Reign of Madness

June 27, 2011
Juana of Castile, the third child of Isabel and Ferdinand of Spain, was an unlikely heir to the throne. As a carefree 14-year-old living in Barcelona, she has no hope of inheriting the crown over her older siblings. But in 1496, at 17, Juana is sent from her beloved country to the Netherlands, a land "cold and gray as Judas's tomb," when her parents arrange for her betrothal to Phillipe the Handsome. Phillipe is handsome, yes, but he is also cruel. He neglects, manipulates, and abuses Juana in the hopes of gaining her kingdom, going so far as to spread a rumor that she is mad. On a return to Spain, Juana reconnects with lost love Diego Colon, a man she desires far more than Phillipe, whose manipulations of her grow in intensity over time, and who even convinces Juana's father, Ferdinand, of her madness. When Queen Isabel dies, Juana finally becomes queen, but it is the men around her who truly rule. Cullen's male characters are colorfully chauvinist, none more so than Phillipe. Cullen's (The Creation of Eve) written an intimate look at a historical figure few will know (though fans of Tudor fiction will certainly be comfortable with the era), an alternately strong and infuriatingly weak woman who in real life was thought to be dangerously mad and was kept a prisoner in her own home.

August 1, 2011

Cullen's second historical novel about Renaissance-era Spanish royals, this time concerning the "Mad Queen," Juana La Loca.

Cullen's challenge is considerable: find a viable story in the life of Juana, daughter of Isabel and Ferdinand, who is known chiefly for having spent 46 years imprisoned by her family as a madwoman. And find it she does, although it only covers Juana's brief pre-imprisonment life. Ranging from 1493, when Juana, a teenager, first spots the flaws in her parent's supposedly idyllic marriage, to 1509, when all the shoes of fate finally drop, this is primarily a tale of a woman's futile struggle against the entrenched patriarchy of her time. As Cristóbal Colón (Christopher Columbus) returns in triumph to her parents' court, Juana is entranced by his son, Diego Colón. Soon, though, she is married off to Philippe the Handsome, a Burgundian archduke (and Habsburg heir) who rules Flanders. Far from home, she is at first infatuated with her Habsburg husband. However, as the licentiousness of Philippe's court compared to the relative austerity of Queen Isabel's continues to shock, her Spanish ladies desert her, except for scholarly and chaste Beatriz. Philippe's infidelities bring an end to the extended honeymoon, as does Juana's delay in producing a male child. Their son Charles is born, but his deformed jaw (a Habsburg trait) impedes both nutrition and speech; however, Charles will continue the Habsburg dynasty as Holy Roman Emperor. A number of premature deaths has made Juana the heir apparent to the Spanish throne. But Philippe, by spreading rumors of her mental instability (due, he self-servingly claims, to excessive love for him, despite the fact that their marital relations are now mostly forced), manages to impugn Juana's competence enough to elevate his own rank from King-consort to King. Juana's ingrained ineptitude at both overt confrontation, and the more acceptable female route of subversive sabotage, will lead to her downfall, as will her passion for the commoner Diego.

Although the outcome is known, the suspense never waivers.

(COPYRIGHT (2011) KIRKUS REVIEWS/NIELSEN BUSINESS MEDIA, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.)

June 15, 2011

Set at the dawn of Spain's Golden Age, this is the story of Juana of Castile (1479-1555), known to history as Juana la Loca (Juana the Mad). Cullen's page-turning account depicts the intelligent, caring woman behind the legend. The novel opens in 1493 at the court of Juana's parents, Isabella and Ferdinand. Cristobal Colon has just returned from his voyage to the Indies, and Spain is positioned to become a major European power. Juana's parents marry her to Philippe the Handsome, Duke of Burgundy, in order to cement a political alliance with the Habsburgs. The initially passionate marriage turns sour when Philippe becomes abusive and seeks to rule Spain as its king, not merely Juana's consort. VERDICT Cullen's second historical novel (after The Creation of Eve) is a sweeping study of political intrigue. But an equal focus on character development and plot makes for a satisfying blend of romance, family drama, and royal machinations. While not as well known to American readers as her mother, Queen Isabella, or her son, Charles V, Juana is a sympathetic heroine, and lovers of historical fiction will enjoy her story. [For another take on Juana, consider C.W. Gortner's The Last Queen.--Ed.]--Carly Thompson, Chicago Ridge P.L.

Copyright 2011 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

July 1, 2011
Juana of Castile had a fairy-tale childhood. The third child of Queen Isabel and Fernando, she was raised in privileged splendor. With little likelihood of inheriting the monarchy, she remained deeply committed to her responsibilities for making a good marriage and expanding her family's influence. She meets the Duke of Burgundy, a caring man, attentive and charming. But when Queen Isabel dies, the throne unexpectedly passes to Juana. Rumors about her begin circulating, stories created by her envious father and greedy husband. People accuse her of going mad, claiming she is overly possessive of her husband, highly strung, and deeply unstable. Desperate to regain power, they plant seeds of doubt about Juana's ability to reign. Eventually declared insane, she is locked in a tower for 46 years. This is the story of the years between Juana's idyllic childhood and her life as a prisoner. Cullen fleshes out Juana's fascinating story of love, betrayal, and redemption and puts a very human face on one of history's most famous rulers.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2011, American Library Association.)