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The book follows the entire life of Mary, Queen of Scots in such a compelling and personal way that it makes you truly feel for Mary and her companions. It is extremely well written, based on fact (the amount of research that must have gone into writing this can only be staggering), and a great read from beginning to end. I could not put this book down, and was sorry when I finished it.

I highly recommend this book, as well as "The Memoirs of Cleopatra" and "The Autobiography of Henry VIII, with notes by his fool Wil Somers", which were both equally riveting.


I couldn't take it anymore...   March 24, 2002
I love to read, and have sometimes read a novel in one sitting, staying up all night to do so. I only made it to page 78 of this 870 page novel, and I consider that quite a feat. I just couldn't take it anymore.

The author obviously did a lot of research, and the historical setting and customs were very interesting. However, the characters just weren't very beleivably presented - especially Mary. The author had Mary thinking and saying things as a child that a child just wouldn't think or say.

For example, when Mary is 3, she gets lost in the castle. An older boy offers to lead her out, but wants a medallion she is wearing in exchange for his help. Mary says, "I cannot give it to you. I treasure it." When he turns to leave, she realizes that her only logical alternative is to give in and let him have it. As he is unpinning it from her, she thinks, "...he must have eyed it for a long time, since he knew how to unfasten it in the dark..." What 3-year-old, royalty or not, would say or think those things? What 3-year-old would give in to his demand based on logic rather than launch into a screaming tantrum of some sort?

It goes on like that throughout her childhood. I kept re-reading passages to see if the story had skipped ahead to adulthood and I had missed it, but it had not.

The introduction of historical information is not always well woven into the story, either. In the short amount that I read, the author mentioned numerous times that Mary liked Scottish music to the point where I was thinking, "Okay, I get it - she likes Scottish music. Get on with the story."

I was highly disappointed with this book. I gave it two stars instead of 1 because of the research that went into it.


Exceptional   March 10, 2002
This is an exceptional historical novel. It has attached an emotional context around the period of the Reformation and the alliances between France, England, Scotland and the relationships between the royal families. I have a clearer understanding of the history now and feel this novel has made the nonfiction more accessible, i.e. a less daunting task since I have a basic foundation for family names and chronology, etc.
Except for a hundred or so pages in the middle which stepped too near a bodice-ripper description of the romance with Hepburn, casting a shadow over the intellectual draw of the book, I thoroughly enjoyed this story.
The story is truly intriguing.


Wonderful author and wonderful book!   August 25, 2001
Margaret George is one of the very best in her field of historical biography...especially when handling such fascinating women as Mary, Queen of Scots. A juicy and thoroughly satisfying read...add it to your library!