Customer Reviews

Patience, Princess Catherine

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Catherine of Aragon was a young Spanish princess known as Catalina when she left her home in the summer of 1501 to sail to England. Catherine had known since childhood that she was betrothed to Prince Arthur, heir to the throne of England, and that one day she would have to leave Spain to marry him. Now that she is fifteen, that day has come. Arriving in England, Catherine has hope for her future. Arthur appears kind, and it seems they will at least be friends. But due to Arthur's poor health, their marriage is in name only. And just six months after the wedding, Arthur suddenly dies. Now Catherine finds her once-certain future in question. As a woman she is utterly powerless to make decisions about her own life, and can only wait while those in power determine her fate. Will she be returned to Spain so that her parents can negotiate a new marriage for her elsewhere -- or will she be married to Arthur's younger brother Prince Henry, the new heir to the throne of England?

Carolyn Meyer brought the world of Tudor England to life in this novel. Catherine is portrayed as a real young woman with hopes and dreams, making her ultimate fate seem all the more tragic. Readers who enjoyed the author's other books in the Young Royals series won't want to miss this one. It will also appeal to readers of the Royal Diaries series, and teens who enjoy historical fiction about royalty.

This book was great! I loved how you saw Catherine and Henry. They were both fun to watch and see how they interacted with each other and with the people around them. It was great to see how much historically accurate information was included. It took me about 20 pages to get into it, but once I did, I couldn't put it down. This is a GREAT book for people of all ages.

This series has turned out to be a pleasant surprise! We have been studying the Middle Ages this year, and while looking for additional reading material I found these books. Told from the perspective of a young person, these stories captivate young minds(and old ones). My kids, 12 and 9, have enjoyed reading these. We have all learned so much more about these individuals, and of the time and world they lived in than we ever did from a dry textbook. History came to life between the pages of this Young Royals Series. I cannot recommend them enough. Now, if only they were available for Kindle and Audible!!! :)

Carolyn Meyer once again does a wonderful job in telling the story this time Catherine of Aragon's as she goes from Spain to England marries Arthur and becomes a widow. It truly shows how a lady's life was completely in control in that era as Catherine patiently awaits the next step. She's in a tug of war between her father and Henry VII over her dowry. When the king dies Catherine thinks she's getting her happily ever after by marrying Henry VIII but that isn't to be when she's cast assided for another and heartbroken. She's got a real fighting spirit and very admirable.

In the 4th book of Carolyn Meyer's Young Royals series, we meet another one of the Tudor women, Catherine of Aragorn, Henry VII's first wife out of six. It is 1501, and young Catherine of Spain is betrothed to Arthur, the heir to England's throne. She begins by writing of a her journey to England. What was to be a great union of two powers was not to be as Catherine describes her utter loneliness in the English court. Arthur is very sickly and unable to perform the duties of a husband to Catherine. Six mothes after marriage, Arthur dies, and Catherine's fate is thrown up in the air as Spain and England dispute the outcome. There are rumors that she will return to Spain, and also rumors that she will marry Henry. Catherine's life is thrown into chaos for the next 7 years, and she lives through a time of poverty while the two kingdoms fight over her drowry. Through it all Catherine is determined to become Queen of England one day. During this time she comes into acquaintence with Henry, Arthur's younger brother. Catherine takes a liking to Henry and in the end, she does marry Henry and become England's Queen, though quickly the happiness fades. This was another wonderful book in the Young Royals series. Catherine painted a very vivid image of her life in the English court and her feelings toward Arthur and Henry. Fans should definitely also read Mary, Bloody Mary, about Catherine's daughter, and Doomed Queen Anne, about Anne Boleyn, the woman who ultimately stole Henry's heart from Catherine.

This is the 3rd book in the Young Royals series. This historical novel is based on Catherine of Aragon, Henry VIII's first wife. This opens in 1533, as Catherine refuses to release King Henry VIII from their marriage, renounce her title, or recognize Anne Boleyn as queen. She is imprisoned in a "moldering castle" and allowed no visitors and no contact with her daughter, Mary. This book shows Catherine reflecting on her experiences, beginning with her voyage to England at age 15 to marry Prince Arthur. Their marriage, in name only, lasted 6 months until his death in 1502. Over the next 7 years, Catherine lives with increasing poverty and decreasing prospects of marrying England's new crown prince, Henry. It shows how she hard her life was. It gives you new insight into her life. I think this book is better from 12 years and up.

This book is "Roman Spring." Catherine of Aragon is not the Queen. She pretends, which makes her a hideous liar. This is why Henry is strangely bad but good. The book is hallmark u. There is always a pageant around the day, which is something that these livres kindly say. The "wives" of Henry VIII are crazy. The 8 refers to the tree, not judie, which is something you see. You see the cross burn go around the deu, sky and stars and trees and u teu. It's a good book.

Princess Catherine of Aragon was one the first love of the infamous King Henry VIII during the early 1500's. She was originally betrothed at the elderly age of 17 at the time to his older brother Arthur, who died young, but since Catherine couldn't produce an heir, the rest of the royal family did not pay any attention to the foreigner who hadn't paid all her dowry in the first place. Before he became heir to the throne, the young, sweet Henry had been her only guide in the cold, dreary country, which was nothing like her Spain. Since the first day of her visit, he had talked and laughed with her, as well as teach her bits of French and English, and to Catherine was the best person possible to help her out. Though, years after Arthur's death, conditions at the castle had rapidly changed: the queen had passed away due to child birth illnesses, King Henry VII had grown older and became more violent, and gradually, the members of Princess Catalina's court had deserted her and returned to Spain, which was currently at war as a result of Queen Isabella's unexpected death. Through all of those life-rattling events, the Spanish royal was determined to marry Henry. His father noticed and because she had not completely paid the marriage dowry, he cut her allowance, which forced Catherine and her assistance workers to starve, but the foreigner still fought for what she wanted. Carolyn Meyer unmasks the true hardships of being a royal in her novel Patience, Princess Catherine.
Like other great historical fictions, Meyer blends a bit of history with love, betrayal, and greed to create a perfect teen novel that is both entertaining and educational. For example, in the beginning when Princess Catalina of Aragon arrives in her new homeland, she immediately noticed disturbing differences between the culture of Spain and England. The first women that crossed the path of her and the royal court proudly wore their make-up and hair without veils. Dona Elvira, the princess's duenna, or guardian, was astounded and tried her best to persuade Catalina to maintain the customs of home, for the sakes of her parents. Eventually, her duenna gives up when the king and Prince Henry surprisingly request that they meet before Catalina sees face to face the man she is betrothed to.
The story also works in many examples of real historical customs. Catalina and her court were used to drinking pure crystal-clear water all the time, but at a banquet celebrating the royal betrothal, they found out that the English drink more ale than water at the time. They were given around twenty glasses of ale one after another and out of politeness they finished every glass, but inside their stomachs were churning and aching. One custom that really frightened the new Princess Catherine of Whales was the waltz, a dance which all of the royals appeared to know. At home, the traditional music was based on the music presented and moving to the beat, but there every couple was stiff, yet kept a mysterious elegance
After Catherine marries Arthur, terrible events happened so quickly, the new bride was overwhelmed. First, she and her husband become seriously ill and when Catherine recovered and goes to see her husband at his chambers, his royal staff sent her away. Then one cold, windy morning in the garden, a servant told the princess that her husband was taking his last breaths of life. Minutes later the graceful young lady screamed into the air as the sun rose when the doctor announced the death of the prince. When the funeral begins, the queen tells the widow in confidence that she may be pregnant at the age of 37. Her suspicions were right, but the birth of the girl who lived for only days gave her a birth illness that killed her. Later, the king, confused and alone, asked Catherine to be his new queen. However, since she said she wanted to marry Henry VII, he cut her allowance, hoping she would return to Spain.
Life was as tough and cruel in the past for both royal and real people, but now even the hungry of today's world live better than they did. In this book, the many hardships remind us of that we take for granted.

R. Turner

this could very easily be great book but drags. The author never really gets to the great part until the very end!!!!! Good book hough.