The Last Queen

By C.W. Gortner


Rating <3 <3 <3 <3 <3


Summary: The third child of Queen Isabel and King Ferdinand of Spain, Juana is born amid her parents’ ruthless struggle to unify their kingdom, bearing witness to the fall of Granada and Columbus’s discoveries. At the age of sixteen, she is sent to wed Philip, the archduke of Flanders, as part of her parents’ strategy to strengthen Spain, just as her youngest sister, Catherine of Aragon, is sent to England to become the first wife of Henry VIII. 

Review: The Last Queen by Mr.Gortner, was a wonderful read, it takes you into the world of the young princess Juana who is the daughter of the infamous Isabella who was ruler of Spain and supporter of many famous endeavors like the crusades, and Columbus. Juana is sent to marry Philip the archduke of Flanders, who she starts off having a loving relationship, and amorous times with but who ends up envying her crown (and becoming abusive), after she becomes the next in line to rule Spain after many tragedies in her family.


    In addition Her Father instead of coming to her aid, as she thinks he will, ends up setting a trap and imprisoning her just like her husband; the novel follows her journey from her adolescence into womanhood, bearing children and through a very difficult and abusive marriage, into that of becoming a ruler in captivity and beyond.  It is a very smartly written book, and even through its written by a guy he follows a womans train of thought very well!