Katherine of Aragon, The True Queen

Praise

“Weir is excellent on the little details that bring a world to life.”—The Guardian

“As always, Weir demonstrates a keen eye for crafting dramatic scenes of beautiful, accurate detail, instilling in the reader a vivid sense of being there. . . . If this greatly impressive inaugural installment is any indication, Tudor lovers have much to look forward to.”—Booklist (starred review)

“Vividly detailed . . . Weir brings considerable expertise to her fictional retelling of the life of Katherine of Aragon. . . . [The author] portrays her sympathetically as both credulous and steely.”—Kirkus Reviews

“An illuminating and engaging portrait of ‘the true queen.’”—Historical Novels Review

“[Weir’s] fresh approach to Henry’s first wife [is] a wonderful place to start for those unfamiliar with Katherine’s story. Weir’s portrayal is far from that of a weak, victimized woman, but one of a courageous, strong, devoted queen fighting for her life and rights. An easy, quick read to begin the series.”—RT Book Reviews

“In this first novel of the Six Tudor Queens series, Alison Weir dazzlingly brings Katherine of Aragon to life. Based on extensive new research, it is a portrayal that shatters the many myths about Henry VIII’s long-suffering first wife. Far from being the one-dimensional victim of history, she emerges as a charismatic, indomitable, and courageous heroine whose story never fails to enthrall.”—Tracy Borman, author of Thomas Cromwel
 
“Opulent . . . Alison Weir starts off her fictional series about the wives of Henry VIII with a nuanced portrayal of Katherine of Aragon. . . . Weir is uniformly excellent at conveying the chaotic emotional give and take of the relationship [between Henry and Katherine]. . . . Katherine carried herself with a nobility she clearly intended to speak well to posterity. Alison Weir’s novel captures that nobility better than any biography ever has.”—Christian Science Monitor
 
“Yet again, Alison Weir has managed to intertwine profound historical knowledge with huge emotional intelligence, to compose a work that throws light on an endlessly fascinating figure. But her real gift in all of this is making it feel so fresh and alive.”—Charles Spencer, author of Killers of the King

“This series is a serious achievement.”—The Times (London)