Current Read: Isabella the Warrior Queen

I read a lot of books, and I always try to bring you a review on whatever it is that I'm reading. Currently I have my eyes set on a book I've wanted for a very long time, "Isabella the Warrior Queen" by Kirstin Downey.

Retailing at $35, I'm hoping for this book to be everything I envision; a strong portrayal of a woman who steps into the role of a King and leads the greatest kingdom the world had ever seen.

I wanted to offer a bit of background history on this topic, as many individuals who enjoy reading about history, focus on England, Rome and Egypt. These are all favorite topics of mine, but I have a special place in my heart for Spain in its glory.

Check out the blog soon for my background explanation before I do a review on this book.

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Isabella: The Warrior Queen

By. Kirstin Downey

Publisher: Nan A. Talese

"To the queen who's roots cemented my own bloodline, and to the author who recognized her greatness"

Chapter by Chapter Status Updates: Get Chapter by Chapter Reviews and Status Updates as I Read:

• Chapter One: A Birth Without Fanfare

General Status Updates:

March 26, 2015- Around page ten in chapter one, the author goes into the influence Greek culture had on the Spanish territories and the ancestral ties it has to Rome, with both Hadrian and Trajan being born near Seville, however, as she continues she flies off into a complete history lesson of the Roman Empire and Christianity. For the next 15 pages, (and rest of the chapter), the author spends all her time talking about Constantine's decision to make Christianity permissible, the invasion of the Visigoths and 4700 other historical events that really go off topic.

I understand that she is trying to set a background for Spanish life, Isabella's love of the Christian church, and the fact that she sponsored and helped produce a history book about Spain's past, but 15 pages of Roman, Islamic, and religious history is excessive for a book about the Queen of Spain in the 1400-1500s.

March 25, 2015- The author has researched this book very well, offering a multitude of notes for each chapter accounting where the current information was found. An expansive bibliography also stands out, transforming this book from a mere biography to a stand-alone historical reference for Mediterranean history.

© C. J. Leger January 28, 2015