What do you think?
Rate this book
The Queen's Mary: In the Shadows of Power...
Who would have thought it? That captivity could be liberty? That service could be freedom?
In 1548 four little girls, all called Mary, set sail from Scotland for France. Five years old, they are already primed for the work of their lifetime - to serve another little girl called Mary.
Mary, Queen of Scots.
Thirteen years later, the five return to an unwelcoming Scotland, and as Queen Mary struggles to take control of her turbulent country, her famous ‘Four Marys’ are at her side.
The queen finds herself set on the path of violence and disaster which will lead eventually to her tragic end. But what of the other four Marys, bound inexorably to their mistress’ fate?
Of the four, it is Mary Seton who serves the queen longest, and whose loyalty is most severely tested. Through a maze of shadows - of treachery and even witchcraft - how can she find her own way ahead?
Praise for The Queen’s Mary
“Sarah Gristwood breathes new life into the deeply tragic story of Mary Queen of Scots by telling it through the perspective of the invisible woman who sacrificed her life to serve her.” Elizabeth Freemantle, bestselling author of The Girl in the Glass Tower
After leaving Oxford, Sarah Gristwood began work as a journalist, appearing in most of the UK’s leading newspapers. Turning to history, she wrote bestselling biographies and works of fiction and nonfiction, predominantly focused on the sixteenth, seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. A regular media commentator on royal and historical affairs, Sarah was one of the team providing Radio 4’s live coverage of the royal wedding; and has since spoken on royal and historical stories from the royal babies to the reburial of Richard III for national television and radio. Shortlisted for both the Marsh Biography Award and the Ben Pimlott Prize for Political Writing, she is a Fellow of the RSA, and an Honorary Patron of Historic Royal Palaces.
In 1548 four little girls, all called Mary, set sail from Scotland for France. Five years old, they are already primed for the work of their lifetime - to serve another little girl called Mary.
Mary, Queen of Scots.
Thirteen years later, the five return to an unwelcoming Scotland, and as Queen Mary struggles to take control of her turbulent country, her famous ‘Four Marys’ are at her side.
The queen finds herself set on the path of violence and disaster which will lead eventually to her tragic end. But what of the other four Marys, bound inexorably to their mistress’ fate?
Of the four, it is Mary Seton who serves the queen longest, and whose loyalty is most severely tested. Through a maze of shadows - of treachery and even witchcraft - how can she find her own way ahead?
Praise for The Queen’s Mary
“Sarah Gristwood breathes new life into the deeply tragic story of Mary Queen of Scots by telling it through the perspective of the invisible woman who sacrificed her life to serve her.” Elizabeth Freemantle, bestselling author of The Girl in the Glass Tower
After leaving Oxford, Sarah Gristwood began work as a journalist, appearing in most of the UK’s leading newspapers. Turning to history, she wrote bestselling biographies and works of fiction and nonfiction, predominantly focused on the sixteenth, seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. A regular media commentator on royal and historical affairs, Sarah was one of the team providing Radio 4’s live coverage of the royal wedding; and has since spoken on royal and historical stories from the royal babies to the reburial of Richard III for national television and radio. Shortlisted for both the Marsh Biography Award and the Ben Pimlott Prize for Political Writing, she is a Fellow of the RSA, and an Honorary Patron of Historic Royal Palaces.
Hardcover
173 people are currently reading
330 people want to read
About the author
Sarah Gristwood
27 books376 followersSarah Gristwood attended Oxford and then worked as a journalist specializing in the arts and women's issues. She has contributed to The Times, Guardian, Independent, and Evening Standard.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 49 reviews
April 14, 2018
I thought this book was absolutely great, but then again, maybe I am a bit biased being a rabid history lover, and particularly fascinated with the story of Mary Queen of Scots. Although there happen to be numerous biographies and fictional versions of Queen Mary's life, this one is a bit different being told from the perspective of Mary Seton, one of the 4 girls chosen from early childhood to be Queen Mary's life-long companion. The 4 Mary's were basically chosen to sacrifice their own lives in service of the Queen, even not being able to marry if she did not deem it so, and the Queen would chose their husband for them. Mary Seton ended up being with the Queen the longest-- until the Queen's death. Only at the end did the Queen try to talk her into marriage for political purposes, but Ms. Seton refused because she was past her prime, and felt it would serve no real practical purpose. Ms. Seton lived the remainder of her life in a convent after the Queen's death, as she really had no other option. I thought the book was so sad to be ripped from one's family at 5 years old so that the future Queen would have playmates in a foreign country, and not to be able to see your family for 13 years; to been born to give up your life in service to another because that is your "duty" and have all one's freedoms stripped from them simply because they were deemed worthy because of the family they had been born into. I find that so tragic. If you love history, I think you will find this book compelling and unique, being told from a totally different perspective.
I received this book from the author in exchange of an honest review. Thank you!
I received this book from the author in exchange of an honest review. Thank you!
September 9, 2017
I’ve read a number of royal historical novels but this was my first one regarding Mary Queen of Scots. I liked the telling of Queen Mary’s early years and the lead up to her imprisonment by Elizabeth as told by one of her handmaidens. The distance between what happened and what the handmaiden knew is handled really well. As close as these servants were to the queen they won;t have been privvy to everything and you can pick that up in this book.
It’s based on research into real people as Mary really did have 4 handmaidens with the same (good job they all went by surnames) and there’s a lovely level of detail throughout the book. The pace is quite fast and the chapters fairly short (always a plus point with me) despite the years that it covered.
The end seemed a bit confusing with the detail in the letters that led to Queen Mary’s imprisonment. I had no idea they were most likely fake and as someone with not that much background in this part of history I felt that it didn’t explain it too well.
Overall an enjoyable book about a woman struggling to survive as Queen whilst the men around her look to use her for whatever power play they had at the time. Mary Seton, the narrator doesn’t seem to have much of a life beyond her duties and eventually retired to a convent As a consequence her own life story isn’t as vivid as the rest of the book but it doesn’t detract from the story.
I enjoyed this and would highly recommend
Thank you to Endeavour for the free ARC
It’s based on research into real people as Mary really did have 4 handmaidens with the same (good job they all went by surnames) and there’s a lovely level of detail throughout the book. The pace is quite fast and the chapters fairly short (always a plus point with me) despite the years that it covered.
The end seemed a bit confusing with the detail in the letters that led to Queen Mary’s imprisonment. I had no idea they were most likely fake and as someone with not that much background in this part of history I felt that it didn’t explain it too well.
Overall an enjoyable book about a woman struggling to survive as Queen whilst the men around her look to use her for whatever power play they had at the time. Mary Seton, the narrator doesn’t seem to have much of a life beyond her duties and eventually retired to a convent As a consequence her own life story isn’t as vivid as the rest of the book but it doesn’t detract from the story.
I enjoyed this and would highly recommend
Thank you to Endeavour for the free ARC
February 11, 2018
Fascinating view of Mary Stuart, Queen of Scots and her turbulent life!
Portrait of Mary Stuart, Queen of Scots, about the time of her marriage to the French heir, by François Clouet, 1558
The novel is a narrative of Mary Seton’s life. She was the Queen Mary's lady in waiting. As a child she was designated to serve the queen with three other Marys: Mary Beaton, Mary Fleming and Mary Livingstone. The author has done a tremendous job researching lives of all the Marys. It was interesting to follow the Queen Mary and her ladies from Scotland to France and then back to Scotland, where she tried to rule with fatal results.
I have already read two biographies of Queen Mary, by Maria Bogucka and by Stefan Zweig, so I know the events of Mary Stuart's life. In general I agree with Stefan Zweig's assessment of her. She was a women guided by passion with no deep political understanding of her country and its needs. Certainly, she was no great ruler! She was nothing like her cousin Elizabeth I, Queen of England, whose reign brought peace, power and prosperity. Still, her actions shaped the history as we know it. It is ironic that all her three marriages were disastrous in their own way. Maybe she should have been a virgin queen, not Elizabeth I. Her last choice of husband resulted in a civil war, her imprisonment, trial and forced abdication. Instead of thinking about her country and people, she followed her own narrow-minded interests. While reading "The Queen's Mary: In the Shadows of Power..." I was astonished at how selfish she seemed and how foolish! I wanted to shake her. There were people depending on her, believing in her, following her follies till their demise. She was no great judge of character, that’s for sure! She made horrendous errors in judgement. Countless times she mistook a foe for a friend and a friend for a foe. During her lifetime she was presented as a temptress, trollop, murderess and a sinner. Afterwards her life was shown in more positive light for political reasons. She became almost a saint, a martyr for Catholic faith. The novel shows historical events without judging them.
The narrator of the novel Mary Seton is deeply loyal to Queen Mary, her own family, faith and country. That’s her most dominant quality and it limits her understanding of what goes on around her. She observes lives of others without playing active part in the most interesting events. She believes that she lives to serve her queen. She doesn’t allow herself to feel, to love and to question motives of people surrounding her. It is interesting that the author has chosen Mary Seton to tell the story. Maybe it was because she hardly ever allows her opinions and feelings to influence her, so she stays neutral to what is happening? Anyway, the history she is narrating is compelling and beautifully detailed and nuanced. It is worth reading, especially if you are interested in the life of Mary, Queen of Scots.
“She fought hard to rule a country, but that was never the woman she was meant to be. A waste of talents, you might say. But a queen is more than a creature of politics. She is a creature of story.” – quote from “The Queen's Mary: In the Shadows of Power...”
Portrait of Mary Stuart Queen of Scots in captivity
I received "The Queen's Mary: In the Shadows of Power... " from the publisher via NetGalley. I would like to thank the author and the publisher for providing me with the advance reader copy of the book.
Portrait of Mary Stuart, Queen of Scots, about the time of her marriage to the French heir, by François Clouet, 1558
The novel is a narrative of Mary Seton’s life. She was the Queen Mary's lady in waiting. As a child she was designated to serve the queen with three other Marys: Mary Beaton, Mary Fleming and Mary Livingstone. The author has done a tremendous job researching lives of all the Marys. It was interesting to follow the Queen Mary and her ladies from Scotland to France and then back to Scotland, where she tried to rule with fatal results.
I have already read two biographies of Queen Mary, by Maria Bogucka and by Stefan Zweig, so I know the events of Mary Stuart's life. In general I agree with Stefan Zweig's assessment of her. She was a women guided by passion with no deep political understanding of her country and its needs. Certainly, she was no great ruler! She was nothing like her cousin Elizabeth I, Queen of England, whose reign brought peace, power and prosperity. Still, her actions shaped the history as we know it. It is ironic that all her three marriages were disastrous in their own way. Maybe she should have been a virgin queen, not Elizabeth I. Her last choice of husband resulted in a civil war, her imprisonment, trial and forced abdication. Instead of thinking about her country and people, she followed her own narrow-minded interests. While reading "The Queen's Mary: In the Shadows of Power..." I was astonished at how selfish she seemed and how foolish! I wanted to shake her. There were people depending on her, believing in her, following her follies till their demise. She was no great judge of character, that’s for sure! She made horrendous errors in judgement. Countless times she mistook a foe for a friend and a friend for a foe. During her lifetime she was presented as a temptress, trollop, murderess and a sinner. Afterwards her life was shown in more positive light for political reasons. She became almost a saint, a martyr for Catholic faith. The novel shows historical events without judging them.
The narrator of the novel Mary Seton is deeply loyal to Queen Mary, her own family, faith and country. That’s her most dominant quality and it limits her understanding of what goes on around her. She observes lives of others without playing active part in the most interesting events. She believes that she lives to serve her queen. She doesn’t allow herself to feel, to love and to question motives of people surrounding her. It is interesting that the author has chosen Mary Seton to tell the story. Maybe it was because she hardly ever allows her opinions and feelings to influence her, so she stays neutral to what is happening? Anyway, the history she is narrating is compelling and beautifully detailed and nuanced. It is worth reading, especially if you are interested in the life of Mary, Queen of Scots.
“She fought hard to rule a country, but that was never the woman she was meant to be. A waste of talents, you might say. But a queen is more than a creature of politics. She is a creature of story.” – quote from “The Queen's Mary: In the Shadows of Power...”
Portrait of Mary Stuart Queen of Scots in captivity
I received "The Queen's Mary: In the Shadows of Power... " from the publisher via NetGalley. I would like to thank the author and the publisher for providing me with the advance reader copy of the book.
December 1, 2017
“The Queen’s Mary: In the Shadows of Power …” by Sarah Gristwood
Sarah Gristwood together with Nicola Tallisis one of the resident historians on Alison Weir's Tudor themed historical tours.
I have previously read her excellent non-fiction history book Blood Sisters: The Women Behind The War Of The Roses which served as a brilliant non-fictional companion to Phillippa Gregory’s Cousins fictional Cousins War series of novels (some of which were televised as The White Queen).
Here Gristwood effectively writes a fictional companion to her own non-fictional work – Game of Queens: The Women Who Made Sixteenth-Century Europe where Mary Stuart comes across as an anomaly – the weakest of the royal women who made 16th Century Europe.
In this novel Gristwood, inspired (as is clear from the Historical Q&A Notes at the end of the book) by her own historical researches uses fiction to give a more sympathetic portrayal of Queen Mary Stuart, written from the key viewpoint of one of the four Mary’s (Livingstone, Fleming, Beaton, Seton) who served as her lady’s in waiting.
This is a book that will appeal to fans of Philippa Gregory – just like her writing it brings to life the period in which it was set, with a focus on women of influence in a still vastly male dominated society. Just like Gregory, Gristwood brings in witchcraft. Perhaps the biggest difference in approach is that whereas Gregory so often uses the first person, Gristwood uses the third person and even at times, switches away to other points of view.
This article gives a useful perspective.
http://tonyriches.blogspot.co.uk/2017...
My thanks to Endeavour Press for an ARC via NetGalley.
Sarah Gristwood together with Nicola Tallisis one of the resident historians on Alison Weir's Tudor themed historical tours.
I have previously read her excellent non-fiction history book Blood Sisters: The Women Behind The War Of The Roses which served as a brilliant non-fictional companion to Phillippa Gregory’s Cousins fictional Cousins War series of novels (some of which were televised as The White Queen).
Here Gristwood effectively writes a fictional companion to her own non-fictional work – Game of Queens: The Women Who Made Sixteenth-Century Europe where Mary Stuart comes across as an anomaly – the weakest of the royal women who made 16th Century Europe.
In this novel Gristwood, inspired (as is clear from the Historical Q&A Notes at the end of the book) by her own historical researches uses fiction to give a more sympathetic portrayal of Queen Mary Stuart, written from the key viewpoint of one of the four Mary’s (Livingstone, Fleming, Beaton, Seton) who served as her lady’s in waiting.
This is a book that will appeal to fans of Philippa Gregory – just like her writing it brings to life the period in which it was set, with a focus on women of influence in a still vastly male dominated society. Just like Gregory, Gristwood brings in witchcraft. Perhaps the biggest difference in approach is that whereas Gregory so often uses the first person, Gristwood uses the third person and even at times, switches away to other points of view.
This article gives a useful perspective.
http://tonyriches.blogspot.co.uk/2017...
My thanks to Endeavour Press for an ARC via NetGalley.
August 9, 2017
I have read several novels based on the life of Mary, Queen of Scots, and I must say that this is one of my favourite.
Although the story is told from Mary Seton's point of view, the Queen's life is both the background and the prime mover of the events.
Right from the start there is an atmosphere of mystery and intrigue, which of course is very typical of the age.
The novel begins with a short prologue: the Queen is five years old and she is going to France to escape the difficult situation in Scotland and eventually to marry the Dauphin. Her four Marys are going with her. The story is told from Mary Seton's point of view.
We are soon back in Scotland, which is seen as a strange wild land compared to refined France. It is a land that both repels and attracts Seton, a cold and dark land as opposed to sunny France. Slowly she comes to appreciate Scotland, even though she does not understand it fully (the relationship between religion and witchcraft, for example, which is only hinted at but pervades key scenes in the narrative). There are also premonitions such as when Lord Huntly's execution foreshadows the Queen's destiny. The Queen seems to have something of both lands in her – and she appears impenetrable and impossible to understand (she is brave and radiant but also at times melancholy).
The bond between the Queen and her four Marys is first depicted through Maitland's eyes: he is the one that seems to have a fair knowledge of the world and Scotland in particular, and he compares the four Marys to the four elements – Seton is water. This bond the four Marys have with the Queen deprives them of their freedom, they are tied to her as a woman to a husband. Seton feels often alone and abandoned, she does not know who she can trust. I love the way in which the relationship between the Queen and Seton is built up: Seton is close to Queen Mary but she is not her confidante; she understands much of the Queen's feelings but the Queen does not confide in her – nor in any of the four Marys. This underlines the loneliness of the Queen. The sentence that best represents the bond between Seton and the Queen stems from the image Seton has of herself: “I have no other loyalty. I am hemmed in as surely as if someone had sewn me to the fabric of the Queen's destiny”.
Again, it is Maitland who seems to understand Queen Mary's role and character better than anyone, when he says “For princes honesty isn't always a virtue”, and “Princes go out on stage to play a role”. He is the one who understands how the court works.
The novel is well-written, the characters are well-depicted (though some just hinted at) and the atmosphere is definitely fascinating and suggestive. It makes me think of an Impressionist painting, where few strokes build up the picture and make it vivid and memorable.
Although the story is told from Mary Seton's point of view, the Queen's life is both the background and the prime mover of the events.
Right from the start there is an atmosphere of mystery and intrigue, which of course is very typical of the age.
The novel begins with a short prologue: the Queen is five years old and she is going to France to escape the difficult situation in Scotland and eventually to marry the Dauphin. Her four Marys are going with her. The story is told from Mary Seton's point of view.
We are soon back in Scotland, which is seen as a strange wild land compared to refined France. It is a land that both repels and attracts Seton, a cold and dark land as opposed to sunny France. Slowly she comes to appreciate Scotland, even though she does not understand it fully (the relationship between religion and witchcraft, for example, which is only hinted at but pervades key scenes in the narrative). There are also premonitions such as when Lord Huntly's execution foreshadows the Queen's destiny. The Queen seems to have something of both lands in her – and she appears impenetrable and impossible to understand (she is brave and radiant but also at times melancholy).
The bond between the Queen and her four Marys is first depicted through Maitland's eyes: he is the one that seems to have a fair knowledge of the world and Scotland in particular, and he compares the four Marys to the four elements – Seton is water. This bond the four Marys have with the Queen deprives them of their freedom, they are tied to her as a woman to a husband. Seton feels often alone and abandoned, she does not know who she can trust. I love the way in which the relationship between the Queen and Seton is built up: Seton is close to Queen Mary but she is not her confidante; she understands much of the Queen's feelings but the Queen does not confide in her – nor in any of the four Marys. This underlines the loneliness of the Queen. The sentence that best represents the bond between Seton and the Queen stems from the image Seton has of herself: “I have no other loyalty. I am hemmed in as surely as if someone had sewn me to the fabric of the Queen's destiny”.
Again, it is Maitland who seems to understand Queen Mary's role and character better than anyone, when he says “For princes honesty isn't always a virtue”, and “Princes go out on stage to play a role”. He is the one who understands how the court works.
The novel is well-written, the characters are well-depicted (though some just hinted at) and the atmosphere is definitely fascinating and suggestive. It makes me think of an Impressionist painting, where few strokes build up the picture and make it vivid and memorable.
September 16, 2022
I was given an electronic edition of this book in return for an honest review.
It is the fashion nowadays for historians to write both historical biography and historical fiction. Their learning and research puts them in an enviable position when it comes to filling a novel with contemporary details and atmosphere. Sarah Gristwood, more well known for her 2005 biography of Arbella Stuart (Arbella: England's Lost Queen), here tackles the story of not just Mary, Queen of Scots, but the more shadowy life of her lady-in-waiting, Mary Seton, one of four ladies who accompanied her to France as children and back as adults to the tumultuous politics of Scotland.
The main character, Mary Seton, watches events unfold around her. We see the queen primarily through her eyes. Mary is devoted to her queen, but Gristwood weighs the queen's actions with the eye of an historian, presenting her through Seton's eyes as mercurial and affectionate, but too inclined to subject herself to a man when in love. Seton remained unmarried and her watchful eye is ultimately saddened by the cost of her loyalty to the queen.
Gristwood allows us into the life of a woman who was present for the most important events of the period of Mary's time in Scotland, but Seton is not merely an observer of history. Gristwood imbues her with human flaws, jealousies, and anger to counterbalance her outward carefulness and devotion. Ultimately she learns we cannot help those we love, that they make their own path.
The novel enriches our vision of shadowy but important supporting characters in the life of Mary, Queen of Scots. Who were the women who followed her throughout her troubled reign? How much did they understand of Mary's actions? How much do we understand of anyone's actions? Mary Seton's self-restraint is the polar opposite of Mary Stuart's passionate excesses, yet even she is unable to aid her mistress in her headlong careening toward self-destruction.
If the book has a weakness, it lies in its tendency to compress events. It feels too rushed at times, as though Gristwood is aware of how much ground she must cover. The novel would be much better if it were much longer and lingered over events with even more detail. Perhaps Gristwood desires to leave the reader with a sense of the speed of events, but Mary Seton is such an interesting character that it would be a pleasure to spend more time with her. The brevity of the novel leaves the reader feeling slightly distanced from characters like Mary, Bothwell, and Darnley, and this is compounded by the fact that the novel is presented from the point of view of an observer. Skipping over the years of Mary's imprisonment and discussing it only in brief retrospect, I think, misses an opportunity to examine Mary's actions in a second environment and situation, and to further explore Mary Seton's relationship with her mistress.
That said, the story of Mary, Queen of Scots, is always a compelling one and Gristwood invests the story with a thoughtful, melancholy atmosphere. Mary Seton has had her life given over to the queen's service as a child and suppresses her own desires and agency in her loyalty to her queen. The complexity of her sense of self and her love for Mary makes the novel increasingly interesting as Mary Seton's view of her queen becomes clearer and clearer. It is not often one wishes a book were longer, but here Gristwood has a compelling main character, a powerful tale, and too much material to work with -- this could happily have been two books!
It is the fashion nowadays for historians to write both historical biography and historical fiction. Their learning and research puts them in an enviable position when it comes to filling a novel with contemporary details and atmosphere. Sarah Gristwood, more well known for her 2005 biography of Arbella Stuart (Arbella: England's Lost Queen), here tackles the story of not just Mary, Queen of Scots, but the more shadowy life of her lady-in-waiting, Mary Seton, one of four ladies who accompanied her to France as children and back as adults to the tumultuous politics of Scotland.
The main character, Mary Seton, watches events unfold around her. We see the queen primarily through her eyes. Mary is devoted to her queen, but Gristwood weighs the queen's actions with the eye of an historian, presenting her through Seton's eyes as mercurial and affectionate, but too inclined to subject herself to a man when in love. Seton remained unmarried and her watchful eye is ultimately saddened by the cost of her loyalty to the queen.
Gristwood allows us into the life of a woman who was present for the most important events of the period of Mary's time in Scotland, but Seton is not merely an observer of history. Gristwood imbues her with human flaws, jealousies, and anger to counterbalance her outward carefulness and devotion. Ultimately she learns we cannot help those we love, that they make their own path.
The novel enriches our vision of shadowy but important supporting characters in the life of Mary, Queen of Scots. Who were the women who followed her throughout her troubled reign? How much did they understand of Mary's actions? How much do we understand of anyone's actions? Mary Seton's self-restraint is the polar opposite of Mary Stuart's passionate excesses, yet even she is unable to aid her mistress in her headlong careening toward self-destruction.
If the book has a weakness, it lies in its tendency to compress events. It feels too rushed at times, as though Gristwood is aware of how much ground she must cover. The novel would be much better if it were much longer and lingered over events with even more detail. Perhaps Gristwood desires to leave the reader with a sense of the speed of events, but Mary Seton is such an interesting character that it would be a pleasure to spend more time with her. The brevity of the novel leaves the reader feeling slightly distanced from characters like Mary, Bothwell, and Darnley, and this is compounded by the fact that the novel is presented from the point of view of an observer. Skipping over the years of Mary's imprisonment and discussing it only in brief retrospect, I think, misses an opportunity to examine Mary's actions in a second environment and situation, and to further explore Mary Seton's relationship with her mistress.
That said, the story of Mary, Queen of Scots, is always a compelling one and Gristwood invests the story with a thoughtful, melancholy atmosphere. Mary Seton has had her life given over to the queen's service as a child and suppresses her own desires and agency in her loyalty to her queen. The complexity of her sense of self and her love for Mary makes the novel increasingly interesting as Mary Seton's view of her queen becomes clearer and clearer. It is not often one wishes a book were longer, but here Gristwood has a compelling main character, a powerful tale, and too much material to work with -- this could happily have been two books!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 9, 2017
Once again I venture into what is a mostly unknown time and subject to me, but that is what I love about English history; there's just so much of it that I doubt I'll ever be bored by it. This is a story about the Scottish Queen Mary but it is told through the eyes of one of her ladies in waiting, Mary Seton. The fate and fortunes of those of noble birth is always fascinating and in the case of this particular Queen, fatal. The author kept me on my toes throughout the story as the various intrigues of the Queen; a woman who appears to be out of her depth; especially so when the men she marries turn out to be at cross purposes with the Scottish nobility. It is also a tale that is filled with the intricacies of court life; of the lives of those who were born and raised to serve the Queen's Majesty. In Mary Seton, the last of the four Mary's to still serve the Queen, we find a woman in constant turmoil as to her loyalties and a desire to be free of the demands of her position. The narrative flows at a nice pace as we follow the Queen and her Marys down the path to the inevitable clash with Elizabeth Tudor, Queen of England. 4 stars
January 8, 2018
History - Mary Queen of Scots and a new aspect of her tumultuous history. She had four ladies in waiting all called Mary. It was almost like joining a nunnery because they had to dedicate their lives and they all did to the wishes, beliefs and life of Queen Mary.
1548 and five little girls are taken from their homes in Scotland for training in France all to serve another Mary. With only vague recollections of their Scottish roots they train in France till one day a decade later they are called back to serve in their homeland. The upheaval, the uprooting, the difficulty of adapting to a new, different, harsher way of life which will show reality in all its ugliness now awaits them. Their loyalties will be tested and for Mary Seaton especially the times are going to be hard.
How she has to chart a future for herself as well without endangering in any way the views and life of the Queen are going to be a challenge for Seton. She serves the longest and she knows the Queen or thinks she knows her the best. But does she?
This aspect of Mary Queen of Scots was from a more personal side of history - her life the way it started, how she was maneuvered into not just one marriage, coerced into another and how keeping up with the formidable Elizabeth on the other side was not going to be a life of much ease. Told from the personal aspect of the women who served her, this was an uncommonly good read.
1548 and five little girls are taken from their homes in Scotland for training in France all to serve another Mary. With only vague recollections of their Scottish roots they train in France till one day a decade later they are called back to serve in their homeland. The upheaval, the uprooting, the difficulty of adapting to a new, different, harsher way of life which will show reality in all its ugliness now awaits them. Their loyalties will be tested and for Mary Seaton especially the times are going to be hard.
How she has to chart a future for herself as well without endangering in any way the views and life of the Queen are going to be a challenge for Seton. She serves the longest and she knows the Queen or thinks she knows her the best. But does she?
This aspect of Mary Queen of Scots was from a more personal side of history - her life the way it started, how she was maneuvered into not just one marriage, coerced into another and how keeping up with the formidable Elizabeth on the other side was not going to be a life of much ease. Told from the personal aspect of the women who served her, this was an uncommonly good read.
August 9, 2017
Three point five stars.
The Queen’s Mary is a historical novel about the life of Mary Queen of Scots told from the point of view of one of her close companions. Mary Seton was one of four Marys who served the queen, first as a childhood companion and later as a lady-in-waiting.
The girls joined Queen Mary just before she was sent to France by her mother. The four Marys spent time in a convent while Queen Mary was brought up in the royal nursery. Later they re-joined the queen at court.
Seton outlived Queen Mary by a quarter of a century, ending her days back in France. This story is told from several different points in her life, often using flashbacks from her memory.
The idea of using a minor figure to work a new spin on a well-documented historical figure is always an unusual and colourful idea. In this book, the author uses a range of styles to tell the story, interspersing them with known facts. However, I felt, at times, that the reader was asked to accept details that a serving lady may not have had access to, or known about at the time. Using Seton’s memories as triggers for particular events worked well, but sometimes the to-ing and fro-ing left me confused about which time zone we were in. The other aspect that worked less well was that the author chose a modern language style for much of the dialogue, adding gossip and asides to show Seton’s point of view, which seemed out of context and unconvincing alongside the era of the story.
Overall an interesting take on a famous queen, let down by the incongruous dialogue; this made it a 'just okay' read, for me.
The Queen’s Mary is a historical novel about the life of Mary Queen of Scots told from the point of view of one of her close companions. Mary Seton was one of four Marys who served the queen, first as a childhood companion and later as a lady-in-waiting.
The girls joined Queen Mary just before she was sent to France by her mother. The four Marys spent time in a convent while Queen Mary was brought up in the royal nursery. Later they re-joined the queen at court.
Seton outlived Queen Mary by a quarter of a century, ending her days back in France. This story is told from several different points in her life, often using flashbacks from her memory.
The idea of using a minor figure to work a new spin on a well-documented historical figure is always an unusual and colourful idea. In this book, the author uses a range of styles to tell the story, interspersing them with known facts. However, I felt, at times, that the reader was asked to accept details that a serving lady may not have had access to, or known about at the time. Using Seton’s memories as triggers for particular events worked well, but sometimes the to-ing and fro-ing left me confused about which time zone we were in. The other aspect that worked less well was that the author chose a modern language style for much of the dialogue, adding gossip and asides to show Seton’s point of view, which seemed out of context and unconvincing alongside the era of the story.
Overall an interesting take on a famous queen, let down by the incongruous dialogue; this made it a 'just okay' read, for me.
November 27, 2017
This was very interesting. It's the first book I've read that features Mary, Queen of Scots as a central character. I thoroughly enjoyed it. I'm going to read more of Sarah Gristwood's books in the future.
January 30, 2019
This book really wasn't as good as I thought it would be. I know we don't know much about the four Marys but this didn't clarify anything and only talked about the Queen. Honestlty I would have prefered a romanced story with more made-up but realistic facts.
April 8, 2019
I really enjoyed this book, and learnt alot from a part of the Tudor history that I had forgotten about.
August 13, 2017
I received this book from the publisher to read and review. I think that the story was a good one. Even though I've read plenty of books in this genre and set at this time in history, I knew very little about the women surrounding Queen Mary of Scots. At times, the writing was a bit dense and the sentences were a bit difficult to understand without a second reading. However, I found the book on the whole a good spirited read with memorable characters. I would read other books by this author.
July 30, 2017
Received a free copy of this book from the publisher, although I enjoyed reading it there are a few things I was disappointed with. I did like the focus on the events that led up to Queen Mary of Scot's being forced to abdicate and I like the fact that Mary Seton saw some of the signs that let to Queen Mary's downfall but I do wish we got to really know who Mary Seton is as a person. I felt the novel focused way too much on Queen Mary and not enough on Mary Seton's life. I also wish there was more focus on their lives in France.
September 12, 2017
This novel is a historical fiction account of the life and times of Mary, Queen of Scots, and her four ladies, all also named Mary. The book especially focuses on Mary Seton, who loyally served Queen Mary until the very end.
The book starts with the four five-year-old Marys, when as children they played together, and learned to serve their very young queen. It then follows their lives chronologically, through Seton's eyes, as they bloom into young women. The queen's court is not represented as the glamorous place you may picture, nor is the queen shown as a lady living a carefree life of luxury. Quite the opposite. She went through one trouble after the other, a marriage that failed but that she could not give up, her husband's murder and the blame cast on her, a court divided between Protestants and Catholics, a new marriage that had the appearance of being forced, a pending war... things were far from running smoothly. And Seton was there through it all, even when her friends had left, and her loyalties were put to the ultimate test.
The book was, in my opinion, well written. It also seemed to be rather historically accurate in most areas. It was the kind of book that swept the reader along into another time, another place, another world. To assist in this complete immersion, the author mentions the sights, sounds, and smells of a bygone time: the herb-strewn floors, the horse riding, the fancy social affairs, the fantasy-like food that was served at those affairs, the clothing worn, even the charcoal and the rose petal salve that the ladies used as make-up. I found it a quite enjoyable read. However, the book seemed to dwell on the witchcraft and sorcery common to that time period a little more than I thought necessary. Some people may not appreciate that aspect of the book. But since this is only a personal preference, it will not affect my overall rating of it, which is four stars. ****
The book starts with the four five-year-old Marys, when as children they played together, and learned to serve their very young queen. It then follows their lives chronologically, through Seton's eyes, as they bloom into young women. The queen's court is not represented as the glamorous place you may picture, nor is the queen shown as a lady living a carefree life of luxury. Quite the opposite. She went through one trouble after the other, a marriage that failed but that she could not give up, her husband's murder and the blame cast on her, a court divided between Protestants and Catholics, a new marriage that had the appearance of being forced, a pending war... things were far from running smoothly. And Seton was there through it all, even when her friends had left, and her loyalties were put to the ultimate test.
The book was, in my opinion, well written. It also seemed to be rather historically accurate in most areas. It was the kind of book that swept the reader along into another time, another place, another world. To assist in this complete immersion, the author mentions the sights, sounds, and smells of a bygone time: the herb-strewn floors, the horse riding, the fancy social affairs, the fantasy-like food that was served at those affairs, the clothing worn, even the charcoal and the rose petal salve that the ladies used as make-up. I found it a quite enjoyable read. However, the book seemed to dwell on the witchcraft and sorcery common to that time period a little more than I thought necessary. Some people may not appreciate that aspect of the book. But since this is only a personal preference, it will not affect my overall rating of it, which is four stars. ****
December 4, 2017
I really liked this book which surprised me as I have never heard of this author before. I did not know there were four Marys and I do love my Tudor history. Very well written and shows another side to Mary Queen of Scots.
March 29, 2018
The Queen’s Mary: In the Shadows of Power by Sarah Gristwood
Source: Netgalley
My Rating: 3½/5 stars
I’ve said it before and I’m saying it again, historical fiction isn’t an easy genre! Bringing history to life while staying true to the historical documents and evidence is a monumental task and not every author is up to the task.
The Queen’s Mary is my first Sarah Gristwood read and I found myself somewhat on the fence with this one. The opening is quite good with five Marys, the Queen of Scots and her four attendants, as children making their way toward France from their respective homes in Scotland. There is something quite endearing and sad about these opening scenes as Queen Mary, clearly bred to her position and destiny holds sway over the other girls. The four attendant Marys understand, even at this early age, their place, for the rest of their respective lives is with the Queen, making her life as comfortable as possible. At such an early age, each of the girls understands, at least on some level, her life is no longer her own and she will serve as it pleases Queen Mary.
Fast forward thirteen years . . . . .
With more than a decade of education behind them and a stint in the French court, the five Marys find themselves on their way back to Scotland. Queen Mary expects a warm welcome, but what she gets is a country sorely divided over religion, a half-brother more than willing to assume her role, a collection of noblemen looking to manage her, and a country of people who are wary of their French-educated, widowed Queen. Settling back into life in Scotland, a country none of the women have seen in 13 years, isn’t going to be easy and if the Queen expects to rule her country, she’s going to need all the support she can muster.
Gristwood’s account of the next six years is filled with court intrigue, personal dramas, and political and religious upheavals. While the Queen must be at the heart of every minute, it is her ladies who tell the story, who recount the moments and the drama. In particular, it is Mary Seton, the one among the Marys who stays with Queen through the bitter end whose accounting of events we read. While Mary Seton never expresses her opinions and/or fears publicly, she records for the reader, the doubts, the troubles, the moments of happiness, the uncertainty, the trials and tribulations of a troubled life, Queen, and reign. While Seton always remains loyal to Queen Mary, she admirably conveys to the reader the constant tension and uncertainty that most certainly fueled every moment of the six years in Scotland.
The Bottom Line: In all, I liked this read, but I wasn’t blown away. If you take the time to read the author’s notes following the conclusion of the read, you discover how little, historically speaking, the author had to work with where the four Marys are concerned. Most of the documentation and evidence deal exclusively with the Queen which means much had to be assumed on the part of the author where the other Marys are concerned. I believe the author worked hard to stay as historically accurate as possible which is why the parts she had to assume (educated guess!) aren’t terribly exciting. In fact, it is the not terribly exciting moments which have me on the fence with this book. The middle of the book has many, many moments which drag by rather than being enlivened by the artist’s imagination. I made it through the Queen’s Mary, liked it, and am willing to give the author another shot since I sincerely believe her creativity was hampered by so little historical information. Sarah Gristwood is absolutely up to the historical fiction challenge and I will absolutely be diving into another of her offerings in the very near future.
Source: Netgalley
My Rating: 3½/5 stars
I’ve said it before and I’m saying it again, historical fiction isn’t an easy genre! Bringing history to life while staying true to the historical documents and evidence is a monumental task and not every author is up to the task.
The Queen’s Mary is my first Sarah Gristwood read and I found myself somewhat on the fence with this one. The opening is quite good with five Marys, the Queen of Scots and her four attendants, as children making their way toward France from their respective homes in Scotland. There is something quite endearing and sad about these opening scenes as Queen Mary, clearly bred to her position and destiny holds sway over the other girls. The four attendant Marys understand, even at this early age, their place, for the rest of their respective lives is with the Queen, making her life as comfortable as possible. At such an early age, each of the girls understands, at least on some level, her life is no longer her own and she will serve as it pleases Queen Mary.
Fast forward thirteen years . . . . .
With more than a decade of education behind them and a stint in the French court, the five Marys find themselves on their way back to Scotland. Queen Mary expects a warm welcome, but what she gets is a country sorely divided over religion, a half-brother more than willing to assume her role, a collection of noblemen looking to manage her, and a country of people who are wary of their French-educated, widowed Queen. Settling back into life in Scotland, a country none of the women have seen in 13 years, isn’t going to be easy and if the Queen expects to rule her country, she’s going to need all the support she can muster.
Gristwood’s account of the next six years is filled with court intrigue, personal dramas, and political and religious upheavals. While the Queen must be at the heart of every minute, it is her ladies who tell the story, who recount the moments and the drama. In particular, it is Mary Seton, the one among the Marys who stays with Queen through the bitter end whose accounting of events we read. While Mary Seton never expresses her opinions and/or fears publicly, she records for the reader, the doubts, the troubles, the moments of happiness, the uncertainty, the trials and tribulations of a troubled life, Queen, and reign. While Seton always remains loyal to Queen Mary, she admirably conveys to the reader the constant tension and uncertainty that most certainly fueled every moment of the six years in Scotland.
The Bottom Line: In all, I liked this read, but I wasn’t blown away. If you take the time to read the author’s notes following the conclusion of the read, you discover how little, historically speaking, the author had to work with where the four Marys are concerned. Most of the documentation and evidence deal exclusively with the Queen which means much had to be assumed on the part of the author where the other Marys are concerned. I believe the author worked hard to stay as historically accurate as possible which is why the parts she had to assume (educated guess!) aren’t terribly exciting. In fact, it is the not terribly exciting moments which have me on the fence with this book. The middle of the book has many, many moments which drag by rather than being enlivened by the artist’s imagination. I made it through the Queen’s Mary, liked it, and am willing to give the author another shot since I sincerely believe her creativity was hampered by so little historical information. Sarah Gristwood is absolutely up to the historical fiction challenge and I will absolutely be diving into another of her offerings in the very near future.
August 21, 2017
Seldom are there books written from the point of view a minor historical character that manage to captivate my attention as this one did. It is engaging, from start to finish, and a great illustration of the period seen through the lens of one of Mary, Queen of Scots’ trusted ladies.
Sarah Gristwood is best known for her non-fiction, primarily her biographies focusing on the lives of European queens from the late medieval to the early modern period. This is no different, except that it is fiction and yet, it feels s if you are reading one of her biographies because she is very detailed when it comes to fashion, the type of garments that nobles, based on their status, bloodline, etc, would have used, and the foods they could afford, and other excess.
There is a part towards the end where it was harrowing to read, which I won’t spoil but those who already read this, probably know what I am talking about, and it is a testament to her talent about being able to put herself in her characters’ shoes, historical ones no doubt! And give them a voice that doesn’t feel out of place with the rest of the events.
Scotland in the sixteenth century was for lack of a better word, a mess. And this novel doesn’t shy away from showing the negative from every religious side, including its most prominent members who only cared about their self-interest.
Click here to see the rest of my review: https://tudorsandotherhistories.wordp...
Sarah Gristwood is best known for her non-fiction, primarily her biographies focusing on the lives of European queens from the late medieval to the early modern period. This is no different, except that it is fiction and yet, it feels s if you are reading one of her biographies because she is very detailed when it comes to fashion, the type of garments that nobles, based on their status, bloodline, etc, would have used, and the foods they could afford, and other excess.
There is a part towards the end where it was harrowing to read, which I won’t spoil but those who already read this, probably know what I am talking about, and it is a testament to her talent about being able to put herself in her characters’ shoes, historical ones no doubt! And give them a voice that doesn’t feel out of place with the rest of the events.
Scotland in the sixteenth century was for lack of a better word, a mess. And this novel doesn’t shy away from showing the negative from every religious side, including its most prominent members who only cared about their self-interest.
Click here to see the rest of my review: https://tudorsandotherhistories.wordp...
September 25, 2017
Having read most history books on the fascinating subject of the life of Mary Queen of Scots, including Antonia Fraser's brilliant book, I was keen to read this.
I thought writing from a lady in waiting's viewpoint on her life would be a good one and to a point it was. I did feel that somehow the story wasn't fluid and a bit disjointed with some important details left out. I also felt there were gaps in the story where you were left to guess why Seton, whose viewpoint it is, was experiencing certain emotions at certain times. There wasn't a clear explanation and the author seemed to assume that you either already knew the story or would use your imagination. The book seemed to bypass a great deal of important history, not least the Queen's captivity in England, which I felt would have been very interesting to read of from Seton's stance. To bypass 15 years and leap to the end of Seton's life in a French convent seemed too large a gap to try and fill with imagination.
Overall I think it is a good read and will keep you interested enough whereby you want to finish it, but if you are looking for a beginning to end account of Mary Seton's life with Queen Mary from all of the history known to us, you may be a little disappointed. Very good writing in some parts but let down in others..
I thought writing from a lady in waiting's viewpoint on her life would be a good one and to a point it was. I did feel that somehow the story wasn't fluid and a bit disjointed with some important details left out. I also felt there were gaps in the story where you were left to guess why Seton, whose viewpoint it is, was experiencing certain emotions at certain times. There wasn't a clear explanation and the author seemed to assume that you either already knew the story or would use your imagination. The book seemed to bypass a great deal of important history, not least the Queen's captivity in England, which I felt would have been very interesting to read of from Seton's stance. To bypass 15 years and leap to the end of Seton's life in a French convent seemed too large a gap to try and fill with imagination.
Overall I think it is a good read and will keep you interested enough whereby you want to finish it, but if you are looking for a beginning to end account of Mary Seton's life with Queen Mary from all of the history known to us, you may be a little disappointed. Very good writing in some parts but let down in others..
January 13, 2018
I am voluntarily submitting my honest review after receiving an ARC of this ebook from NetGalley.
This book offers a unique perspective on the much covered topic of Mary Queen of Scots by telling the story of her reign in Scotland through the eyes of one of her ladies-in-waiting, Mary Seton. By using Seton as the window into the events of those turbulent years, the author offers a more dispassionate view of events than seen through the conventional approach of telling the story through the queen herself, and Seton allows us to be privy to the rumors swirling around the court, as well as the mood and feelings of the courtiers as events sweep Scotland and her people along. While it is highly unlikely the queen would ever hear directly and precisely what was being said about her at any given time both within the court and amongst the populace, and she certainly would have no idea of any potential plots being hatched Seton wouldn't necessarily be so shielded. Overall, this was an enjoyable, but unsettling read. The desperate sense of loneliness and martyrdom to family duty faced by both monarch and lady-in-waiting alike shines through in the most heartbreaking, but oddly uplifting devotion Seton shows Queen Mary throughout her entire life. The Queen's Mary offers a front row seat to one of history's most dramatic, crazy and ultimately tragic reigns.
This book offers a unique perspective on the much covered topic of Mary Queen of Scots by telling the story of her reign in Scotland through the eyes of one of her ladies-in-waiting, Mary Seton. By using Seton as the window into the events of those turbulent years, the author offers a more dispassionate view of events than seen through the conventional approach of telling the story through the queen herself, and Seton allows us to be privy to the rumors swirling around the court, as well as the mood and feelings of the courtiers as events sweep Scotland and her people along. While it is highly unlikely the queen would ever hear directly and precisely what was being said about her at any given time both within the court and amongst the populace, and she certainly would have no idea of any potential plots being hatched Seton wouldn't necessarily be so shielded. Overall, this was an enjoyable, but unsettling read. The desperate sense of loneliness and martyrdom to family duty faced by both monarch and lady-in-waiting alike shines through in the most heartbreaking, but oddly uplifting devotion Seton shows Queen Mary throughout her entire life. The Queen's Mary offers a front row seat to one of history's most dramatic, crazy and ultimately tragic reigns.
February 18, 2018
Having read many historical novels, and quite a few of them about Mary Queen of Scots, I was looking forward to the promise of this book - i.e. exploring Scotland's Queen Mary through the eyes of her four ladies, all also named Mary. But this book was a disappointment.
First, it's really not about all four Marys. It's really about one of them, Mary Seton and her perspectives on the other Marys. Not one of the Marys, including the Queen, is fully fleshed out. And as a result, I never could bring myself to care about any of them.
Instead, the book felt less like a coherent story and more like an almost random series of chronological snapshots -- bits and pieces of conversations and a whole lot of silent imagining and processing that take place only in Mary Seton's brain. So it becomes really a second hand story. Even the drama surrounding Mary Queen of Scots herself winds up feeling remote. Was the Queen aware of plans to kill Darnley? Was she Bothwell's lover before Darnley was murdered? Were her letters to Bothwell real or forged? There are lots of questions raised but no certain answers. Just endless speculation.
I was determined to finish but it became a bit of a chore to stay with this narrative. There are many more enjoyable historical novels that tackle Mary Queen of Scots more successfully.
First, it's really not about all four Marys. It's really about one of them, Mary Seton and her perspectives on the other Marys. Not one of the Marys, including the Queen, is fully fleshed out. And as a result, I never could bring myself to care about any of them.
Instead, the book felt less like a coherent story and more like an almost random series of chronological snapshots -- bits and pieces of conversations and a whole lot of silent imagining and processing that take place only in Mary Seton's brain. So it becomes really a second hand story. Even the drama surrounding Mary Queen of Scots herself winds up feeling remote. Was the Queen aware of plans to kill Darnley? Was she Bothwell's lover before Darnley was murdered? Were her letters to Bothwell real or forged? There are lots of questions raised but no certain answers. Just endless speculation.
I was determined to finish but it became a bit of a chore to stay with this narrative. There are many more enjoyable historical novels that tackle Mary Queen of Scots more successfully.
December 30, 2024
The Queen's Marys - the four young Scottish ladies who accompanied Mary, Queen of Scots to France as children to be her companions and returned with her to Scotland after being widowed. They should be at the center of Mary's story, her closest companions and longest serving ladies. Instead, we know almost nothing about them beyond the barest facts.
In these gaps, Gristwood combines known facts with thoughtful fiction to recreate the return to Scotland, focused on Mary Seton. We know Seton never married, served Mary before and after her abdication and imprisonment, and finished her life back in France at a convent. Beyond that, Gristwood is free to imagine the rest - the interior world of a woman on the edges of the center of great events.
Melancholy and introspective, The Queen's Mary gives Seton a voice as she reckons with this new world they've been returned to and the path Queen Mary puts them on. Knowing how the story ends adds to the ominous tone as Seton grapples with the changes from their life in France and tries to find what that means for herself. In many ways, this book felt to me like a prequel to Flora Carr's The Tower, which focuses on the imprisonment on Loch Leven and shares much of the same melancholy tone. Together they expand on Mary Seton and her fellow Marys and the impossible situation they found themselves in.
In these gaps, Gristwood combines known facts with thoughtful fiction to recreate the return to Scotland, focused on Mary Seton. We know Seton never married, served Mary before and after her abdication and imprisonment, and finished her life back in France at a convent. Beyond that, Gristwood is free to imagine the rest - the interior world of a woman on the edges of the center of great events.
Melancholy and introspective, The Queen's Mary gives Seton a voice as she reckons with this new world they've been returned to and the path Queen Mary puts them on. Knowing how the story ends adds to the ominous tone as Seton grapples with the changes from their life in France and tries to find what that means for herself. In many ways, this book felt to me like a prequel to Flora Carr's The Tower, which focuses on the imprisonment on Loch Leven and shares much of the same melancholy tone. Together they expand on Mary Seton and her fellow Marys and the impossible situation they found themselves in.
July 8, 2025
Review: The Queen’s Mary: In the Shadows of Power by Sarah Gristwood
⭐️⭐️⭐️ (3/5)
As an avid reader of this era of history, I was immediately intrigued by The Queen’s Mary and the fresh perspective Gristwood promised. The book began on a high note—immersive, carefully detailed, and enriched with evocative language that transported me to the time. I even learned quite a few new period words, which added to the experience.
However, as the narrative moved into the middle and toward the end, it gradually lost its structural cohesion. It wasn’t quite a journal, yet didn’t fully settle into another credible form, and the conclusion felt like a loosely connected collection of scenes rather than a focused wrap-up. Despite this, the unique vantage point on Mary, Queen of Scots remained compelling.
I found myself particularly drawn to Gristwood’s historical notes and epilogue—they were polished, insightful, and arguably better written than much of the second half of the novel. That makes me think I’d enjoy more of her nonfiction work even more than this fictionalized account.
All in all, The Queen’s Mary offers an intriguing and atmospheric read—especially for fans of the period—with a richly textured setting and authentic language, even if the latter half feels a bit uneven.
⭐️⭐️⭐️ (3/5)
As an avid reader of this era of history, I was immediately intrigued by The Queen’s Mary and the fresh perspective Gristwood promised. The book began on a high note—immersive, carefully detailed, and enriched with evocative language that transported me to the time. I even learned quite a few new period words, which added to the experience.
However, as the narrative moved into the middle and toward the end, it gradually lost its structural cohesion. It wasn’t quite a journal, yet didn’t fully settle into another credible form, and the conclusion felt like a loosely connected collection of scenes rather than a focused wrap-up. Despite this, the unique vantage point on Mary, Queen of Scots remained compelling.
I found myself particularly drawn to Gristwood’s historical notes and epilogue—they were polished, insightful, and arguably better written than much of the second half of the novel. That makes me think I’d enjoy more of her nonfiction work even more than this fictionalized account.
All in all, The Queen’s Mary offers an intriguing and atmospheric read—especially for fans of the period—with a richly textured setting and authentic language, even if the latter half feels a bit uneven.
January 29, 2018
Four Mary's sent to be of service to Mary queen of Scots as she prepares to leave Scotland and start her new life in France. Married to the dauphin, she is expected to be the queen of France for many years to come.
When the young King dies early, the young queen returns home to Scotland, she is hoping she can slip back into the land of her birth, but she soon finds that there are factions within the country that are not quite as happy with her return.
As their lives progress, they will all soon learn the value of friendship, and the secrets that can circulate around the court. None of them are quite as safe as they appear to be...
The story of the four Mary's was a fun read, although some of the facts seemed a little more skewed, Sarah Gristwood pulls together the story of the four ladies who stuck with their queen through thick and thin and did all that they could to keep their queen safe. The main character is Mary Seton, and her tales weaves from the leaving of Scotland, to the end of Seton's life. A fun and interesting read!
When the young King dies early, the young queen returns home to Scotland, she is hoping she can slip back into the land of her birth, but she soon finds that there are factions within the country that are not quite as happy with her return.
As their lives progress, they will all soon learn the value of friendship, and the secrets that can circulate around the court. None of them are quite as safe as they appear to be...
The story of the four Mary's was a fun read, although some of the facts seemed a little more skewed, Sarah Gristwood pulls together the story of the four ladies who stuck with their queen through thick and thin and did all that they could to keep their queen safe. The main character is Mary Seton, and her tales weaves from the leaving of Scotland, to the end of Seton's life. A fun and interesting read!
November 5, 2017
Aged just five, Mary Seton boards a ship bound for France and her life is never her own again. Mary is one of the four chosen ladies who accompany Mary Stuart to France to be raised in her maternal family and affianced to the Dauphin of France. Mary learns manners, etiquette and how to serve a great Queen until the day the Dauphin dies and, after a period of mourning, Mary Stuart returns to Scotland to claim her throne. Unfortunately things are not so straightforward and Mary Seton is a silent witness to scandal, murder and more as her mistress wins and loses her inheritance.
Gristwood is an excellent biographer, her book about Arbella Stuart is terrific, but this is the first fiction of hers that I have read. The premise is great, the four Marys are renowned as the ladies in waiting to Mary Queen of Scots, Mary Seton being with her throughout her captivity and at her execution. Unfortunately the book never really caught fire for me.
Gristwood is an excellent biographer, her book about Arbella Stuart is terrific, but this is the first fiction of hers that I have read. The premise is great, the four Marys are renowned as the ladies in waiting to Mary Queen of Scots, Mary Seton being with her throughout her captivity and at her execution. Unfortunately the book never really caught fire for me.
August 14, 2017
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher for review. I am more familiar with the author's non-fiction works, however, this was a solid story. The book tells the life of Mary, Queen of Scots through the perspective of one of her Mary's, Mary Seton. The story was quite focused on the Queen and I didn't feel like I got to know the characters outside of those that are more well known historically. For me personally, I enjoy a book where I either like or hate the characters and have a harder time getting into a book where I am ambivalent about the main character. I didn't ever get to a point where I felt like I had enough information to form an opinion on Mary Seton until near the end of the book. That being said, I did feel like this was a different way to approach telling the tale of Queen Mary and I enjoyed the book. I would give it 3.5 stars.
December 1, 2017
Four Marys are brought together to be the personal companions of the young Queen of Scots. Mary Seton, in particular, must weave her way through the politics of her time and choose where her loyalty lies.
To be honest, I did not leave this novel feeling as though I knew this woman at all. Yes, we see things through her eyes, but most of the time I felt outside of the situation. I never felt any real emotion from her, even though at times we are told she is angry.
I did learn a lot about Mary, Queen of Scots, that I didn't know before, but I didn't approach this as a history lesson.
Overall, it was interesting but didn't pull me in. I would recommend this to readers who would enjoy learning more about the Queen of Scots.
I received a free copy from NetGalley for reviewing purposes.
To be honest, I did not leave this novel feeling as though I knew this woman at all. Yes, we see things through her eyes, but most of the time I felt outside of the situation. I never felt any real emotion from her, even though at times we are told she is angry.
I did learn a lot about Mary, Queen of Scots, that I didn't know before, but I didn't approach this as a history lesson.
Overall, it was interesting but didn't pull me in. I would recommend this to readers who would enjoy learning more about the Queen of Scots.
I received a free copy from NetGalley for reviewing purposes.
September 22, 2018
I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.
The Queen's Mary is a historical fiction novel featuring Mary Queen of Scots as told from the point of view of one of her handmaidens, Mary Seton. The story spans major events in the infamous royal's life from her journey from Scotland to France as a young girl to her imprisonment by Queen Elizabeth as Mary was one of her longest serving handmaidens. This provides a great opportunity for the author to pull in the political and religious history and struggles of this time. As historical buffs know, there is a lot that happens during this period and I felt the author did a good job of summarizing the life of Mary Queen of Scots. Having it told from a handmaiden's point of view just added an element of creativity to the story telling. I recommend this book for fans of historical fiction during the Tudor era.
The Queen's Mary is a historical fiction novel featuring Mary Queen of Scots as told from the point of view of one of her handmaidens, Mary Seton. The story spans major events in the infamous royal's life from her journey from Scotland to France as a young girl to her imprisonment by Queen Elizabeth as Mary was one of her longest serving handmaidens. This provides a great opportunity for the author to pull in the political and religious history and struggles of this time. As historical buffs know, there is a lot that happens during this period and I felt the author did a good job of summarizing the life of Mary Queen of Scots. Having it told from a handmaiden's point of view just added an element of creativity to the story telling. I recommend this book for fans of historical fiction during the Tudor era.
September 28, 2017
"Written from the point of view of one of Mary Queen of Scots ladies-in-waiting, Mary Seton, this novel follows the life of Mary and her court.The unique perspective of one who is part of the court and yet also outside the personal decisions and actions taken by Queen Mary during her years as Scotland's queen is a refreshing take on a familiar story with strong character development. The pace of the story never drags and by the end of the story you are on the edge of your seat with fear and dread as events come to a close and you find yourself genuinely worried about how Queen Mary's actions will affect not only Mary Seton but those who were supporting characters in this drama." I recommend this book to anyone who loves well researched historical fiction.
January 21, 2019
Nope...I skimmed through the majority of this book because I just could NOT get into it. The whole time I felt like I was on the far outside looking in. I know the story of Mary Queen of Scots fairly well, and this book does NOT do it justice.
The four Mary's are disjointed and all over the place. There's so many characters that are thrown at you that none of them are really fleshed out. Not even the Mary's! Mary Seton is the most prominent in the book, but I don't feel like this was a coherent story. It was all over the place and I just could not get into. If you love all things MQoS's, then go for it. You may find something in the story that you appreciate, but otherwise, I say skip it.
The four Mary's are disjointed and all over the place. There's so many characters that are thrown at you that none of them are really fleshed out. Not even the Mary's! Mary Seton is the most prominent in the book, but I don't feel like this was a coherent story. It was all over the place and I just could not get into. If you love all things MQoS's, then go for it. You may find something in the story that you appreciate, but otherwise, I say skip it.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 49 reviews