text: Reviewer Alianore's opinion "Rather too indulgent of its subject" is a very accurate portrayal of Weir's work. I will try to add something to that near perfect review. (Note: I listened to the unabridged audiobook of "Queen Isabella", 22 hrs on 18 CDs).
  
  The first half or so of this biography is mostly enjoyable, loaded with period details. The last third is the worst: Weir's fawning dedication to a glorious rehabilitation -- nay, elevation -- of Queen Isabella to the role of long-suffering, much-wronged, highly-deserving, and late-redeemed Just Queen of England.
  
  This book is really "subjective, rhetorical biographal dramatization". I do not consider it to adhere to an academic standard for objective history and analysis. It is rhetoric because of the endless "weasel words" (and expressions) used copiously throughout: "Some say", "It has been said", "Many believe", "Therefore we may assume", "It can be inferred" ... this isn't just an attribute of her style ... it *is* her style comprehensively. These expressions occur many hundreds of times, commonly in conjunction with Wier's subjective analyses that present her beloved Isabella in the best possible light, always giving her every benefit of the doubt and shifting negative interpretations onto other persons.
  
  Equally irksome is Weir's double-standard of historical psychological analysis. She is always 'declaring' for us the contents of Isabella's thoughts. Remarkable gift she has for this. Many times Weir reasonably states that modern psychological and socialogical interpretations of medieval history are inherently invalid or at least not meaningful. But then moments later she will portray Isabella's actions from a 21st century point of view ... always telling the reader how Isabella must have, might have, could have, would have been thinking and feeling about one situation after another ... often presented in a positive way that is only supported by a present-day psychosocial interpretation of 800 year old history. This isn't historical writing, it is historical op-ed, with an obvious agenda.
  
  I don't loathe this work, it is enjoyable in many parts for its color characterizations and depth of detail. The narrator of the audio book has a wonderful voice and good pacing. But this is highly flawed in its editorial approach to historical biography. (Other egregious examples of such hagiography include Edmund Morris' "Rise of Theodore Roosevelt" and "Theodore Rex". I could not complete either of those since Morris is so obviously enthralled by his subject, lovingly lionizing him in every sappy sentence. Yuck. Really.)
  
  If prefer more history when reading (or listening to) history. And much, much less editorial subjectivity, retroactive psychology, biased interpretation and rhetorical postulation. The only way I could enjoy "Isabella" by Weir is to accept her bias up front and listen accordingly, taking it with "several pounds of salt" as the above referenced reviewer advises.
  
  2.5/5
  