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jess_mango's review against another edition
4.0
A quick and enjoyable read... think of it as Philippa Gregory for the young adult set.
garnetofeden's review against another edition
3.0
I enjoyed the level of historical detail regarding Mary, Queen of Scots. It was kind of funny though that Nicola was apparently unaware of her own wit. I would have thought that the job of a Fool would involve being very much aware of your word choice and what was meant by those words, but Nicola often seemed to say witty things with double meanings purely by chance. Because of Nicola's own ignorance regarding the realities of certain events, the book is an interesting vignette of Mary, Queen of Scots without being too deep about the politics and religion involved. I wouldn't have minded more historical depth, but it was suitable considering the intended audience.
Last finished 2/12/2012. Rating reviewed 6/23/2023.
Last finished 2/12/2012. Rating reviewed 6/23/2023.
eskimo97's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
readcover2cover's review against another edition
4.0
I always enjoy historical fiction, especially about the Tudors and Mary Queen of Scots. This one was really pretty good! I liked how the characters were portrayed and the story was very interesting. A great read!
basbleu_dans_labiblioteque's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
kandicez's review against another edition
3.0
I'm pretty sure I would have really enjoyed this as a 12 year old girl. I read it in anticipation of [b:Mary Queen of Scotland and the Isles|16033|Mary Queen of Scotland and the Isles|Margaret George|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1255700770s/16033.jpg|1022583]. That one is such a brick, I thought it would be good to have an outline. This one was just that- an outline. I'm sure dates and names were fairly accurate, there just wasn't enough detail to make me care about Mary.
diamontique's review against another edition
4.0
I actually thought that the idea of having the majority of Mary Stuart's life as told by a close confidante was a very clever idea. What was also more clever was how the confidante in question knows next to nothing about court, and as with most of the readers, learns more about court and its intrigues as the book goes along.
plattin's review against another edition
3.0
This is a young adult novel telling the story of le Jardiniere, the fool of Mary Queen of Scots. Le Jardiniere was a real person, but virtually nothing is known about her, save her position and name. Yolen and Harris have created an Italian girl of unusual candor and humor to fill this role. Yolen is a veteran YA writer and I would recommend pretty much anything by her. Fool begins in France where may was also queen by virtue of marriage, it follows Mary and her entourage through political intrigue to Scotland and eventually through Mary's imprisonment in the tower. I would recommend this to any of your students who might be interested in the time period. The language is pretty easy, but the book itself is not low level, so it would especially be appropriate for a struggling reader interested in historical fiction.
misslupinelady's review against another edition
dark
emotional
informative
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
nae1226's review against another edition
2.0
Just okay YA Queen Elizabeth setting. Tthe narrator is a young girl who is the Queen's Fool. Jane Yolen a co-author.