[.ca] Queen's Own Fool (ISBN 0606225269)

From Amazon.com:
"Where history ends, storytelling begins," writes Jane Yolen in her author's note to this exciting novel based on the life of Mary, Queen of Scots. Only a few facts are known about Mary's young female jester, le Jardiniere, but Yolen and her collaborator, Scottish writer Robert Harris, have created a fascinating girl narrator based on this historical oddity. Le Jardiniere relates the true and tragic tale of the ill-fated 16th-century queen of Scotland. In 1559, when a ragtag troupe of traveling entertainers is snatched from the sodden streets of Rheims to amuse the bored visiting French court, 13-year-old Nicola Ambruzzi impresses the queen with her wit and honesty. The beautiful young Mary takes the girl under her protection as "the queen's own fool," commissioned to speak the truth boldly amid the fawning lies and schemes of the courtiers. Around them swarm secret plots, duplicity, and betrayal; death is a constant threat. After her weak boy-husband King Francis dies, the kindhearted Mary is unwilling to hear Nicola speak the truth about her suitors. She experiences two disastrous marriages, first with the handsome wastrel Darnley and then--for political expediency--with his murderer, the treacherous Bothwell. When he plots against her, she must flee back to Scotland to try to resume her throne in the midst of swirling conflict between the Protestant lords and their Catholic rulers. Nicola's wit and daring get them through some dangerous situations, but Mary is eventually imprisoned in the stark castle of Lochleven, where their hairsbreadth attempts at escape wind up a story from history as exciting and deeply affecting as any of Yolen's fantasy novels. (Ages 12 and older) --Patty Campbell

Good, but not great:
This book was quite good, but quite lengthy. It seemed to go on longer than it needed to or started to soon, or maybe it just had to many details. Though it was very enticing, it was not a first pick. I have read other books by Yolen and have found she cannot find just the right length. Her books are good, but not quite right.

Good bit of historical fiction...:
While not extroadinary, this book definitely stands out as a good, solid story for anyone interested in this time period. It might help if you've studied it a bit as well; while I consider myself a fairly informed history buff, this particular point in history was not one I'd studied in the past, so some of it went over my head a bit. Still, I enjoyed the main and supporting characters immensely, and the plot was full of exactly the sort of court intrigue I love. Nicola, an orphan living with a group of street performers headed by her often abusive uncle, never expected to be anything but what she is. Thus she is quite surprised when the young queen Mary is so charmed by her antics that she immediately frees her from her uncle, in exchange for her becoming her own personal fool. Though it tends to move a bit slowly at times, in the end the reward is worth it. Like I said, this book is truly good, recommendable to anyone twelve on up.

Awesome!:
I bought this book not expecting much, just a week read. Instead I got a sensational book! Not only were the characters amusing, but they seemed like real people! (Okay, so a lot of them were. Jeesh, give me a break!) I almst felt that I knew Mary, Queen of Scots, if not only for a brief second. That is a hard thing to accomplish, and the author(s) did it perfectly.

A book to keep forever:
I got this book and could hardly put it down for the next three days. "Queen's Own Fool" is about a young girl, Nicola, who just happens to meet Mary Stuart. Nicola is a traveling performer and then becomes Queen Mary's fool. Nicola follows the Queen everywhere, including into imprisonment. She is there when Francis, Mary's husband and good friend, dies to comfort her. She travels to Scotland and reminds the Queen that she is only mortal. Nicola befriends few people, but the ones she does meet prove to be more that true friends. This book had me laughing at nine-thirty at night and practically crying an hour later. I would definatly recommend this book to anyone who is the least bit interested in Tudor England or Mary, Queen of Scots. I would also recommend "Mary, Queen of Scots, Queen Without A Country" too. This book may seem a bit large for some younger readers, but don't stress, it will end when it ends. When I finished, I practically started to cry because I of what happens to Nicola and the Queen. Nowing the end of Mary's life didn't help at all either. Read this book if you want to be touched deeply. Some might not like it, but I was searching for a good book at Mary, Queen of Scots, and this was just what I was looking for. This could be read by a reader as young as eight and up. I am not sure if younger readers would be able to understand some of the words or be able to read such a long book, but if you might read it to a young person, but explanation might be needed. I WILL NEVER BOOK THIS BOOK IN A BOX AND THROW IT INTO THE BASEMENT, GARAGE, OR SHED. A MAGNIGICENT READ!!!!!!!!!!!1

A Review:
This is one of the best books that i have read.while the story focuses on Mary queen of scots it also tells Nicola Ambruzzi's story.Nicola and Italian orphan finds her Uncle the lead fo Troupe Brufort. Nicola dances in Troupe Brufort and when Troupe Brufort arrives and entertain for Mary and her husband francis Mary is fascinated by Nicola partly because she made Francis laugh gives Nicola's uncle money so Mary can keep Nicola as her own fool. Though part of the story is fictional it tells the struggle of Mary Queen of scots leaving france,ruling scotland, and then escaping from scotland to save her own life. I think this book is a wonderful tale of Mary Queen of scots full of surprises happy and sad parts. I recommend this book to people who are interested in the Stuarts though Mary wasn't in the dyansty and to people who are interested in Mary Queen of Scots herself.