I guess you could call me a loyal Gregory reader. I've read the majority of her Tudor series and have read the first book in Plantagenet trilogy. Usually I can find more than a few faults with her novels, but the story is usually enough to overlook large historical inaccuracies and underdeveloped characters. Unfortunately every character in this novel is grating. Mary is pompous, vain, and irritating as she repeats the same choirs of "you must free me, you can't kill me, aren't i pretty". Bess is the stereotypic nagging wife, who can not go a section without worrying about her land, and talking about the money that is being lost, and all the while George is gripping with his love for Mary, while serving Elizabeth and making stupid choices the entire time. Between the three of them there is not one redeemable quality, and that is really the tragedy of this story, not the massive number of executions, the religious persecutions or the historical inaccuracy's. Not one of Gregory's best works.

Story:
**1/2
Structure:
*** ( )

This was the first Philippa Gregory book I've read and I had to adjust to her writing style. She told the story through the three perspectives of this book. I found the sentiments redundant especially 1) Mary: I'm a queen like no other, I am sacred, I cannot be touched by mere commoners, even without a kingdom I'll always be queen; 2) George: I love the other queen, but my loyalty is to Elizabeth; 3) Bess: I came from nothing and now I have everything, and I would do anything to keep all my wealth for myself, my children, and my grandchildren.

This author was highly recommended by a friend due to her expertise in royal fiction, I was also made aware that she wrote "The Other Boleyn Girl", which was turned into a movie. I was looking for something new to read and this was just up my alley. I have very little knowledge about Mary, Queen of Scots because I wasn't paying attention to my history class. After I read this, it inspired me to do my own reading so I can separate fact from fiction. This author has an imagination and effectively wrote in the first person point of view that made me feel triumph, excitement, and anxiety. I've read from the other reviews that this wasn't one of her best works but at least I got a grasp of her writing. It's very descriptive, assertive, and convincing.

Her version of Mary's life was very romantic and tragic at the same time, and this book was remarkably filled with detail and extensive research. ( )

Historical fiction about the captivity of Mary Queen of Scots, held by the Earl of Shrewsberry and his wife, who later became known as Bess of Hardwick. Told in the voice of the three main characters in alternating chapters, the result is unsatisfying. The characters of the Earl and Bess are one-dimensional and don't develop at all in the course of the book. Mary is more interesting, but in the end, I don't think I have a better idea of the 'real' Mary Queen of Scots than I had at the start. Read November 2009. ( )

An interesting look at Mary Stuart, Queen of Scots and her struggles against her cousin, Queen Elizabeth of England. The two women and their advisors constantly plot against one another as Mary seeks to regain her throne and be recognized as Elizabeth's true heir and Elizabeth tries to keep her plotting, Papist cousin from doing any more damage to her already uneasy reign. Caught in the middle of this duel is Lord Shrewsberry and his wife, Bess. The Shrewsberry's host Queen Mary in their home, along with her court of 60 attendants and discover that it nearly bankrupts them to keep the queen in the manner to which she is accustomed. And then Lord Shrewsberry falls in love with Queen Mary and turns a blind eye to his plotting ways and all hell breaks loose. ( )

The story covers the period during which Queen Elizabeth imprisons Mary Queen of Scots. The story is told from Mary's perspective as well as that of George Talbot (her "keeper") who is captivated by her, and his wife Bess, a calculating, self-preserving woman. The voice of Mary captures her royal nature and her anger at being so wronged by QE as well as her subtle insecurities. Mary expects everyone to adhere to traditional rules regarding treatment of a sanctified queen but does not hold herself to any rules of conduct precisely because she is a sanctified queen. Bess is also a formidable but sneaky woman whose machinations end up saving her husband's life at the expense of his love. The abridgement sacrifices historical fact and period detail but still conveys a good sense of the tense, treacherous atmosphere of life at court created by Queen Elizabeth's advisor as well as the emotions motivating each character. ( )