Alison Weir is the top-selling female historian in the United Kingdom, and has sold over 2.7 million books worldwide. She has published seventeen history books, including Elizabeth the Queen, Eleanor of Aquitaine, The Lady in the Tower and Elizabeth of York, and five historical novels. Her latest biography is The Lost Tudor Princess. Katherine of Aragon: The True Queen is the first in a series of novels about the wives of Henry VIII.
In this, the first novel of the Six Tudor Queens series, Alison Weir brings Katherine of Aragon dazzlingly to life. Based upon extensive new research, it is a portrayal that shatters the many myths about Henry VIII's long-suffering first wife. Far from being the one-dimensional victim of history, she emerges as a charismatic, indomitable and courageous heroine whose story never fails to enthral -- Tracy Borman A tender understanding of and genuine sympathy for this proud, much-loved and honourable Queen... I was gripped [from] start to finish -- Mavis Cheek Weir is excellent on the little details that bring a world to life Guardian Yet again, Alison Weir has managed to intertwine profound historical knowledge with huge emotional intelligence, to compose a work that throws light on an endlessly fascinating historical figure. Yet her real gift in all of this is making it feel so fresh and alive -- Earl Spencer This exquisite book charts the rise and fall of Henry VIII's first wife, Katherine ... A fascinating insight into this period of our history. Weir's undeniable strength is her immaculate description, enabling the reader to be transported back to Tudor England Sun Weir manages to untangle the complex web of 16th-century politics, shown through Katherine's duties as ambassador, and her astute reading of the games being played. This adds greatly to the heft of the character, demonstrating what a competent woman she was becoming Herald Scotland Katherine of Aragon, The True Queen is a true tour de force. Finely crafted, this novel is wonderful historical fiction and an outstanding introduction to the Six Tudor Queens series Queen Anne Boleyn Blog Alison Weir clearly admires her heroine ... meticulously researched The Times A majestic book! ... I felt every one of [Katherine's] emotions: her joy, her heart-wrenching despair and the passionate loyalty she shows to Henry. The bravery she displays is incredible and she must have been one hell of a Queen. It is beautifully written and captivating with so much attention to detail, that the Tudor court came alive in every sense Baattyaboutbooks Blog Captivating... The way that Katherine comes alive on the page is credit to the author who has such a breadth of knowledge about this Tudor period that it's a real pleasure to read her fictional work Jaffareadstoo Blog This well-researched and engrossing read gives a new perspective on the long-suffering first wife Good Housekeeping Known for bestselling historical biographies, Alison Weir is in command of her detail ... her handling of Katherine's misery and dignified response to her predicament is very touching -- Elizabeth Buchan Daily Mail The authentic voice of Katherine rings true throughout. It is a study of a woman who inspires admiration as well as sympathy ... a fitting tribute to a queen who was unduly wronged by history The Lady magazine This ambitious, engrossing novel tells Katherine's story from that moment, through her brief and controversial marriage to Prince Arthur and then to his brother, the handsome, gallant Henry VIII ... Fascinating S Magazine (Sunday Express) Alison ensures that we not only come away knowing more of the real Katherine, we understand more of how it felt to be her... The author really enables us to feel the claustrophobia and paranoia as Katherine tries to make decisions for her day to day life on snippets of news from her advisors - advisors she begins to realise may not be telling her the truth The Book Bag Alison Weir brings Henry VIII's first queen to life, revealing a strong, spirited and intelligent woman fighting for her rights and those of her daughter Choice magazine Weir's opening foray into the life of Katherine of Aragon presents Henry's first and most enduring marriage from a refreshingly new and utterly gripping perspective Lancashire Evening Post Engrossing and meticulously researched ... Katherine's life and world are brought vividly to life Choice magazine