Queen Hereafter: A Novel of Margaret of Scotland

by Susan Fraser King

Refugee. Queen. Saint. In eleventh-century Scotland, a young woman strives to fulfill her destiny despite the risks . . .
 
Shipwrecked on the Scottish coast, a young Saxon princess and her family—including the outlawed Edgar of England—ask sanctuary of the warrior-king Malcolm Canmore, who shrewdly sees the political advantage. He promises to aid Edgar and the Saxon cause in return for the hand of Edgar’s sister, Margaret, in marriage.

A foreign queen in a strange land, Margaret adapts to life among the barbarian Scots, bears princes, and shapes the fierce warrior Malcolm into a sophisticated ruler. Yet even as the king and queen build a passionate and tempestuous partnership, the Scots distrust her. When her husband brings Eva, a Celtic bard, to court as a hostage for the good behavior of the formidable Lady Macbeth, Margaret expects trouble. Instead, an unlikely friendship grows between the queen and her bard, though one has a wild Celtic nature and the other follows the demanding path of obligation.

Torn between old and new loyalties, Eva is bound by a vow to betray the king and his Saxon queen. Soon imprisoned and charged with witchcraft and treason, Eva learns that Queen Margaret—counseled by the furious king and his powerful priests—will decide her fate and that of her kinswoman Lady Macbeth. But can the proud queen forgive such deep treachery?

Impeccably researched, a dramatic page-turner, Queen Hereafter is an unforgettable story of shifting alliances and the tension between fear and trust as a young woman finds her way in a dangerous world.


From the Hardcover edition.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Scotland, Historical, Fiction, Medieval, 11th Century, Romance

354 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2010

About the author

Susan King is the bestselling, award-winning author of over 20 historical novels and novellas, each one praised for historical accuracy, storytelling quality and lyricism. Her first novel, The Black Thorne’s Rose, was published in 1994, followed by many historical romances written as Susan King and as Sarah Gabriel. As Susan Fraser King, she is the author of Lady Macbeth: A Novel, and Queen Hereafter: A Novel of Margaret of Scotland, published in hardcover and trade paperback from Random House. Many of her backlist novels are now available as e-books with more releases planned. A founding member of the successful author blog, “Word Wenches,” she holds a graduate degree in medieval art history and lives in Maryland with her family.

Learn more about Susan’s books and e-books at www.susanfraserking.com, www.susankingbooks.com and www.wordwenches.com.

Reviews

[Rio (Lynne)]

It's so amazing how we each interpret books differently. Everything I read on this one was great, but I could just not bring myself to finish it. The author mentioned in the Afterword how there was so much information on Margaret that she could not fit it into her novel, then why invent a character named Eva that took up 50% of the story? I got halfway through the book and still nothing interesting. Margaret of Scotland had such a rich, interesting history being a Queen to the tough Malcolm. She taught him grace, royal customs, fed and clothed the poor and helped change Scotland's overall traditions. So, why halfway through was every page filled with harp playing, women stitching and women praying? Snooze fest. The way the characters were written (to me) was inconsistent and boring. Margaret was supposed to be loveable and saintly, but she wasn't even likeable. She'd give a peasant with no shoes her shoes, then think to herself "Those shoes didn't fit me anyway, so I no longer wanted them." Yeah, that was genuine. On one page Malcolm said his illegitimate sons were not eligible for the throne, then 30 pages later he said they would compete with his new sons for the title. Confusing? As for Eva, I didn't care. Margaret and Malcolm's love story was supposed to be that once in a lifetime love, but I wasn't feeling it. The Afterword was more interesting, especially the part about the coffins. Read the Afterword/Author's Notes, skip the book.

[Sara Giacalone · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is well written. Unfortunately, Queen Margaret of Scotland isn't my favorite character, and my feelings for her somewhat tainted my enjoyment of the book. Margaret was later cannonized as a saint, so I suppose she needed to be... saintly and pious, full of good works, deeds and thoughts (and in the Afterword, the author said she tried to tone that down). The story should have been interesting - it is certainly the time period I'm currently most interested in (around 1066, the time of the Norman conquest). But I was never caught up in the story. I'm not the type that wants to hang out with up and coming saints - my tastes run a bit darker, frankly. So... in my heart this is a two-star book, but that (to me) makes it sound bad. It's not a bad book, just not for me.

[Natasa · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a good account of the life of Margaret Queen of Scots that was written in fiction based on fact. She had a huge impact on Scotland and was a devoted Christian, Queen and mother. Many of her children ruled after her. Interesting story.

[Jenny Q · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 Stars. Eh. The author speaks passionately about Margaret's and Malcolm's relationship in her note, which is enough to get the reader excited and ready for a good story, but that passion doesn't translate into the book. There's technically nothing wrong with it, but I found it slow reading with little excitement and even less romance. All of the characters seemed rather cardboard and none of them were compelling enough to hold my interest. I ended up skimming the second half. I was disappointed.

[Joanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fictional story of the life of Margaret of Scotland that I truly enjoyed.

Margaret was a devout Roman Catholic who ironically ended up being Queen in country that was devoted to Celtic Catholicism. Her history, from the notes of the author, is available for researchers and the story is in them. The author does a fine job of crossing fact and fiction and Margaret comes through the pages very well.

Many reviewers found the story boring, not so for myself. It was entertaining for me to live in medieval times in England and Scotland, with Margaret, and cheer her on through all her accomplishments. It is unfortunate that her accomplishments came with the price of her suffering needlessly to honor her God.

The author weaves in hints of Macbeth and a friendship for Margaret with a fictional descendant of his. I found this friendship one of the best parts of her story.

In order to like this book, you have to want to know the history of the times.

[Sherry Sharpnack · Rating 4 out of 5]

Margaret is a Princess of England whose father was exiled. She, her sister, and brother were raised in Hungary with a Hungarian-Russian noblewoman for a mother. When their father returns to England to claim the crown when their uncle dies, he drops dead only a week after they've returned. Margaret is sure that she killed him, having encouraged him to eat some almond sweetmeats. The family flees from William the Conqueror, who has "stolen" the crown, Edgar's (Margaret's brother) by rights. They are shipwrecked, washing up in Scotland.
Margaret and her sister were educated in an abbey in France, and Margaret's wish is to become a nun, dedicating her life to contemplation and learning. But this is not in her future, as Margaret herself is the bargaining chip for aid from the Scottish king, Malcolm -- of Shakespearean fame for killing MacBeth, the "evil" king. MacBeth's widow, Lady Gruadh, still has followers in the shire of Moray, in the Scottish highlands. As surety for her good behavior, Malcolm takes Gruadh's granddaughter, Eva, as hostage. Eva has trained as a Scottish bard, a harpist/poet/entertainer normally accorded great respect in the highland society (and Irish).
Eva and Margaret become friends, which puts Eva in quite a quandary, as her grandmother, Gruadh, has tasked her with spying on the Scottish court, and in stealing a manuscript that paints MacBeth as evil. (Of course, b/c the victors write history!) But Eva cannot help but become friends with the saintly Margaret, who goes to chapel multiple times per day and often fasts -- to anorexia, IMHO. Eva becomes more involved in Margaret's life - and a few shenanigans - as Margaret will actually bend the rules in feeding the poor and releasing prisoners around the castle!
In the denouement (and also the prologue), Eva has gone too far, caught in her theft of part of the manuscript and attempting to meet with her grandmother. Will Margaret defend her friend, or let Malcolm burn her as a witch?
I really enjoyed this novel about Saint Margaret of Scotland (yes, she was sainted after her death). According to the author notes, there is apparently a lot of source material, unusual for a medieval queen, simply because she WAS sainted, and her confessor wrote a biography of her only a few years after her death. So the major escapades told in the story are actually based on fact!
I only rated the novel 4 stars, however, b/c one can only read so many times about how many times a day Margaret prayed; how often she was begged to eat something (even during her pregnancies) instead of feeding her own food to the poor from her own bowl; or how many skirmishes Malcolm and Edgar perpetrated against the Normans in northern England.

[Amy Bruno · Rating 4 out of 5]

What struck me the most when I read Susan Fraser King’s first novel, Lady MacBeth , was the way she was able to suck me in within the first page. Well, I can happily say that the same thing happened with her newest release, Queen Hereafter: A Novel of Margaret of Scotland.

Margaret, the daughter of an exiled prince and granddaughter to Edmund Ironside, was raised in the strictly religious Hungarian court. Her father is called back to England, but dies shortly after and following a series of events she and her family leave England and travel to the court of King Malcolm III of Scotland for protection. However safety comes with a price that only she can pay with her hand in marriage. As dutiful as Margaret is, she is less than thrilled at marrying this rough, brutish man who ignores and disgusts her but resolves herself to the inevitable and vows to be the best queen possible. It’s hard to think that with the rocky start to their relationship and given that they seem to be total opposites, Margaret and Malcolm have one of the most successful (with all of their eight children living to adulthood)and happy marriages in royal couple history. And though the people of Scotland did not want a Saxon queen, they come to love her for her charity and kindnesses. After reading about the innate goodness in Margaret, it comes as no surprise to me that she is now known as a Saint.

In Queen Hereafter we also reunite with Lady MacBeth and meet her granddaughter, daughter of the murdered King Lulach, Eva. Eva, an accomplished bard, knowing her destiny lay elsewhere, she leaves the court of her grandmother and answers Malcolm’s summons that she come to his court as a royal hostage to keep Lady MacBeth in check and behaving. As Malcolm is Lady MacBeth’s enemy she is loath to send her beloved granddaughter to the lion’s den, but word has come to her that Malcolm has commission a historical account which would not paint MacBeth and Lulach in very glowing terms and Eva could be in a position to secretly find out more about the document. But when Eva and Margaret grow close she begins to feel bad about betraying her new friend and when she gets caught its Margaret who will seal her fate.

Wonderfully written and hard to put down Queen Hereafter is a fantastic read that I highly recommend to any lover of historical fiction!

[Jodi · Rating 2 out of 5]

I had a hard time reading this book and rating it! I want to give it 2 1/2 stars....not that, that makes much of a difference. I really wanted to love this book. I'm most proud of my Scottish heritage and I know the most about it compared to my other family heritages. My family continues to be sprinkled with names that are found throughout this book even though the book takes place during the Medieval period, around 1060. My disappointment in the book came from not focusing enough on Margaret, Queen of Scotland. Her life sounds fascinating, and yet the author took up too much time and space making up a fictitious character named, Eva. I found that the chapter I liked the most in the book was The Author's Note in the back that told more true stories about Margaret. It's not often that history has recorded so much information about a person that 1,000 years later, we still know a great deal about her. I would rather the author have created a longer story that continued to deal with what we actually know about Margaret. She sounds like an amazing woman that I'd like to learn more about. Which is what many people apparently believed since 150 years after her death, she became Saint Margaret.

[Fergie · Rating 3 out of 5]

As an Anglophile with a particular interest in British Medieval history, Susan Fraser King's novel, QUEEN HEREAFTER, about eleventh century's Queen Margaret of Scotland was an easy selection when choosing the latest book I wanted to read. Historical fiction is a great way to learn about history or to enhance one's understanding of it. Of course, if true understanding is to occur, the facts on which the story is based must be accurate. From what I know of the Scottish queen who would later be canonized as a Saint by the Catholic Church, the key facets of Queen Margaret's life have all been faithfully addressed in King's novel even if, to my disappointment, certain salient historical details were not as stressed as the fictionalized aspects of the novel.

Margaret was born in Hungary to a royal father who was exiled from England during one of that country's tumultuous times in history. Her father would later return to his native land in 1057 with his family in tow (including a young Margaret) when he was named heir to the then English King's throne. History informs us that Margaret was not destined to be the daughter of an English monarch as her father died shortly after their arrival in England. Instead, fate would sweep Margaret and her Saxon kin north to the shores of Scotland upon the Norman led invasion of William the Conqueror in 1066. Shipwrecked with her siblings, one of whom, Prince Edgar, held onto his belief that it was his right to ascend to the English throne through his own birthright, Margaret was used as a bargaining chip in that brother's political quest for power. As Prince Edgar needed the military and financial backing of Scotland's King Malcolm III if his bid to reclaim his family's right to the English throne was to succeed, Princess Margaret was promised in marriage to King Malcolm. Through this union, an alliance was made between the Scots and the Saxons.

It's well documented that Queen Margaret of Scotland is perhaps one of the most known medieval queens of the Middle Ages. Many of her contemporaries were in positions to write down their recollections of their observations and experiences with her. Known for her piety and charity, as well as the singular love that emanated from her marriage to the rough and tumble Scottish King Malcolm, historical fiction readers would surmise there would be ample opportunities and interesting historical foundation for a compelling novel. While I can't think of anything overwhelmingly negative to say about this novel, I'd only suggest that the author squandered possibilities. Instead of focusing on the great love that was well-noted and unique for most royal marriages throughout history, Fraser King chose to take a different route. She created the character of Eva, a fictitious Scottish bard and step-granddaughter to former rivaling Scottish King Macbeth whose death was at the hands of Malcolm. It seems that instead of having the reader witness what drew the notoriously brutish Malcolm to come to love the saintly Margaret and vice versa, Susan Fraser King chose instead to detail the tested loyalty her fictitious Eva would feel once she's planted within the court of the man she believes is responsible for the death and misery of so many in her family.

QUEEN HEREAFTER: A NOVEL OF MARGARET OF SCOTLAND is a decent read. For English royal lovers, it's worth noting that it's through the marriage of Margaret and Malcolm that the Stuart line of Kings originates. Furthermore, it's an interesting fact that to this day, there is evidence of traces of their blood running through the veins of the present British royals. While this novel doesn't lead to the conclusion of Margaret's and Malcolm's lives, it does provide a reasonably accurate telling of the start of their union.

[Parvathy · Rating 3 out of 5]

A light promising historical read that dealt with one of the formidable queens of Scotland. This book was entertaining as well as informative. I admit that before starting this book I knew very little about the period. I knew about the reign of William the Conqueror but most of the books I have read has shown him in a favorable light. Reading about his reign from the point of view of the Scottish people and the Saxons was a different experience. The book follows the life of Margaret the eldest daughter Edward the Exile who would have been the rightful King of England if not for his early demise. Her marriage to the Scottish King Malcolm which began as a political alliance turning into marriage of understanding and caring along the way. Her successful attempts in reforming the Scottish court and its people and her continuous need to help all those around her. Truly the life of this queen is praise worthy and that is brought to the attention of the readers through the view point of a third character, Eva the Bard, princess of Moray and granddaughter of the Lady of the North or Lady Macbeth. Brought to the Royal Household as a hostage and charged to be a spy Eva forms an unlikely friendship with the foreign queen whose charitable nature and faith wins her over. Set to betray two women who loves her and she loves in return Eva has to choose were her loyalties lie and Margaret has to come to terms with the fact that the person she trusts the most may not be a person worthy of that trust.

Set in the year 1066 the author through her writing skills have successfully achieved the trick providing information without boring the readers with endless accounts of facts. The story moves in a fast pace and the characters are all portrayed in a likable manner. The character of Eva is outspoken, strong and proud the author has developed her in such a realistic light that I found it difficult at some points to believe that she was not actually a part of that history. The MC queen Margaret was engaging for most part. AT first she was a princess who craved nothing more than peace and quiet in her life. From there she turned into this Queen who was strong and stubborn while at the same time has this unquenchable need to do penance. She is described as a religious queen who worries for the soul of her subjects and her husband. Her flaws are the ones she creates for herself while everyone around her sees her as a paragon of virtue. Her husband adores her and gives into her whims albeit however unreasonable. She obtains the admiration of everyone around her with her deeds. Though I did enjoy reading about her I did find some elements lacking. The antagonism of the Sottish people to their foreign queen is not adequately portrayed. You cannot really see the disapproval of the Scottish people towards the Queen or her King except for a few lines in the book that say it is so. Margaret though a saint like characters at times felt a bit irritating with her endless vows and her need to give things away. At times her constant need for prayers and fast gave an impression of instability and was highly repetitive. Her going into fast and the concerns of everyone around her is continuously pointed out. Her need for perfection also bordered on crazy. But all these are characters traits of Queen Margaret that have been uncovered so far, hence credit has to be given to the author for staying true to it. All in All a very enjoyable read for history buffs

[Staci · Rating 4 out of 5]

Why I wanted to read this book: I am very fond of historical fiction and once again I knew absolutely nothing about Queen Margaret of Scotland.

What worked for me:

* Margaret found herself in a very bad situation. She felt her calling was to be nun and instead she finds herself as a pawn for her brother's desire to win back the throne of England. She was a very complex and unusual woman. I admired her piety, but at times I thought she went too far with her devotion to God and her prayers. If she were to be alive in present days I would consider her an anorexic. She ate very little and actually felt bad about the nourishment that she did intake. She felt the need to pray constantly and to pray for hours. She did however do many good deeds. She fed the hungry, clothed the poor, and educated the girls. She was a huge asset for King Malcolm and even though they were not a "love match" at the beginning, I truly feel that she loved Malcolm and he loved her.
* I finally understood why Queens were often portrayed as cold-hearted towards their children. Margaret's mother advised her not to get too close to the babies as they most often died. Margaret finally found out that her own mother lost two children and she felt such an overwhelming amount of love and sympathy for her mother. But even though she knew her children could die at any time, she never put them second and amazingly enough she had eight children and all of them survived into adulthood!!!
* I really enjoyed that the book took place in Scotland and it inspired me to look up some of the buildings that were talked about within the story.
* Even though Eva was not a true character I absolutely loved the way the author wove her story into the plot. It worked and added another dimension to all of the characters. I especially enjoyed learning more about bards. I truly find them fascinating!

Recommend? A resounding YES! If you are a fan of historical fiction you will enjoy this one and if you're interest includes learning about medieval queens then add this book to your list! Queen Margaret was canonised as a saint in 1250. I found her to be a remarkable and very interesting woman.

[Alyssa]

A novel about my 30th great grandmother!! Fun!

[Gretchen]

I'm out. There are too many other books for me to read. There's no sense in being tied down in a book that just isn't interesting to me. 37%

[Sarah W. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I knew of Margaret of Scotland mostly as a medieval Scottish queen who became a saint and who was the mother of Matilda of Scotland, who married King Henry I of England and was mother of the Empress Matilda. I had not realized that the Scottish king she married was the Malcolm who defeated Macbeth, or that Margaret herself was connected to the Anglo-Saxon royal family and had to flee England after William the Conqueror's invasion. This novel focuses on the early years of Margaret's marriage to Malcolm and her saintly behavior can feel a bit tiresome at times, which made me like the fiction character of Eva much more. As the illegitimate daughter of Macbeth's heir, Eva is a hostage at the Scottish royal court, brings her own complicated loyalties to the story, and provides a much-needed perspective to this tale. Overall, a very readable book about a queen and an era that deserves more exploration through fiction.

[Kiara · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have no strong feeling about this book, it passed the time.

[Giovanni Gelati · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you are looking for some historical romance, step right up this is your novel. Susan Fraser King gives us all history we can handle with a side order of romance, or is it vice versa, in Queen Hereafter. I am going to do things a little backward in this post, so please forgive me and just indulge me a little if you will. I want to go with the author’s biographical information first and I think that will better help explain the novel and its plotline. Here it is:
” SUSAN FRASER KING is a multi-published, bestselling, award-winning author and a former art history lecturer. She holds a B.A. in art and an M.A. and most of a Ph.D. in art history, with postgraduate work in medieval studies. Her books are widely praised for historical detail and a lyrical writing style, and she has won multiple honors and awards for her novels w/a Susan King and Sarah Gabriel. Lady Macbeth: A Novel (Crown Publishing, February 2008) is her first hardcover mainstream novel. Susan visits Scotland as often as possible for research and relaxation, and lives in Maryland with her family.”
The link to her website: http://www.susanfraserking.com
Now here is the inside stuff on Queen Hereafter and I think you can understand why I have done what I have done: ”Refugee. Queen. Saint. In eleventh-century Scotland, a young woman strives to fulfill her destiny despite the risks . . .
Shipwrecked on the Scottish coast, a young Saxon princess and her family—including the outlawed Edgar of England—ask sanctuary of the warrior-king, Malcolm Canmore, who shrewdly sees the political advantage. He promises to aid Edgar and the Saxon cause in return for the hand of Edgar’s sister, Margaret, in marriage.
A foreign queen in a strange land, Margaret adapts to life among the barbarian Scots, bears princes, and shapes the fierce warrior Malcolm into a sophisticated ruler. Yet even as the king and queen build a passionate and tempestuous partnership, the Scots distrust her. When her husband brings Eva, a Celtic bard, to court as a hostage for the good behavior of the formidable Lady Macbeth, Margaret expects trouble. Instead, an unlikely friendship grows between the queen and her bard, though one has a wild Celtic nature and the other follows the demanding path of obligation.
Torn between old and new loyalties, Eva is bound by a vow to betray the king and his Saxon queen. Soon imprisoned and charged with witchcraft and treason, Eva learns that Queen Margaret—counseled by the furious king and his powerful priests—will decide her fate and that of her kinswoman Lady Macbeth. But can the proud queen forgive such deep treachery?
Impeccably researched, a dramatic page-turner, Queen Hereafter is an unforgettable story of shifting alliances and the tension between fear and trust as a young woman finds her way in a dangerous world.”
Serious stuff for a novel that is filled with romance, fulfilling one’s destiny seemed to be a tall order in this story. I enjoyed the history, the action, the tension, the pacing. Susan Fraser King’s ability to describe the land and the people is what ultimately stood tall for me, as she put in a place and time in which I generally have had no interest. She changed my mind on that and had me totally engrossed in the characters and what was ultimately going to happen to them. That was the linchpin in this novel for me. I, for some reason, have been enjoying the historical romances quite a bit, as I have guessed you have noticed. It doesn’t take long to notice the time the author has spent in her research and the manner and ease that she brings it to the page.
Romantic Wednesday is really starting to grow on me. When I decided to start this I didn’t know what direction it may go, but I have begun to see diversity and incredible skill levels among its authors that I really didn’t know was there. I know that reads a bit ignorant, and for that I am sorry, but call me repentant, and let’s call it a day. Holding this novel in my hands I thought it to possibly be a subject and plotline that was not in my wheelhouse. Susan Fraser King has won me over with her incredible style and ability. I tip my hat to her, five stars, no question.
Here is something direct from the author:
For additional news, perhaps you could add that I'm part of a group blog of bestselling historical fiction authors at Word Wenches www.wordwenches.com .

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[Christina (Ensconced in Lit) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I won this book in a blog giveaway by Musings of a Book Junkie. I was not required to give a review in exchange.

Queen Hereafter is about the saint queen Margaret, who is required to marry King Malcolm although she desires only to become a nun. Her historical figure is intertwined with a fictional character, Eva, who is a female bard who comes to court and hides a secret.

I'll admit, this book greatly frustrated me. There are lyrical moments where I would get swept away with the rich descriptions and intricacies of court life. There is something magnetic about the figure of Margaret, and I was fascinated by her and her relationship with Malcolm. Margaret is such a flawed but saintly creature, and battles with anorexia and guilt. I thought previously that this disease was a recent invention by our developed world society, but I learned differently.

This book has the underpinnings of a great novel, but then makes such odd missteps. First and foremost is the beginning. It is a whirlwind of changes from first person to third person and then perspectives from Margaret and Eva, many times without warning. I almost put down the book at that point, but Margaret's character grabbed my attention, so I stayed with it. Second, Eva seems like such an unnecessary character. I do not see what she adds to the novel. Her character and her side plot are uninteresting, and I found myself speeding through her thankfully shorter chapters to get back to Margaret. *SPOILER ALERT* A third issue is the decision to make Tor a spiritual love interest. As we get to the author's note, we find that apparently Margaret and Malcolm's great love story is paramount in the history books. I thought to myself, why make the decision to sully that relationship unnecessarily. Their relationship was one of the most interesting things about the book and focusing on the surprising love between two royalty that were initially matched for politics and not love, is very fascinating in its own right. Fourth, I felt that it was too simplistic for Margaret to become so religious because she blames herself for her father's death. She's a grown woman and should realize it was not her fault (at least in part). I feel like this is another fictional decision, but the fact that she feels the need to be the perfect queen is reason enough (and makes infinitely more sense) for her anorexia. Fifth, I agree that the author's note is more fascinating in a lot of ways than the book itself. I was interested to see that Cristina, Margaret's sister, has a lot more potential to be her own character (and who knows, may spawn her own book), but we only see minute glimpses of this.

I am torn because there are certain places in the book that I was sucked in and greatly enjoyed it, but the aforementioned issues shadowed my pleasure in reading this book.

[ladywallingford · Rating 2 out of 5]

It's funny how this novel reminded me so much of a short story I wrote in college of a young woman whose life changes dramatically after the successful Norman invasion of 1066. Margaret's story is probably relevant to most of her people considering how cataclysmic and life-changing the Norman invasion was to English history, just not on such a grand scale as hers. After the Norman takeover, Margaret and her family fled to Scotland where she married the Scottish king in order to secure an alliance for his help in regaining her brother Edgar's throne (which never happens). However, that's not all she brings to the throne of Scotland. With her education, manners, and devoutness of faith, she brings refinement and worldliness to the Scottish court which can only aid the country in its international affairs.

In the author's note, King remarks on the complexity of Margaret's character but to me, that didn't really come through in the story. I see it here and there but overall, she seems more naive and innocent, almost child-like, in her worldviews. Since she is canonized as a saint, I imagine that most of what survives on her in the primary sources is stories of her good works and devoutness of faith so in this cause, King does stay true to the historical Margaret. Without the other main protagonist Eva, this story could have easily turned into a modern-day hagiography. She grounded the story into the human realm.

I gauge good historical fiction by how much the story makes me want to find out more about the era (or if I already know a good deal about the era, how accurate it is to my own notions of the period). Learning more about Margaret would be interesting but I would like to know more about the woman she was and not the saint. Other characters in the story appealed to me as well, especially the Lady Gruadh and her son Lulach (I have a weakness for the losers in history...). I could very much sympathize with Gruadh's feelings throughout the novel concerning the lady Margaret. Overall, I very much liked the novel even though I wish we could have seen more of Margaret the woman as opposed to Margaret the saint.

[Catherine Ange · Rating 4 out of 5]

Despite a few fictional elements in this historical novel, this is a real life telling of Beauty and the Beast. It is a great depiction of the sanctity of marriage and the graces that can flow from it when honored. A little slow at times, but I still enjoyed it. Saint Margaret has proved that gentle spirits convicted in charity can be forces to be reckoned with. I have loved reading it just for the learning of her life and character. She has endured hardships and sacrifices with grace and abandon, and allowed the Lord to work beautifully through her. A queen, a wife, a mother, and a saint, she has excelled as each.

[Girls Gone Reading · Rating 4 out of 5]

Queen Hereafter tells not only the story of Margaret of Scotland-the queen who became a saint. Instead, Queen Hereafter takes the ideas of loyalty and storytelling head on. The end result is a fascintating historical read about a very influential woman.
Margaret is the epitome of loyalty. She spends hours and hours a day in prayer. She fasts even when she is pregnant, and she is very confident and sure in her religious beliefs. King did a wonderful job explaining why Margaret might have felt compelled to do these things, but the time she spent and the devotion she felt were foreign to me. Luckily, Queen Hereafter explained how these loyalties were truly the female characters’ choice. Margaret feels drawn to God, even disobeying her husband to secure her place in His kingdom. Similarly, Eva-the charismatic female bard-feels drawn to her ancestors and to the story of her past. Each woman had more power than I would have thought for the 1060s, and each character showed her differences beautifully.

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

From my book review blog Rundpinne..."Rich in historical detail, prose full of vivid imagery which easily takes the reader deep into the eleventh century, time rapidly passes by as the reader becomes more and more engrossed by the stories of Eva, Margaret, and Gruadh."...The full review may be read here.

[Denise Deen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love Scottish history and this did not disappoint! Queen Margaret was a fascinating, intelligent and kind woman. No surprise she was made a Saint. Very surprising, that all of her 8 children became kings and queens in some capacity and her bloodline is still in existence through them! Great read!

[Marilyn · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNF. I just couldn’t get into it.

[Ashley Hayzlip · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great historical fiction of medieval Scottish Queen

[Irena · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars.

[Deborah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am enjoying the easy style of writing.......plus learning little bits of Scottish history along the way. This is the first history that I have read of Queen Margaret and King Malcolm......I really enjoyed it. I am certain that the next few days will find me doing some online research about each of them. I am looking forward to reading the author's Lady Macbeth.

[Diane Standish · Rating 5 out of 5]

I totally enjoyed this book about Queen Margaret of Scotland.

[Literary Chanteuse · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

[Heather C · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story of Margaret of Scotland is told through the eyes of fictional female bard Eva. It can sometimes be a challenge to place a fictional main character into a world in which all other essential characters are historically based but Fraser King seamlessly moves Eva through the Scottish court life without ever hinting that she doesn’t truly belong there. You could really believe the struggles that Eva faced being torn between the court in the North and the true royal court of Scotland. Another strength of the author was the ease of explanation and integration of the “wild” Scottish court’s ways and the Scottish traditions.

The two women that Eva’s loyalties are torn between are Margaret and Gruadh (Lady Macbeth). These two women were absolute foils of each other. Margaret was very, very pious (almost to the point of the unbelievable) while Gruadh was more out for her people and loyalty to Scottish traditions. As a reader, you are able to respect what both of these women are trying to do without pitting one against the other.

This was a quick read that introduced me to a new court and a new country and historical setting. I think that this is a great companion novel to Helen Hollick’s The Forever Queen and the soon to be released I Am the Chosen King. Hollick’s books are set one generation prior to the events of Queen Hereafter. Events are referenced in Fraser King’s book that took place in Hollick’s book. It was great to already be set into the time and have a knowledge base from which to build off of. I can’t wait to read Lady Macbeth, also by Susan Fraser King, which is set during the events just prior to Queen Hereafter. I also can put some of my Shakespearean knowledge of my favorite play to use for something.

This book was received for review from the publisher - I was not compensated for my opinions and the above is my honest review.

[Siobian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Set in the 11th century, Queen Hereafter: A Novel of Margaret of Scotland follows Margaret as she goes from being an exiled princess to Queen of Scots. Margaret's brother is the outlawed Edgar of England, and he is trying to gain supporters in his fight to wrest the crown from King William the Conqueror. When they are shipwrecked on the shores of Scotland, Malcolm, King of Scots, takes the exiled family under his wing and gives them food, shelter, and support for Edgar's cause. Malcolm falls in love with Margaret and though Margaret wants to become a nun rather than a queen, even she cannot argue with how much a marriage to Malcolm would help her brother's fight. Once they are married, Margaret must prove to the Scottish people that, though she is a Saxon, she can be trusted. At the same time, Eva, a bard brought in as a hostage to entertain the court, is trying to prove to the king and queen that she can be trusted. However, as daughter to a king killed by Malcolm and granddaughter to a deposed queen, Eva has been commanded by her grandmother to spy on the royals and send word of anything that could support a rebellion. As she learns more of Margaret's character and gets closer to her, Eva is torn between loyalty to her family and loyalty to her new friend.

I knew very little of Queen Margaret or King Malcolm and this was a great introduction. Margaret was truly a great woman who cared for the people of Scotland although she was a foreigner and many did not trust her. She fed the poor, sometimes from her own spoon, and gave money from her own dowry to beggars. She was so focused in her religion and devotions to God that she spent hours a day in prayer and fasted to the point of anorexia. Reading this novel, it was easy to see why the Catholic church made her a saint. Equally moving to me was the love between her and Malcolm. The scenes of them together were so sweet and I enjoyed watching her go from indifference toward the king to bliss. It moved a bit slowly at times, but overall, I liked this book and learned a lot about Scotland and its heritage.