My Contrary Mary

„My Contrary Mary“ puts a spin on the life of one of the best-known historical figures of European history, namely Mary, Queen of Scots. Mary is just as beautiful, strong-willed and smart as one can hope for a Queen to be. Even so, staying on top of her uncles‘ conspiracies, the conniving French Queen’s intrigues and preparing herself to reign over not only one, but two countries, isn’t exactly easy. On top of that, Mary has a secret that, if disclosed, might very well cost the young Queen her pretty head. After all, who would want their regent to be a mouse? What Rick Riordan excels at doing for mythology, Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton and Jodi Meadows do for history – make it appealing to a younger audience. I thoroughly enjoyed reading „My Contrary Mary“. Even though I thought I knew what had to happen in the end, I was hooked from the start. The way the authors tell the story is just so gripping and fun. I love that they made Mary an Eðian (shapeshifter) and centered the major conflict around that rather than religion. The characters are amazing. Most of their names, backstories and relations are historically accurate, but their views and language are rather modern, which make them overall more relatable to teenagers. I especially loved Ari, one of the few fictional characters in this novel, whose visions had me howling with laughter. I recommend „My Contrary Mary“ to readers of all ages. If you are a fan of fantasy novels or enjoy stories that are based on historical figures, this is the perfect book for you.