Xalaila's book diary

Absolutely enjoyable. There’s so much I didn’t know about Katherine of Aragorn. The descriptions of Granada and the Alhambra were vivid and magical. It’s been a while since I actually wanted to travel somewhere instantly just to see it, and this book’s done it! 

Katherine’s life was a difficult one, but she managed to fulfill her destiny through sheer determinacy and patience. The book focuses more on the years from when she was a child until her daughter Mary’s birth, and I think it’s right. We know what came later, so it’s a lot more interesting and rewarding to know what came before.

It was also great to have in such clarity the relationships between different historical figures that sometimes seem hard to place: Juana la Loca of Spain, for instance, was Katherine’s sister. This puts the larger history of Spain, at least for me, in broader perspective.

Definitely a must read!