NOTICE: (Updated March 5, 2010)

Beginning December 19, 2009, Books 'N Border Collies will be posting but only intermittently while I pursue personal goals. I plan to share some reading I'm doing, but there will be no reviews. I will, however, be sharing my exploration of vegetarian cooking and the cookbooks and websites I use to educate myself. I hope you enjoy it!

Lezlie



Monday, July 28, 2008

THE LAST QUEEN

by C.W. Gortner



To history, she is known as "Juana la loca", Juana the Mad. But was this daughter of the incomparable Isabella of Castile and Ferdinand of Aragon and sister to the first wife of Henry VIII truly driven to madness by grief? Or were there other more malevolent factors at work?

What a great book! I read Juana's story stunned at the cold betrayal of family and "friends". I wanted to rail at her husband, her mother, her father. I was so emotionally pulled in by The Last Queen that I occasionally had to quit reading because I was so angry I was having trouble concentrating on anything other than retaliating against Juana's tormentors. C.W. Gortner's ability to make me experience her triumphs and tears as if they were my own was something special. I can only imagine what he's got in store for us in the future with Catherine de Medici!!



Visit C.W. Gortner at his official website Historical Boys. And while you're at it, check out this video trailer for The Last Queen. Very cool!



11 comments:

Darlene said...

lol again Lezlie-you have me adding yet another book to my list. This sounds so good. I love books that make me feel so emotionally involved in the story. Thanks for another great review!

Anonymous said...

This sounds great! Oh, and I like your signature. Very Cool!

Marg said...

I really want to read this!

Lezlie said...

Dar ~ I'm glad I'm striking gold for you! I have had a string of really good books that looks to continue judging by the pile next to the bed. :-)

Chartroose ~ It's a wonderful book. And the author is a really nice guy! I got the signature from www.mylivesignature.com. You can do some really cool stuff on there!

Marg ~ I think you'll love it. We seem to have very similar tastes. There's another book out there about Juana called "The Scroll of Seduction" that is on my TBR also. I'm anxious to get to it and see how it compares.

Teddy Rose said...

Great review! This one is on my TBR.

BTW, I have been a great admirer of your signature and clicked on it today. Now I have one too. Thanks!

Lezlie said...

Teddy Rose ~ You won't be disappointed when you read it. And I looooove your new signature on your blog! I originally heard about the site from J. Kaye.

L.

Amy said...

this book looks amazing! i love fiction about this time period. thank you for your comment on my blog...i am excited to meet new people.:)

Lezlie said...

Amy ~ Meeting new people is one of my favorite parts of blogging, too. Thanks for the return visit!

Lezlie

Jena said...

I really enjoyed this book, too! While I never had to put the book down, it wasn't particularly comfortable reading, and I did dream the world, not the glamorous beginning, but the end with all Juana's insecurities and anxieties.

C.W. Gortner said...

Thank you, Lezlie, for the great review! I hope your readers enjoy the book. I am touched by all the marvelous support the blogging community has given me.

Lezlie said...

Jena ~ Uncomfortable is definitely a good word. I don't know if I'd have held up even as well as she did in this story!

Mr. Gortner ~ Thank you so much for stopping by! And you're most welcome for the review. I'm now drumming my fingers impatiently for your next book! :-)

Lezlie