The Last Queen by C.W. Gortner

[Jemidar]

I would rate this book as my best read last year. And the most surprising!

I picked it up because I loved the cover (the US one with the gorgeous red dress) and bought it because it was about Katherine of Aragon's sister--so tenuously related to the Tudors. I had no idea who the author was and was more than a little worried when I found out it was a man writing in the first person from a woman's perspective. Not many men can do this with much authenticity, but boy C.W. can!!

I didn't know much about Spain or Juana, so came to this book without much background information, which posed no problems at all, and I was enthralled from almost the first page! I actually read it in one sitting, staying up all night to do so, because I just couldn't put it down .

I really can't recommend this book highly enough and believe it is what all good HF should strive to be. And I am really looking forward to C.W's next book on Catherine Medici, who also is not in my usual area of interest, but there's no way I'm missing out on what promises to be another pure delight.

BTW, it's summer 2010 here in the southern hemisphere, so can we have it now, can we please? PLEASE?