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Library | Call Number | Status |
|---|---|---|
Searching... Bayport Public Library | J FICTION MEY | Searching... Unknown |
Searching... Hardwood Creek Library (Forest Lake) | J FICTION ROY | Searching... Unknown |
Searching... R.H. Stafford Library (Woodbury) | J FICTION ROY | Searching... Unknown |
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Summary
Summary
Segovia -- 12th of April 1466
After Mass this morning, I climbed the narrow, winding stone steps to a window high in one of the castle turrets. I often come up here to see what lies beyond my prison. Segovia is surrounded by four thick walls, each with a heavy wooden gate. The aqueduct built by the Romans more than a thousand years ago stretches to the horizon.
Far below the castle, the Eresma River rushes through a narrow gorge. Across the river, flocks of sheep seem to flow like a river themselves. The sheep bleat, their bells tinkle -- I know this, even if I cannot hear them. In the fields beyond the walls, little green shoots of wheat are pushing up. How I yearn to be there instead of here.
Author Notes
Carolyn Meyer was born June 8, 1935, in Lewiston, Pennsylvania. She served as editor of her high school newspaper and yearbook, and spent summers writing radio advertisements. She graduated cum laude with a degree in English from Bucknell University in 1957.
Meyer's first published book was Miss Patch's Learn-to-Sew Book, and she has written over fifty books since then. Her recent titles include: Diary of a Waitress: The Not-So-Glamorous life of a Harvey Girl, Anastasia and Her Sisters, Victoria Rebels, The Wild Queen: The Days and Nights of Mary, Queen of Scots and Duchessina: A novel of Catherine de' Medici.
(Bowker Author Biography)
Reviews (3)
School Library Journal Review
Gr 5-8-A flawed, fictionalized diary of teenaged Princess Isabel of Castilla (better known to Americans as Isabella, the queen who sponsored Columbus) that ends just before her marriage to Fernando II in 1469. It is a story of intrigue, as Isabel strives to remain on good terms with both her controlling half-brother, King Enrique, and her younger sibling, the rebel King Alfonso. It is also a tale of romance, as unwelcome matches for the princess are made and broken until she finally weds the man of her choice. Much detail is given of life in the mid-15th century. Appended historical notes include reproductions, a tiny and incomplete map of the Spanish states, and a condensed annotated family tree. A Spanish pronunciation guide and a list of characters (helpfully indicating which are fictitious) are also provided. Unfortunately, there are numerous errors in dating events and the tedious text is often just a recitation of activities. There is little insight into Isabel's personality; the few feelings that are expressed make her sound whiny and complaining, a totally inaccurate portrait. There is no depth to this storybook creation.-Ann W. Moore, Schenectady County Public Library, NY (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Horn Book Review
This is the fictional diary of Isabel of Castilla, who later sponsored Christopher Columbus. Dreading marriage to King Alfonso V of Portugal, she schemes instead to marry the younger Prince Fernando of Aragón. The writing flows well and is age appropriate, and Meyer makes a distinction between history and fiction in the appended historical notes. A family tree and glossary of characters are included. From HORN BOOK Fall 2000, (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Kirkus Review
Bristling with palace intrigue, this entry in the Royal Diaries series tells the story of the pious, determined, soon-to-be Queen Isabel of Castilla during a volatile period in history. Known to American children as the royal who sponsored Christopher Columbus's journey to the New World, Isabel had a rocky adolescence. Ripped from her family and banished to Segovia by her half-brother, King Enrique of Castilla, Isabel endured a tedious life. The country was in turmoil; both Enrique and his half- brother Alfonso had claimed the crown. Although the rocky political terrain of what would later become part of Spain is touched upon in Isabel's fictionalized diary, the book centers on her marriage prospects'Enrique arranged several matches for his half- sister, based largely on his need to secure power. Wishing to marry 'Fernando, Prince of Aragon and King of Sicily,' Isabel took matters into her own hands, scheming royally until her dream became a reality in 1469. Although the writing is dull and sluggish in spots, Meyer (Mary, Bloody Mary, 1999, etc.) offers a multifaceted portrait of this complicated regal youngster and her tumultuous times, smoothly integrating the themes'a passionate belief in Christianity and an interest in navigation'that was central to her reign. Followed by an excellent section of notes and biographical information, this book is sure to whet readers' appetites for more. (historical notes, glossary of characters, pronunciation guide, family tree, archival drawings) (Historical fiction. 8-12)
