Ever since reading her more "famous" book The Other Boleyn Girl, I was excited to read other Philippa Gregory books. Here is what I thought of this one.
Title: The Other Queen
Author: Philippa Gregory
Basic plot
Mary Stuart was the granddaughter to Henry VIIth sister. She was a Queen 3 times over with claims to the throne of Scotland, France and some say the true heir to the throne of England as compared to her cousin Elizabeth, bastard daughter of Henry and Anne Boleyn. She also lost 3 husbands, one young prince too weak to outlive her, one pansy noble murdered (some say by her plot) and a Scottish barbarian who kidnapped and raped her. She escaped to England in the hope of getting protection from her cousin and fellow queen from the unryly Scottish lords only to find herself a prisoner in England. The captors are the Earl of Shrewbury, George Talbot, a noble and honourable man soon torn between his duty towards one queen and his love for the other, and his wife Countess Elizabeth (Bess) Hardwick, a self-made woman intent on preserving her fortune.
~Some said she was the most beautiful Queen in the world~
~Some said she was the most beautiful Queen in the world~What I liked about this book
I am a big fan of historical fiction and I have fond memories of my time in Scotland, so this book was double the pleasure for me. I had already read a book by a different author on the life of Mary prior to her captivity in England so this was a good continuation. Even though the story was told from the eyes of 3 different people (Mary, George and Bess) it did not lose its flow ad each character was distinct from the other. The author managed to carry over not only vivid images of the period but also of the sentiment of the people at the time. She also managed to paint a beautiful picture of Mary Queen of Scots as a surviver and not just a tragic icon.
What I disliked about this book
In terms of the writing, I think that the author shone more in "The Other Boleyn Girl". This book at times seemed a bit repetitive and the language was slightly simplistic and crude (although it may have been her way of affirming several key points).
A quote I liked from this book
I know you are no saint, worse: I know that you are a murderer. I know you are a criminal fit for the scaffold and you will undoubtedly burn in hell. So come. I don't know who will save me if you do not. Please come. You are, as before, my only hope. - Marie writing to Bothwell
A good read. An interesting look at one of the iconic female figures in history. She was a figurehead and many men willingly fought and died for her.
Rating: 3.9/5
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