SuitabookFriendship across unequal lives
Eva and Catherine remain friends while their lives at court and in marriage grow increasingly different.
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Book details
Alison Prince - Author
A historical friendship story seen through Eva’s diary, balancing courtly change with private hopes and losses. Its strongest interest appears to be the contrast between Eva’s personal happiness and Catherine’s increasingly difficult royal life.
Sixteen-year-old Eva De Puebla comes to England in 1581 as lady in waiting to Catherine of Aragon, the Spanish princess who is to marry Prince Arthur, heir to the throne of England. Eva has been chosen to accompany Catherine because she is her close childhood friend. But as the years go by, although the girls remain friends, their lives grow far apart. Arthur dies not long after the marriage, and though Catherine is eventually able to marry the younger brother and new heir, Henry, their marriage becomes strained as Catherine fails to produce a living child. Meanwhile, Eva has found happiness in love and marriage and having a child, but mourns for her dear friend's lost dreams. This book is written in the form of Eva's diary from 1501-1513.
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Sign in for personalised guidanceA historical friendship story seen through Eva’s diary, balancing courtly change with private hopes and losses. Its strongest interest appears to be the contrast between Eva’s personal happiness and Catherine’s increasingly difficult royal life.
Eva and Catherine remain friends while their lives at court and in marriage grow increasingly different.
Eva finds love, marriage and a child, while Catherine faces royal expectations and a strained marriage after failing to produce a living child.
Eva mourns for Catherine’s lost dreams even though Eva’s own life includes love, marriage and a child.
Expect emotionally serious material involving death, childlessness, marital strain and mourning.
This is a grounded book brief while Suitabook strengthens the analysis: the current material supports only a cautious reading; another book-specific source is still needed.
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