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The Plantagenet and Tudor Novels #16
The Other Queen
An alternate cover for this isbn can be found here.
Two women competing for a man’s heart. Two queens fighting to the death for dominance. The untold story of Mary Queen of Scots.
Fleeing rebels in Scotland on Queen Elizabeth’s false promise of sanctuary, Mary Queen of Scots finds herself imprisoned as the “guest” of George Talbot Earl of Shrewsbury and his indomitable wife, Bess of Hardwick. Soon the newly married couple’s home becomes the center of intrigue and rebellion against Elizabeth, and their loyalty to each other and to their sovereign comes into question. If Mary succeeds in seducing the earl into her own web of treason, or if the great spymaster William Cecil links them to the growing conspiracy to free Mary from her illegal imprisonment, they will all face the headsman. Using new research and her passion for historical accuracy, Gregory places the doomed queen into a completely new tale of suspense, passion, and political intrigue.
Two women competing for a man’s heart. Two queens fighting to the death for dominance. The untold story of Mary Queen of Scots.
Fleeing rebels in Scotland on Queen Elizabeth’s false promise of sanctuary, Mary Queen of Scots finds herself imprisoned as the “guest” of George Talbot Earl of Shrewsbury and his indomitable wife, Bess of Hardwick. Soon the newly married couple’s home becomes the center of intrigue and rebellion against Elizabeth, and their loyalty to each other and to their sovereign comes into question. If Mary succeeds in seducing the earl into her own web of treason, or if the great spymaster William Cecil links them to the growing conspiracy to free Mary from her illegal imprisonment, they will all face the headsman. Using new research and her passion for historical accuracy, Gregory places the doomed queen into a completely new tale of suspense, passion, and political intrigue.
442 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2008
2042 people are currently reading
40537 people want to read
About the author
Philippa Gregory
133 books36.6k followersDR PHILIPPA GREGORY studied history at the University of Sussex and was awarded a PhD by the University of Edinburgh where she is a Regent and was made Alumna of the Year in 2009. She holds an honorary degree from Teesside University, and is a fellow of the Universities of Sussex and Cardiff. Philippa is a member of the Society of Authors and in 2016, was presented with the Outstanding Contribution to Historical Fiction Award by the Historical Writers’ Association. In 2018, she was awarded an Honorary Platinum Award by Neilsen for achieving significant lifetime sales across her entire book output. In 2021, she was awarded a CBE for services to literature and to her charity Gardens for the Gambia. and was elected as a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society.
She welcomes visitors to her site www.PhilippaGregory.com.
Philippa's Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/PhilippaGregoryOfficial
She welcomes visitors to her site www.PhilippaGregory.com.
Philippa's Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/PhilippaGregoryOfficial
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 3,067 reviews
September 27, 2008
This book took me quite some time to get through. I have read Philippa Gregory's other books, and though they are not always factually correct, and most often read like gossip mags, I have come to enjoy them and expect that of her books. This was so long and drawn out, and not at all enjoyable. It is written from the viewpoint of Mary Queen of Scots and her two jailers, but you are never engaged with any of the three main characters. Gregory simply twists and repeats the same sentiments for each chapter. I had to force myself to finish it. No new revelations, or interesting facts are ever revealed. It was like walking through mud.
May 21, 2023
THE OTHER QUEEN, by Philippa Gregory, is a work of historical fiction which focuses on the years in captivity of Mary Queen of Scots. The main characters in addition to Queen Mary are George Shrewsbury and his wife Bess. Their triangle is fraught with love, passion, jealousy, and deception.
This is my first read of a “Queen” Gregory work. I found her to be a gifted author; however, I was disappointed that the book had repeated phrasing and bulky heft. It was almost as if the author thought the reader not able to retain what had been mentioned previously, ad nauseam.
I give this book a 4 star rating, disappointingly.
This is my first read of a “Queen” Gregory work. I found her to be a gifted author; however, I was disappointed that the book had repeated phrasing and bulky heft. It was almost as if the author thought the reader not able to retain what had been mentioned previously, ad nauseam.
I give this book a 4 star rating, disappointingly.
September 21, 2022
Queen Mary of Scots has always been of high interest to me. So much written about her beauty and intelligence, perhaps equally as much as her foolishness and cunningness. Could they all be true? Philippa Gregory attempts to drawn conclusions in the last book, The Other Queen, of her Plantagenet and Tudor Novels. The end of era when she is put to death, or at least a few decades before the real end when Queen Elizabeth her cousin passes away. I'm intrigued by the couple, George and Bess Talbot, who looked after Mary when she was imprisoned in England, supposedly a brief stay before being returned to Scotland and put back on her throne. I enjoyed the book, particularly Bess's scenes. George was a cad, imho, and I occasionally flipped thru those scenes. I'm glad to end this series on a high note, as I'm fully caught up in all of them. Now I can read her new series, with its two Fairmile novels published and the third this fall.
September 15, 2018
This review is for the audiobook version of “The Other Queen” by Philippa Gregory, published by Recorded Books, and narrated by Stina Nielsen, Jenny Sterlin and Ron Keith.
Audio: 5 stars The narration for this novel is a full-fledged five stars. The story is told from three viewpoints (Bess, Mary and George) and each character gets its own distinctive and independent voice. I give bonus points when audio books do this, as they can be hard to follow with only one narrator (not to mention they can get quite monotonous) , so to have three on this one made the experience enjoyable. Each narrator was concise, deliberate and animated and highly-skilled. Hands down, a great audio experience.
Story: 3.5 stars As always, Gregory does her research. This well-informed novel tells the story of the one and only Mary Queen of Scots.
Mary, Queen of Scots, is strikingly beautiful, and also holds the unique position of being heir to the thrones of Scotland, France and England. This, obviously, does not sit well with her cousin, Queen Elizabeth, who exiles Mary to northern England, to live with newlywed couple (and loyal English subjects), Bess Hardwicke and George Shrewsbury. While living with the couple, Mary tries in vain to return to Scotland and regain her throne, using her charm to persuade the Earl of Shrewsbury to help her. But with the threat of a treason charge on his head, will George help the young queen, or deny his feelings and avoid a beheading?
Initially, I thoroughly enjoyed all the characters in this novel. Mary was brave and confident, determined to overcome what others thought of her in pursuit of what she rightfully deserved. Bess was also very strong and independent, focused on providing for her family and keeping her fortune. George was a devoted husband and loyal subject to Queen Elizabeth- until Mary enters the picture. By the end of the novel I was not as enamored with the characters. Mary had become entitled and whiny, George was a downright sap and nincompoop, and Bess (although quite possibly the only likable character by the end) was self-obsessed and shallow.
Now, that being said, I don’t slight Gregory for this. A fiction novel based on real characters, it is to be expected that a lot of their unlikable traits belonged to the actual people themselves, not on Gregory’s development of them. As usual, Gregory does stellar research, and her knowledge of the period is above par.
I enjoyed Mary’s imprisonment (as much as one can, anyway) , and her plotting to be returned to her throne. I found, however, that parts of this novel dragged on too long. There were many royal figures in this novel, and their roles in the plotting were often just fillers. I didn’t feel they played an important enough role to get the attention Gregory gave them. The three main players of this novel, George, Mary and Bess, drew me in and kept me engaged, but the other (multitudinous) royals and nobleman (beyond Elizabeth herself of course) did not interest me.
The thing with Gregory’s novels is that the endings do not surprise you. I went into this novel with the knowledge of how the fated Scots Queen would fare, but I still enjoyed reading her story. For Bess and George, Gregory gave them a just and satisfying ending, which drew “The Other Queen” to a comforting close.
Overall, the narration of this novel is a five-star delight, and the novel had me intrigued (for the most part) , although a shorter novel with fewer characters and more focus on the main plot would have made this a perfect read.
Audio: 5 stars The narration for this novel is a full-fledged five stars. The story is told from three viewpoints (Bess, Mary and George) and each character gets its own distinctive and independent voice. I give bonus points when audio books do this, as they can be hard to follow with only one narrator (not to mention they can get quite monotonous) , so to have three on this one made the experience enjoyable. Each narrator was concise, deliberate and animated and highly-skilled. Hands down, a great audio experience.
Story: 3.5 stars As always, Gregory does her research. This well-informed novel tells the story of the one and only Mary Queen of Scots.
Mary, Queen of Scots, is strikingly beautiful, and also holds the unique position of being heir to the thrones of Scotland, France and England. This, obviously, does not sit well with her cousin, Queen Elizabeth, who exiles Mary to northern England, to live with newlywed couple (and loyal English subjects), Bess Hardwicke and George Shrewsbury. While living with the couple, Mary tries in vain to return to Scotland and regain her throne, using her charm to persuade the Earl of Shrewsbury to help her. But with the threat of a treason charge on his head, will George help the young queen, or deny his feelings and avoid a beheading?
Initially, I thoroughly enjoyed all the characters in this novel. Mary was brave and confident, determined to overcome what others thought of her in pursuit of what she rightfully deserved. Bess was also very strong and independent, focused on providing for her family and keeping her fortune. George was a devoted husband and loyal subject to Queen Elizabeth- until Mary enters the picture. By the end of the novel I was not as enamored with the characters. Mary had become entitled and whiny, George was a downright sap and nincompoop, and Bess (although quite possibly the only likable character by the end) was self-obsessed and shallow.
Now, that being said, I don’t slight Gregory for this. A fiction novel based on real characters, it is to be expected that a lot of their unlikable traits belonged to the actual people themselves, not on Gregory’s development of them. As usual, Gregory does stellar research, and her knowledge of the period is above par.
I enjoyed Mary’s imprisonment (as much as one can, anyway) , and her plotting to be returned to her throne. I found, however, that parts of this novel dragged on too long. There were many royal figures in this novel, and their roles in the plotting were often just fillers. I didn’t feel they played an important enough role to get the attention Gregory gave them. The three main players of this novel, George, Mary and Bess, drew me in and kept me engaged, but the other (multitudinous) royals and nobleman (beyond Elizabeth herself of course) did not interest me.
The thing with Gregory’s novels is that the endings do not surprise you. I went into this novel with the knowledge of how the fated Scots Queen would fare, but I still enjoyed reading her story. For Bess and George, Gregory gave them a just and satisfying ending, which drew “The Other Queen” to a comforting close.
Overall, the narration of this novel is a five-star delight, and the novel had me intrigued (for the most part) , although a shorter novel with fewer characters and more focus on the main plot would have made this a perfect read.
May 19, 2014
The ill-fated Mary Queen of Scots.
The Tudor blood ran in her veins yet she was ousted from Scotland and denied the English crown in the event of Elizabeth's death. Her right to the crown is often debated amongst historians.
Her guardian George Talbot 6th Earl of Shrewsbury.
A man torn between serving his own queen Elizabeth 1 and Mary who is thrust into his household.
He was in an unenviable situation; to serve England or to honor what is right and just.
His wife Bess Talbot Countess of Shrewsbury.
A rare commodity in Elizabethan times; a businesswoman but also a woman who finds more than her estates in jeopardy.
Strangely, I had little sympathy for Bess; I felt she was more concerned with losing her wealth and her houses than she was about her marriage.
"Fotheringay by Sandy Denny
How often she has gazed from castle windows o'er,
And watched the daylight passing within her captive wall,
With no-one to heed her call.
The evening hour is fading within the dwindling sun,
And in a lonely moment those embers will be gone
And the last of all the young birds flown.
Her days of precious freedom, forfeited long before,
To live such fruitless years behind a guarded door,"
One of those weird moments: While reading this novel yesterday, a really old song came on the radio (see above). Of course, Fotheringay is the castle where Mary Queen of Scots was finally imprisoned. Hearing that song while reading of Mary felt really strange.
Recommended for lovers of good books and historical fiction novels. 4★
July 5, 2011
I cannot fathom why every reader must compare every book of Gregory's to The Other Boleyn Girl. I understand that it was the most popular and was made into a film. That doesn't mean every comment should be "This is not like The Other Boleyn Girl" or "This is so much better than The Other Boleyn Girl". Can't an author write other books and in other writing styles?! Furthermore, I will bet a million dollars that 80% of the other readers NEVER read The Other Boleyn Girl and only saw the film which is not even 100% historically accurate and is basically filled with intrique like an episode of The Tudors. Straighten up, some you other "readers".
Moving on, The Other Queen, featuring Mary Stuart during her time of "protection" aka house arrest under Elizabeth I in the home of Bess of Hardwick; is indeed a great read. Mary had quite a life from the moment she became Queen, merely days after her birth. With a mother like Mary of Guise, this was written in the stars. The story picks up after Mary's involvement (or lack there of) with the murder of Lord Darnley and the subsequent marriage with Bothwell. Afterwards, Mary flees to England thinking Elizabeth can help claim her innocence and to return to Scotland stronger than ever, however, Elizabeth with the help of scheming yet intelligent Cecil is urged to place Mary under house arrest to protect her own crown and that of James (Mary's son in Scotland).
Yes, The Other Queen did skip all that drama and focus on the house arrest but this brought into play the famous Bess of Hardwick and her views on the situation. This opens a new fork in the road to how one can perceive Mary and Elizabeth during this time. Despite being in Bess's household, Mary is still portrayed as a stong, daring, and conviving (in a good way). Mary was an extrememely ambitious indiviual throughout her turmoil and Gregory suffciently presents that in a unique way.
So yes, it may not be The Other Boleyn Girl, but NOT EVERYTHING HAS TO BE!
Moving on, The Other Queen, featuring Mary Stuart during her time of "protection" aka house arrest under Elizabeth I in the home of Bess of Hardwick; is indeed a great read. Mary had quite a life from the moment she became Queen, merely days after her birth. With a mother like Mary of Guise, this was written in the stars. The story picks up after Mary's involvement (or lack there of) with the murder of Lord Darnley and the subsequent marriage with Bothwell. Afterwards, Mary flees to England thinking Elizabeth can help claim her innocence and to return to Scotland stronger than ever, however, Elizabeth with the help of scheming yet intelligent Cecil is urged to place Mary under house arrest to protect her own crown and that of James (Mary's son in Scotland).
Yes, The Other Queen did skip all that drama and focus on the house arrest but this brought into play the famous Bess of Hardwick and her views on the situation. This opens a new fork in the road to how one can perceive Mary and Elizabeth during this time. Despite being in Bess's household, Mary is still portrayed as a stong, daring, and conviving (in a good way). Mary was an extrememely ambitious indiviual throughout her turmoil and Gregory suffciently presents that in a unique way.
So yes, it may not be The Other Boleyn Girl, but NOT EVERYTHING HAS TO BE!
December 26, 2021
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Genre: Historical Fiction
The Other Queen is the fifteenth and last book in the Plantagenet and Tudor series. I can’t believe the series is over! This installment tells us the story of Mary, Queen of Scots, and how she struggles to regain her throne and Kingdom. But her cousin Queen Elizabeth is like a huge barrier between her and her goal. Elizabeth and her advisor Cecil force Mary to live under the guard of Bess of Hardwick and her husband George. What Bess did not expect was her husband falling in love with Mary. There is lots of drama and lots of conflicts.
The book is narrated from three points of view. And such narration will help the reader to understand the characters’ emotions, challenges, and obstacles they were facing. This is another book in which I completely dislike Elizabeth. I really need to read more about her to confirm the awful attributes that Philippa Gregory has given her. She is insecure, jealous, and wicked. She reminds me of her father. Philippa Gregory didn’t portray her in a positive way so I really need to read more about her to know how much I like or dislike her. As for the three main characters, I’m a bit conflicted about how I feel about them. Some of their decisions I can’t approve and other decisions were acceptable considering the circumstances they were living in, especially with Elizabeth and her servants bullying them all the time.
This was another entertaining book from the author. Unfortunately, this is the last book of her royal historical fiction. Somehow I’m glad I’ve read this series. It is worth it a lot. Not just for the entertainment factor but also for gaining historical knowledge. Yes, there were a few books that were weaker than the rest but I wouldn’t call them bad. The majority of the books were excellent. If you are interested to read about royal historical personalities, I think this series will not disappoint you. It has all the ingredients necessary to make it a worthwhile ride.
Genre: Historical Fiction
The Other Queen is the fifteenth and last book in the Plantagenet and Tudor series. I can’t believe the series is over! This installment tells us the story of Mary, Queen of Scots, and how she struggles to regain her throne and Kingdom. But her cousin Queen Elizabeth is like a huge barrier between her and her goal. Elizabeth and her advisor Cecil force Mary to live under the guard of Bess of Hardwick and her husband George. What Bess did not expect was her husband falling in love with Mary. There is lots of drama and lots of conflicts.
The book is narrated from three points of view. And such narration will help the reader to understand the characters’ emotions, challenges, and obstacles they were facing. This is another book in which I completely dislike Elizabeth. I really need to read more about her to confirm the awful attributes that Philippa Gregory has given her. She is insecure, jealous, and wicked. She reminds me of her father. Philippa Gregory didn’t portray her in a positive way so I really need to read more about her to know how much I like or dislike her. As for the three main characters, I’m a bit conflicted about how I feel about them. Some of their decisions I can’t approve and other decisions were acceptable considering the circumstances they were living in, especially with Elizabeth and her servants bullying them all the time.
This was another entertaining book from the author. Unfortunately, this is the last book of her royal historical fiction. Somehow I’m glad I’ve read this series. It is worth it a lot. Not just for the entertainment factor but also for gaining historical knowledge. Yes, there were a few books that were weaker than the rest but I wouldn’t call them bad. The majority of the books were excellent. If you are interested to read about royal historical personalities, I think this series will not disappoint you. It has all the ingredients necessary to make it a worthwhile ride.
September 18, 2009
As a Gregory fan, I am very very disappointed. This book has the same style as The Boleyn Inheritance, in which it goes back and forth between narratives of three different people. That, I did not mind. The narratives themselves are awful. You have Bess Hardwich who just goes on and on and on about her properties and her candlesticks stolen from monasteries and her account books. She never talks of much else and she speaks every 2nd chapter. You have her husband George that just rambles on about his loyalty and honor. And of course you have Queen Mary. Let me say, I am going to search for another portrayal of her because this queen resembles nothing of what I have heard of her. In this book, Queen Mary just pontificates on her status. "I am a French princess. My body is sacred. You cannot touch me. Yada yada yada." Also, I am confused about the Bothwell situation. One chapter she is writing him letters "My dear Bothwell, come save me," and the next chapter she is stating how he raped her and forced her to marry him and kidnapped her. Then again, in the following chapter, she is declaring he is the only man manly enough to fight for her. Somebody, enlighten me, please.
February 2, 2009
Gregory seems to have changed her style some since 'The Other Boleyn Girl'. This is certainly not a frothy bit of 16th century soap opera but quite a serious and well researched bit of historical fiction on life of Mary, Queen of Scots during the first few years of her imprisonment in England.
It also places a great focus on one of my personal heroines of the period, Bess of Hardwick. She is one of the three narrators. The others are Mary and Bess' husband George Talbot, Earl of Shrewsbury, who served as her 'jailors'. Most of the action takes place at the Talbot's estates rather than at the court of Queen Elizabeth.
I can imagine that some readers would be disappointed by the narrow scope of the book and/or by its sober tone but I quite approved of it. I feel Gregory has tried to up her game in terms of accuracy to history though may find, if reviews on amazon and here are any indication, that readers who enjoyed the gossipy fluff find this hard going.
Gregory suggested two recent biographies, one for Bess and one for MQoS, that had influenced her writing. On the strength of that I've reserved them both from the library.
It also places a great focus on one of my personal heroines of the period, Bess of Hardwick. She is one of the three narrators. The others are Mary and Bess' husband George Talbot, Earl of Shrewsbury, who served as her 'jailors'. Most of the action takes place at the Talbot's estates rather than at the court of Queen Elizabeth.
I can imagine that some readers would be disappointed by the narrow scope of the book and/or by its sober tone but I quite approved of it. I feel Gregory has tried to up her game in terms of accuracy to history though may find, if reviews on amazon and here are any indication, that readers who enjoyed the gossipy fluff find this hard going.
Gregory suggested two recent biographies, one for Bess and one for MQoS, that had influenced her writing. On the strength of that I've reserved them both from the library.
September 20, 2008
This is the latest book in the Tudor series and it is painful to get through. I can pick up The Other Boleyn Girl and read through it in one sitting, but each book in the Tudor series grows more and more tired until we are left with the mess that is The Other Queen. Using three different perspectives worked fine in The Boleyn Inheritance, but in this book they change so often, sometimes lasting only a page and a half, it is hard to grow attached, or even understand the point of view of one single character.
September 26, 2020
Having enjoyed some of Phillipa Gregory's work I chanced upon this with great expectation. This was a major disappointment which I could not finish. Little insight is gained into Mary, Queen of Scots, and the other two narrators, Lord Shrewbury and his Lady Bess, came across as pathetic. This is such an exiting period of history and Mary, queen of Scots was such an interesting character that I found it hard to believe that story could be made so dull by the alternating missives of the three narrators/main characters. The major events are covered in past tense, and some of the major players are left out, with most of the novel filled with repetition. Please rather read Mary Queen of Scotland & The Isles: A Novel by Margaret Georgeif you want a compelling and exciting historical novel about Mary, Queen of Scots.
January 15, 2009
First off: I cheated. As soon as I realized that this book was Tudor-Lite, I speed-read it just to be done with it.
Which made me sad: Great Britain in the 16th century is one of my favorite periods in which to read historical fiction and non-fiction, and I've read a *lot* of these books over the years.
So "Mary as divinity" wasn't a surprise, turning the fascinating Bess of Hardwick into a Elizabethian version of Angela Channing just turned me off, and George Talbot made absolutely no impact on me whatsoever.
This is how bad it was: when I was reading Mary's death scene, I was actually bored and thinking about the next book on my reading list.
I truly enjoyed "The Other Boleyn Girl", and Gregory is normally a highly engaging author, so maybe that's why I'm disproportionately disappointed in "The Other Queen".
Which made me sad: Great Britain in the 16th century is one of my favorite periods in which to read historical fiction and non-fiction, and I've read a *lot* of these books over the years.
So "Mary as divinity" wasn't a surprise, turning the fascinating Bess of Hardwick into a Elizabethian version of Angela Channing just turned me off, and George Talbot made absolutely no impact on me whatsoever.
This is how bad it was: when I was reading Mary's death scene, I was actually bored and thinking about the next book on my reading list.
I truly enjoyed "The Other Boleyn Girl", and Gregory is normally a highly engaging author, so maybe that's why I'm disproportionately disappointed in "The Other Queen".
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 29, 2012
This is Philippa Gregory's worst book. If this had been her debut novel, it would never have been published. I've read most of Gregory's books, Ive come to realize that the bad outweigh the good.
And here is her book of shame:
When the book opens, Mary, cousin to Elizabeth, seeks protection and refuge in England. She has been chased from France, following the death of her husband. The Scots hate and rebel ag/ her. She has no one but Queen Elizabeth. Elizabeth promises her safety, but keeps her guarded until she can be sure of Mary's loyalty. Elizabeth must also figure out how to help her: Mary is a queen with no throne; Scotland refuses to accept her. As this story begins, Elizabeth, acting both in good faith and in caution, places Mary under guard with a noble English family.
That is an intriguing backstory, is it not? So the first quarter of the book is slightly interesting. But....Then....nothing ever happens!!! There is no plot, we are "told" everything. There is no actual action. The setting is bland and the story is boring and completely repetitive.
What about the characters?? The main character, Mary Queen of Scots, is a monster bitch, I'm serious! Through her first person narrative, Mary shows herself to be the single most narcissistic and unsympathetic character I have read in a long time. O.K. Now that Mary is safe, thanks to her cousin, what does she do? She never stops plotting against Elizabeth, except to revel in her own charm and beauty and greatness.
One of the things we are "told" is that at some point, every man in England, Spain and France falls madly in love with Mary. We are told that she is so enchanting she is able to seduce loyalty from the English queen's most loyal subjects. The queen is justified in keeping Mary under guard, considering she endlessly conspires against the crown of England. But Mary swears she is unjustly kept prisoner. Men everywhere feel compelled to "free" her from imagined captivity, so we are told. Mary's plotting and failing, her rescue and capture goes on for the entire book. This woman ruins so many lives in this book...
Meanwhile, the other two main speaking characters, the husband and wife who must keep her at their home, lose their appeal very quickly. I don't know what the author's aim was with this book. All that comes through is negativity and spite for every character, including an aged Queen Elizabeth and her trusted councillor William Cecil. (Gregory made her feelings for Elizabeth clear in the previous book, nothing has changed.)
There is nothing good about this book and I finished it only so that I would feel justified in rating it.
*********
I know only a little about Mary Queen of Scots. But I do know that she indeed conspired with others many times to steal the English throne, capture and even kill Elizabeth. Mary was Catholic, so she was a convenient alternative to a Protestant Elizabeth. Mary was delusional in this novel about her power over all men. It wasn't enchantment of her beauty, but pure politics and religious power that allowed Mary a chance to the throne. The pope excommunicated Elizabeth, and ordered Catholics to revolt against her. Mary was a convenient Catholic to place in throne.
********
I learned nothing that was remotely historical from this book. Nor did Gregory help flesh out Mary, so that the reader could understand her better. Gregory shed no light on the real history, and her fiction was pointless. Literally, I have no idea what the purpose of this book was. She did not show a different point of view or paint any depth to her characters. I never struggled with conflicted feelings. I was never moved by anything in this book, except the desire to rant this review on Goodreads!!! Lol.
May 28, 2020
Full review you can find on my blog: http://poetryofreading.blogspot.com/2...
Anyone interested in history should find this fascinating. Although there are multiple interpretations of the accountability of Mary and all those involved with the many plots to restore her to the Scottish throne Gregory’s story is as plausible as any and more fascinating than most.
Anyone interested in history should find this fascinating. Although there are multiple interpretations of the accountability of Mary and all those involved with the many plots to restore her to the Scottish throne Gregory’s story is as plausible as any and more fascinating than most.
Want to read
November 7, 2018Le sigh. I swore to never ever read another Gregory book. The sample sounds like I will loathe it. But how on earth am I supposed to resist the glorious combination of Richard Armitage and Alex Kingston? Huh? HOW??? Le sigh...
October 30, 2016
I groaned when I realised that Philippa Gregory had returned (why, oh why?!) to the formula she used in "The Boleyn Inheritance" of three different first person narrators. Three reasons why this format doesn't work for Gregory. One, she has a tendency to use this as a crutch so that she can "tell" rather than "show". Two, the voice of the three different narrators is indistinguishable and you only knew who was narrating which chapter because the chapter heading always said so. Three, in an effort to really distinguish the personalities of her three narrators from one another Gregory tends to hammer her readers over the head with certain points. From her first chapter, which was only five and a half pages long in paperback, Mary Queen of Scots repeats three times how she is a sacred anointed queen and a queen of three countries (Dowager Queen Consort of France, Queen Regnant of Scotland, and rightful heir to the throne of England). I could tell instantly that this is what she would be harping on about for most of the book. The three protagonists often express the exact same thoughts in concurrent chapters. Real people do not think exactly the same thoughts as each other.
Once again, Philippa Gregory lazily amalgamates Francis Walsingham into William Cecil, and the historical inaccuracies are ever a problem in Philippa Gregory's works. This is the third book in which Gregory promotes the idea that Elizabeth was in fact the daughter of Mark Smeaton, the other books being "The Queen's Fool" and "The Virgin's Lover". I overlooked this in the previous two books, but by this stage the level of her anti-Elizabeth bias is plain for all to see. As a historian, this is a glaring example of how Gregory picks out baseless slander to insert into her books over the facts. There are plenty of anachronisms too. Bess refers to the exploits of "Sir Francis Drake" in a chapter dated 1569, but Drake would not launch his first major enterprise to the Spanish Main in order to plunder Spanish treasure ships until 1572, and he wasn't even knighted until 1581 - in 1569 he was no more than an officer in the private fleet of his distant cousin John Hawkins and no one in Elizabeth's court would have heard of him. Bess also refers to "a fine Turkey carpet" which keeps popping up in the novel. Turkey, as a nation state, would not come into being for several centuries; in 1569 it was known to Elizabethan England as the Ottoman Empire. Mary's character talks about the Spanish raising an Armada for her in yet another chapter dated 1569, when in fact construction work did not commence on a planned Armada until 1586. Astonishing. Gregory even picks out details such as Mary making an embroidery of her new motto - "In my end is my beginning" - whilst with Bess at Tutbury Castle, when in fact Mary sewed this motto when she was newly arrived in England and at Carlisle.
A word on the resolution of the two plots as portrayed in the novel. The first plot, known as the Northern Rebellion, is resolved in the book by a simple loss of confidence from the Northern forces and a melting away of the threat. In fact, though Elizabeth struggled to raise an army at first, she was able to muster an initial force of 7000 men, and a supporting army of over 12,000, against the estimated 4600 of the rebels. The second plot, the Ridolfi plot, was actually uncovered by John Hawkins - aforementioned relative of Francis Drake - who gained the confidence of the Spanish ambassador to England and informed the government. Elizabeth was also sent a second notification about the plot from the Grand Duke of Tuscany, so far from being without friends in Europe as the novel proclaims she was, this was not the case at all. There was no Spanish help coming for Mary - they rejected the idea of sending support because of Mary's close ties to France. Philippa Gregory must have researched even these basic facts when writing the novel, so why does she falsify events? Why not go with actual events? The only reason for doing this that I can see is to underplay Elizabeth's support and popularity, overplay the support and popularity of Mary, and portray Elizabeth's situation as far more precarious than it was. It's repeatedly stated that the whole of the North is in support of Mary, but this was not the case at all. The Papal Bull mentioned in the novel, encouraging Elizabeth's Catholic subjects to rise up against her and assassinate her, was widely ignored by English Catholics, who enjoyed the prosperity brought by her moderate middle-way policies.
This ties in with the repeated nonsense notions in the novel that Elizabethan England was crawling with spies, that torture was used as a matter of course, and that justice and law meant nothing to "evil Cecil" and Elizabeth's other "unscrupulous, hard-hearted" advisors. Norfolk's trial is portrayed as little more than a show trial. The Protestants, embodied in Bess, are portrayed as nothing more than greedy money-grabbers concerned only with expensive houses and possessions. All of this seems simply a ploy to further vilify and discredit the historical figures that Philippa Gregory dislikes, whilst at the same time promoting those she has taken a liking to. I'll give you an example of this. Towards the end of the novel, Mary receives a crude drawing of herself as a mermaid and a comment on her scandalous love life. Mary and Bess then discuss how the drawing and other scandals going around about Mary were probably created and spread by Cecil's agents. I mention this in particular because I've seen exactly the artefact on which this little incident is based. It comes from Edinburgh in Scotland (not from England), and dates to the spring of 1567 (not December 1571), at the height of Mary's affair with Bothwell. The placard was one of many such plastered throughout Edinburgh at the time, and reflected a widespread unpopularity of Mary amongst her own people. The fact that Philippa Gregory uses this artefact and twists it in such a way clearly demonstrates her bias against Elizabeth and Cecil and the way she changes the facts in her novels for seemingly no other reason than her own biases.
Gregory's selection of time period feels odd, given that she could have chosen from many other far more interesting periods in Mary's life, such as the murder of Rizzio and Darnley followed by the rebellion of Mary's lords against her and Bothwell. The characterisations of the three narrators were uninteresting - George was dull and I rushed to get past his chapters, and I found it incredulous that he was so blinded by his love for Mary (incidentally I would really like to see the supposed wealth of evidence that Philippa Gregory claims in her author's note strongly suggests that George was in love with Mary). Bess was reduced to a constant cataloguing of her income and outcome, always at her account books and grumbling about Mary reducing them to paupers. I found it hard to like Mary when not only is she so false, but almost every single character falls under her charms and Gregory drastically overplays her popularity and prospects. An even worse sin - she makes Mary boring. Most of her thoughts and conversation are rehashed and vapid fare.
The book also severely lacks action. I thought something might happen when the three protagonists were forced to flee from the Northern Rebellion, and in fact the way they went on about how convinced they were that the rebels would catch them, I was anticipating an action scene or two... but then nothing. I don't think Philippa Gregory can write action. She dodged out of it in "The Constant Princess", she dodges out of it here, and come to think of it the only action sequence I can recall in any of her novels is the fall of Calais in "The Queen's Fool". Frankly, the book drags interminably and feels dull throughout. I didn't think much of George foreseeing Mary's death in an afterthought at the end - Gregory writes with far too much hindsight. Overall, the novel was simply monotone, failing to make an impact. It lacked passion, excitement or intrigue, and some of Gregory's readers have suggested that Gregory was by this time bored with the Tudors.
January 26, 2018
I admit it - I love Phillippa Gregory. I love the court intrigue, the dynastic dynamic, the dresses, the balls, the hunts, the politics, the ever changing religious influences, and the rises and falls to power. And her writing, and the way she captures characters and tells the tale. A number of years ago, maybe 5? I read the first one in the chronological order - the Rivers of ? This one featured the mother of Elizabeth Woodville, who fell for and possibly entrapped with a family line of magic, Edward the fourth, Edward of York. I decided to read them all chronologically, starting with the original Plantagenets. No matter how long it took. She was writing more of them as I was re-reading them. At they emerged right at the time in history I needed them to. Right when I finished the White Queen, the Stars series emerged. I adored those 10 episodes, ate them up. And when the White Princess came out, I had long finished that era of books, and oh did we love that one too! I read other similar Tudor books, but having reread them in order, I now could understand the epic tale over time. The Other Queen appears to be book number 15. The Last Tudor, that came out just recently, is actually number 14? Can I confess? I have no idea what happens after Elizabeth 1. Or how she eventually links to Victoria. Who apparently is the great grandmother of the current Queen Elizabeth. Victoria's second child George (4?) is actually her grandfather. Yes, we love the PBS series Victoria, now in its second season. I didn't read the Daisy Goodwin book, thanks to my Goodreads friends. Plus I hated the American Heiress. Anyway, this one was great fun.
The Other Queen features Mary Queen of Scots, (Mary Stuart) cousin and probable heir to Elizabeth 1. Having been ousted from Scotland and left in somewhat scandalous or irrefutable behavior, she is left at the house of Shrewsbury, an English nobleman George Talbot and his wife Bess. The story is told from these three voices. Philippa Gregory is wonderful with character development. As the winds keep shifting, each of the three are caught in a constantly shifting maelstrom. As the winds of politics change, each of the three tried to stay true to their aims. I couldn't wait to see what would happen. And now, I want to know what happened next?
So enjoyed this, even the second time around.
The Other Queen features Mary Queen of Scots, (Mary Stuart) cousin and probable heir to Elizabeth 1. Having been ousted from Scotland and left in somewhat scandalous or irrefutable behavior, she is left at the house of Shrewsbury, an English nobleman George Talbot and his wife Bess. The story is told from these three voices. Philippa Gregory is wonderful with character development. As the winds keep shifting, each of the three are caught in a constantly shifting maelstrom. As the winds of politics change, each of the three tried to stay true to their aims. I couldn't wait to see what would happen. And now, I want to know what happened next?
So enjoyed this, even the second time around.
January 12, 2019
Some great moments and a ton of repetition but still a good book
December 19, 2022
I am dipping into Elizabethan England through Phillippa Gregory books. The fifteenth century is rather hazy to me. The writing is descriptive and brisk without overlong chapters. I have better understanding about Mary of Scots and Queen Elizabeth and sympathy for their passion. Bess of Hardwick was a most interesting surprise to met in these pages.i felt the horror that the Duke of Shrewsberry faced. I am glad to have read The Other Queen.
October 20, 2020
I liked this considerably better on the 2nd reading.
I'm much more familiar with Bess of Hardwick.
I'm much more familiar with Bess of Hardwick.
January 31, 2019
The Other Queen is everything I want in a Philippa Gregory book. Massive amounts of political scheming, told from three viewpoints, and details, details, details. I loved it. Gregory tells the story of when Mary Queen of Scots was imprisoned in Elizabethan England in the mid-1500s. If you’ve seen the 2018 movie Mary Queen of Scots, like I have, this is a bit more of the story.
The two queens are jockeying for position in their world. One is Catholic and the other Protestant. They may be cousins, but their outlooks are wildly divergent. One thing they do agree on, though, is that manipulating people and events is how to get what they want.
While you’d typically expect imprisonment to be in a jail, that wasn’t the case. Queen Elizabeth I commanded that one of her loyal lords imprison Mary in his household. With her full court and most of the accoutrements of royalty. It was a tremendous privilege…I mean burden.
Bess is the Countess of Shrewsbury, who’s married up multiple times and thus, moved beyond her humble Derbyshire roots. She’s not a fan of Queen Mary, but knows she must do as her own monarch demands. And while she and her husband accommodate the “prisoner,” she watches their accounts become more and more drained.
Bess’ husband George, the Earl, is a forty-something man stuck entertaining the young and beautiful “Other Queen.” He’s not her subject but is certainly in her thrall. As the story begins, he and Bess are nearly newlyweds. So having the household interloper Queen Mary is inconvenient, to be sure. But then, the Earl and the Queen become friends.
Of course Gregory writes Mary’s viewpoint as well. She’s a young woman who looks up to George and finds Bess tiresome. Mary was raised in the very elegant French Court, and couldn’t be more different from her “hostess.” And the younger woman is focused on regaining her kingdom, Scotland, and perhaps the English throne as well. She’ll use whatever means are necessary to achieve that.
My conclusions
These three are utterly unique characters, and real-life historical figures. I love how Gregory layers the story by alternating chapters from each character. If my last book, Fierce Fairytales: Poems and Stories to Stir Your Soul, was fantasy stories and poems about royalty, The Other Queen is the cold, brutal truth.
Mary may be young, but she’s far from innocent. She schemes from page one to the end of the novel. You have to admire her persistence, despite her struggles.
At first, I thought Bess was just a shrewish middle-aged lady. She’s envious and petty, but in the end I liked her smarts and pluck. She is a woman in charge of her life, with goals for her land and family including marriages with good lineage attached. She’s the 16th-century equivalent of a mompreneur.
And George is just a hapless lord, in love with his status and way of life. He fears that Mary will change England, almost more than he hopes to stay her advisor for ever. Generally, he’s just caught in an odd place that may or may not benefit him in the long run.
I’ve long been a fan of Philippa Gregory. There’s no one better for stories of Tudor and Elizabethan times. As I said, the detail is amazing. But it’s the richly drawn characters and political intrigue that bring me back to her over and over.
For more reviews of historical fiction books, please visit my book blog, TheBibliophage.com.
The two queens are jockeying for position in their world. One is Catholic and the other Protestant. They may be cousins, but their outlooks are wildly divergent. One thing they do agree on, though, is that manipulating people and events is how to get what they want.
While you’d typically expect imprisonment to be in a jail, that wasn’t the case. Queen Elizabeth I commanded that one of her loyal lords imprison Mary in his household. With her full court and most of the accoutrements of royalty. It was a tremendous privilege…I mean burden.
Bess is the Countess of Shrewsbury, who’s married up multiple times and thus, moved beyond her humble Derbyshire roots. She’s not a fan of Queen Mary, but knows she must do as her own monarch demands. And while she and her husband accommodate the “prisoner,” she watches their accounts become more and more drained.
Bess’ husband George, the Earl, is a forty-something man stuck entertaining the young and beautiful “Other Queen.” He’s not her subject but is certainly in her thrall. As the story begins, he and Bess are nearly newlyweds. So having the household interloper Queen Mary is inconvenient, to be sure. But then, the Earl and the Queen become friends.
Of course Gregory writes Mary’s viewpoint as well. She’s a young woman who looks up to George and finds Bess tiresome. Mary was raised in the very elegant French Court, and couldn’t be more different from her “hostess.” And the younger woman is focused on regaining her kingdom, Scotland, and perhaps the English throne as well. She’ll use whatever means are necessary to achieve that.
My conclusions
These three are utterly unique characters, and real-life historical figures. I love how Gregory layers the story by alternating chapters from each character. If my last book, Fierce Fairytales: Poems and Stories to Stir Your Soul, was fantasy stories and poems about royalty, The Other Queen is the cold, brutal truth.
Mary may be young, but she’s far from innocent. She schemes from page one to the end of the novel. You have to admire her persistence, despite her struggles.
At first, I thought Bess was just a shrewish middle-aged lady. She’s envious and petty, but in the end I liked her smarts and pluck. She is a woman in charge of her life, with goals for her land and family including marriages with good lineage attached. She’s the 16th-century equivalent of a mompreneur.
And George is just a hapless lord, in love with his status and way of life. He fears that Mary will change England, almost more than he hopes to stay her advisor for ever. Generally, he’s just caught in an odd place that may or may not benefit him in the long run.
I’ve long been a fan of Philippa Gregory. There’s no one better for stories of Tudor and Elizabethan times. As I said, the detail is amazing. But it’s the richly drawn characters and political intrigue that bring me back to her over and over.
For more reviews of historical fiction books, please visit my book blog, TheBibliophage.com.
April 5, 2015
After reading a few of Philippa Gregory’s books set earlier in the Tudor period, I should have predicted the ending to this. But of course I went into this, knowing nothing about Mary Queen of Scots. Out of the books I’ve read from this author, this is my favourite, perhaps because I really wanted to keep reading because of my lack of knowledge of the heroine, if we can call her that, and the ending surprised me. Yes. I know. I should have known how it was going to end. It was also a pleasant change from reading about a few of the wives of King Henry VIII in the earlier books I read.
Told from three povs, sometimes ranting and irritating ones, the story follows Mary who has a claim to three thrones; France, England and Scotland, during her imprisonment in England at the request of her cousin, Queen Elizabeth I.
If you imagine being born into and living a privilege life and the entitlement you would feel: being the daughter of a King, the wife of a King, the mother of a future king and a Queen in your own right… to have it all taken away, then you can imagine a little what it must have been like for Mary Queen of Scots.
I’m not sure I would have liked this as much as I did if I was a history buff on this period…Although close povs were used I often felt a little distant to the what was happening. I sometimes found the povs ranting and really wanted to slap Bess thinking on and on about money and her lands and let's not forget the precious candles her ex scrounged from fallen Catholic churches, and George for ranting about his honour. How different history might have been if he'd left his nagging wife, and rode off into the sunset with his Queen of hearts.
I often thought these guys just think, think, think and then do more thinking, without often physically being involved with anything. Action didn't seem to be happening a lot of the time...just thoughts and thinking about what has happened, what might happen.
What kept me reading was that I didn’t know the ending. I learnt something. Mary’s pov was up and down with a range of emotions of a young woman who is constantly told she’ll be able to return home, see her young son, hold her own court again as Queen of Scotland and potentially the English throne. I thought the possibilities for the future, the hopes, the dreams, the helplessness, the plotting, and vengeance all came out well in Mary’s pov.
Told from three povs, sometimes ranting and irritating ones, the story follows Mary who has a claim to three thrones; France, England and Scotland, during her imprisonment in England at the request of her cousin, Queen Elizabeth I.
If you imagine being born into and living a privilege life and the entitlement you would feel: being the daughter of a King, the wife of a King, the mother of a future king and a Queen in your own right… to have it all taken away, then you can imagine a little what it must have been like for Mary Queen of Scots.
I’m not sure I would have liked this as much as I did if I was a history buff on this period…Although close povs were used I often felt a little distant to the what was happening. I sometimes found the povs ranting and really wanted to slap Bess thinking on and on about money and her lands and let's not forget the precious candles her ex scrounged from fallen Catholic churches, and George for ranting about his honour. How different history might have been if he'd left his nagging wife, and rode off into the sunset with his Queen of hearts.
I often thought these guys just think, think, think and then do more thinking, without often physically being involved with anything. Action didn't seem to be happening a lot of the time...just thoughts and thinking about what has happened, what might happen.
What kept me reading was that I didn’t know the ending. I learnt something. Mary’s pov was up and down with a range of emotions of a young woman who is constantly told she’ll be able to return home, see her young son, hold her own court again as Queen of Scotland and potentially the English throne. I thought the possibilities for the future, the hopes, the dreams, the helplessness, the plotting, and vengeance all came out well in Mary’s pov.
September 27, 2008
Phillippa Gregory novels are sort of my secret shame - I love her books and pretty much devour them as soon as they come out. This one was...well, it was just okay. The historical focus(Mary Queen of Scots) is intriguing, but...I felt like it was sort of just..meh, as Gregory basically gave Mary no personality other than her bizarre obsession with freedom (honestly, the character must have said (or had commented about her) that she "had to be free" about 95 times. I GET IT, okay?) and did a lot of telling not showing (Mary is beautiful, therefore everyone loves her and wants to serve her? Everyone can see that she "has to be free" so they want to help her?)
It was really more like a succession of plot points than a novel, in many places, which was annoying. Also I think Gregory has GOT to get away from this switching narrative perspectives every chapter that she started in "The Boleyn Inheritance." It's such a cop-out, and it makes the story so much less cohesive. SHOW me the character development rather than have characters just tell me the same thing over and over.
Still, it's a fun ride, but it's no where near a good as some of her other novels. If you're looking for The Other Boleyn Girl again, this isn't it.
It was really more like a succession of plot points than a novel, in many places, which was annoying. Also I think Gregory has GOT to get away from this switching narrative perspectives every chapter that she started in "The Boleyn Inheritance." It's such a cop-out, and it makes the story so much less cohesive. SHOW me the character development rather than have characters just tell me the same thing over and over.
Still, it's a fun ride, but it's no where near a good as some of her other novels. If you're looking for The Other Boleyn Girl again, this isn't it.
July 18, 2014
What I love about Philippa Gregory's novels is that you fall in love with the main character, even if you hated them as a periphery character in a previous book; and you also find yourself hating periphery characters that were main characters in another novel and you feel like your world is all upside-down and you love it all the more for that. In this book I find myself hating Queen Elizabeth once again because of my complete sympathy with the main character of Mary, Queen of Scots. At the same time, I am experiencing mixed feelings about the other main characters in the novel: George and Bess Shrewsbury. I feel bad for both of them because of the situation, but it is one of their own choosing. It is unfortunate that they could not foresee the consequences of their actions but I still feel that they brought a lot of the problems onto themselves.
While I enjoyed reading this book and read through it quickly, I cannot give it 5 stars because I truly dislike the writing style where each chapter is written from a different character's perspective. Honestly I would prefer that the book be written in segments (a la Stephenie Meyer's "Twilight" series) if you MUST show the different perspectives in such a personal way or that there was a third-person narrative that would give us insights into every character. I find the switching back and forth between people in each chapter to be way too jarring for my reading taste.
While I enjoyed reading this book and read through it quickly, I cannot give it 5 stars because I truly dislike the writing style where each chapter is written from a different character's perspective. Honestly I would prefer that the book be written in segments (a la Stephenie Meyer's "Twilight" series) if you MUST show the different perspectives in such a personal way or that there was a third-person narrative that would give us insights into every character. I find the switching back and forth between people in each chapter to be way too jarring for my reading taste.
September 21, 2015
This novel is based on the true life story of Mary Stuart, Queen of Scots.
Mary looks to her cousin, Queen Elizabeth of England, for sanctuary after fleeing the violent rebellions in Scotland. Though she is promised protection, Mary is perceived as a serious threat to the English crown, and finds herself imprisoned as a "guest" in the house of George Talbot, Earl of Shrewsberry, and his wife, Bess of Hardwick. The newly married couple welcome the condemned queen into their home, hoping that serving as her hosts and jailers will be of an advantage to them in the cutthroat world of the Elizabethan court.
But to their horror, they soon realize that the task will bankrupt their estate and lose them what little favor they were able to gain with Elizabeth, as Mary manipulates the earl and spins her web of treachery and deceit to reclaim her Scottish throne, and to take over Queen Elizabeth's England.
This was a very enjoyable read, though with three narrators for the story (Mary, George, and Bess), often the same events were gone over three times, which slowed the story down at times. I think this story could have been a few chapters shorter without the reader feeling anything was missing from the story.
Bess was just as interesting to read about as Mary; she was a very successful businesswoman in her own right, which was very impressive as at that time, women had very few legal rights.
Mary looks to her cousin, Queen Elizabeth of England, for sanctuary after fleeing the violent rebellions in Scotland. Though she is promised protection, Mary is perceived as a serious threat to the English crown, and finds herself imprisoned as a "guest" in the house of George Talbot, Earl of Shrewsberry, and his wife, Bess of Hardwick. The newly married couple welcome the condemned queen into their home, hoping that serving as her hosts and jailers will be of an advantage to them in the cutthroat world of the Elizabethan court.
But to their horror, they soon realize that the task will bankrupt their estate and lose them what little favor they were able to gain with Elizabeth, as Mary manipulates the earl and spins her web of treachery and deceit to reclaim her Scottish throne, and to take over Queen Elizabeth's England.
This was a very enjoyable read, though with three narrators for the story (Mary, George, and Bess), often the same events were gone over three times, which slowed the story down at times. I think this story could have been a few chapters shorter without the reader feeling anything was missing from the story.
Bess was just as interesting to read about as Mary; she was a very successful businesswoman in her own right, which was very impressive as at that time, women had very few legal rights.
September 6, 2012
Gostei muito de ler este livro. Nunca tinha lido nada desta escritora e apreciei este romance histórico. Bem escrito, com personagens "reais" e emocionantes. Com capítulos curtos, optimos para alguém como eu que não tem muito tempo seguido para ler. Fiquei com vontade de ler mais livros desta autoria
October 5, 2014
Not Philippa Grefory's best book by far, but it was okay. The story of Mary Queen of Scotts, this one was told from the view point of three different people, and while the comparison between Mary and Bess was interesting, the book did seem very repetitive on many issues, and did drag a bit.
October 2, 2025
I do not remember much of The Other Queen. I think I loaned this from public library. Maybe I picked it up because I was a fan of Miss Gregory at that time.
3 stars
3 stars
June 3, 2008
The latest in Gregory's Tudor Court novels is about Mary, Queen of Scots. It sent me back to my Anne Somerset biography of Elizabeth I to look at certain details, and like most historical fiction, has prompted an interest in reading more actual history about the characters involved.
The book surprised me by being *very* focused on the Queen of Scots, with little of Elizabeth at all. It makes sense, but still surprised me. What also surprised me was the assumption that the average reader would be on Mary's side. (At least, that was the impression I got: I'll have to wait until a couple of other Gregory-fan friends read it and tell me whether they think I'm wrong on that). I know very little about Mary, Queen of Scots, and until now, haven't been all that interested in her. I do remember the scenes in the Sullivan Anne of Green Gables - the Sequel, where Kingsford Ladies College puts on a production of ?Schiller's play (must have been in translation), and Emmeline steps in at the last minute when Jen Pringle pulls out in a bid to ruin Anne - Emmeline has the line "I never believed that she murdered Darnely", which I remember, but never really paid much attention to beyond that. I think my mother has an Antonia Fraser book on her - which I might think about digging out and reading now. But there was a distinct (it seemed to me) assumption that Gregory in writing that "history will remember Mary rather than Elizabeth" actually thought that was what had happened, which for me at least, hasn't been the case.
I found myself really warming to Bess Hardwick - who Somerset refers to only once, as the Earl of Shrewsbury's "termagent wife", when discussing the claim to Elizabeth's throne of her granddaughter, Arbella Stuart (someone else who I'm now wanting to follow up books about). But in Gregory's fiction, she's fascinating. A while ago I saw the end of a National Trust documentary about Hardwick House, which Bess built after the time in which the majority of this book is set. But it does get a mention in the book (of which I was quite glad).
I know it seems like a back-handed compliment to say that the book is "better than I expected it to be", but it's true. I wasn't expecting to like it as much as I did. As long as Gregory hasn't changed her plans, her next three books are going to be about Queens in the time of the Wars of the Roses, and I'm really looking forward to those!
The book surprised me by being *very* focused on the Queen of Scots, with little of Elizabeth at all. It makes sense, but still surprised me. What also surprised me was the assumption that the average reader would be on Mary's side. (At least, that was the impression I got: I'll have to wait until a couple of other Gregory-fan friends read it and tell me whether they think I'm wrong on that). I know very little about Mary, Queen of Scots, and until now, haven't been all that interested in her. I do remember the scenes in the Sullivan Anne of Green Gables - the Sequel, where Kingsford Ladies College puts on a production of ?Schiller's play (must have been in translation), and Emmeline steps in at the last minute when Jen Pringle pulls out in a bid to ruin Anne - Emmeline has the line "I never believed that she murdered Darnely", which I remember, but never really paid much attention to beyond that. I think my mother has an Antonia Fraser book on her - which I might think about digging out and reading now. But there was a distinct (it seemed to me) assumption that Gregory in writing that "history will remember Mary rather than Elizabeth" actually thought that was what had happened, which for me at least, hasn't been the case.
I found myself really warming to Bess Hardwick - who Somerset refers to only once, as the Earl of Shrewsbury's "termagent wife", when discussing the claim to Elizabeth's throne of her granddaughter, Arbella Stuart (someone else who I'm now wanting to follow up books about). But in Gregory's fiction, she's fascinating. A while ago I saw the end of a National Trust documentary about Hardwick House, which Bess built after the time in which the majority of this book is set. But it does get a mention in the book (of which I was quite glad).
I know it seems like a back-handed compliment to say that the book is "better than I expected it to be", but it's true. I wasn't expecting to like it as much as I did. As long as Gregory hasn't changed her plans, her next three books are going to be about Queens in the time of the Wars of the Roses, and I'm really looking forward to those!
May 14, 2020
A surprisingly fun tale of Mary Queen of Scots.
My first Philippa Gregory book, and probably not my last.
My first Philippa Gregory book, and probably not my last.
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