Sister Queens

The Noble, Tragic Lives of Katherine of Aragon and Juana, Queen of Castile

By: Julia Fox

Narrated by: Rosalyn Landor

Length: 14 hrs and 52 mins

Publisher's summary

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

The history books have cast Katherine of Aragon, the first queen of King Henry VIII of England, as the ultimate symbol of the Betrayed Woman, cruelly tossed aside in favor of her husband’s seductive mistress, Anne Boleyn. Katherine’s sister, Juana of Castile, wife of Philip of Burgundy and mother of the Holy Roman Emperor Charles V, is portrayed as “Juana the Mad,” whose erratic behavior included keeping her beloved late husband’s coffin beside her for years. But historian Julia Fox, whose previous work painted an unprecedented portrait of Jane Boleyn, Anne’s sister, offers deeper insight in this first dual biography of Katherine and Juana, the daughters of Spain’s Ferdinand and Isabella, whose family ties remained strong despite their separation. Looking through the lens of their Spanish origins, Fox reveals these queens as flesh-and-blood women—equipped with character, intelligence, and conviction—who are worthy historical figures in their own right. When they were young, Juana’s and Katherine’s futures appeared promising. They had secured politically advantageous marriages, but their dreams of love and power quickly dissolved, and the unions for which they’d spent their whole lives preparing were fraught with duplicity and betrayal. Juana, the elder sister, unexpectedly became Spain’s sovereign, but her authority was continually usurped, first by her husband and later by her son. Katherine, a young widow after the death of Prince Arthur of Wales, soon remarried his doting brother Henry and later became a key figure in a drama that altered England’s religious landscape. Ousted from the positions of power and influence they had been groomed for and separated from their children, Katherine and Juana each turned to their rich and abiding faith and deep personal belief in their family’s dynastic legacy to cope with their enduring hardships. Sister Queens is a gripping tale of love, duty, and sacrifice—a remarkable reflection on the conflict between ambition and loyalty during an age when the greatest sin, it seems, was to have been born a woman.

©2012 Julia Fox (P)2012 Random House

Critic reviews

“[Fox] offers an absorbing, rich, and fresh view of the entwined royal relationships that helped define the 15th- and 16th-century European political landscape.” (Publishers Weekly)

“A talented entrant in royal biography, Fox fairly bids for the popularity historian Alison Weir currently wields.” (Booklist)

Loves it!

I've wanted to read this book for awhile and love it even more than I thought I would. Engaging, informative, heartbreaking, a part of history that needs to be more widely known.

Based on fact rather than opinion!

I am often suspect of biographies, as authors so often make decisions about people in history that may or may not be truly factual, creating whole new people from real life historical figures. Perhaps they just need to write a book interesting enough to sell and blurring truths and facts becomes part of the package. NOT THIS BOOK!

SISTER QUEENS by Julia Fox manages to be a magnificently interesting book while stating facts and theories from a well researched position. Letters, documents, historical writings and other real remnants from history make up the basis of the book.

Spanish monarchs, Isabelle and Ferdinand's children lives and fortunes are described as part of this chronological factual story about the lives of their two most famous children, Katherine and Juana. Katherine, as the first wife of Henry the 8th, was an accomplished student and politician in her own right. She maneuvered a world much like ours today. Most of us have heard many stories about Henry 8th exploits from his vantage point. This story focuses almost completely from Katherine's vantage point, making this book particularly interesting. We hear about her fight to become, and stay Henry's wife; her fight to maintain her Catholic view to be THE world view; and her fight to maintain that her daughter, Mary, would succeed Henry as his rightful successor to the throne.

Juana, historically known as 'Juana, the Mad', lived most of her life in forced seclusion. Though her four daughters and two sons, and their progeny eventually ruled much of Europe, Juana's life is much a mystery. Julia Fox presented a case for madness , or perhaps accepted seclusion in her determination to secure her children's place in the world without breaking faith with her father, who wrongfully took her place as the Spanish King, wielding much influence in a male dominated hierarchy.

I found this book to be one of the best researched and most interestingly related stories written about this time in history. I highly recommend it to everyone interested in determining truth about this era of history for themselves!

Incredible lifes

What did you love best about Sister Queens?

You sometimes think that being a queen was the best option in the 16th century, but after learnig about the lifes of these two queens, you can be sure that their lifes were as unhappy as anyone struggling for survival

What did you like best about this story?

It's very well documented, and reveals facts that have been misbelieved for so long, such as the madness of Juana I de Castilla

What about Rosalyn Landor’s performance did you like?

Very nice pronunciation, easy to understand for a non-native. Well performanced

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

The realization that a magnificent woman such as Juana I was incarcerated so unfairly.

Praise

I dont think I have any more to add than what has already been said. A wonderful account, of their heartbreaking stories that reaffirms the power of faith.

Great parallels

I wish the narrator had not endeavored to affect a male voice, otherwise great telling of a sad historical drama.

Looooved it!

Great book and the narration was perfect by Rosalyn Landon... I truly enjoyed it! It was a bit long but I would listen to it again!