21 of 21 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A son, a husband, a father, a prince, a king, a man among men, March 21, 2010
This review is from: For a Queen's Love: The Stories of the Royal Wives of Philip II (A Novel of the Tudors) (Paperback)
Jean Plaidy is unique among historical fiction writers. She is most interested in telling us of Philip's actions, and why he felt justified, or compelled, to take those actions. She is not a social historian - I never felt that I was living in the 16th-century, smelling the sweat of the workers, or eating a meal with the royal family. Rather, Jean Plaidy skillfully paints a portrait of a man of many faces, a very intriguing man. As a boy, Philip is never a child, but is always driven by a sense of duty and the need to behave as his father, Charles V, expects him to behave. At the age of 4, Philip attends a ceremony, "never for one instant letting any of them guess that he was weary and more than a little frightened." This is to be his credo for the rest of his life. Even when he is in love, Philip is a prince/king, unable to fully express his more tender emotions. The author, Jean Plaidy, has often been accused of a similiar reticence in writing of intimate moments. If you are looking for "hot" passages, you will be disappointed! As an example, when Philip is married to Mary Tudor, he feels pity for her, but no desire. When they are alone together for the first time, "he beseeched the saints, and the saints, it seemed to him, came to his aid. He thought of his father's words . . . to serve Spain and the Holy Inquisition."
The Inquisition - that word which has always inspired fear and loathing. As Philip was always a supporter of this heinous institution, Ms Plaidy has her work cut out for her. She has to effectively explain the reasons behind this mindset, and she does this through writing of the reactions of those people closest to Philip. Ruy Gomez da Silva, his closest companion, and his wife, Elizabeth(Isabella), are troubled by his fanatacism. Through their thoughts, and an explanation of Philip's own fears, this aspect of Philip is at least more understandable, if not praiseworthy. In fact, Ms Plaidy reaches the conclusion that many of Philip's most serious problems were caused by his intolerance. This book does not cover Philip's entire life, only going up to the death of his third wife, and the death of Don Carlos, his only son. In conclusion, an excellent character study of this very private man, forced to perform upon a very public stage.
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13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Subtle, well-researched historical fiction, March 6, 2010
This review is from: For a Queen's Love: The Stories of the Royal Wives of Philip II (A Novel of the Tudors) (Paperback)
Jean Plaidy is a staple to historical fiction fans the world over and there's a good reason for that: she wrote consistently well-researched novels. While some may find her a bit simplistic in her presentation, but for this novel, For a Queen's Love: The Story of the Royal Wives of Philip II, a simpler approach serves the reader well.
The novel begins in Philip's childhood and progresses through his reign, chiefly focusing his relationships with each of his four wives and his children. Philip's simple and repetitive thoughts and actions underscore his stunted intellectual/emotional maturity. Don't mistake this technique for bad writing as I initially did...as it turns out, it is a remarkably plausible for Philip's behavior throughout his reign. A little history:
Philip reigned as the powerful King of Spain during the mid-1500's. Plaidy plausibly writes him as a man who from infancy was raised to be a king and never, not for one moment, allowed to be a normal human being. Emotionally stunted by his childhood, Philip's social skills were understandably lacking. Couple this with his notoriously inbred Hapsburg blood and Plaidy presents a sad portrait of a man unable to see beyond his "duty to state."
As usual, Plaidy wrote a novel well-researched enough to give the reader a good, basic understanding of the time period and for those readers who find themselves very interested in the subject matter, this book is a great foundation of knowledge to go on and read more (fiction or non) about Philip's reign.
It's been my experience that you really can't go wrong with a Jean Plaidy novel!
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9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
The Spanish Bridegroom, March 12, 2010
This review is from: For a Queen's Love: The Stories of the Royal Wives of Philip II (A Novel of the Tudors) (Paperback)
This is a re-issue of The Spanish Bridegroom by Jean Plaidy. Not sure why the publisher decided to change the names of so many of her books for re-issue, but if you read this book under the original title, don't bother buying this one. One the other hand, if you haven't read this book yet, I highly recommend it! Vintage Plaidy!
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