Teen Fiction - Girls & Young Women, Teen Fiction - Historical Fiction

Patience, Princess Catherine

Name: Patience, Princess Catherine
Author: Carolyn Meyer
ISBN: 9780152054472

by Carolyn Meyer

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Overview

England anxiously awaits Prince Arthur's betrothed—the Spanish princess who will be its future queen. But when Arthur dies not long after the wedding, Catherine of Aragon's fate becomes uncertain. Will the king and Catherine's parents arrange a marriage with Arthur's brother, Henry, or will she return to Spain a widow? Through all this turmoil, the young princess's resolve remains unshaken. She will one day be England's queen . . . no matter how long it takes.

In 1501 fifteen-year-old Catharine of Aragon arrives in England to marry Arthur, the eldest son of King Henry VII, but soon finds her expectations of a happy settled life radically changed when Arthur unexpectedly dies and her future becomes the subject of a bitter dispute between the kingdoms of England and Spain.

Synopsis

A young Spanish princess will take her rightful place as England's queen—no matter what.

Publishers Weekly

Patience, Princess Catherine by Carolyn Meyer is the fourth title in the Young Royals series. Opening with the musings of the displaced Catherine of Aragon, imprisoned by her husband Henry VIII and supplanted by Anne Boleyn, the story flashes back to Catherine's betrothal and marriage first to Arthur, then to Arthur's brother Henry. Catherine's joy in finally marrying Henry stands in striking contrast to her eventual fate when she cannot produce a male heir. Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.

About the Author, Carolyn Meyer

CAROLYN MEYER is the acclaimed author of more than fifty books for young people. Her many award-winning novels include Mary, Bloody Mary, an ABA Pick of the Lists, an NCSS-CBC Notable Children's Trade Book in the Field of Social Studies, and an ALA Best Book for Young Adults; Anastasia: The Last Grand Duchess, a New York Times bestseller; White Lilacs, an ALA Best Book for Young Adults, an NYPL Best Book for the Teen Age, and an IRA Young Adults' Choice; Marie, Dancing, a BookSense Pick; and the historical novel, The True Adventures of Charley Darwin. Ms. Meyer lives in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
www.readcarolyn.com

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Editorials

From the Publisher

"Those who like biography and historical fiction will enjoy this story that breathes life into the history of the Tudors."—VOYA

"Meyer seamlessly provides details about customs and beliefs in bringing history to life."—School Library Journal

"Creates a vivid portrayal of Catherine . . . [this] account enlarges the intricate tapestry of Meyers' Young Royals series."—Booklist

Children's Literature - Kayla Knight

This tale of Catherine of Aragon's early years provides an intimate look at what she experienced as the first wife and ex-wife of Henry VIII. Meyer uses the historical timeline of Catherine's life as the frame for her novel and then allows her imagination to fill in the blanks. The novel concentrates mainly on the sort of limbo that Catherine is trapped in between the time of her first husband Arthur's death and her marriage to his younger brother Henry. She finds herself conforming to an entirely new lifestyle to be accepted within a culture so different from her own that she is not even allowed to keep her given name. At a time when neither the king of England nor her father, King Ferninand of Spain, will take responsibility for her future, Catherine must to endure the agony of waiting. Meyer's first person narrative wonderfully conveys the monumental pressures heaped upon Catherine. This allows the reader a look at not only the political struggles she faces but at the emotional struggles as well. She is constantly betrayed and ignored, yet for a good portion of the story, she does nothing about it. Catherine does finally decide to act, wresting control of her responsibilities and decisions from her appointed guardians.. She learns how to run her own life. It takes a while, but the young princess does eventually mature into an adult who takes charge of her situation, making this a true coming-of-age story. Reviewer: Kayla Knight

Publishers Weekly

KLIATT

An epic filled with love, loyalty, betrayal, and death, this entry in Meyer's Young Royals series is sure to please. From the opening, with Queen Catherine locked in a room until she denounces her standing as queen and wife of King Henry VIII so that he can marry his mistress Anne Boleyn, readers are treated to a look at a woman with strong convictions and devotion. Catherine tells of her past and also relates the events taking place within the royal family. Readers are immersed in lives that include pageantry, wealth, obligation, and greed. Promised in marriage to Prince Arthur (Henry's older brother) as a child, Catherine becomes a widow shortly after marrying. Not really belonging anywhere and caught in the middle of unfortunate circumstances, Catherine struggles for many years with strength and focus while waiting at the whim of a king blinded by hunger for money and power. Readers will feel Catherine's anguish, pain, and frustration as she is used as a pawn in power struggles and surrounded by deception. Meyer creates a realistic world that will be enjoyed even by those who would not label themselves fans of historical fiction. (Young Royals). KLIATT Codes: JS—Recommended for junior and senior high school students. 2004, Harcourt, Gulliver, 198p., Ages 12 to 18.
—Stephanie Squicciarini

Children's Literature

The story of Catherine of Aragon the Queen of England, divorced by her husband, Henry VIII, and banished to life in remote castles, is a familiar one. Less well-known is the story of Catherine's life before she was Queen. In this book, Princess Catherine faces more than her share of adversities with courage. The sea voyage from her home in Spain to England is difficult and her reception when she arrives is less than enthusiastic. Her marriage to England's prospective King Arthur is brief. He dies and her life is in limbo. Her father-in-law, the king, keeps her at a distance and has no sympathy when she runs out of money to manage her household. She cannot go home and yet she does not have a place in the English court. It seems like good fortune when her brother-in-law Henry, who befriended her from the beginning, decides he would like her to be his wife and queen. She hopes the marriage will bring them happiness, but the reader knows that is not to be—a prologue describes Catherine's life after the divorce when she is comforted only by her memories. The book vividly creates the fascinating story of what the Princess's life may have been. Much of the story is told by Catherine. Some chapters with an omniscient point-of-view fill in details unknown to her. Those chapters, set in italic type, are easy to distinguish. This excellent book in the author's "Young Royals" series will surely send the reader to read more. 2004, Gulliver Books/Harcourt Inc, Ages 12 up.
—Janet Crane Barley

School Library Journal

Gr 6 Up-Meyer gives voice to Catherine of Aragon as she recounts the story of her betrothals and marriages. The political and economic gains and machinations upon which these unions were based are clearly chronicled in this carefully researched offering. Catherine's dramatic narrative begins as she embarks, at the age of 15, on the arduous journey from Spain to England to become the wife of Prince Arthur, a match made for her when she was only three. She tells of her life in England, moving from the enviable position of a future queen to that of a young girl far from home who is beholden to the generosity of the king of England. After six months of an unconsummated marriage, Catherine is widowed. Diplomatic negotiations rule her life as she is betrothed to his younger brother, the future King Henry VIII, but the path to that marriage is strewn with international agreements that are made and revoked. Once Prince Henry becomes king, he marries Catherine and this union lasts some 24 years until he turns to Ann Boleyn. Through it all, Catherine is a pawn. Meyer seamlessly provides details about customs and beliefs in bringing history to life. Her Catherine develops from a callow young girl into a woman who fights for her rights as much as the times permitted. As in Mary, Bloody Mary (Harcourt, 1999), the author's rich prose style draws readers in as her skill at characterization creates a protagonist who evokes compassion.-Renee Steinberg, formerly at Fieldstone Middle School, Montvale, NJ Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.

Kirkus Reviews

Meyer continues her first-person series about the Tudor women, this one in the voice of Catalina, known as Catherine of Aragon, who was a young teen when she was sent from Spain in 1501 to be married to Arthur, eldest son of the King of England. Meyer describes the loneliness, isolation, and difficulties of Catherine's position: she did not speak English or French, the court languages, and she was kept from Arthur not only when betrothed but even after they were wed. The sickly Arthur could not consummate their union. After his death, she experienced years of limbo-and relative poverty-while her dowry was fought over. During it all, Henry, the bright, open, lively younger brother of Arthur, fascinates her. It's Henry who inherits the English crown, and who marries Catherine, only to quickly fall out of love with her and begin the half-dozen marriages for which history holds him infamous. Catherine was the mother of the queen known as Bloody Mary, and readers who know the rest of the Young Royals series will certainly be engaged by this one. (Historical fiction. 12-14)