REVIEW: The Constant Princess (Philippa Gregory)

Book: The Constant Princess

Author: Philippa Gregory

My rating: 3.5/5.

Premise: Arthur Tudor, Prince of Wales, has been betrothed since childhood to the Spanish princess Katherine of Aragon. Their marriage will cement an alliance to secure the country. But when Arthur’s sudden death leaves an 11-year-old boy heir to the kingdom, Katherine's future is uncertain as Henry Tudor considers his options. But he hasn't reckoned the determination of a young woman set on fulfilling her own destiny to be a queen – and the ambition of Prince Harry, the future Henry VIII.

Another strong woman in history. I loved the female empowerment in this book. Katherine grows from a naive princess into a warrior queen like her mother. There is a clear shift in this series from the constant war within families towards the Tudor court - a shift into the new generation of idealistic young people. The sad part was knowing Katherine's fate and how her life has been eclipsed by her husband. One thing I wasn't a fan of was the writing style of this book. The narrative switched between first and third person, which I wasn't particularly struck on. But still, another interesting insight into strong women in history!