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The major flaw in this book is it's length. At times it seems interminable and towards the end it is a relief to be finished with it. The quality could certainly have been improved by more ruthless editing. Overall however, this is interesting and makes history come alive.


Truthful and Compelling Read   June 9, 2003
when I first picked up this book I was a little intimidated by the size (I have never read anything this long before)yet decided to give it a try. Before long I was hooked. it took me only a week to finish this 800 page story, and I enjoyed every minute of it. The author's writing style can become a little dull in some places yet her descriptions of the important events of Mary's life are thrilling and exeptionally written. I loved the descriptions of the battles and Mary's many escapes from prisons and enemies. The end of the book was hard to read though, as I already knew how it must end, and was just waiting for Mary to die, but it was told really well. I recomend this book to anyone who like historical fiction and learning about famous women of the past. It is a wonderful read.


One of the Best Books I have ever read   May 29, 2003
I read this after I had read The Autobiography of Henry VIII. I didn't think any of her books could compare. I was right. This book was equally wonderful, but in a totally different way. I knew very little of the Scots Queen before reading Mary, Queen of Scotland and the Isles, but I really feel like I got to know her during my time being immersed in this book. Mary, the infant Queen, is spirited away to France to protect her from the Protestant rebels taking over Scotland. Her Mother, Marie de Guise, reigns over Scotland as regent in her absence. While in France, Mary is raised in the elegance of the French lifestyle. She eventually marries Francois, the young French prince, only to ascend the throne and become Queen of both Scotland and France as a teenager. Upon the untimely death of Francois, Mary returns to her homeland where she faces treason and betrayal at every turn, only to forgive those who attempt to usurp her throne and power every chance they get. She finds that despite her eagerness to learn of the customs of her native land, she is an outcast among the powerful Scottish lords because she is a woman, and because they view her as being too French and too Catholic. Her interactions with Queen Elizabeth I are intriguing, making me wish that George would have written a novel from her perspective as well. The story of her rise and fall is compelling, to say the least. Mary's marriages, thoughts, trials, imprisonment, and ultimate untimely death couldn't make for a better page-turner. Ms. George is a master at creating a person behind the history. The mother of the United Kingdom comes to life in ways I simply can't describe in this review. For anyone who likes history, historical fiction, royalty, scandal, sex, love, war, ambition, dynastic power, and any other topic under the sun, this is a must-read. It's absolutely wonderful. I cried at the end--and despaired that the book was over. I wanted MORE.