Katherine of Aragon, the True Queen - Alison Weir Audiobook

Written by Alison Weir
Read by Rosalyn Landor
Format: MP3
Bitrate: 64 Kbps
Unabridged

Six Tudor Queens
Publisher: Recorded Books, Inc.
Release date: January 31, 2018
Duration: 22:31:07

The Tudor Queens – “Divorced, beheaded, died, divorced, beheaded, survived”

In this captivating opening volume, Weir brings to life the tumultuous tale of Katherine of Aragon, Henry’s first, devoted, and “true” queen. A princess of Spain, Catalina is only sixteen years old when she sets foot on the shores of England. The youngest daughter of the powerful monarchs Ferdinand and Isabella, Catalina is a coveted prize for a royal marriage-and Arthur, Prince of Wales, and heir to the English throne, has won her hand.

But tragedy strikes and Catalina, now Princess Katherine, is betrothed to the future Henry VIII. She must wait for his coming-of-age, an ordeal that tests her resolve, casts doubt on her trusted confidantes, and turns her into a virtual prisoner. Katherine’s patience is rewarded when she becomes Queen of England.

The affection between Katherine and Henry is genuine, but forces beyond her control threaten to rend her marriage, and indeed the nation, apart. Henry has fallen under the spell of Katherine’s maid-of-honor, Anne Boleyn. Now Katherine must be prepared to fight, to the end if God wills it, for her faith, her legitimacy, and her heart.

A note—The letter Katherine is dictating to Henry on her deathbed is a beautiful letter. Get a copy if you can.

Alison Weir turns her practiced historical eye on Henry VIII’s first wife in this audiobook, narrated by Rosalyn Landor. The plot is somewhat slow going at the beginning, due to the copious amounts of exposition Weir includes to set up the story. But before too long the pace picks up as the dramatic–and often tragic–events of Katherine’s life in England begin to unfold. Landor’s narration is exquisite. Her regal voice is a perfect match for this story of court life, and the subtle distinctions in her voice for different characters engaging in dialogue give a great deal of depth to the listening experience. J.L.K. � AudioFile 2017,