The Queen’s Mary: In the Shadows of Power… by Sarah Gristwood
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

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…