The Queen's Vow: A Novel of Isabella of Castile

by C.W. Gortner

No one believed I was destined for greatness.

So begins Isabella’s story, in this evocative, vividly imagined novel about one of history’s most famous and controversial queens—the warrior who united a fractured country, the champion of the faith whose reign gave rise to the Inquisition, and the visionary who sent Columbus to discover a New World. Acclaimed author C. W. Gortner envisages the turbulent early years of a woman whose mythic rise to power would go on to transform a monarchy, a nation, and the world.

Young Isabella is barely a teenager when she and her brother are taken from their mother’s home to live under the watchful eye of their half-brother, King Enrique, and his sultry, conniving queen. There, Isabella is thrust into danger when she becomes an unwitting pawn in a plot to dethrone Enrique. Suspected of treason and held captive, she treads a perilous path, torn between loyalties, until at age seventeen she suddenly finds herself heiress of Castile, the largest kingdom in Spain. Plunged into a deadly conflict to secure her crown, she is determined to wed the one man she loves yet who is forbidden to her—Fernando, prince of Aragon.

As they unite their two realms under “one crown, one country, one faith,” Isabella and Fernando face an impoverished Spain beset by enemies. With the future of her throne at stake, Isabella resists the zealous demands of the inquisitor Torquemada even as she is seduced by the dreams of an enigmatic navigator named Columbus. But when the Moors of the southern domain of Granada declare war, a violent, treacherous battle against an ancient adversary erupts, one that will test all of Isabella’s resolve, her courage, and her tenacious belief in her destiny.

From the glorious palaces of Segovia to the battlefields of Granada and the intrigue-laden gardens of Seville, The Queen’s Vow sweeps us into the tumultuous forging of a nation and the complex, fascinating heart of the woman who overcame all odds to become Isabella of Castile.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Historical, Spain, Fiction, Royalty, Romance, 15th Century

400 pages, ebook

First published June 12, 2012

About the author

Bestselling author C.W. Gortner holds an MFA in Writing, with an emphasis in Renaissance Studies. Raised in Spain and half Spanish by birth, he currently lives in Northern California. His books have been translated in over 20 languages to date.

He welcomes readers and is always available for reader group chats. Please visit him at www.cwgortner.com for more information.

Reviews

[Kate Quinn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Spain is difficult for historical fiction readers. Say "Spain" and thoughts trigger of bullfights, bloodshed, torture, and religious fanaticism. Spanish figures in many HF novels are usually saints (heroic, devout Katherine of Aragon), or villains (the evil Armada bearing down on poor beleaguered Elizabeth I). And true, much of Spain's history IS dark, blood-drenched, and overhung by religion. But C.W. Gortner does something remarkable in "The Queen's Vow" - he takes this country and its complicated history, and makes it real. Better than that, he makes it ours - and through the eyes of a queen who is herself the possessor of a checkered reputation: Isabella of Castile, who funded Christopher Columbus, expelled the Jews from Spain, and brought the Spanish Inquisition down on her people.

But she is much more than that, and Gortner gently humanizes this daunting figure without glossing over some of her less appealing (but accurate-for-her-time) faults, such as her distaste for homosexuals and her conviction that non-Christians are hell-bound. He introduces us instead to Isabella the young girl, negotiating the snakepit politics of her brother's court with a touching grace. Her religiousity is not mere fanaticism but her only comfort in a very dangerous world that wants to sully and kill her. Her bravery in seeking out a mate who will accept her as fellow queen and partner leads her to brash warrior Fernando of Aragon; their romance is passionate but realistic, since this couple has its problems over the years and Fernando has considerable struggles acknowledging his wife as true equal. Together they achieve some truly splendid things: victory over the intruding Moors, the beginnings of universities and education for women, and above all the uniting of a fractured series of warring kingdoms into a world power known as Spain. Isabella might be short-sighted (when she prays earnestly over whether history will condemn her for expelling the Jews, you want to reach through the page and yell in her ear) but she is also a hard-working visionary who carries her country on her back, and never complains about the cost of that burden. She understands her country and she loves it, and through her eyes, you will too. An insightful book about a fascinating woman, and an eye-opening insider view of an often-maligned country.

[Alice Poon · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an engrossing and educational read about the reign of Isabella I of Castile, a bodacious female monarch who made her indelible mark on Spanish history. The timeline of the story stretched from 1464 (when she was 13 and an infante, 2nd in line to the throne) to 1492 (when she reached her 41st year).

Her early life before her coronation in 1474 was mostly spent as a captive in the Palace of Segovia, entrusted to the care of her half-brother King Enrique VI, whose consort gave birth to an alleged bastard daughter Joanna. King Enrique seemed to vacillate between allowing and disallowing this daughter to have a claim to the throne. Meanwhile Isabella’s full brother Alfonso decided to fight for his own right by rising up in arms against the King, but was subsequently poisoned to death. During all this tumult, Isabella met the love of her life, Fernando II of Aragon, who sowed in her the idea of a unified Spain, bringing Castile and Aragon under their joint rule. After many twists and turns, the lovers were married, and Isabella was crowned Queen of Castile in 1474 upon the death of King Enrique. She was portrayed in those budding years as cool-headed, witty, patient and above all, devoted to a fault to her Catholic faith.

Almost immediately after their wedding, Isabella, together with her husband and co-ruler, plunged into years of wars against neighboring Portugal (because Joanna sought Portugal’s help in trying to reclaim the Castilian throne) and against the Muslim Moors in Andalucia (because the Catholic monarchs vowed on unifying Spain under one single faith). All these wars ended in victory for the Spanish monarchs. It should be noted that Andalucia had become a refuge for many Jewish conversos, or New Christians, who had been coerced to convert to Catholic faith.

In 1483, on the persistent urge of the Dominican friar Tomas de Torquemada, Isabella and Fernando decided to establish a State Council for Inquisition to enforce Catholic orthodoxy and to persecute those conversos who continued to practice Judaism covertly. In 1492, the Spanish monarchs issued the Alhambra Decree ordering the expulsion of all Jews who refused to convert to the Catholic faith.

Whether the true underlying reason for the Inquisition and Expulsion was for financial gains from confiscating Jewish assets and property, or for quelling rising social discord between Catholics and Jews, or for the sake of political expediency, it remained a debate for historians. But it was an undeniable fact that Isabella, for all her humane and rational disposition, did put her signatures on those draconian and dogmatic edicts (whether or not under her husband’s influence), which led to massive sufferings and decimation of lives. True, though, she was not the first European monarch or the last to pursue an anti-Jewish policy.

In 1492, Isabella also agreed to finance Cristobal Colon's (Christopher Columbus') groundbreaking voyage to the New World.

In the “Afterword”, the author made this remark:

Isabella defied categorization with her heroism and contradictions; awesome in her resolve to forge a united nation, she was often misguided in her devotion to her faith, which gave rise to that infamous system of persecution known as the Spanish Inquisition.

It’s interesting to note that in Castile, a princess was allowed to succeed as the reigning monarch, whereas in Aragon, the Salic law prevailed to prohibit all royal females from inheriting the throne.

Gortner exhibits his talent in story-telling as well as his keen sense for cultural details in this riveting biographical historical novel. I’m giving it 4 full stars.

[Rio (Lynne) · Rating 2 out of 5]

I've not been looking forward to rating this one. I am a big fan of Gortner. I have pre-ordered his last 3 books and The Last Queen is one of my hands down favorites. The only way I can peg what went wrong with this one, was simply too much detail. Gortner's other books have always moved and been page turners. This one was lacking that. It just felt flat. I felt I could skim 5 pages and didn't miss much. In his other reads we felt for the characters and cheered them on. Even the evil Catherine de Medici. He has always had a way of making his readers feel they were right there in the story. In this one Isabella and Fernando led a heck of a life. The are mostly known for eliminating the Jews and Moors from Spain. Gortner tells you their side of the story. It starts with Isabella's childhood. The first half of the book was about her bother Alfonso and the civil war between him and their half brother Enrique. Then in the second part Isabella herself takes the lead and continues to fight for the crown. I never felt emotionally attached to anyone. The war scenes were non-existent (fans of The Confessions of Catherine de Medici) remember being on the edge of our seats during the massacre of St. Bartholomew. Or when Juana in The Last Queen walked into the French Court and defied the king. What a memorable scene. I didn't feel that passion with this one. A character list should have been provided for readers, since there were many characters. We experience her wedding to Fernando and we see how they come together (Castile and Aragon) to fight together for Spain and the church. Please read this for yourself and make your own opinion. I simply can't falsify a review, even for one of my favorites. I'm still awaiting and excited about his next book about Lucrezia Borgia.

[Jane · Rating 3 out of 5]

Where I got the book: ARC from the LibraryThing Early Reviewer program.

This is a worthy novel by a popular writer, and yet somehow it leaves me flat. I suspect I'm not the right reader for this book; for one thing, I am rather tired of histfic about the crowned heads of Europe, even if--primed by The Tudors and Wolf Hall--I was receptive to learning some more about the mother of Catherine of Aragon, Henry VIII's first of many. I'd much rather read about an ordinary guy or gal for a change.

First, what was good. Gortner's prose is polished; he kept the huge cast of characters straight in my mind without throwing in obvious identifiers as a less skilled writer would. I felt I learned something about 15th century Spain, and it was clear that the subject had been well researched. The story spanned several years without jarring jumps forward (or backward), and I have no quibbles with the writing or the editing in general.

So why aren't I more excited? I would say reason #1 is that I simply never grew to like any of the characters, even Isabella for whom Gortner obviously has a great deal of sympathy. There was a tiny moment, when Isabella and Fernando first met, that I liked them both, but it didn't last. I felt flat, as if I knew who were the goodies and who were the baddies because Gortner told me so, but I never really felt either their goodness or their badness.

And nobody really seemed to grow. All those years, and they seemed the same at the end of the novel as at the beginning, with a few more lines, sags and gray hairs in their descriptions. Perhaps this was due to Isabella's voice, which was fluid and unvarying, so very rational and blameless and ironed out. Very like Philippa Gregory with the quirks of writing and the magical bits removed, and guess what? I found I missed the very things that irritate me about PG.

It strikes me that all these novels about royal women suffer from the same problem, which is that said women were very often far from where the action was taking place. Isabella was constantly waiting for Fernando to return from war, writing letters and doing administrative stuff it's true, but all the REALLY interesting events were happening offstage while Isabella popped out babies and worried about money. Perhaps it's time we started writing about the royal men rather than the women, but I think there's a prevailing fear that women readers (most histfic readers I suspect) won't identify with a male protagonist.

I thought the ending was a little odd, too. The story just seems to grind to a halt, with an attempt at reconciling past and present through Christopher Columbus, who pops up in a rather deus ex machina way (although historically accurate I'm sure, given the date we'd reached) to remind Isabella that nobody had thought she'd do anything much with her life either. It didn't work for me.

So my rating reflects the fact that, while I liked learning about this unexplored slice of history, I wasn't thrilled by the novel as a novel. If it'd been nonfiction, I think I'd have rather enjoyed it as an Alison Weir kind of read.

[Erin (Historical Fiction Reader) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Find this and other reviews at: http://flashlightcommentary.blogspot....

I consider myself a historic fiction reader. It is my primary stomping ground and the genre I feel I am most competent reviewing and yet, for some inexplicable reason it took me nine years to pick up and read anything by C.W. Gortner. How did I manage such as oversight you ask? I have not the slightest idea, but I will say, having read both The Queen's Vow and The Tudor Conspiracy within weeks of one another, that Gortner has quickly become one of my all time favorite authors and a staple of my personal library.

Now despite my having written and released my reviews in the reverse order, I actually read The Queen's Vow before The Tudor Conspiracy, a chance decision that gave me what is apparently a unique view of Gortner's work. Older fans seem to have mixed feelings about this piece and while I completely respect their opinions, I think they might be selling Gortner just a bit short. Yes, the pacing of this novel does not rival his other works and there is an incredible amount of detail within these pages, but from what I understand the scope of those stories depend on movement and tension while that of this book is much more subtle, the incredible detail necessary to the telling. Perhaps it is just me, but I believe comparing the two is rather like debating apples and oranges.

The Queen's Vow is at its core a fictional exploration of a woman who has been defined by the unfortunate results of her political policies. Scholars tend to judge Isabella of Castile in hindsight, recognizing and often reviling her for those decisions that led to the persecution of thousands under the Spanish Inquisition as well as the decimation of native populations in both North and South America. What Gortner is asking his readers in The Queen's Vow is if this assessment is fair? Should we really judge this woman by the outcome of her declarations or should we consider instead the intent and context in which they were made. On the surface it makes for less intense reading, but I personally believe there is much to be said for a book that makes you reconsider the way you think of and view history.

Those who appreciate Tudor lit will find additional merit in this piece as it gives readers insight into the much maligned Catherine of Aragon. Her faithful devotion to Catholicism is legendary, as is the love she bore her husband and the passion with which she fought for the recognition of her rights as England's Queen and those of her daughter Mary as heir to her father's throne. Admittedly this is the only fiction I've read on Catherine's mother, but I really liked the parallels, intentional or otherwise, emphasized in Gortner's work. By illustrating Isabella's journey, the hurdles she overcame to take her crown and rule in her own right, to marry a man of her own choosing for love rather than political gain, to ensure the stability of her realm through the sincere veneration of the Catholic faith... one would have to be blind not see how such conviction, ambition and determination might mold a daughter born to the woman Gortner paints in The Queen's Vow.

Tantalizingly provocative and thought-provoking, I found The Queen's Vow an intensely enjoyable read. An eloquent, if fictional, testament to the legacy of one of history's most controversial queens.

[Kay · Rating 3 out of 5]

After my semi rant about there not being enough fiction about Isabella, I was ecstatic when I saw this book.

A story from a notable historical fiction author about a woman and her husband who, in a highly patriarchical age, made Spain from

to -> ?

Yes, please!

As this is my first time reading fiction on Isabella, I have to say I'm impressed at the author's research into the time period. He certainly isn't shy about weaving abundant historical commentary into the narrative, and his treatment of the time period seemed well rounded, if not a little cautious.


Plot Summary

The book narrates Isabella's life from her time as an disenfranchised and impoverished princess, up to the birth of her last child. Second in line to a heavily disputed throne, the most Isabella could hope for was that her mother and her heir brother could provide some stability for her future. This changes when Isabella and her brother are called to court by their half-brother, the current king. Though Isabella tries to distance herself from the corruption and intrigues of court, that proves impossible when whispers of the illegitimacy of the king's heir drives a wedge between the king and her family. Then, when her brother dies, Isabella finds herself thrust as the new queen of Castile and the realm.


Reactions

At the epicenter of a tumultuous era, Isabella provides a perfect insider's perspective of the inner workings of the time. As well as gaining top-level political insights, I expected to feel Isabella’s inner turmoil, her love of her state and her king, her doubts and her strengths. But while I found the political and historical narrative to be strong, the portrayal of Isabella as an actual living, breathing, hot-blooded young woman was very lacking.

Isabella seemed too distant and too above the political corruption and discord of the Spanish court. I can partially understand why the author portrayed her thus. Isabella does not attract the controversy of more colorful women such as Cleopatra or Marie Antoinette, and is instead cast as a the pillar of moral rectitude, regardless of her age and experience. Unfortunately, this makes her character in the book rather boring. The only times I saw Isabella as a real person, rather than an untouchable figurehead, was her dealing with Fernando, and since the couple spent most of their time separated with their numerous campaigns, those scenes were not as frequent as I would have liked.

I also don't like how the author didn't dirty Isabella's hands in any of her political dealings. He glazed over Isabella's role in the Inquisition. Rather than delving into Isabella's motivations and beliefs, the author was very cautious and assigned most of the responsibility of the persecution and expulsion of Jews on Torquemada and Fernando

Overall, the book was a good introduction to Spanish politics during Fernando and Isabella's reign. However, rather than a complex, ambitious, and far-seeing monarch, this book's Isabella seemed more like an empty vessel, a conduit through we which were able to explore medieval Spain.

3 solid stars and recommended for people who want an introduction to Medieval Spain.

[Amy Bruno · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another magnificent release by C.W. Gortner! He excels at bringing the indomitable Queen Isabella of Castile to life in this gripping and unputdownable novel! Highly recommended!

[Jessie Leigh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read This Review & More Like It On My Blog!

4.5 out of 5

The Queen's Vow is a great first introduction to a well-known and well-recommended historical fiction author. I've heard and seen C.W. Gortner's name bandied about frequently as one of the best for compelling, researched and still original novels and every claim is only reinforced by my reading experience with this novel about Castile's complicated and dramatic queen. Without condescension or annoying repetition, this mostly-factual story of 15th-century hotbed of war, religious strife and rebellion in what is now known as simply Spain, is riveting from start to finish - once The Queen's Vow, and the formidable Isabella, hit their stride, it is nearly impossible to put down. Told with an even pace and a clear voice, this four-hundred page, multi-part novel pretty much guaranteed that I will be reading more by this author, and soon. In a genre that can often seem quite overbloated with English and French-situated books, this exploration into the fertile and sunbaked lands of Spain is a welcome and exciting change.

The most remarkable aspect of the entire endeavor is the main character of Isabella herself. With the advantage of perspective and history on our side, it's clear that the infanta of Castile is a woman of complicated nature; someone that is sadly often naive in her religious judgments, but one who is conversely amazingly progressive in terms of women's education and rights (see her intransigence on the rights of her daughters/Castile's and her own sovereignty from Aragon/Ferdinand until an heir is born). C.W. Gortner is a skilled writer that somehow manages to paint a fully-realized and wholly fallible version of the renowned and reviled monarch while still rendering the final character likeable and authentic in her determined role and behaviors. Accepting both good and bad facets of her personality and her reign, The Queen's Vow offers up possible reasons for the cruel decisions Isabella made for her realm without diverging too far from the roadmap of history. It's easy to both root for Isabella in her desperate times and to curse at her when she is so easily manipulated (Carrillo, Enrique, Torquemada, even Ferdinand.) Throughout all her trials and even her mishaps, it cannot be denied that this Isabella has life and is never boring to read.

It's a credit to both the author and the novel itself that because Isabella is a historical figure largely ignored on her own noteworthy merits (maaaybe vaguely known to the general populace because of the connection Christopher Columbus) her story here is completely fresh and engaging. Unlike the Tudors/Borgias, who have been done over and over (with varying degrees of success), this view into the overlooked Trastamara royal family is happily unreminiscent of any other historical fiction I've read. The tertiary characters are a bit hard to keep track of initially due to my lack of experience with this setting, but the author eases the reader comfortably into the Castile he has reimagined. The endless wars and battles, the required Court intrigue, the drama - all were evenly and uniformly handled in The Queen's Vow. Despite the fact that war was pretty much the normal state of being for Isabella and her husband, the novel is careful to mix the battles between many other historical events so as not to sacrifice the principles' characterization or plot advancement. Time easily speeds by while turning the pages - for the real world as well as the pacing of the book. The novel can breeze over years at a time with a sentence, which didn't bother me so much as streamline the narrative of a real person.

The Queen's Vow is a going to a hit with historical fiction lovers. There's a lot to love - the sweet but imperfect marriage between the "Catholic Monarchs", the tried and true lure of Court intrigue and betrayal. The novel terminates before the end of Isabella's life, leaving it somewhat open-ended in regards to the main character, if not the final conflict. If you're looking for a well-written and engaging novel with a strong, fallible character, look no further.

[Teresa Judd · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book should be subtitled: Isabella Tells You All About Her Reign, because that is what Gortner does--TELLS you what happened. The narrative is full of passive description: we did this, we did that, the reason for this was, the reason for that was... I could skip paragraphs and never really miss anything. The first rule a fiction writer learns is "show, don't tell." When Gortner did show action, as in the early part of the novel dealing with Isabella's brother Alfonso and her half-brother Enrique, the story was fast-paced and interesting. But after that, it's just a long long trudge through the first person (ugh) narrative with Isabella telling the reader what happened. And oh, the overdramatic dialogue and strange metaphors! For example (p. 141) "for the royal blood in my veins, which was unsullied by the taint of adultery." It is to roll the eyes.

Curiously, Spanish names are used instead of the English version, except for Isabella, which is the English version of Isabel. Ferdinand becomes Fernando, Columbus is Colon, etc. I may have needed a history book after all to keep them all straight.

[Jenny Q · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 Stars! I'll tell you right off the bat that I did not know much about Isabella of Castille before reading The Queen's Vow, though she had been a minor character in one or two novels I'd read and had not been portrayed very favorably. I knew she was responsible for religious persecution and the discovery of the New World, and that she's a controversial historical figure who has her share of lovers and haters. What I'm trying to say is that I'm not qualified to judge if this is an accurate portrayal of her, and I do suspect that her relationship with Fernando has been romanticized a bit in this story . . . but I don't care! This was a fantastic read and one of the best historical fiction novels I've read this year!

I'm not going to recap the plot for fear of spoiling anything, in case, like me, much of this history is new to you. Every time a plot twist surprised me I had to force myself not to run to the internet to find out how it all turned out! From page one this book did not want to let go of me, and Isabella was a young woman I had to get to know. Facing trial after trial in every aspect of her life with grace, wisdom, and passion, she drew me in and I became so attached to her that I found myself living through her: sad when she was sad, happy when she was happy, angry when she was angry, and outraged when she was betrayed. She was a woman constantly on guard, steeling herself in childhood against her mother's mental illness and disregard, and as an adult from nearly every person she came in contact with. She had to fight for her right to the throne in a country full of corruption and discord, where advisers became accusers and allegiances could shift in a heartbeat, all the while struggling with the decisions she had to make and the self-doubt that assailed her. Her life was often in physical danger from multiple enemies from the time she was a child; there were many who did not want to see her on the throne of Castille, and once she was there, many who wanted to overthrow her. You may question how any woman could maintain sanity and self under such stressful conditions, and for Isabella the answer was Fernando.

What a love story! And what a partnership. I had no idea just how much these two people managed to accomplish for their country, overcoming seemingly impossible odds to do so. From bringing the Renaissance to Spain, to completely revamping their legal codes and stamping out corruption and rebellion across the country, fighting invasions by the Portuguese and reclaiming their lands from the Moors, forging global alliances . . . the list goes on and on. And through it all Fernando and Isabella remained true partners in leadership. It may be hard to reconcile the sage and progressive Isabella portrayed in this story with the Isabella who condoned the persecution of Jews and the reinstatement of the Inquisition, depicted in this story as a decision reluctantly made after a series of circumstances made no other alternative viable in her mind, and in the minds of her counselors. But that's part of what I love about historical fiction, particularly with a figure like Isabella: getting the chance to see all the facets of one's personality and seeing the significance of outside influences, cultural differences, and the simple truth of human nature that nothing is as simple as black and white.

I'm deducting half a star from my rating of The Queen's Vow, though it pains me to do so, because ten years of warfare flew by in such a whirlwind over the last fifty pages that I felt a bit of a disconnect from the characters, and after such an emotional, dramatic story the ending seemed rather anti-climactic to me. Don't get me wrong, it's a good ending, I'd just been expecting a little more "oomph" from it. But those considerations aside, this book is just beautifully written, eloquently poised, burning with emotion, bursting with gorgeous descriptions of fifteenth-century Spain, and plotted and paced so intensely that I simply could not put it down. With this novel C.W. Gortner has earned a place for himself on my "Authors Who Know How To Do Historical Fiction Right" list!

[Michelle Stockard Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

I could not put this book down! As he did with Juana of Castile in The Last Queen, Gortner has once again taken a historical queen and made her as interesting and exciting as any modern day heroine. It's interesting to me how little I knew of Isabella of Spain; one who was so instrumental in allowing Columbus to open the way for the future settlement of what would become America. Of course, that is what we were taught when I was in elementary school so many years ago. The implications of what came after Columbus's discovery is entirely another story. And yes, this is a fictional depiction of a historical figure, but there is no denying the historical accuracy here. Gortner does his research well.

Isabella rose to power in a tumultuous time in Spain. To say that she was a steadfast and determined woman is saying little. The conventions of the time did not allow a princess to choose their own husband and yet she did. Spurred by her own will and her strong Catholic faith, Isabella was a force to be reckoned with. Her marriage to a prince of Aragon was a love match, yes, but also a strategic move for the uniting of Spain. Together they brought about the change of many conventions in Spain.

However, her reign was not without its blemishes. The Inquisition and the expulsion of the Jews are two events that have brought much negativity to history's portrayal of Isabella. However, Gortner has succeeded in depicting a possible reason for her decisions by giving us a multifaceted woman who believed in compassion and yet was driven by a faith that had no tolerance for other religions. To truly judge a person's actions, we would need to know more about the real person and yet we must rely on the history books. Gortner has done a good job of giving us a very human woman who truly felt her actions were for the good of her kingdom.

I have now been inspired to read more about the history of Spain and its ruling class. Once again, historical fiction has done its very important job; that of leading us to further learning about history. Something only a well written book can do. This is that book.

Note: There is an excellent author's note at the end of the book with further resources for reading about Isabella and her times. Also, a special note about a cause dear to my heart. The plight of Spanish greyhounds. Be sure to check it out.

[Orsolya · Rating 4 out of 5]

There are few who don’t know who Isabella of Castile is (shame on them!). Whether you view her as a warrior Queen or as someone who mistreated Jews; there is undeniably an enigma attached to her person. C.W. Gortner explores this queen in “A Queen’s Vow” following her childhood to her well-documented adult years.

Gortner immediately plunges the reader into intrigue with “The Queen’s Vow” without a “formal” introduction to Isabella (but it works to the novel’s benefit). Gortner’s scenery descriptions are colorful, detailed, and stunning; poetically describing surroundings in a way which makes the reader feel that he/she sees what the characters are experiencing. However, beauty aside, the early plot and character dialogue can be rather slow with a weak pace (rest assured: it does pick up). Furthermore, Gortner slacks slightly with the literary voice as the speech and dialect is too modern and doesn’t appear to be 100% of Spanish origin which effects believability and historical accuracy. Plus, as beautiful as Gortner’s language is, there are many parts in “The Queen’s Vow” where it seems Gortner simply used a thesaurus to insert “big words”. In fact, I would like to know why EVERY HF novel I read uses the word, “diaphanous” (pg 219). Is there a HF terms list which each author must check off?!

On a plus side, Gortner doesn’t over-explain events or key figures (which can be a negative for average readers unaware of the figures involved – however a genealogical table is provided) and other factors are subtly induced without over-penetrating the reader. For example, Isabella’s mother’s bouts of madness and its impact on the bloodline is demonstrated slowly and occasionally which makes it “sink in better” than over-dramatization.

The ratio of twists and turns with steady storyline is quite pleasing in “The Queen’s Vow”; with the right level of shock value to keep the plot moving but not enlarge the fictional level to a distasteful intensity. Although, as “The Queen’s Vow” progressed, Gortner did implore some overly dramatic events which were clearly added for reader value (but this can be expected as it is a HF novel). These areas helped quicken the pace of the story, even though some “tried too hard” to be stimulating. On the contrary, some areas tend to drag and lose suspense while others, which could have been more dramatic, were less so; due to a muted tone. Gortner missed opportunities to leave strong, illustrative memories during the reading.

The character of Isabella lacked the strength and warrior spirit she is known for, however, in this way Gortner revealed a personable side of Isabella with weaknesses and fears making her more relatable to the reader. Isabella’s knowledge and use of public relations to attribute people to her causes was also well demonstrated, showing her intelligence and strong political approaches (even without arms). “The Queen’s Vow” successfully demonstrates Isabella’s achievements even at a young age, strengthening her character’s image.

The novel did slip into annoying territory when describing love/sex scenes causing the “The Queen’s Vow” to not stand out amongst other HF novels and belittling Isabella to lust. Luckily, these moments were not overdone in the story and were sparse in number.

The plot transition into a religious focus and the Inquisition is weak, as Isabella never mentions religion in other parts of the novel; thus not allowing the reader to know her deeper feelings/thoughts but then suddenly throws the story into religious ardor. This is somewhat disjointed and chunky. Furthermore, the latter part of “The Queen’s Vow” felt slightly forced with a loss of both Gortner and Isabella’s zeal. The narrative flow was slower and weakened. Also slightly odd was the ending which resounded on Christopher Columbus. It almost felt like when films end in a specific manner because they are setting up for a sequel.

Gortner employs many similes which are quite beautiful (my favorite: “…into the profligate garden of Andalucia, where pomegranates, figs, dates, and lemons glistened on trees like gems on a sultana’s throat”). However, these are quite extensive and could irritate some readers by taking away from the actual plot versus adding to it.

The “Author’s Note” was quite insightful and cleared up some historical inaccuracies which I noticed and would have otherwise remarked on. Plus, Gortner’s remark about Canela the horse is cute (you have to read it for yourself).

Although minor, I noticed some copy-editing errors like a lack of a period on the bottom of page 40. This isn’t detrimental to the story, but a side note editor slip.

Despite what seems like many complaints, “The Queen’s Vow” is a strong and entertaining HF novel, continuing Gortner’s successes (although I wasn’t a fan of “The Tudor Secret”). I was slightly worried with the promotional hype surrounding the novel but “The Queen’s Vow” did not disappoint and is much recommended.

[Cher 'N Books · Rating 2 out of 5]

2 stars - Meh. Just ok.

Ironically, the best part of this novel was the author’s afterword. I feel a nonfiction book written by him would be stronger than his historical fiction novels, at least judging off of this one. To be fair, The Confessions of Catherine de Medici was a far more satisfying read.

Prior to reading this I was fascinated by the story of Isabella of Castile but found this novel about her to progress very slowly, especially the back half. It focused heavily on her persecution of other religions and battles (which lacked any exciting action in their detail).

What I love best about reading historical fiction is how figures come to life through characterization and the small details of their life and relationships that show their humanity. That was lacking in this novel.
-------------------------------------------
Favorite Quote: Youth is no protection; in the end, life scars us all.

First Sentence: No one believed I was destined for greatness.

[Ike · Rating 4 out of 5]

Заветот на кралицата - К.В.Гортнер (Култура, 2020)

Ова е историска драма за кралицата Изабела од Кастилја. Пред да ја прочитам, знаев само дека Кристофер Колумбо бил спонзориран од шпанската кралица Изабела, а не ги поврзав воопшто...
Дејството се одвива од 1464-1492година кога Шпанија била расцепкана на помали кралства кои војуваат меѓусебно, сиромаштија присутна дури и на кралските дворци, Евреи во Католички кралства, исламски непријатели на југ, крал хомосексуалец(полубрат на Изабела, Енрике) чија наследничка не е негова ќерка....
Патот до тронот на Изабела е трнлив, го губи својот брат, мајка и е во тешка депресија по смртта на нејзиниот татко, кралот Хуан, дел од благородниците се на страна на полубрат и’ и прават се’ за да ја тргнат и неа од линијата за наследување на тронот на Кастилја....
Она што ми остави впечаток е дека можеби е една од малкуте принцези која си го одбира сопругот, принцот од Арагон, Фернандо и покрај противењето на Енрике...Иако втори братучеди, вмешан е и Папата и неговите кардинали да го одобрат бракот меѓу блиски роднини...Нивниот брак е вистински и исполнет со многу љубов и пет наследници од кој само еден син. По смртта на Енрике таа станува кралица на Кастиља и тргнуваат во поход со сопругот да ги ослободат/освојат сите шпански кралства и да ги обединат. Со неколку тешки порази, но многу истрајност и верба во Бога, успеваат на крај. Цената што ја плаќаат е нивната презадолженост кај Евреи лихвари од една страна и Ватикан од друга. Ова на крај, откако се притиснати да изберат дали ќе горат во пеколот и ќе свртат грб на Бог и црквата или ќе ги остават Евреите во Шпанија, води до одлука за протерување на сите Евреи кои нема да се преобратат во Католици и одземање на нивниот имот и богатство, попознато во историјата како Алхамбриски декрет....
Изабела е допадлив лик, добар владетел во најголем дел од времето, таа е првата кралица која дозволила жените да можат да се образуваат, инвестирала во машини за печатење на книги, самата почнала да го изучува латинскиот за да не зависи од преведувачи, нејзините ќерки се образувале, и покрај задолжениот буџет инвестирала во истражувањата на Колумбо....

Овде прекинувам, оставам на вас да ја прочитате, мене ми се допадна, солидна историска драма, јас си ги обожавам ваквите книги, ем учам историја...

[Natasa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fabulous book, in one of my favorite genres- historical fiction about powerful women. Well imagined, well researched and wonderfully drawn. Could not put this book down. A must read! Full review you can find on my blog: https://poetryofreading.blogspot.com/...

[Alexia · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of my favorite authors of historical fiction.
He always manages to write Queens so well.
The portrayal of Queen Isabella was such a powerful one,it manages to show her humanity and at the same time her faults too.
Her early life,her marriage to Ferdinand and then her latter years keep me interested till the end of the book.

[Carole Rae · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first book I've read by C.W Gortner and the first I've read about Queen Isabella.

I've always been pretty neutral to Queen Isabella and her husband due to the fact that I'm not a huge fan of their daughter Catalina (aka Queen Catherine of England) and how they helped find the Americas. However, my eye was drawn to this at the library in the 'New Book' section and I decided to learn some more of her journey to becoming legend. Now that her tale is done, I am in awe of her. I actually like her even though she has some pretty bad things attached to her name. Yes, she had some pretty bad things happen in her country, but I personally believe if she hadn't "done" those things Spain wouldn't be what it is today. It would probably still be fragmented and torn and we'd have a dozen different countries to the list of countries.

Alright I shall usher the history nerd to go back to her corner and stop the rambling.

I found the author's writing very flowy and addicting! I felt like I was truly there and I wanted...no needed to now what was going to happen next (even though I knew). How odd. I forgot all the historical facts while reading. There is just something about his writing that I liked and I will be checking out some of his other books.

Even though I thought Isabella was a Catholic fanatic, I liked her! She certainly was a woman to reckon with and I adored that. She was strong-willed and smart. I was also surprised how she allowed her husband equal powers...she didn't have him just become her consort (which is what I would have done). I feel like she really felt that women and men should be equal of each other.

She was defiantly a woman a head of her times in a lot of aspects. I must applaud C.W Gortner for writing Isabella as one who had a hard ass time deciding what to do with the Jews of her country. She didn't hate them and it was hard for her to have them banished, because she realized that they were citizens and her subjects. She may have been a Catholic fanatic, but she had a heart and it seemed it really haunted her the whole Inquisition nonsense.

Sorry, somehow the history nerd keeps escaping!

There was nothing I could really nick-pick about this one! I loved this book! I found myself staying up late to just read this. Pretty sad, eh? C.W Gortner is wonderful writer and I hope his other books cause me to second look at historical figures I never really care for and see their side of the tale.

This book does have an element of romance in it, because Isabella and Ferando did love each other, but it's hard for me to recommend this to HR lovers, because the romance level is limited. I would recommend this to those who love Historical Fictions with a touch of romance intertwined.Out of five stars I grant this 5 stars. Woot woot!

Favorite Character(s): Isabella, Alfonso (her brother), Beatriz, and Carbra
Not-so Favorite Character(s): Older and Younger Villena (snakes), King Enrique (weak little man), and Joanna of Portugal (I wanted to smack her).

[Caroline · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm debating the three stars for this one and might change it later.

As a purely fun historical fiction romp, "The Queen's Vow" is partially successful. It has some nice little drama going on in the court of Castile, the tumultuous marriage of Fernando and Isabella (which was not nearly dramatic, I suspect, in reality). C.W. Gortner does a good job of layering on that constant worry over an heir, the travails of la Beltraneja and the threat she stood (though he tended towards some awful misogyny when it came to la Beltraneja's mother, Queen Juana--but then in my opinion Juana may have made a better subject than Isabella so...).

Here's the thing: Isabella, or Isabel of Castile is a really difficult subject to tackle. She's kind of like a Catherine de Medici (another topic of Gortner's) but with better publicity. At one point in time the Vatican was considering canonizing her, though I'm not sure if that's still A Thing. We in America always hear about Isabella generously funding Columbus's voyage; we even had a postage stamp commemorating this Spanish queen.

I would never say that Isabella wasn't a remarkable woman. So was Catherine de Medici. Neither of these women, however, were what we would call "good people" by today's standards. Fernando and Isabella committed what can amount to something of a genocide, exiling and converting Spanish Jews and Muslims. Isabella was a religious fanatic. (This zeal would be passed down to her daughter, devout Catholic Catherine of Aragon.) Somehow, Gortner manages to completely gloss over Isabella's fanaticism in what I can only assume was an attempt to make her more relatable. She was fierce; she had fangs. And here he goes declawing her!

There are also some other more minor complaints, among them Gortner's insistence on making Fernando and Isabella an instant love match, even though they met at twelve and thirteen. Even though Fernando was constantly unfaithful, a fact to which Isabella was not unaware.


It's not that this is necessarily a bad novel. It just makes a lot of points of telling rather than showing and most grievously, modernizing our heroine to make her more appealing. The woman in this book is not the worse thing I've come across in historical fiction, but Isabella of Castile she is not.

[Tara Chevrestt · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think C.W. Gortner is a man, so I was exceptionally surprised and pleased at the woman's POV being done so well. Her insecurities, her love for her husband, her strengths and weaknesses were so real to me. To be honest, I didn't expect to like this queen. She was behind the murder of so many...but the last part of the book, the Inquisition, showed me another side and reason to it all. Same history, different POV.

I preferred the beginning of the book. Young Isabella, her friend, Beatriz, her passion for Fernando. I fell in love with Fernando there for a while myself...till he was a bad boy. Young Isabella shows us her brothers' reigns. Her half brother, the sodomite and his wife trying to throw a daughter of questionable lineage on the throne... Her second brother takes the throne, only to die. Isabella tries to play nice and fair and it bites her later. She's threatened, imprisoned of sorts, they want her to marry against her wishes...but she only wants Fernando.


I found it wonderfully romantic. I was completely enthralled with the first half of the book. The second half with her as queen showed me a determined and strong woman and mother, then the Inquisition. I grew a tad bored with all the court intrigue. I always do. Those parts about wars and traitors start to lose me for some reason, but I thought this was a great book.

[Liliana Pinto · Rating 5 out of 5]

Adorei!
Tão lindo, tão real...

Eu sei que em muitos livros a vida das rainhas são um pouco fantasiadas para dar mais "animação" a história, mas este livro entrou directamente para os meus favoritos.
A escrita é maravilhosa e viciante. As personagens são fortes e com muita personalidade. Tenho de admitir que em certos momentos eu sofri com elas.

Isabel é uma mulher que sempre quis dar tudo o que tinha pelo seu reino e que foi manipulada por causa da sua ingenuidade. Se ela soubesse as repercussões que teve e o que verdadeiramente aconteceu, nunca teria dado o seu aval para a criação da Inquisição. Nunca. Isabel teve uma infância e adolescência um pouco infelizes mas, depois de casar com Fernando, atingiu a plenitude. Uma coisa rara no que se refere a rainhas.

Gostei muito deste livro e recomendo a todos os fãs de romances históricos. Não se vão arrepender.

[Carole · Rating 2 out of 5]

As noted by another reviewer there is way too much telling rather than showing in this book. The first 2/3 of the book held my interest but the last third was boring and tedious, and I lost all interest in any of these characters. It was difficult to finish and I could not wait to be done with it.

[Ashley Marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another excellent historical novel from CW Gortner. I appreciated that he didn't try to shy away from or gloss over the events in Isabella's reign which are looked on as unsavory nowadays.

[Leo]

DNF this at page 166. This book just wasn't for me. Couldn't get into the story and didn't feel a connection with the characters.

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Disclaimer: Every book I have read by C.W. Gortner has been amazing. And yes, I've actually read all of them. Every time I pick up something with Gortner's name on it, I am completely transported to a different time and place with powerful characters and a vivid setting that comes to life. Gortner's work always impresses, so my expectations going into The Queen's Vow were very, very high.

The Queen's Vow follows the rarely-explored life of Isabella of Castile, best known as something a "warrior queen" who kicked the Moors out of Spain, united the country, financed many expeditions to the New World and was fiercely Catholic (and, of course, was the mother of Henry VIII's first queen, Katherine of Aragon). But the road to the throne was not an easy one. Gortner's new novel opens in Isabella's young years, when she and her older brother are placed under the watchful eye of her half-brother, King Enrique.Yet, that's not enough for Enrique's wife, she moves against Isabella and her brother, who in turn move against Enrique. Though Isabella was never destined to take the throne, she is suddenly thrown into a world of war, survival, religion and political alliances.

Wow -just wow...I'm not even sure where to start with this book because it was so amazing. First, I thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to learn more about Isabella, since I've never read anything about her before, and it seems that she is not often explored in literature, yet there is so much fertile ground here to explore. Isabella was portrayed as a strong, passionate and completely captivating young queen who would stop at nothing to get what she wanted (and it didn't hurt that she is portrayed as having a romantic relationship with husband Ferdinand) -I especially enjoyed the powerful portrayal of Isabella as an intelligent and politically savvy woman who knows how to navigate the brutal world of politics -and refuse to take a secondary role to that of her husband in ruling her country, all while uniting Spain.

Then, the writing...let's talk about the writing. Gortner has a solid and focused style that drips with excellent historical accuracy and vivid detail -he has obviously done his research here. All of the characters come to life on every page. And I couldn't stop reading. Gortner's words leaped off the page and drew me into Isabella's story. It had me from the very beginning and didn't let me go. I read this book in just two sitting because I couldn't put it down. Even though I (basically) knew what was going to happen, I couldn't stop. I was hooked.

For fans of historical fiction centered around strong female characters heavy in politics and war, this is the book for you. (Warning: if you are looking for a historical romance, Queen's Vow may not work for you -there is some romance, but it takes a far more backstage role here). For those who are already familiar with Gortner's novel -The Queen's Vow doesn't disappoint.

[Heather Webb · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gortner's novel of Isabella was a refreshing change from the typical England-based historical fiction with its vivid backdrops of sun-drenched Spain. A talented writer, Gortner illustrates an intriguing portrait of one of the world's most fascinating, yet least exploited queens--her multi-faceted nature, her strengths as a leader in women's rights and political affairs, her weaknesses as a religious zealot for her Catholic faith. Despite the queen's often vicious dealings, Gortner has taken the reader into Isabella's mind and heart, showing the reasoning behind her decisions, and manages to elicit sympathy for her. A bold tale and page-turning goodie, THE QUEEN'S VOW is a must read.

[Lori Elliott · Rating 5 out of 5]

My first CW Gortner novel... and I loved it!!! A novel about Henry XIII' s first wife Catrina (Cathrine) of Aragon's parents... King Fernando of Aragon & Queen Isabella of Castile!!! Looking forward to reading The Last Queen...

[Justyna · Rating 4 out of 5]

KRÓLOWA PANUJĄCA

Przybyłam do tego kraju i nie mam zamiaru go opuszczać,
uciekać stąd ani stronić od pracy – nie pozwolę,
żeby moi wrogowie okryli się chwałą, a poddani cierpieli.
- Izabela Kastylijska

Izabela Kastylijska była jednym z najwybitniejszych władców, a zwłaszcza królowych średniowiecznej Hiszpanii, a także Europy. Udało jej się zasiąść na kastylijskim tronie pomimo wybitnie niesprzyjających warunków wewnątrz swojego kraju.
Aby wypełnić swoje przeznaczenie i poślubić mężczyznę, którego kochała, nie zawahała się sprzeciwić królowi, choć wiedziała, że może zostać oskarżona o zdradę i nawet stracona, a więzy rodzinne z władcą jej nie uratują. Henryk IV Kastylijski okazał się człowiekiem mściwym i wyjątkowo podatnym na wpływy, w przeciwieństwie do jego przyrodniej siostry. Kastylijska królowa przeszła do historii dzięki pokonaniu Maurów, którzy od ponad siedmiuset lat przebywali na Półwyspie Iberyjskim, oraz jako patronka Krzysztofa Kolumba, tym samym rozpoczynając tworzenie hiszpańskiego zamorskiego imperium. Christoper Gortner w swojej książce w wyjątkowo wciągający i sugestywny sposób przedstawia historię zdetermi-nowanej księżniczki, która dzięki własnej pracy zapisała się na kartach europejskiej historii.
Wszystko zaczyna się w momencie, kiedy Izabela jako mała dziewczynka razem ze swoją matką i młodszym bratem uciekają z Valladolid do Avila po śmierci króla Jana II. Wiele lat później rodzeństwo zostaje wezwane na dwór swego przyrodniego brata, który do tej pory w ogóle się nimi nie interesował. Kiedy księżniczka dociera do alkazaru w Segovii, rozpoczyna niebezpieczną grę o tron, który jej się prawnie należał. Poznaje także Ferdynanda, młodego księcia Aragonii, który od początku wierzył, że są sobie przeznaczeni. Od wybuchu wojny domowej, przez śmierć króla Henryka, ślub z Ferdynandem, najazd Portugalczyków aż po samodzielne rządzenie Kastylią, Izabela zawsze pozostała silną, zdeterminowaną i mądrą dziewczyną a potem kobietą. Była odporna na manipulację, choć wielu próbowało na nią wpływać na czele z arcybiskupem Carrillo i pierwszym inkwizytorem Torquemadą. Choć otaczała się wieloma doradcami, to zawsze ona podejmowała ostateczną decyzję w trosce o swoich poddanych. "Wasza Wysokość zawsze postępuje zgodnie z własnym sumieniem i właśnie dlatego zaskarbiliście sobie dużo większy szacunek niż którykolwiek z waszych poprzedników" – powiedział do królowej Krzysztof Kolumb, kiedy drugi raz pojawił się na dworze królów katolickich, by prosić o zgodę na jego podróż, pierwotnie, do Indii.
Moim zdaniem wszystkie te wydarzenia, choć doskonale udramatyzowane i sfabularyzowane, nie byłyby tak frapujące, gdyby nie narracja. To sama Izabela opowiada nam o swoim życiu. Nie kryję, że wybór tego sposobu opowiadania był dla mnie zaskoczeniem. Po lekturze kilku innych powieści historycznych przyzwyczaiłam się do „wszechwładnego” narratora trzecioosobowego, który kieruje losami nawet najpotężniejszych postaci. A jednak pierwszoosobowa opowieść sprawiła, że miałam wrażenie, iż są to informacje „z pierwszej ręki”. Ostatecznie, historia świata jest historią ludzi.
Ponadto bogaty i barwny język, którym Gortner obdarzył swoją bohaterkę, sprawił, że czułam się, jakbym tam była. Jakbym stała obok Izabeli i Ferdynanda i sama widziała, jak cieszą się swoim małżeństwem, pomimo oskarżenia o zdradę, jak zostają rodzicami, czy jak wspólnymi siłami jednoczą Hiszpanię jako jeden kraj, jedną wiarę, jedną koronę. Jest to efekt, który udało się uzyskać niewielu autorom książek, które przeczytałam.
Chociaż autor wybrał sposób prowadzenia swojej historii, który sam w sobie jest nieobiektywny, to udało mu się pokazać różne aspekty osobowości królowej. Choć cechami, które wybijają się na pierwszy plan, jest siła, upór i niezależność, to widzimy też Izabelę jako przestraszoną młodą dziewczynę, kiedy dowiaduje się, że ma poślubić poplecznika króla, wbrew testamentowi ojca, własnemu sumieniu a nawet wbrew traktatowi, który zawarła z bratem. (Nie byłam w stanie się ruszyć, sparaliżowana widokiem nienawiści i strachu, które deformowały oblicze króla.) Przedstawiona jest też jako młoda kobieta, która poślubiła ukochanego mężczyznę wbrew przeciwnościom losu. (Co ja robię? Sprzeciwiam się woli króla, ryzykując wszystko, co mi drogie – mogę zostać uznana za zdrajcę i pozbawiona prawa do tronu Kastylii. […] Po raz kolejny zdałam sobie sprawę, że on nadal jest mi obcy. Wzięłam głęboki wdech i postanowiłam się tym nie zamartwiać.) Pisarz pokazuje także królową, której na sercu leży los wszystkich swoich poddanych (Jak już mówiłam, Żydzi zawsze wiernie nam służyli i od bardzo dawna żyjemy po sąsiedzku. […] Jako ich królowa, muszę się nimi opiekować, nawet kiedy walczę, by skierować ich ku jedynej słusznej wierze.) oraz władczynię, która uwierzyła Kolumbowi w jego szalony plan.
Była też kobietą bardzo religijną, ale moim zdaniem nie fanatyczką. Po prostu bardzo wierzyła w boski plan i w to, że Bóg wybrał ją do rządzenia Kastylią. Miała też męża, który popierał jej decyzje, stał za nią murem i kochał – w tamtejszych czasach rzecz wyjątkowa. Christoper Gortner ukazał Izabelę nie jako nudną postać ze szkolnego podręcznika, kolejnego władcę w swoim państwie, ale jako żywą kobietę, człowieka z krwi i kości, który ma swoje rozterki i uciechy, obawy i nadzieje.
Ponadto książka ukazuje też lwią część historii Kastylii z końca średniowiecza. Widzimy, jak królowa podejmuje przełomowe decyzje, które zmieniły jej kraj. Wychodząc za księcia Aragonii w symboliczny sposób zjednoczyła Hiszpanię. W styczniu 1492 roku, wchodząc wraz z mężem do grenadyjskiej Alhambry, pokonała Arabów, co nie udało się jej po-\przednikom przez ponad siedemset lat. Dzięki temu uzyskała też tytuł katolickiego władcy z rąk papieża Aleksandra VI. Pomimo wątpliwości, które nie opuściły jej do końca, wydała edykt rozkazujący Żydom przejście na chrześcijaństwo lub opuszczenie jej królestwa, chociaż stanowili znaczną część ludzi, którymi rządziła i wielokrotnie jej pomogli. A przede wszystkim ustanowiła Ferdynanda równym sobie władcą, wiedząc, że na niektórych rzeczach zna się lepiej niż ona i za-pewniając mu szacunek godny króla.
W dodatku razem z mężem przywrócili inkwizycję, dyktując Państwu Kościelnemu własne warunki. A o tym wszystkim dowiadujemy się wprost od niej samej. Ja często nie mogłam oderwać się od snutej przez Izabelę opowieści.
Autor pokazał też jak wyglądał proces rządzenia nie tylko w rozchwianej politycznie XV – wiecznej Hiszpanii, ale też w całej Europie. Bycie władcą to ciężkie i bardzo odpowiedzialne zadanie, które niekoniecznie musi być postrzegane jako przywilej, ponieważ od tej roli nie ma przerwy, urlopu, wytchnienia. Królem lub królową jest się zawsze, nawet we własnej sypialni. Gortner, kreując szczery i pełny obraz życia Izabeli Kastylijskiej, zrujnował moje dziecięce wyobrażenia o byciu księżniczką i królową, które jawiło mi się jako beztroskie i zabawne. Ale czy nie wolałabym być taką królową jaką była Izabela – królową panującą? Myślę, że tak, chociaż wcześniej o tym nie wiedziałam.
Nikt nie wierzył, że była stworzona do rzeczy wielkich. Ale ona udowodniła całemu światu, że się mylił. Polecam Przysięgę królowej, by dowiedzieć się, w jaki sposób Izabela to zrobiła.

Moja ocena: 9/10

[Ruth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Isabella of Castile was never meant to be queen. Today an image of this formidable Renaissance monarch has survived that is alternately admired for her contributions to art, literature, and education, or castigated for her role in bringing the notorious Inquisition to Spain and the forcible expulsion of those Jewish subjects who refused to renounce their faith and embrace Catholicism. Arguably -- and understandably -- much of the focus of history is on the darker aspects of Isabella's reign, a legacy shrouded in ominous tones, particularly since, in the ensuing centuries, society has by and large removed itself from the strictures of a life led by the demands of one's faith. As he did so superbly with his novel exploring the life of the controversial Catherine de Medici, within the pages of The Queen's Vow Gortner brings to life a vibrantly complex Isabella, a woman who is very much a product of her time while managing to defy the conventions of the same that would seek to proscribe the roles of women to the hearth and home alone.

The only daughter of Juan II of Castile, Isabella was preceded in the succession by her older half-brother, the dissolute Enrique, and her younger brother Alfonso. Following their father's death, their mother reviled at court, Isabella and her brother became wards of the king, but lived in veritable exile in a shabby shadow court in Arevalo. Her sheltered youth comes to an abrupt end with the birth of a niece -- a child Isabella and her brother, as the only other claimants to the Castilian throne, are required to swear fealty to -- an oath whose legitimacy is called into question by rumors of the infanta's dubious parentage, called further into doubt by Enrique's sexual preferences and his wife Juana's thinly-veiled regard for a certain courtier. Shocked by the profligate excesses she encounters at court, the devout Isabella finds herself thrust into a battle for her very life. When Alfonso becomes the unwitting pawn of nobles seeking to oust Enrique, Isabella becomes a virtual prisoner in a delicate dance for her life, one where she must respect Enrique as king while disdaining his policies and remain defiant of those who would seek to make her a pawn on the marriage market. When the unthinkable occurs, the girl never meant to rule becomes heiress to a crumbling empire, with the vultures circling, each side determined to claim her as a powerless pawn of their cause. But Isabella has a strength within her as yet untapped, and the princess who was only ever meant to make at best a strategic marriage becomes a ruler who will not be gainsaid, a queen whose force of will and dreams of empire refuse to be denied.

Love her or loathe her, the Isabella found within these pages is an extraordinarily compelling woman. In an age when queens -- if they came to the throne -- were expected to be controlled, she determined to chart her own course, going so far as to arrange her own marriage against the explicit wishes of her half-brother. While it is generally believed that Isabella did not meet her husband-to-be, her cousin Ferdinand of Aragon, until their wedding day, Gortner takes some license with the record to suggest an earlier meeting between the two, a moment in Enrique's court which plants the seeds of a relationship that would blossom into a love story for the ages. While there was an undeniably strategic political advantage to their union, benefiting both parties and their respective kingdoms, theirs is a life-long partnership that transformed the trajectory of their people -- for good or ill -- forever. Theirs is an electric partnership, fraught with tension, but in the end a "marriage of true minds" -- a ground-breaking union where each cherished and valued the contributions and strengths of the other.

Gortner not only succeeds in bringing the past to vibrant life, but in making me care about his characters -- at one moment left in awe of Isabella's strength, at another moment heartbroken as choices are made that will live in infamy. He excels at recapturing the humanity of women oft-times maligned by the historical record, never excusing or dismissing a controversial action, but rather restoring such to within its proper context. For a fifteenth-century Catholic monarch like Isabella, the dictates of the church were the literal alpha and omega, the beginning and the end by which all decisions are measured, and heresy and dissent in matters of faith are not to be tolerated. By understanding the fallibility of Isabella's now legendary, larger-than-life persona, and restoring her humanity -- her brilliance and her short-comings -- he delivers an unvarnished, compelling portrait of a woman who fought for the right to determine her future and strove to live out her faith in the best way she knew how, for good or ill. While the consequences of allowing the Inquisition into Spain or of the expulsion of the Jews aren't fully analyzed, the agony and fear that went into Isabella's decisions are fully explored, resulting in a perfectly-realized portrait of an imperfect, but compelling woman.

In The Queen's Vow Isabella emerges as a fully-realized, multi-faceted woman, a compelling and contradictory mix of tradition and ground-breaking, forward-thinking independence. With a meticulous attention to detail and a deft hand for period mannerisms and dialogue, Gortner excels at bringing Isabella and her world to life on the page. He is the rare author capable of balancing his audience's modern sensibilities with a soul-deep understanding of the the time in which Isabella lived, a gift of restoring the triumphs and short-comings of his leading lady, capable of elucidating her motivations and fears with a compassionate and clear-eyed touch. A Gortner novel is an experience to savor, and Isabella's story is no exception -- by turns exhilarating, maddening, and heart-breaking. I can't wait to see where Gortner takes readers next!

[OLT · Rating 3 out of 5]

Since my two visits to Spain and one to Portugal I have a bit of a crush on Iberia so I jumped at the chance to review this book. I was mildly disappointed because I had expected a bit more from the book, yet once I got into it, it did hold my interest and I loved reading about places I had actually seen in my visits.

There is some minor manipulation of history that Gortner owns up to and perhaps a too kind view of Isabel. Gortner seems to want to put more of the onus on Fernando for the Spanish Inquisition and the 1492 expulsion of the Jews, but that's OK with me. Fernando deserves it for being such a womanizer. Some historical sources (not Gortner) credit him with 7 or more illegitimate children.

This is an account of Isabel's life from 1454, when she was 3 years of age, to 1492, when the final stages of the Reconquista were accomplished in Granada and when Christopher Columbus does his sailing of the Ocean Blue for the first time. Isabel's personal life is the focus of the book. Her family (the good, the bad and the ugly), her love of learning and attempts to facilitate women's education, her love for her country and her God, her sense of fairness (one hopes not just a fiction on Gortner's part), her life with Fernando and with her children, her abilities as a ruler, etc.

Her relationship with Fernando of Aragon is portrayed as real, true love. Considering his well-known philandering, I'd always preferred to think of them as a medieval Spanish version of Bill and Hillary, but I guess some readers of historical fiction like a dose of romance mixed in.

I did enjoy learning about Isabel's mother and siblings, court and church and political intrigues, and the early years of Fernando and Isabel's marriage and co-reign. Her half-brother Enrique, king of Castile before she was queen, had let the country go to hell in a handbasket, with the economy in ruins and crime rampant. Fernando and Isabel worked diligently to improve conditions, even setting up the Santa Hermandad police force in 1476 to control crime. Fernando was also off fighting with the French, the Portuguese and the Moors during most of the years of their reign, managing to take time off occasionally to impregnate Isabel and other women.

Since the book focuses mainly on Isabel as a person, the issue of the Spanish Inquisition and expulsion of the Jews in 1492 is somewhat glossed over. One thing to remember, however, is that Isabel was a product of her times. Antisemitism had been around for many centuries prior to the period of this book. For example, in 1290 in England during the reign of Edward I, the Edict of Expulsion was passed precisely to rid that country of its Jewish population. Granted there was probably less violence in the suppression in England but the prejudice was obviously there.

The Moors invaded Iberia in 711 and the Catholics spent more than 700 years in their Reconquista struggles. During the time of Isabel and Fernando only Granada was still in the hands of the Moors and they spent 10 years in the struggle to regain that last southern bastion, finally successful in 1492. So many centuries with Moorish invaders in their homeland probably gave the Iberian Catholics a dislike for and fear of those people not sharing their religion and customs. Not a great reason for the Spanish Inquisition but those were violent times.

All in all, this was well written and an enjoyable read. Gortner's book The Last Queen, about Fernando and Isabel's daughter Juana, continues the story, of course with the focus on the daughter, not her parents.

[Heather C · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have been a fan of Gortner’s work since I picked up my first read of his, The Confessions of Catherine de Medici. He has a talent of taking maligned or misunderstood women and making them approachable characters whom readers can identify with and attempt to understand their choices. His novel of Isabella of Castile is no different. Isabella is remembered by history as the Spanish queen who re-incited the Inquisition, the mother of Catherine of Aragon and Juana la Loca, and the queen who financed Christopher Columbus’ American expedition. In The Queen’s Vow we are treated to an Isabella who does all of these things, but whom we also see grow up and who struggles with her decisions.

Right from the first pages we meet a young Isabella that we can identify with and grow up with. We feel what it is like to grow up maligned from the court that you belong to and see your livelihood stripped away. We can identify with the heat of a first love. As time goes on we get to know her husband, Fernando of Aragon, and even later her brood – Isabel, Juan, Juana, Maria, and Catalina. I most enjoyed getting to know her family who I didn’t know too much about. In all the novels I have read I have always found Fernando distasteful, however here I found myself enamored by him – despite his flaws. We get to really know her oldest two children the best, Isabel and Juan, whom you don’t read much about.

While we don’t know the thoughts that went through Isabella’s head while making some of her most important decisions as queen, I find Gortner’s take on it fully plausible. Most people have some qualms about major decisions they make and I can absolutely believe that Isabella might have had doubts about some of her most definitive decisions. If nothing else, his choices fit in well with the characters he created. You really feel that Isabella is a real person who has flaws.

While I enjoyed all the aspects of this story of Isabella’s life, I most enjoyed reading about the Reconquista and especially how she wanted to be out at the battlefield. She was truly a strong Queen, regardless of how we may feel about her decisions regarding the Inquisitions. I cannot wait to have the chance to read The Last Queen, about her daughter, Juana, as a continuation of this storyline.

Gorter is an author whose work I know I will always enjoy.

This book was received for review from the publisher - I was not compensated for my opinions and the above is my honest review.