Joan G. (despinne) reviewed on 7/1/2020 + 59 more book reviews

Helpful Score: 1

I am tired of Mary Queen of Scots. I picked up this book thinking it was another queen, and I'm glad I did. Mary is presented as an active seeker of freedom, somewhat different than previous stories. She is contrasted with someone I had not heard of--her jailer's wife, a sort of businesswoman. I had read that the Earl and Countess Talbot were strict with Mary and kept her poor, but he spent his fortune on Mary and wept at her beheading. It is interesting for the contrast and for the very small part played by Elizabeth I and a large part played by Cecil, Lord Burleigh and the many spies. There was a great rising in Northern England to free Mary and reinstate Catholicism--you never hear about this. The Spanish Armada originally was meant to free Mary, but missed the opportunity. She had many friends and a talent for conspiracy--not the foolish woman with no sense I had read about. Just a novel, but based on much research. Well worth the read. The book is repetitive in the first chapters. A good companion read is Elizabeth and Mary: Cousins, Rivals, Queens, By: Jane Dunn

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