A Woman of Strength in a Time of Change

This was an intriguing take on Mary Stewart's reign, focusing not on the high drama of her last years, but on the very beginning of her rule. Scotland was a tempestuous nation, with political maneuvering and clan feuds upsetting the court Mary of Guise left behind amidst a growing fear that the queen who would step into her place was unprepared to face the traitorous humors of the warring factions. Through a fictional minor noblewoman we bear witness to the infamous monarch's first unbalanced steps along the unreliable path of royal dominance in a country torn not only by the political and cultural rivalries, but by the fiery religious debate between Catholics and Protestantism. While the book isn't directly about Mary, Queen of Scots, this catalytic period of her life and rule serves as a tense backdrop for Rinette Leslie's story. The details and niceties described serve to immerse us into the developing plot, creating an atmosphere that allows us to more effectively understand the choices and trials our leading lady is subjected to.

Rinette is not your typical Tudor Period hic-fic heroine! She's prickly and opinionated, her roots are firmly set away from the glamor of court life, and while romance plays a major role in her story she remains doggedly focused on the driving passion born of a tragic act of greed by one who would do anything to see the Queen's downfall: revenge. She is made to suffer time and again by her "betters" and endures humiliation and abasement. Rinette is one of the most resilient characters I've ever read about (she would probably prove a powerful force if she were ever to find herself in Westeros ... but I digress). It is the love for her children and determination to see justice done which endlessly inspires her to pick herself up and carry on each time her enemies -- and even those who should be her allies -- cast her down. It is easy to admire her, and I found myself rooting for Rinette throughout the book.

The one failing of this book is that the writing fell prey to melodrama towards the end, but it rallied and concluded with a sweet elegance. After reading "The Second Duchess," I was eager to see what Loupas could come up with next and while this is not quite as good as its predecessor I genuinely enjoyed Rinette's story. Bravo!