Spain is a country with a long and fascinating history. Most of my reading seems to have been focused on the 15th century – the fall of Granada, the Inquisition, Isabella and Ferdinand, and the voyages of Christopher Columbus. Any more recommendations, particularly for other periods of Spanish history, would be very welcome!
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Court of Lions by Jane Johnson
A dual timeline story set in Spain. Although I found the modern day storyline too melodramatic, the historical storyline is fascinating, covering the life of Abu ‘Abdallah Muhammad XII (known as Boabdil) and the fall of Granada.
Another novel with a dual timeline, it is set partly in Spain in the 1930s. I learned a lot about Spanish politics of the time – a time when Spain was on the brink of civil war. Not as good as Burton’s The Miniaturist, but still an interesting read.
By Fire, By Water by Mitchell James Kaplan
Set in the late 15th century, this novel focuses on the persecution faced by the Jews and conversos in Spain during the Inquisition. In another subplot, we follow Cristóbal Colón (Christopher Columbus) as he attempts to obtain the financial support he needs to embark on his famous voyage.
I loved CW Gortner’s portrayal of Juana of Castile (referred to as ‘Juana the Mad’). This moving and exciting novel took me through a period of Spain’s history of which I previously knew very little – and made me feel very sorry for Juana!
The Creation of Eve by Lynn Cullen
Sofonisba Anguissola was a female artist of the 16th century who spent many years at the Spanish court. Despite her talent, she was prevented from reaching her full potential and receiving the recognition she deserved because of being a woman. However, this as much the story of King Philip II of Spain and his wife, Elisabeth of Valois, as it is of Sofonisba.
A Long Petal of the Sea by Isabel Allende
Not all of this book is set in Spain – much of the second half takes place in Chile and Venezuela – but the earlier chapters follow our protagonists, Victor and Roser, through the end of the Spanish Civil War when they become refugees fleeing across the border to France. Although the novel as a whole wasn’t really for me, I found it interesting to learn about what happened in the aftermath of the Civil War to those who had fought on the losing side.
Beginning in 1576, this book tells the story of Ana de Mendoza, Princess of Eboli, and her relationship with King Philip II. As you can see from the portrait on the book cover, Ana wore an eye patch which, according to the novel, was because she lost an eye fighting a duel.
The Moon Sister by Lucinda Riley
This is the fifth book in Riley’s Seven Sisters series and is set in both present day Scotland and in Spain during the Spanish Civil War. There are some wonderful descriptions of the caves of Sacromonte, the traditional home of the Spanish gitano community.
This 1929 novel is set in Elizabethan England and Spain, so has a different feel from Heyer’s more famous Regency and Georgian novels, but I enjoyed it just as much. The pirate, Sir Nicholas Beauvallet, is a wonderful character and the plot is great fun – perfect escapism!
The Spanish Bride by Georgette Heyer
Another Heyer novel, very different from the one above. This book is based on the true story of Harry Smith and Juana María de los Dolores de León Smith who met during the Peninsular War and married just after the siege of Badajoz in 1812. As well written and researched as you would expect from Heyer, but there was too much focus on military life and battles for my personal taste.
The Bird King by G Willow Wilson
Historical fantasy set in Al-Andalus in 1491, when Muslim-ruled Granada is besieged by the Christian forces of King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella. The history elements, exploring the fall of Granada and the Spanish Inquisition, are strong but there’s also a magical realism storyline revolving around Hassan, the Sultan’s mapmaker, who is able to draw special maps of places he’s never even visited.
She Reads Novels 