Isabella

The Warrior Queen

By: Kirstin Downey

Narrated by: Kimberly Farr

An engrossing and revolutionary biography of Isabella of Castile, the controversial Queen of Spain who sponsored Christopher Columbus's journey to the New World, established the Spanish Inquisition, and became one of the most influential female rulers in history

Born at a time when Christianity was dying out and the Ottoman Empire was aggressively expanding, Isabella was inspired in her youth by tales of Joan of Arc, a devout young woman who unified her people and led them to victory against foreign invaders. In 1474, when most women were almost powerless, twenty-three-year-old Isabella defied a hostile brother and a mercurial husband to seize control of Castile and León. Her subsequent feats were legendary. She ended a twenty-four-generation struggle between Muslims and Christians, forcing North African invaders back over the Mediterranean Sea. She laid the foundation for a unified Spain. She sponsored Columbus's trip to the Indies and negotiated Spanish control over much of the New World with the help of Rodrigo Borgia, the infamous Pope Alexander VI. She also annihilated all who stood against her by establishing a bloody religious Inquisition that would darken Spain's reputation for centuries. Whether saintly or satanic, no female leader has done more to shape our modern world, in which millions of people in two hemispheres speak Spanish and practice Catholicism. Yet history has all but forgotten Isabella's influence, due to hundreds of years of misreporting that often attributed her accomplishments to Ferdinand, the bold and philandering husband she adored.

Using new scholarship, Downey's luminous biography tells the story of this brilliant, fervent, forgotten woman, the faith that propelled her through life, and the land of ancient conflicts and intrigue she brought under her command.

©2014 Kirsten Downey (P)2014 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

A finalist for the Los Angeles Times Book Prize!

Longlisted for the 2015 PEN/Jacqueline Bograd Weld Award for Biography!

A Kirkus Best Biography of 2014!

"A tale of feminist ambition that reads like a pulpy novel. (Don't be a snob—that's a good thing.)" —TIME

"[An] immensely provocative figure... [who] successfully maneuvered in an almost exclusively male world of politics." —Kathryn Harrison, The New York Times Book Review

"In a fascinating revisionist portrait, Downey sketches a monarch both adored and demonised, and makes the case that Isabella laid the foundation for the first global superpower." —BBC

Excellent

Would you listen to Isabella: The Warrior Queen again? Why?

I couldn't believe how a history book could be so gripping. Love this book.

Any additional comments?

I would recommend this book to anyone who is interested in history or the background of Christianity during the age of discovery.

Fascinating

I learned so much I didn't know about Isabella and the history of the time. A very well researched and historical view of the woman and the time.

Spanish History lesson that is captivating

This is a long book and I have listened twice. It's so rich with details that it was impossible for me to absorb all of it with one time through. It's not a novel, but written in a story manner. If you have been to Spain, or planning to go, this is a must do book. The story is about Isabelle, but it weaves in other well known characters, such as Rodrigo Borgia, the kings of England, France, Portugal, not to mention the important connection to the Turks and the Muslim world. Others have criticized the reader's pronunciation of Spanish, but I didn't find that a distraction at all. I was constantly involved with the book, the characters and the story. Get this book. It's wonderful.

Excellent for History Buffs

This was an era unknown to me, and the author managed to recount this period in a compelling, yet historically accurate , narrative. The narrator's voice never got " in the way" of the story and the production was excellent. Kirstin Downey brought this fascinating historical figure to life!

Amazing history of an amazing woman

We don't learn enough about people like Isabella. In history class, she is spoken about because she financed the discovery of the New World. She was so much more than that. Excellent read. Very interesting and based on primary documents.

History

Enjoyed during long drives. So much history woven into accounts of 1 queens life. Amazing.

A wonderful book although not what I expected

I expected a "historical fiction" book along the lines of "Anne Boleyn" by Alison Weir. Instead Kirstin Downey has a more journalistic approach to writing where she quotes other people's accounts of the history. The story of Isabella in itself is very interesting, however the writer really made it come to life by explaining other relevant world events that affected Isabella and Spain. In addition, I really liked how the author presented the information. She would cover different pieces of Isabella's life in their own chapters and then would tie it all together to give the reader a comprehensive understanding of Isabella as a person and queen. I really enjoyed this book and would definitely welcome a follow up :-) It was great to learn more about such a strong woman and how she was able to shape the world.

A refreshing perception

Kirsten Downey has presented a massively comprehensive concept of one of history's most controversial royals.
Kimberly Farr extends that image with a superb and evocative narration that compels the listener to 'sit quietly'.

Loved it

Fair, researched and informative- long love the Warrior Queen, defender of the faith!!!!! Viva Cristo Rey!

Lots of facts

I really enjoyed this book. Very informative with many first person sources! I grew up thinking that Isabella was a much less powerful queen than she really was.