Margaret of Wessex: Mother, Saint, and Queen of Scots by Laurel A. Rockefeller
The 11th century was a dangerous time to be of the line unbroken of King Æthelred II Unread and his first queen, Æfgifu of York. Born in Hungary after King Canute III’s failed attempt to murder her father, Edward the Exile, Margaret found her life turned upside down by King Edward the Confessor’s discovery of her father’s survival — and the resulting recall of her family to England.
Now a political hostage only kept alive for as long as it served powerful men’s interests, Margaret and her family found King Máel Coluim mac Donnchadh Ceann Mhor (Malcolm III Canmore)’s invitation to his court in Dunfermline in Alba the long-awaited answer to her prayers.
Scotland would never be the same again.
Includes two family tree charts, an expansive timeline covering over three thousand years of Pictish and medieval history, plus Roman Catholic prayers, and a bibliography so you can keep learning.
Karen Meyer’s Review: 4-Stars
I have to say right up front that the only reason I finished this novel is because Laurel wrote it. There were so many characters that I had a hard time keeping everyone straight. Laurel’s research is impeccable, so I know everything is true and that this is a good history book. The problem lies in the fact that it is a true love story, and I just got too bogged down in the facts to enjoy the story itself.
It didn’t capture my interest at the beginning like her previous novels and because of that, I will give this novel 4 stars.
Sherry Terry’s Review: 4-Stars
These kinds of covers on books will always make me stop and take a second look. I write historical romance/erotica and they are great research material for me. The best thing about Laurel’s series on the women of history is she makes learning fun. This set of books is told like a story, not like facts in an encyclopedia.
The beginning of this book was a little hard for me to get into. There are a lot of names and family history that I don’t really think a 12-year-old Margret would discuss in such detail with the Priest. It felt like both characters should already know the information, and the author was looking to get the needed information into the story.
I’m always a fan of a family tree, and Laurel’s is splendid. I also enjoyed the images in the story
I couldn’t really get into this book as well as Laurel’s other books in The Legendary Women of World History. It had a few glitches for me and felt like learning material. However, this book is still a great addition to any study materials.
I do love how Laurel brought Margret together throughout the story. Laurel has a way of making historical people feel like real people that you can connect with even today.
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