hopes to be married to someone who will not be completely repugnant to her. Isabel is forced to grapple with her conscience as she supports one of her brothers over the other in the struggle for the crown, and she poignantly must face her mother's growing madness that prevents her from recognizing her own children. Isabel displays great strength of will as she maneuvers from a position of weakness to broker a marriage that will not shackle her to someone she hates and fears. Courageously, she defies her brother in order to marry the prince she hopes she can love - a bright young man her equal in age and wit - and this gamble of hers ensures her legacy.
This is one of the less quickly paced diaries, partly because Isabel must spend so much time virtually imprisoned by her brother, and yet the potentially exciting scenes of her fleeing for freedom and receiving her bridegroom in secret are passed over quickly and are never dealt on with the detail and attention they deserve. The author also chooses - rather cowardly, I feel - to almost completely dodge the issues which make Isabel most notorious, most notably the Spanish Inquisition, the reign of Torquemada, and the purge of the Jews from Spain. Some of this is hinted at - Isabel has a Jewish friend who has converted to Christianity, but whom she suspects is "forever tainted" simply because of her ancestry. And Isabel briefly is forced to switch confessors from the cruel Torquemada to a moderate, loving priest who admonishes Isabel to worry slightly less about her mortal sins and slightly more about "enjoying God's love".
However, despite these superficial touches, the elephant in the room is completely ignored, and this gives the novel a weird, slanted feel. We are told by the author, both in the novel and the epilogue, that Isabel is a good Christian and is only doing what she thought was God's doing. And yet this claim should be examined, not just taken at face value. Isabel is routinely rebellious against her older brother (and, therefore, against her king), she breaks vows regularly, both to her king and to God, and she almost always does exactly what she wants, without regard for the "holiness" of her actions.
This would work into a wonderful novel, if the author was deliberately underscoring the hypocrisy at work here in Isabel, but I do not think that is what we are seeing here. The author seems to have fallen into the trap of sympathizing too much with her subject and seems to believe that Isabel is guilty of no wrong. It is extremely jarring and disappointing to see, in the Epilogue, the Spanish Inquisition swept under the rug in a few meager sentences, with the benediction that Isabel thought she was doing the right thing. I do believe, however, that this novel can be a perfect staging point to discuss with children the hypocrisy of the Inquisition and the importance of religious freedom from tyranny. Thus, I feel that this book is a solid four star book, despite the sometimes soporific pacing, because the topic is interesting and well-researched and because the hypocrisy of Isabel shine brightly through these pages and provide a valuable lesson to those who would consider the implications.
~ Ana Mardoll
A solid addition to the Royal Diary series, Isabel deals with the young adulthood of the queen who would later become the patron of Christopher Columbus. The diary centers around the dilemmas that Isabel faces as she chooses which of her two brothers to support as king, and as she hopes to be married to someone who will not be completely repugnant to her. Isabel is forced to grapple with her conscience as she supports one of her brothers over the other in the struggle for the crown, and she poignantly must face her mother's growing madness that prevents her from recognizing her own children. Isabel displays great strength of will as she maneuvers from a position of weakness to broker a marriage that will not shackle her to someone she hates and fears. Courageously, she defies her brother in order to marry the prince she hopes she can love - a bright young man her equal in age and wit - and this gamble of hers ensures her legacy.
This is one of the less quickly paced diaries, partly because Isabel must spend so much time virtually imprisoned by her brother, and yet the potentially exciting scenes of her fleeing for freedom and receiving her bridegroom in secret are passed over quickly and are never dealt on with the detail and attention they deserve. The author also chooses - rather cowardly, I feel - to almost completely dodge the issues which make Isabel most notorious, most notably the Spanish Inquisition, the reign of Torquemada, and the purge of the Jews from Spain. Some of this is hinted at - Isabel has a Jewish friend who has converted to Christianity, but whom she suspects is "forever tainted" simply because of her ancestry. And Isabel briefly is forced to switch confessors from the cruel Torquemada to a moderate, loving priest who admonishes Isabel to worry slightly less about her mortal sins and slightly more about "enjoying God's love".
However, despite these superficial touches, the elephant in the room is completely ignored, and this gives the novel a weird, slanted feel. We are told by the author, both in the novel and the epilogue, that Isabel is a good Christian and is only doing what she thought was God's doing. And yet this claim should be examined, not just taken at face value. Isabel is routinely rebellious against her older brother (and, therefore, against her king), she breaks vows regularly, both to her king and to God, and she almost always does exactly what she wants, without regard for the "holiness" of her actions.
This would work into a wonderful novel, if the author was deliberately underscoring the hypocrisy at work here in Isabel, but I do not think that is what we are seeing here. The author seems to have fallen into the trap of sympathizing too much with her subject and seems to believe that Isabel is guilty of no wrong. It is extremely jarring and disappointing to see, in the Epilogue, the Spanish Inquisition swept under the rug in a few meager sentences, with the benediction that Isabel thought she was doing the right thing. I do believe, however, that this novel can be a perfect staging point to discuss with children the hypocrisy of the Inquisition and the importance of religious freedom from tyranny. Thus, I feel that this book is a solid four star book, despite the sometimes soporific pacing, because the topic is interesting and well-researched and because the hypocrisy of Isabel shine brightly through these pages and provide a valuable lesson to those who would consider the implications.
~ Ana Mardoll
April 15, 2020
One thing that I really like about the Royal Diaries is that they do a great job detailing how…involved being royalty can be. This is especially apparent in Isabel, which has politic intrigue and heir drama galore as Isabel is stuck in the middle of her two warring brothers, fighting off unwanted marriage proposals and meandering through a court rife with corruption and petty vindictiveness.
Meyer does a fairly good job of introducing a lot of the politics and thoughts of the day, especially in terms of the strict Catholicism that gripped Spain and the roots of the Spanish Inquisition. There’s even some conversation about “true conversions,” which is expounded on in the author’s note and historical notes at the end of the book. Meyer even drops in some reference to exploration at the end (Isabel is, of course, the famous Isabella who gave Columbus money and ships). While the politics and the different kingdoms can be hard to keep track of (since Spain wasn’t Spain at the time, younger readers might not really grasp what the kingdoms of Castile, Leon, and Aragon are), Meyer does her best to make things clear through reference.
Though I’ve only read two other Royal Diaries recently, and only a handful throughout my life, this one stood out to me as especially dramatic. Isabel is exiled by her brother, then reconciled, then escapes to another brother, then goes back to the first, then is sent away again, then decides to run away to get married, then has to fight off her brother’s army…there’s a lot going on. So much, in fact, that it’s hard to keep track of at times. There’s also an abundance of characters, many with similar sounding names, so it’s also remarkably difficult to keep track of everyone, though Meyer does have a family tree and a cast of characters in the back of the book.
Isabel does a good job of showing off royal and political machinations and drama, but struggles with too many characters and some confusing kingdom references (for some/most). The notes helped, but just a little bit too much was lost in the actual story.
Meyer does a fairly good job of introducing a lot of the politics and thoughts of the day, especially in terms of the strict Catholicism that gripped Spain and the roots of the Spanish Inquisition. There’s even some conversation about “true conversions,” which is expounded on in the author’s note and historical notes at the end of the book. Meyer even drops in some reference to exploration at the end (Isabel is, of course, the famous Isabella who gave Columbus money and ships). While the politics and the different kingdoms can be hard to keep track of (since Spain wasn’t Spain at the time, younger readers might not really grasp what the kingdoms of Castile, Leon, and Aragon are), Meyer does her best to make things clear through reference.
Though I’ve only read two other Royal Diaries recently, and only a handful throughout my life, this one stood out to me as especially dramatic. Isabel is exiled by her brother, then reconciled, then escapes to another brother, then goes back to the first, then is sent away again, then decides to run away to get married, then has to fight off her brother’s army…there’s a lot going on. So much, in fact, that it’s hard to keep track of at times. There’s also an abundance of characters, many with similar sounding names, so it’s also remarkably difficult to keep track of everyone, though Meyer does have a family tree and a cast of characters in the back of the book.
Isabel does a good job of showing off royal and political machinations and drama, but struggles with too many characters and some confusing kingdom references (for some/most). The notes helped, but just a little bit too much was lost in the actual story.
August 4, 2014
Although a big fan of this series, I never really became interested in this installment until after seeing the made-for-tv adaptation. Surely the tale of the infamous strong-willed mother of Catherine of Aragon must be just as exciting as the real woman?
I was disappointed.
The writing is okay, & it's nice to have a book about Isabel's childhood rather than her adulthood or the same old story about Columbus, but I found our 'heroine' to be dreadfully dull. I understand she (along with most of the royal women covered in this series) come from a time where it was God first, personal pleasure last. But was it really necessary to hear either about God or her iffy opinion on the Jews and conversos in nearly every single diary entry? Even Elizabeth I's entry in the series didn't have this much religious talk in it. Another tick on the Dreadfully Dull Chart. I didn't even manage to finish the book, I only got halfway through before throwing in the towel.
After watching the live action version, I thought, "Wow, what a strong girl for her day and age! Surely I have to add this one to my personal library." The Isabel I found in the book was much more meek & full of "Yes my Lord" & "As my Lord wishes" rather than sticking up for herself. For once I'd rather watch it than read it. Although I do wish the live action version had given a little more character and backstory to Catalina.
Overall, it would be good for an Isabel enthusiast who can push past the boring bits or anyone who would like to get a little insight into the early life of the infamous Catherine of Aragon's mother. Not recommended for anyone looking for girls who stick out in their time period; ironic, considering who the book is about.
I was disappointed.
The writing is okay, & it's nice to have a book about Isabel's childhood rather than her adulthood or the same old story about Columbus, but I found our 'heroine' to be dreadfully dull. I understand she (along with most of the royal women covered in this series) come from a time where it was God first, personal pleasure last. But was it really necessary to hear either about God or her iffy opinion on the Jews and conversos in nearly every single diary entry? Even Elizabeth I's entry in the series didn't have this much religious talk in it. Another tick on the Dreadfully Dull Chart. I didn't even manage to finish the book, I only got halfway through before throwing in the towel.
After watching the live action version, I thought, "Wow, what a strong girl for her day and age! Surely I have to add this one to my personal library." The Isabel I found in the book was much more meek & full of "Yes my Lord" & "As my Lord wishes" rather than sticking up for herself. For once I'd rather watch it than read it. Although I do wish the live action version had given a little more character and backstory to Catalina.
Overall, it would be good for an Isabel enthusiast who can push past the boring bits or anyone who would like to get a little insight into the early life of the infamous Catherine of Aragon's mother. Not recommended for anyone looking for girls who stick out in their time period; ironic, considering who the book is about.
February 14, 2014
Queen Isabel of Spain was both a woman to be admired and a woman to be hated. On one hand, she was an incredibly strong female leader for her time who actually chose who she got to marry. On the other hand, she was the very woman that started the horrible, bloody Inquisition that killed thousands of innocents and forced thousands more to flee their homes. Here in Isabel: Jewel of Castilla, Carolyn Meyer has attempted to explain both her strong side as well as her ruthless side that came from a combination of her deep faith and her hellfire-and-brimstone-preaching confessor, who later runs the Inquisition. She certainly succeeds in creating an interesting explanation for Isabel’s brutality in her later life.
Since the story is told from Isabel when she is young, readers aged 10-12 will be able to enjoy this book. It talks of her impending marriage and the civil war currently going on, but never actually touches on much sexuality or violence. I wouldn’t call this a fast-paced novel, but at least it is an interesting one. The dynamics between the characters (Isabel and her brother or Isabel and Queen Juana) are definitely realistic and very believable since the book is supposed to be Isabel writing her innermost thoughts about the people in her lonely life.
I never really knew much about Medieval Spain until I read this novel and I can assure you, I learned quite a lot. Isabel certainly was a complicated woman, but Carolyn Meyer has made her much more accessible to modern readers. Anyone who reads this will be entertained and learn a lot of history at the same time.
I give this book 4/5 stars.
Since the story is told from Isabel when she is young, readers aged 10-12 will be able to enjoy this book. It talks of her impending marriage and the civil war currently going on, but never actually touches on much sexuality or violence. I wouldn’t call this a fast-paced novel, but at least it is an interesting one. The dynamics between the characters (Isabel and her brother or Isabel and Queen Juana) are definitely realistic and very believable since the book is supposed to be Isabel writing her innermost thoughts about the people in her lonely life.
I never really knew much about Medieval Spain until I read this novel and I can assure you, I learned quite a lot. Isabel certainly was a complicated woman, but Carolyn Meyer has made her much more accessible to modern readers. Anyone who reads this will be entertained and learn a lot of history at the same time.
I give this book 4/5 stars.
February 23, 2018
Second installment in this series that I read in 2018. Book #3 in my Reading Challenge.
The first few pages in the book set a pretty dimsal tone. Not just because of the political difficulties of Isabel's situation, but because of how strict Isabel is over confession and penance and all that. I'm actually pretty religious myself, but every time Isabel wrote about her sins I went all 'Come on, girl, you're just going to make yourself depressed.' Even one of Isabel's friends has this complaint! Over time this fades, though, especially when the princess begins making her own plans towards claiming the throne. There are beautiful descriptions of Spanish culture, and a lot of scenes are genuinely very touching. The madness of the Queen Mother is super sad. There's another event that made me want to cry, but I won't spoil it here.
That's where the positives end, though. Isabel's bias against the Jews is pretty disturbing, especially considering what happened during her reign-something mentioned in the epilouge. I'm not sure if it actually existed in real life, but her relationship with her Jewish friend, while well-written and nuanced, made her seem like a hypocrite. I also felt that there was a Madonna/Whore contrast between Queen Juana and the rest of the ever so chaste female characters, which bugged me as well. Overall, the emotional depth in this book was good enough for me to manage to give it 3/5 stars.
The first few pages in the book set a pretty dimsal tone. Not just because of the political difficulties of Isabel's situation, but because of how strict Isabel is over confession and penance and all that. I'm actually pretty religious myself, but every time Isabel wrote about her sins I went all 'Come on, girl, you're just going to make yourself depressed.' Even one of Isabel's friends has this complaint! Over time this fades, though, especially when the princess begins making her own plans towards claiming the throne. There are beautiful descriptions of Spanish culture, and a lot of scenes are genuinely very touching. The madness of the Queen Mother is super sad. There's another event that made me want to cry, but I won't spoil it here.
That's where the positives end, though. Isabel's bias against the Jews is pretty disturbing, especially considering what happened during her reign-something mentioned in the epilouge. I'm not sure if it actually existed in real life, but her relationship with her Jewish friend, while well-written and nuanced, made her seem like a hypocrite. I also felt that there was a Madonna/Whore contrast between Queen Juana and the rest of the ever so chaste female characters, which bugged me as well. Overall, the emotional depth in this book was good enough for me to manage to give it 3/5 stars.
June 8, 2024
I really liked this one. While Isabel’s future endeavors (mainly the Spanish Inquisition and persecution of Muslims and Jews), as well as slow pacing, prevent me from giving this more than three stars, I’m glad I read this. Isabel had such a great character! It was so nice to see her be sassy in her diary, and then feel conflicted about it. I often feel the same way in my own life, so I appreciated seeing that.
I was disappointed that the romance was nonexistent. There were so many suitors going after Isabel, it was hard to remember which was which at times. For all she talked up Fernando, he barely made an appearance. I would have liked to see more of their interactions.
The time skips were very big at points and I didn’t see a need for them to be there, other than Carolyn Meyer wanted to get to Isabel’s wedding but also wanted to start the story at a similar age to other Royal Diaries entries (fifteen). I get wanting to get to the exciting parts of history, but there had to be a better way to accomplish this. Huge gaps of time were left out and it made me wonder if we’d skipped over something important.
The pronunciation guide was very helpful, I’m so glad it was there! I was using American Spanish pronunciation for the first few pages before I realized it was there. I love details like that.
Overall this was a pretty good read. The drama with Isabel’s sister-in-law was interesting and I would have liked more of that, but this was an alright read.
I was disappointed that the romance was nonexistent. There were so many suitors going after Isabel, it was hard to remember which was which at times. For all she talked up Fernando, he barely made an appearance. I would have liked to see more of their interactions.
The time skips were very big at points and I didn’t see a need for them to be there, other than Carolyn Meyer wanted to get to Isabel’s wedding but also wanted to start the story at a similar age to other Royal Diaries entries (fifteen). I get wanting to get to the exciting parts of history, but there had to be a better way to accomplish this. Huge gaps of time were left out and it made me wonder if we’d skipped over something important.
The pronunciation guide was very helpful, I’m so glad it was there! I was using American Spanish pronunciation for the first few pages before I realized it was there. I love details like that.
Overall this was a pretty good read. The drama with Isabel’s sister-in-law was interesting and I would have liked more of that, but this was an alright read.
May 28, 2019
This was an interesting (fictional) account of young Isabel (later the Queen Isabella of Christopher Columbus fame). There were ample mentions of bawdy and immoral behavior by those at court (without any specific details) and rumors that Isabel's sister-in-law, then queen, was unfaithful to her husband the king and bore children that were not his. There were also many Roman Catholic references, such as praying to the saints, penance, confession to the priests, making vows to particular saints, celebrating saint days, observing Lent, fasting, and Roman Catholic doctrine.
There were also anti-Semitic statements and a general distrust and distaste for Jews, even those who converted to Christianity (forcibly by way of Catholicism, it is presumed). Also refers to the Moors as being infidels. It really gives a feel for the time period.
It was fascinating to study the family tree in the back of the book, and find that Isabel was the grandmother of Catherine of Aragon (who became the first of Henry VIII's unfortunate wives) and the great-grandmother of Bloody Mary of Tudor.
Also interesting in the historical note: Isabel was the instigator of the Inquisition. I guess I had forgotten anything about it, but it included a large-scale persecution of the Jews that reminded me of the Holocaust. So sad.
There were also anti-Semitic statements and a general distrust and distaste for Jews, even those who converted to Christianity (forcibly by way of Catholicism, it is presumed). Also refers to the Moors as being infidels. It really gives a feel for the time period.
It was fascinating to study the family tree in the back of the book, and find that Isabel was the grandmother of Catherine of Aragon (who became the first of Henry VIII's unfortunate wives) and the great-grandmother of Bloody Mary of Tudor.
Also interesting in the historical note: Isabel was the instigator of the Inquisition. I guess I had forgotten anything about it, but it included a large-scale persecution of the Jews that reminded me of the Holocaust. So sad.
May 14, 2016
Another nice addition to the series. Kinda glosses over Isabel's feelings for non-Christians, but I guess that's to be expected in a MG book. Carolyn Meyer did a nice job capturing the excitement of her will-it-happen secret marriage. Full review to come.
Originally posted on Small Review
My first historical fiction foray into Isabel's world was through C. W. Gortner's powerful The Queen's Vow. Now, that book was an adult book that clocked in at about 400 pages. This one is a MG book with fewer than half that many pages, all told through diary format. Comparing the two is totally unfair. But who said I'm fair? Of course the MG version came up lacking in detail and depth and was totally sanitized compared to C. W. Gortner's scary Isabel. But that's also ok, because this is a look at a young Isabel, and she wasn't always a single-minded crusader. It was nice seeing this softer, younger side of Isabel, but Carolyn Meyer also totally planted the seeds of the kind of woman Isabel would grow to become. Recommended. Bonus points for the thrilling chase scene!
Originally posted on Small Review
My first historical fiction foray into Isabel's world was through C. W. Gortner's powerful The Queen's Vow. Now, that book was an adult book that clocked in at about 400 pages. This one is a MG book with fewer than half that many pages, all told through diary format. Comparing the two is totally unfair. But who said I'm fair? Of course the MG version came up lacking in detail and depth and was totally sanitized compared to C. W. Gortner's scary Isabel. But that's also ok, because this is a look at a young Isabel, and she wasn't always a single-minded crusader. It was nice seeing this softer, younger side of Isabel, but Carolyn Meyer also totally planted the seeds of the kind of woman Isabel would grow to become. Recommended. Bonus points for the thrilling chase scene!
February 23, 2017
Yes, I read one of the Royal Diaries. What of it?
For those of you who don't know, the Royal Diaries are kind of an offshoot of the Dear America books which purport to be the diaries of various princesses throughout history. This one is Isabel of Spain, as in Ferdinand and, though of course she's not married yet. It recounts her preteen and early teenage years.
Now, it's very accurate, factually speaking, and there are some things that ring true when compared with Isabel's later actions, like her strong-mindedness and her determination to make herself Enrique's heir, her deep piety and respect for the church, and her somewhat judgmental nature. There's some things, though, that seem very false, like her sympathy for Jewish people of any stripe but especially the possibly imaginary ones who pretended to convert and continued to practice Judaism. If you know anything about Isabel, you know that's not at all what went down.
So I guess, overall, it's okay. Good for girls who need a strong role model, but maybe keep an eye on them and make sure they're not going to start any inquisitions.
For those of you who don't know, the Royal Diaries are kind of an offshoot of the Dear America books which purport to be the diaries of various princesses throughout history. This one is Isabel of Spain, as in Ferdinand and, though of course she's not married yet. It recounts her preteen and early teenage years.
Now, it's very accurate, factually speaking, and there are some things that ring true when compared with Isabel's later actions, like her strong-mindedness and her determination to make herself Enrique's heir, her deep piety and respect for the church, and her somewhat judgmental nature. There's some things, though, that seem very false, like her sympathy for Jewish people of any stripe but especially the possibly imaginary ones who pretended to convert and continued to practice Judaism. If you know anything about Isabel, you know that's not at all what went down.
So I guess, overall, it's okay. Good for girls who need a strong role model, but maybe keep an eye on them and make sure they're not going to start any inquisitions.
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