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eggjen's review against another edition
5.0
This continues to be one of my favorite series. So fun. ❤️❤️❤️
rcpope's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
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? Yes
4.5
issianne's review against another edition
4.0
4.5. Do you ever read a book and think “man, I wish I had written this…”? Because that’s legitimately how I feel. I loved “Reign” in high school and I swear the arranged marriage between these two never gets old. There’s even a reference to Bash that made want to let out one (1) small scream. Anyway… this was so fun because we’re back in the Edian/Verity world of “My Lady Jane” and we get many a callback to that book as well. Mary is stubborn and I love it. Francis is a soft boy and I love it. (And Ari is nice too.) Tbh it loses half a point because I wanted more Mary and Francis moments but that’s just me…
bibliobrandie's review against another edition
4.0
My Contrary Mary follows a teenaged-Mary Queen of Scots in 16th-century France...except she can turn herself into a mouse. This was fun and funny and I will definitely read more in the series.
hannahhbic's review against another edition
4.0
Liked this one better than the Janie books, tbh. It's more coherent. And finally, FINALLY, one of the POV characters is queer.
chuskeyreads's review against another edition
4.0
Hilarious retelling of Mary Queen of Scots! For those of you who are fans of the show Reign, you'll love this story.
Told with three narrators - Mary, Francis, and Ari - this story is simply delightful!
MARY:
Magic, murder, and mayhem surround Mary as she is betrothed to the dauphin, Francis. Mary has her ladies - all named Mary (which is historically correct, BTW), but they're given nicknames to avoid confusion: Mary Beaton "Bea," Mary Fleming "Flem," Mary Livingston "Liv," and Mary Seaton "Hush." Oh, and all the Marys are Eðians (shapeshifters), who turn into animals. Mary (the Queen of Scots) is a mouse. However, this is a secret that Mary cannot share because her soon-to-be mother-in-law Catherine de Medici is a Verity and detests Eðians. When King Henry meets an untimely demise, Mary's world is turned upside down. She's unsure of who to trust and whether she'll be next.
FRANCIS:
His character is fairly spot on with his wimpy, sickly ways. He's just not interested in becoming king. When Henry dies, he's forced onto the throne and has his evil mother Catherine to "guide" him. The problem arises when Francis his idea of ruling France doesn't exactly match that of his mother.
ARI:
Ari, short for Aristotle (not that Aristotle) is the daughter of the famous Nostradamus, the great seer. She does have visions, but she's much better at making potions. Besides, Ari can't really make sense of what she sees:
"I see a girl with pale hair singing in the snow. She wants to let it go, but I don't know what it is."
Just like the Janies series, this one is laugh-out-loud funny. Between Ari's "visions" of popular movies and the inserted commentary of the authors, the first of the Marys series doesn't disappoint. I highly recommend that you read My Lady Jane first, as the characters from that book appear in the last few chapters of this story.
Told with three narrators - Mary, Francis, and Ari - this story is simply delightful!
MARY:
Magic, murder, and mayhem surround Mary as she is betrothed to the dauphin, Francis. Mary has her ladies - all named Mary (which is historically correct, BTW), but they're given nicknames to avoid confusion: Mary Beaton "Bea," Mary Fleming "Flem," Mary Livingston "Liv," and Mary Seaton "Hush." Oh, and all the Marys are Eðians (shapeshifters), who turn into animals. Mary (the Queen of Scots) is a mouse. However, this is a secret that Mary cannot share because her soon-to-be mother-in-law Catherine de Medici is a Verity and detests Eðians. When King Henry meets an untimely demise, Mary's world is turned upside down. She's unsure of who to trust and whether she'll be next.
FRANCIS:
His character is fairly spot on with his wimpy, sickly ways. He's just not interested in becoming king. When Henry dies, he's forced onto the throne and has his evil mother Catherine to "guide" him. The problem arises when Francis his idea of ruling France doesn't exactly match that of his mother.
ARI:
Ari, short for Aristotle (not that Aristotle) is the daughter of the famous Nostradamus, the great seer. She does have visions, but she's much better at making potions. Besides, Ari can't really make sense of what she sees:
"I see a girl with pale hair singing in the snow. She wants to let it go, but I don't know what it is."
Just like the Janies series, this one is laugh-out-loud funny. Between Ari's "visions" of popular movies and the inserted commentary of the authors, the first of the Marys series doesn't disappoint. I highly recommend that you read My Lady Jane first, as the characters from that book appear in the last few chapters of this story.
myfairphantom's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
brianne_k's review against another edition
3.0
*3/5*
I sooooooo wanted to love this - I love Mary Queen of Scots and her history.
I loved Reign (the actors from the show are who I pictured.. I even actually laughed out loud when Bash was introduced.. as a dummy for archery practice).. but this book was a bit of a slog to get through. The same issue I had with My Lady Jane. If they were a bit shorter, they'd stay fresh and fun.
I am really interested in the other 2 Mary's they have lined up, so I will probably still continue with this series. I never did finish the Jane series but maybe I will one day. Plus I just love these covers.
I sooooooo wanted to love this - I love Mary Queen of Scots and her history.
I loved Reign (the actors from the show are who I pictured.. I even actually laughed out loud when Bash was introduced.. as a dummy for archery practice).. but this book was a bit of a slog to get through. The same issue I had with My Lady Jane. If they were a bit shorter, they'd stay fresh and fun.
I am really interested in the other 2 Mary's they have lined up, so I will probably still continue with this series. I never did finish the Jane series but maybe I will one day. Plus I just love these covers.
thekawaiislartibartfast's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0