Rose Nicolson

Book cover of Rose Nicolson: Memoir of William Fowler of Edinburgh

Book description

'A tale I have for you.'

Embra, winter of 1574. Queen Mary has fled Scotland, to raise an army from the French. Her son and heir, Jamie is held under protection in Stirling Castle. John Knox is dead. The people are unmoored and lurching under the uncertain governance of this…

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Why read it?

1 author picked Rose Nicolson as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

Marsali Taylor

Author

Rose Nicolson is the story of Will Fowler, student, would-be poet, warily Protestant in the charged atmosphere of 1570s Scotland, where the scorch marks of burned martyrs are still visible on the streets.

I loved this because it felt like time travel. I believed in Greig’s Scotland: the place, the smells, the frightening world where Will had to step warily among tangled politics. There was atmosphere, excitement, meetings with historical characters and romance: Will’s love for Rose, the intelligent fisher girl who’d learned Latin and philosophy at her brother’s elbow, yet who wanted to stay within her own class and…

From Marsali's 3 favorite reads in 2023.