The Other Queen

After seeing the Met HD production of Maria Stuarda, I wanted to find out more about this queen - I knew she was a cousin of Queen Elizabeth I, and everything else I learned through Donizetti's opera. I was curious. I guess Wikipedia would be the first port of call for most people who want to learn about a historical figure. But I like to know the person rather than the facts of history. So I read a Philippa Gregory book instead, The Other Queen. As you know, I'm a big Philippa Gregory fan, and I learned a lot about Mary Queen of Scots.

This book was very readable, but I have to say not quite as good as other Philippa Gregory historical fictions. The character of Bess of Hardwick was the strongest of the three voices that spoke through this book. But I felt that George, Bess's husband and Earl of Shrewsbury, and Mary Stuart were quite one-dimensional. He's defined by his growing love for the Queen of Scots, whereas she is defined by her obsession about being a queen and being free. Which may all be historically correct. But it wasn't quite enough for me. So I'll have to find another book, or maybe read a history of England!

Still, a good start if you want to learn more about this period and you think that the history books are too dry for your liking.