When an empire is at stake, one woman stands between the past and the future In post-Restoration England, King Charles II has fathered numerous bastards, but not a single legitimate heir. Because of this, his brother, James, Duke of York, is heir-presumptive to the thrones of England, Scotland, and Ireland—the three crowns of Britain. But James’s devout Catholicism, and desire to return Britain … to return Britain to the rule of Rome, does not sit well with his subjects and his time as king is sure to be short.
Raised under the Protestant guardianship of her uncle King Charles, James’s daughter Mary finds herself at fifteen facing a marriage to the Dutch and Protestant William of Orange, long prophesied to be destined for the throne. But can she follow her calling to rule Britain without losing the love of her father?
Captivating in its historical detail, lush and sweeping in its scope, and unforgettable in its dramatic depiction of relationships between monarchs and families, The Three Crowns is the singular story of the only joint sovereigns in British history.
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While I’ve read quite a few books that feature William and Mary, this was the first book I’ve read that was dedicated solely to them. I was under the impression that the majority of this book would be about their reign…I was wrong. A huge portion (over 50% on the Kindle) is detailing Mary Stuarts’ childhood. Her life and relationships with her father James, Duke of York, her uncle King Charles II, and her cousin James, Duke of Monmouth. There are a couple of short chapters that rush through William’s childhood in Holland and how he came to marry Mary. The final chapters are pages and pages of William’s horrid and cruel treatment of Mary, and his quest to take the English crown from James II, Mary’s father.
While I was surprised at how much of the book was following Mary’s younger years, it was still enjoyable. Mary’s privileged yet simple childhood was sweet, and seeing her relationships with her various friends and family members blossom was entertaining. However, once she marries William, Mary becomes a complete doormat. William’s treatment of her is just terrible, and her refusal to stand up for herself was infuriating and very unbelievable.
Now, in all the other books I’ve read that mention Mary and William, they all agree that their marriage definitely started out on rocky ground. Mary did NOT want to get married, but her uncle King Charles II felt it was necessary to bring peace between the English and the Dutch. She was still very young, and her new husband was a very solemn man who hardly ever showed his emotions. Over time though, they truly came to love and respect one another. This is the first time I’ve ever read about William being downright cold to Mary. According to Ms. Plaidy, the only reason William showed her affection at the very end is because Mary promised him that he would be King to her Queen, instead of just her consort (since Mary was next in line for the throne of England, that made her Queen…William could only become a King if Mary allowed it). After the way he treated her all those years in Holland…ignoring her, ridiculing her, carrying on an affair with one of her ladies, WHY would she grant him Kingship?
In the end, while this was a decent read, I don’t think it’s a very realistic picture of William and Mary’s marriage. Yes, I know this is historical fiction, but most HF keeps things relatively accurate. Also, we don’t get to read ANYTHING about the actual reign of William and Mary. The book ends right as Mary’s returning to England to claim her throne…this was a big letdown (for me at least). Overall, Jean Plaidy is a great storyteller. Even though I didn’t like the latter half of this book, it certainly moved along at a great pace and was almost impossible to put down. Though I didn’t really care for this particular book, I will DEFINITELY continue to read her stuff. So while I recommend Ms. Plaidy, I don’t really recommend this book.