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Isabella and Ferdinand #3
Los reyes católicos III: Las hijas de España
The final years of Queen Isabella's rule are consumed by dealing with (and caring for) her troubled Isabella, the tragic widow; Joan, whose madness increases with her husband's every infidelity; soft-spoken Mary; and Catherine, who abandons everything she loves to become Catherine of Aragon, Queen of England, and wife of Henry VIII.
384 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1961
34 people are currently reading
823 people want to read
About the author
Jean Plaidy
186 books1,590 followersEleanor Alice Burford, Mrs. George Percival Hibbert was a British author of about 200 historical novels, most of them under the pen name Jean Plaidy which had sold 14 million copies by the time of her death. She chose to use various names because of the differences in subject matter between her books; the best-known, apart from Plaidy, are Victoria Holt (56 million) and Philippa Carr (3 million). Lesser known were the novels Hibbert published under her maiden name Eleanor Burford, or the pseudonyms of Elbur Ford, Kathleen Kellow and Ellalice Tate. Many of her readers under one penname never suspected her other identities.
-Wikipedia
-Wikipedia
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 51 reviews
September 30, 2023
Quizás el mejor de los tres, lo cual no quiere decir que sea bueno. No sé si depende de la edición (Javier Vergara, 1995), pero como esta vez no tenía tantos errores tipográficos, los párrafos estaban correctamente separados y no se comían palabras, la lectura se hizo más fácil y lo disfruté más.
Sin duda no se le puede pedir a Plaidy que sea historiadora. Por eso hay cierta tendencia a perdonarle sus garrafales errores históricos, o el que asuma o proponga su propia visión de personajes tan imporantes. Está bien: no estamos leyendo HISTORIA, y ni siquiera histora novelada, sino una novela que se basa en la historia. Lo que sí me parece terrible, aún en las novelas con menores pretensiones, es que la construcción de personajes sea tan pobre.
El problema con las personalidades de Isabel la Católica, Fernando el Católico, sus hijas y sus esposos no es que sean correctos o no desde el punto de vista histórico, sino que estén tan pobremente construidos. Para transmitirnos la avaricia y ambición de Fernando, la autora se limita a repetir hasta el cansancio que "le brillaban los ojos" ante la mera mención de riquezas y dinero. Es todo. Una y otra vez al rey católico le brillaban los ojos, unos ojos que debieron haber parecido faros porque no dejaron de brillar a lo largo de la novela.
La locura de Juana, la hija más célebre de los Reyes Católicos, que la autora construyó desde la cuna a través de berrinches de niña malcriada, ahora se expresa en risas histéricas. ¿Es la única manera en que Plaidy conoce la locura, con risas histéricas y personalidades obsesivas? Una figura tan rica, tan romántica como Juana la Loca debería haber sido central en un libro llamado "Las hijas de España", pero no. Simplemente la retrata como una mujer obsesionada con la hermosura de su marido, y que pasaba de estados de letargo a risas histéricas.
Tampoco queda claro cuándo o cómo pasó Isabel de ser una reina dura, obsesionada con el deber y la religión, a ser una madre blandengue que se deshace en lágrimas porque tiene que casar a su hija con el heredero del trono de Inglaterra.
Me hubiera gustado más que nos platicara, aún de mala manera, el destino de las hijas "de España" en vez de concentrarse en lo malísimos que fueron (que lo fueron) Torquemada y Jiménez de Cisneros, y en las debilidades de una reina chocha, como pinta a Isabel la Católica.
Sin duda no se le puede pedir a Plaidy que sea historiadora. Por eso hay cierta tendencia a perdonarle sus garrafales errores históricos, o el que asuma o proponga su propia visión de personajes tan imporantes. Está bien: no estamos leyendo HISTORIA, y ni siquiera histora novelada, sino una novela que se basa en la historia. Lo que sí me parece terrible, aún en las novelas con menores pretensiones, es que la construcción de personajes sea tan pobre.
El problema con las personalidades de Isabel la Católica, Fernando el Católico, sus hijas y sus esposos no es que sean correctos o no desde el punto de vista histórico, sino que estén tan pobremente construidos. Para transmitirnos la avaricia y ambición de Fernando, la autora se limita a repetir hasta el cansancio que "le brillaban los ojos" ante la mera mención de riquezas y dinero. Es todo. Una y otra vez al rey católico le brillaban los ojos, unos ojos que debieron haber parecido faros porque no dejaron de brillar a lo largo de la novela.
La locura de Juana, la hija más célebre de los Reyes Católicos, que la autora construyó desde la cuna a través de berrinches de niña malcriada, ahora se expresa en risas histéricas. ¿Es la única manera en que Plaidy conoce la locura, con risas histéricas y personalidades obsesivas? Una figura tan rica, tan romántica como Juana la Loca debería haber sido central en un libro llamado "Las hijas de España", pero no. Simplemente la retrata como una mujer obsesionada con la hermosura de su marido, y que pasaba de estados de letargo a risas histéricas.
Tampoco queda claro cuándo o cómo pasó Isabel de ser una reina dura, obsesionada con el deber y la religión, a ser una madre blandengue que se deshace en lágrimas porque tiene que casar a su hija con el heredero del trono de Inglaterra.
Me hubiera gustado más que nos platicara, aún de mala manera, el destino de las hijas "de España" en vez de concentrarse en lo malísimos que fueron (que lo fueron) Torquemada y Jiménez de Cisneros, y en las debilidades de una reina chocha, como pinta a Isabel la Católica.
March 3, 2021
Muy buen libro! Libro de lectura fácil y agradable. Contiene muchos datos históricos acompañados de chisme de alcoba. Me encanto como Juana ( la loca) se vengó de su marido infiel.
October 10, 2023
Escaso rigor histórico, personajes de cartón y repetitivos... pero sirve para amenizar un viaje en tren, exactamente lo que espero de una lectura pasatista.
January 28, 2025
For me, the better of the trilogy of the Reyes Católicos. Glad I read it in Spanish because it has ALWAYS bugged me how in English they've always called Queen Isabel "Isabella"! For those who know nothing about that significant era of Spanish history, that changed the course of not only Spain but the Americas forever, this light historical fiction trilogy might be a good start to learn something. For me, who knows Spanish history quite well, it was just a diversion. Now back to more serious and enlightening reads.
October 16, 2015
That was an interesting reading! Again, my opinions arent't the same as Jean Plaidy on this reading. But maybe, as i read a few recents books about Isabella of Castile, Juana and Catherine of Aragon, so my thinkings about them, doesn't "agree" much with what were written on "Daughters of Spain". I don't see Isabella as a caring mother! For me, she was always worried about how to extend her reign. So, yes, she used her daughters for that. Catherine of Aragon was left behind on England. She had to endure poverty and was neglected, when she became a widow and later suffered alone, when Henry betrayed her to stay with Anne Boleyn! Juana was betrayed, by her husband and later by her own father. Both men were very dearly to her! She became even a prisoner, by her own father and all because, she was the only heir to the throne! All because of power! I believe, Juana developed madness, but maybe because of the incidents on her life! Isabella never showed mercy when it was about the Inquisition! She even accepted Torquemada's request, to accept the marriage of Isabella, if Emanuel of Portugal, installed the Inquisition there! I believe, that on her own ways, Isabella was also a tyrant. I'm giving 3 stars, because Jean Plaidy, gave the readers a very interesting view about Isabella and Ferdinand's reign. They fought hard to unit Spain and to extend their reign, but later the Royal House was struck by so many tragedies, that the saying "who wants it all may lose it all" suits the Catholics Sovereigns!
November 22, 2015
Jean Plaidy's series on Isabella is fairly traditional and different from the more recently published historical fiction books. She is not offering a revisionist, feminist, or jazzed up version of her characters. It doesn't mean her characters are boring. As the title suggests, the focus here is not so much on Isabella, but on the lives of her children. We don't see Isabella as a ruler so much (which was a bit disappointing to me); we see her mostly as a caring mother. I don't know how caring she truly was, but there is evidence from historians that she, indeed, was emotionally involved with her children. Apparently, she was especially attached to Catalina, her youngest, evidenced by her reluctance to send to her to England earlier. This fact is also mentioned by historians (e.g., Trimlett), who produced biographies of Katherine of Aragon.
I found Juana's story particularly interesting. Again, in her own interpretation, Plaidy is not making any novel claims; she accepts that Juana was touched by elements of the same "madness" her grandmother reportedly had. Today, Juana might perhaps be described as a spirited young woman, a rebel, and a non-conformist; however, whether she was truly mad or not would be difficult to prove. Some of later actions, as reported in other sources, were at least puzzling. There is little doubt that both Isabella and Ferdinand used their children for political advantage. This was the norm for noble families and even more important for royalty.
I guess I expected a bigger focus on Catalina, who becomes the first wife of Henry VIII, known better as Katherine of Aragon, but her character is not fleshed out. She comes across as docile, very attached to her mother, and her own letters reveal this was truthful. Katherine of Aragon, however, has later been described as a really "stubborn" woman, not just by her contemporaries (of course, male chroniclers), but also by some modern-day historians. Her strength of character is missing in the novel.
Overall, like the other two of the series, this last novel was a highly enjoyable read.
I found Juana's story particularly interesting. Again, in her own interpretation, Plaidy is not making any novel claims; she accepts that Juana was touched by elements of the same "madness" her grandmother reportedly had. Today, Juana might perhaps be described as a spirited young woman, a rebel, and a non-conformist; however, whether she was truly mad or not would be difficult to prove. Some of later actions, as reported in other sources, were at least puzzling. There is little doubt that both Isabella and Ferdinand used their children for political advantage. This was the norm for noble families and even more important for royalty.
I guess I expected a bigger focus on Catalina, who becomes the first wife of Henry VIII, known better as Katherine of Aragon, but her character is not fleshed out. She comes across as docile, very attached to her mother, and her own letters reveal this was truthful. Katherine of Aragon, however, has later been described as a really "stubborn" woman, not just by her contemporaries (of course, male chroniclers), but also by some modern-day historians. Her strength of character is missing in the novel.
Overall, like the other two of the series, this last novel was a highly enjoyable read.
August 21, 2016
Fue un poco tortuoso terminar la última entrega de esta saga. Conforme avanza la historia se percibe la falta de información respecto a la etapa final de la vida de Isabel, es narrado de manera lenta, con pocos detalles, volviéndose aburrido. No estuvo tan mal, pero no le hizo justicia a la primera parte de los Reyes Católicos (y en general a la vida de Isabel I). Aquí me fallaste Jean :( .
December 2, 2021
This is a trilogy written by Jean Plaidy which is the pseudonym that Eleanor Alice Burford used when writing historical fiction. She wrote many other types of books as well, including Gothic Romance, using different pseudonyms, but these are the first and only books I’ve read from this prolific 20th century author who penned more than 200 books during her lifetime, which is an impressive feat by all accounts. I was drawn to this trilogy because of my Spanish heritage on my father’s behalf—my ancestors were originally from Valencia, Spain. My great-grandfather was the first immigrant that came to Panama, Latin America, where the Catholic religion is the most culturally predominant. Panama is also the country where my family and I currently live.
The trilogy about the Catholic Kings is about Isabel’s ascension to the throne in the 1400’s. Queen Isabel of Spain is renowned for several things, the most important which are the sponsoring of Cristopher Columbus’s voyage to the new world, the conquest of the moors, and also, regrettably, the Spanish Inquisition. This is also a book about Ferdinand, Isabel’s husband and King of Aragon. Under their rule, they were able to unite all of Spain under one banner. Unfortunately, it came at the expense of immense suffering for both the moors and the Jews, and also anybody else who wasn’t Catholic or embraced the Christian religion.
Nevertheless, I was drawn to Plaidy’s portrayal of the historical figure of Isabel. She was depicted as extremely moral and steadfast, with a calm disposition, and as a person of integrity. Her fault was that she placed too much trust on her religious leaders, which were the cruel Archbishops of Spain. It was their idea in the first place to start the Inquisition, and because Isabel plainly believed in the authority of the bishops, she supported this horrible initiative since the start. She had a good marriage to Ferdinand, at first an idealized union before Ferdinand’s faults and infidelity came to light. But even then, Isabel and Ferdinand were a good team and clearly loved and respected one another, even if Ferdinand resented Isabel’s status as Queen of all Spain, which was a higher title than his own as King consort.
Despite their relatively happy marriage, Isabel’s family life turned out to be tragic. Her son, the heir to the throne of Spain, died during his honeymoon. Her eldest daughter who married the King of Portugal died during childbirth. One of her grandchildren was born stillborn, and the other died during infancy. One of her daughters went mad, just like Isabel’s own mother had also been mad. It was almost as if her family was cursed, perhaps because of all the suffering that all the non-Catholic people had to endure. Isabel’s family was cursed by the people that they had killed and tortured. Or at least this is one of the themes that the last book of this trilogy explores. In any case, it’s hard not to think of it as some sort of karmic retribution, at least in some degree.
Out of all the books, my favorite in this trilogy is the first one, called “Castille for Isabel”. In this first book, Isabel is a teenager just coming into her own, but because of her quick wits and calm demeanor, she is more than able to navigate the court intrigue surrounding her. Through her own personal moral fiber, she rises above the schemes and manipulations and manages to assert her marriage to the King of Aragon and also crown herself as the legitimate Queen of Castille and consequently, of all Spain.
Throughout all of the books, I liked Plaidy’s style of writing, which is sort of detached but also very encompassing of all the historical facts and events and characters. I am eager to read more of her and see what else she has written both in the historical fiction genre and also in her gothic romances, which I am intrigued by. I will let you know what I think once I do!
The trilogy about the Catholic Kings is about Isabel’s ascension to the throne in the 1400’s. Queen Isabel of Spain is renowned for several things, the most important which are the sponsoring of Cristopher Columbus’s voyage to the new world, the conquest of the moors, and also, regrettably, the Spanish Inquisition. This is also a book about Ferdinand, Isabel’s husband and King of Aragon. Under their rule, they were able to unite all of Spain under one banner. Unfortunately, it came at the expense of immense suffering for both the moors and the Jews, and also anybody else who wasn’t Catholic or embraced the Christian religion.
Nevertheless, I was drawn to Plaidy’s portrayal of the historical figure of Isabel. She was depicted as extremely moral and steadfast, with a calm disposition, and as a person of integrity. Her fault was that she placed too much trust on her religious leaders, which were the cruel Archbishops of Spain. It was their idea in the first place to start the Inquisition, and because Isabel plainly believed in the authority of the bishops, she supported this horrible initiative since the start. She had a good marriage to Ferdinand, at first an idealized union before Ferdinand’s faults and infidelity came to light. But even then, Isabel and Ferdinand were a good team and clearly loved and respected one another, even if Ferdinand resented Isabel’s status as Queen of all Spain, which was a higher title than his own as King consort.
Despite their relatively happy marriage, Isabel’s family life turned out to be tragic. Her son, the heir to the throne of Spain, died during his honeymoon. Her eldest daughter who married the King of Portugal died during childbirth. One of her grandchildren was born stillborn, and the other died during infancy. One of her daughters went mad, just like Isabel’s own mother had also been mad. It was almost as if her family was cursed, perhaps because of all the suffering that all the non-Catholic people had to endure. Isabel’s family was cursed by the people that they had killed and tortured. Or at least this is one of the themes that the last book of this trilogy explores. In any case, it’s hard not to think of it as some sort of karmic retribution, at least in some degree.
Out of all the books, my favorite in this trilogy is the first one, called “Castille for Isabel”. In this first book, Isabel is a teenager just coming into her own, but because of her quick wits and calm demeanor, she is more than able to navigate the court intrigue surrounding her. Through her own personal moral fiber, she rises above the schemes and manipulations and manages to assert her marriage to the King of Aragon and also crown herself as the legitimate Queen of Castille and consequently, of all Spain.
Throughout all of the books, I liked Plaidy’s style of writing, which is sort of detached but also very encompassing of all the historical facts and events and characters. I am eager to read more of her and see what else she has written both in the historical fiction genre and also in her gothic romances, which I am intrigued by. I will let you know what I think once I do!
March 22, 2021
This is Plaidy's most ambitious book in the whole series. Not only does it track Isabella's more mature years, but it also covers three of the princesses growing into adulthood and the aftermath of the fight with the Moors and the Spanish Inquisition. It's a lot of ground to cover in a book that's not even 300 pages. To accomplish this, Plaidy covers only the basics and skimps on any complex analysis of these fascinating and contradicting figures. As a result, the book serves as a conclusion to the introductory course of Spanish medieval history.
For a book called Daughters of Spain very little time is spent on the daughters of some of the most powerful monarchs the world has ever known. What we do learn of them is boiled down into two personality traits. Isabella Jr is a depressed and superstitious widow, Juana is wild and mad for her husband, and Catalina adores her mother so much that she doesn't want to go to England. The fourth daughter, Maria, is barely in the book, and has no personality whatsoever. Honestly you get more from their wikipedia pages than you do here.
Isabella was also very watered down. In the first book in the series, Castile for Isabella, Isabella is calculating, intelligent, and stubborn enough to always get her way. However, by this final book, she's a weeping mother who never wants her children to leave her. From what little I know of Isabella, this seems out of character for her, so it makes me wonder at Plaidy's agenda in depicting her this way. Perhaps she was trying to make her likable because Isabella's bigotry towards those who practice a different religion make her a pretty sinister character. Unfortunately, all Plaidy's rendition did was depict a woman who was easily swayed while her daughters all seemed to have a touch of the "madness" that Isabella feared they would have.
If this book is so depressing, why did I rate it three stars? Honestly, it's because I don't know much about Spanish history, and I appreciated this first glimpse. It inspires me to want to learn more because I refuse to believe these characters are as simple as Plaidy depicts them. So, if you're looking for a light intro into this subject, I would recommend this series to you. However, if you're well-versed in Spanish medieval history, maybe stay away from these novels. They won't offer any new insight into these complex historical figures.
For a book called Daughters of Spain very little time is spent on the daughters of some of the most powerful monarchs the world has ever known. What we do learn of them is boiled down into two personality traits. Isabella Jr is a depressed and superstitious widow, Juana is wild and mad for her husband, and Catalina adores her mother so much that she doesn't want to go to England. The fourth daughter, Maria, is barely in the book, and has no personality whatsoever. Honestly you get more from their wikipedia pages than you do here.
Isabella was also very watered down. In the first book in the series, Castile for Isabella, Isabella is calculating, intelligent, and stubborn enough to always get her way. However, by this final book, she's a weeping mother who never wants her children to leave her. From what little I know of Isabella, this seems out of character for her, so it makes me wonder at Plaidy's agenda in depicting her this way. Perhaps she was trying to make her likable because Isabella's bigotry towards those who practice a different religion make her a pretty sinister character. Unfortunately, all Plaidy's rendition did was depict a woman who was easily swayed while her daughters all seemed to have a touch of the "madness" that Isabella feared they would have.
If this book is so depressing, why did I rate it three stars? Honestly, it's because I don't know much about Spanish history, and I appreciated this first glimpse. It inspires me to want to learn more because I refuse to believe these characters are as simple as Plaidy depicts them. So, if you're looking for a light intro into this subject, I would recommend this series to you. However, if you're well-versed in Spanish medieval history, maybe stay away from these novels. They won't offer any new insight into these complex historical figures.
April 21, 2024
“Todo lo realizado sobre la tierra empieza siendo un sueño.”
La trilogía de Los Reyes Católicos se compone de los siguientes tomos: Castilla para Isabel, España para sus soberanos y Las hijas de España; en ellos, la escritora inglesa Jean Plaidy nos narra de principio a fin la vida de Isabel de Trastamara, que posteriormente al casarse con Fernando de Aragón ambos se convertirían en los Reyes Católicos, y nos lleva a comprender la manera en que se conformó la España que hoy día conocemos. Además de los personajes familiares que acompañan a Isabel, también podemos encontrar al célebre marinero Genovés Cristobal Colón, al sanguinario inquisidor Tomás de Torquemada así como el episodio de la reconquista del Reino de Granada que tiene vital importancia.
Me parece muy interesante poder conocer una historia tan fundamental para la manera en que el mundo cambió gracias a la incursión de Isabel La Católica en el reino de Castilla y posteriormente en el de toda España, pues gracias a ella se unificó el territorio peninsular y se logró hacer lo que ellos consideraban el descubrimiento de un Nuevo Mundo.
Sin embargo, la poética narrativa brilla por su ausencia, los personajes son muy planos y aunque la historia es interesante por lo que acontece, en ningún momento logré conectar con los personajes. A pesar de que intenta expresar las emociones de los personajes, no consigue que se salgan del papel y cobren vida. Hasta ahora, esta ha sido la única novela que he encontrado que abarque toda la vida de Isabel, por lo mismo me parece que como divulgación histórica esta trilogía sirve para acercarnos la vida y obra de estos Monarcas (pues inclusive su lectura es sencilla), pero a nivel literatura es muy pobre, tanto así que no fue fácil encontrar alguna frase potente. Es por todas estas razones que les otorgo 4 Estrellas.
Recomendación musical:
Joaquin Rodrigo. Concierto de Aranjuez
La trilogía de Los Reyes Católicos se compone de los siguientes tomos: Castilla para Isabel, España para sus soberanos y Las hijas de España; en ellos, la escritora inglesa Jean Plaidy nos narra de principio a fin la vida de Isabel de Trastamara, que posteriormente al casarse con Fernando de Aragón ambos se convertirían en los Reyes Católicos, y nos lleva a comprender la manera en que se conformó la España que hoy día conocemos. Además de los personajes familiares que acompañan a Isabel, también podemos encontrar al célebre marinero Genovés Cristobal Colón, al sanguinario inquisidor Tomás de Torquemada así como el episodio de la reconquista del Reino de Granada que tiene vital importancia.
Me parece muy interesante poder conocer una historia tan fundamental para la manera en que el mundo cambió gracias a la incursión de Isabel La Católica en el reino de Castilla y posteriormente en el de toda España, pues gracias a ella se unificó el territorio peninsular y se logró hacer lo que ellos consideraban el descubrimiento de un Nuevo Mundo.
Sin embargo, la poética narrativa brilla por su ausencia, los personajes son muy planos y aunque la historia es interesante por lo que acontece, en ningún momento logré conectar con los personajes. A pesar de que intenta expresar las emociones de los personajes, no consigue que se salgan del papel y cobren vida. Hasta ahora, esta ha sido la única novela que he encontrado que abarque toda la vida de Isabel, por lo mismo me parece que como divulgación histórica esta trilogía sirve para acercarnos la vida y obra de estos Monarcas (pues inclusive su lectura es sencilla), pero a nivel literatura es muy pobre, tanto así que no fue fácil encontrar alguna frase potente. Es por todas estas razones que les otorgo 4 Estrellas.
Recomendación musical:
Joaquin Rodrigo. Concierto de Aranjuez
March 17, 2023
I can’t go higher for one reason-Maria. I really loved this book but it is frustrating for me to have the daughter of Isabella of Castile overlooked in a book about the daughters of Isabella! Isabella had four daughters, three of whom are represented: Isabella the Younger, Juana the wild, and Catalina the mama’s girl. But there’s barely any mention of Maria-one again she is overlooked despite living well into Catherine of Aragon’s reign and outliving her father.
Isabella the younger says that she thinks Maria is a little dumb or slow because she’s often cheery, but that is hardly a fair assessment because Isabella is 12 years older than Maria. I think Maria could have been developed more like Ferdinand-always thinking about duty in the book and ambitious to bring Portugal and Spain together, rather than the nonexistent entity that she was.
Isabella the younger says that she thinks Maria is a little dumb or slow because she’s often cheery, but that is hardly a fair assessment because Isabella is 12 years older than Maria. I think Maria could have been developed more like Ferdinand-always thinking about duty in the book and ambitious to bring Portugal and Spain together, rather than the nonexistent entity that she was.
April 23, 2022
The quality of the writing was worse than the second book, but at least there were no typos that I noticed. However, I keep wondering how did the author decide which names to keep in Spanish and which ones to translate?
There were also a few historical inaccuracies in this book (though kudos for mentioning Colón/Columbus being a slave owner), and there was too much dramatization and over-the-top characters for me.
The gleam in the eyes of Ferdinand was replaced in this book by the moods of Juana (see what I was saying about the names?)
I finished it because it was quite easy to read and it was the last book of the series, and it felt bad to give up this close to the end.
There were also a few historical inaccuracies in this book (though kudos for mentioning Colón/Columbus being a slave owner), and there was too much dramatization and over-the-top characters for me.
The gleam in the eyes of Ferdinand was replaced in this book by the moods of Juana (see what I was saying about the names?)
I finished it because it was quite easy to read and it was the last book of the series, and it felt bad to give up this close to the end.
June 22, 2023
It might be because it's been a while since I've read any Plaidy books and have in the interim read a lot of other types of historical fiction, but this story, while well researched and still keeping everything moving along organically with interesting characters, overall it has a stilted feel to the dialogue. It's as if all the characters are reading from a script - and they aren't great actors.
November 10, 2017
A rather bitty and disappointing conclusion to the Isabella of Castille trilogy. This novel covers roughly the last ten years of Isabella's life and stops dead, leaving Ferdinand widowed, Juana back in Flanders and apparently alienated from her husband, the neglected Maria married in Portugal, Catalina a virgin widow in England and Spain at the mercy of Ximenes de Cisneros.
March 16, 2019
Si acaso creían que sería una historia que tuviera como trama la historia de los hijos de Isabel... pues sí, pero no de manera fundamental. El libro es más bien el cúmulo de emociones de Isabel por la separación de sus hijos.
February 21, 2021
Interesting history of Spain. Have not read the other books in the series but this stands alone
June 6, 2021
I knew nothing of this period of history and felt a sadness for Isabellas tragedies.
November 22, 2021
Bien documentado.Fácil lectura
July 8, 2022
I would of liked more from Maria, she's barely in the book.
January 16, 2023
que entretenida trilogía, muy emotiva
June 7, 2023
Good reading
Half way through the book the author looses the focus on talking about the princesses of Spain and spend far too much time on other characters.
Half way through the book the author looses the focus on talking about the princesses of Spain and spend far too much time on other characters.
April 7, 2024
Una saga fantástica para conocer a fondo la historia de estos reyes. Muy amena, didáctica y entretenidísima!!!
August 20, 2024
The 3rd and final book in the Isabella and Ferdinand Saga
September 3, 2025
Me gusto aunque no de mis favoritos. Se me hace impresionante esta parte de la historia donde habla más de Susi hijas y su futuro
September 12, 2025
Ha sido un deleite leer esta trilogía, Jean Plady me encanta
April 29, 2023
One of the worst historical fiction books I have ever read — or maybe the worst in general. Jean Plaidy clearly did not have a single drop of sympathy or at least sense of justice towards Ferdinand of Aragon... Plus, there were four Daughters of Spain, so where was María? It all was so wrong, only interactions between Isabella and Catalina were the only good point (and historically accurate, surprise!) of this book.
October 2, 2014
This final instalment of Jean Plaidy’s Isabella and Ferdinand trilogy is set during the 1490s and opening years of the 1500s.
As the title implies, this novel focuses more on the Spanish sovereigns’ daughters, of which they had four, the most notable perhaps being Catalina, better known to me and my fellow Englanders as Catherine of Aragon; Henry VIII’s first wife.
The story also features a son of Spain, plus one of Ferdinand’s illegitimate boys.
This is one of many historical novels that show how young women – or more to the point, young girls – were treated as chess pieces, being married off to strangers to form political alliances to benefit their parents.
Some of the Spanish daughters long for their betrothal, while Catalina dreads the day she is to be shipped to Tudor England, fearing never to see her beloved mother again.
Parting with their children is hard for Isabella, whereas the money and power-obsessed Ferdinand comes across as cold-hearted, thinking of his own personal gains, and how marrying off his son and daughters will prove rewarding for Spain.
Apart from the family aspects, this novel follows on from its prequel in regards of the religious fanaticism that was apparent during medieval times. The persecution of the Jews and the Moors appears barbaric when reading about it today, yet many – including the otherwise gentle and noble Isabella – saw no wrong it torturing or burning people who didn’t practise the Christian faith.
Certain priests in power were the most ruthless of all, truly believing that their actions were justified, as this quote regarding the attitude of one of the most fanatical archbishops demonstrates:
“And for those who had denied God the greatest torture man could devise was not bad enough. If these people burned at the stake, it was but a foretaste of the punishment which God would give them. What were twenty minutes at the stake compared with an eternity in Hell?”
The author’s decision to use an unbiased third person narrator was, in my mind, a good choice. As the above quote demonstrates, the narration does not declare that the holy man’s bigoted attitude is wrong, but rather it shows the reader that this is the case by stating the fanatic’s feelings as though such horror was acceptable.
On a lighter note, this following dialogue exchange between Queen Isabella and her daughters caused me some mild amusement:
Juana could not cease chattering. ‘Mother, what are the women like in Flanders? They have golden hair, I hear … most of them. They are big women with great breasts.’
‘Hush, hush!’ said the Princess Isabella.
‘But,’ cried Juana, ‘the Queen said there was to be no ceremony. There never is ceremony when we are together thus.’
‘That is so, my daughter,’ said the Queen. ‘But it is not seemly to discuss the size of the breasts of the women in your future husband’s country.’
As with the previous book, the author does a great job with Juana; Queen Isabella’s third child. Juana suffers mental problems, which at times proves unnerving, but like with the above quote she’s sometimes quite amusing.
Ms Plaidy has a gift of making all her main characters “real” and Juana is one of her best examples of this talent.
Regarding the Isabella and Ferdinand trilogy on the whole, I must admit to being greatly impressed. In short, they are tales of triumph and tragedy.
I consider this novel to be slightly better than Book 2, but like Book 1 the most. I rate them all 4 stars.
As the title implies, this novel focuses more on the Spanish sovereigns’ daughters, of which they had four, the most notable perhaps being Catalina, better known to me and my fellow Englanders as Catherine of Aragon; Henry VIII’s first wife.
The story also features a son of Spain, plus one of Ferdinand’s illegitimate boys.
This is one of many historical novels that show how young women – or more to the point, young girls – were treated as chess pieces, being married off to strangers to form political alliances to benefit their parents.
Some of the Spanish daughters long for their betrothal, while Catalina dreads the day she is to be shipped to Tudor England, fearing never to see her beloved mother again.
Parting with their children is hard for Isabella, whereas the money and power-obsessed Ferdinand comes across as cold-hearted, thinking of his own personal gains, and how marrying off his son and daughters will prove rewarding for Spain.
Apart from the family aspects, this novel follows on from its prequel in regards of the religious fanaticism that was apparent during medieval times. The persecution of the Jews and the Moors appears barbaric when reading about it today, yet many – including the otherwise gentle and noble Isabella – saw no wrong it torturing or burning people who didn’t practise the Christian faith.
Certain priests in power were the most ruthless of all, truly believing that their actions were justified, as this quote regarding the attitude of one of the most fanatical archbishops demonstrates:
“And for those who had denied God the greatest torture man could devise was not bad enough. If these people burned at the stake, it was but a foretaste of the punishment which God would give them. What were twenty minutes at the stake compared with an eternity in Hell?”
The author’s decision to use an unbiased third person narrator was, in my mind, a good choice. As the above quote demonstrates, the narration does not declare that the holy man’s bigoted attitude is wrong, but rather it shows the reader that this is the case by stating the fanatic’s feelings as though such horror was acceptable.
On a lighter note, this following dialogue exchange between Queen Isabella and her daughters caused me some mild amusement:
Juana could not cease chattering. ‘Mother, what are the women like in Flanders? They have golden hair, I hear … most of them. They are big women with great breasts.’
‘Hush, hush!’ said the Princess Isabella.
‘But,’ cried Juana, ‘the Queen said there was to be no ceremony. There never is ceremony when we are together thus.’
‘That is so, my daughter,’ said the Queen. ‘But it is not seemly to discuss the size of the breasts of the women in your future husband’s country.’
As with the previous book, the author does a great job with Juana; Queen Isabella’s third child. Juana suffers mental problems, which at times proves unnerving, but like with the above quote she’s sometimes quite amusing.
Ms Plaidy has a gift of making all her main characters “real” and Juana is one of her best examples of this talent.
Regarding the Isabella and Ferdinand trilogy on the whole, I must admit to being greatly impressed. In short, they are tales of triumph and tragedy.
I consider this novel to be slightly better than Book 2, but like Book 1 the most. I rate them all 4 stars.
October 12, 2019
La mala reina.
Ya se que esto es una reseña donde yo debería explicar brevemente de que trata el libro y mi opinión sobre él pero lo que voy a escribir es una pequeña discusión sobre si fue buena o mala reína (vamos que al final si cuento mi opinión pero no del libro sino del personaje de la protagonista). Y es que después de haberme leído esta trilogía pienso que en realidad no fue una buena reina.
Lo primero es que esta obsesionada con el tema de la religión y todo lo que hacía decía que era por eso. Error 1 y es que si expulsó y mascro a moros y judíos por que ha cojones ella tenía que tener un país bajo una misma religión.
Los moros llevaban aquí en España 700 años antes de que llegara ella y habían convivido reínando sobre lo suyo sin intentar molestar a los otros. Pero claro no está ella sola el señor marido le parecía bien por que el no lo hacía por la religión sino por la riqueza y propiedades que tenían y de los cuales se les desposeian y pasaban a manos del estado.
Y más cosas que hicieron que a mi parecer me parece que no los hace tan grandes reyes como siempre nos han enseñado.
Ya se que esto es una reseña donde yo debería explicar brevemente de que trata el libro y mi opinión sobre él pero lo que voy a escribir es una pequeña discusión sobre si fue buena o mala reína (vamos que al final si cuento mi opinión pero no del libro sino del personaje de la protagonista). Y es que después de haberme leído esta trilogía pienso que en realidad no fue una buena reina.
Lo primero es que esta obsesionada con el tema de la religión y todo lo que hacía decía que era por eso. Error 1 y es que si expulsó y mascro a moros y judíos por que ha cojones ella tenía que tener un país bajo una misma religión.
Los moros llevaban aquí en España 700 años antes de que llegara ella y habían convivido reínando sobre lo suyo sin intentar molestar a los otros. Pero claro no está ella sola el señor marido le parecía bien por que el no lo hacía por la religión sino por la riqueza y propiedades que tenían y de los cuales se les desposeian y pasaban a manos del estado.
Y más cosas que hicieron que a mi parecer me parece que no los hace tan grandes reyes como siempre nos han enseñado.
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