Thank you NetGalley and Random House UK for this eCopy to review

The Tower is a claustrophobic and atmospheric historic retelling of the year Queen Mary spent imprisoned at Lochleven Castle in Scotland.

I struggled a bit with this one, it was quite difficult to follow who was speaking/thinking and the language was overly flowery at times. The sexual/lesbian references were a bit too much and ended up detracting from Mary's story. I did learn about the politics and history of the time. Maybe a few other characters would have helped lift the story

Mary miscarries during the story which may be triggering for some

The Tower is a historical novel about the short time that Mary Queen of Scots spent imprisoned at Lochleven Castle in 1567.

The story follows Mary and her two maidservants as they deal with the isolation and the impact of politics on their lives. It's quite a claustrophobic atmosphere and there's a very physical sense of what it would be like cooped up with other women in those circumstances. I had a general sense of Mary's history before reading The Tower, but now some gaps in my knowledge are filled.

A recommended read for lovers of historical fiction.

This, Flora Carr’s dazzling debut, is historical fiction at its finest. A sumptuous blend of lyrical prose, seductive storytelling and bold characterization that sent me down endless rabbit holes of investigation to discover more about Mary, Queen of Scots, of whom I shamefully knew very little.

The Tower is a vividly imagined retelling of the 11 months from June 1567 that Mary was held captive in Lochleven Castle in the Scottish Highlands, following a tumultuous period of conflict between her Catholic and Protestant subjects.

Pregnant, and separated from her infant son, Mary is accompanied only by two lowly chambermaids, and later, after her forced abdication, also by her closest friend and confidante, Lady Mary Seton.

Carr presents an absorbing and instructive account of this brief period of Scottish history; one that not only lays bare the patriarchal and misogynistic nature of the society of that time, but that also explores the transcendent power of sisterhood in the face of tradition and hierarchy.

Mary came alive for me. She was by all accounts a striking, charismatic figure in real life, due in part to her extraordinary beauty and height. But I recognized her here also to be a woman of great dignity, bravery and compassion. And Carr captures all of this to perfection.

I found this a deeply atmospheric novel — at times even claustrophobic — steeped in the kind of transportive, poetic prose that evokes a truly visceral sense of time and place.

Surprisingly, despite the confined setting and limited plot, the narrative never loses momentum. I was fascinated by the shifting dynamics amongst the four women as they plotted Mary’s escape, and by Carr’s clever foreshadowing, which satisfied my curiosity about their eventual fates.

And while the story is very much set in the here and now, I also appreciated how Carr gave it context by weaving in elements of the past through the dreams and memories of Mary and her companions.

A triumph of a debut and the best kind of history lesson.

I am a little bit obsessed with history, and of Mary Queen of Scots especially. I find this period in history just so exciting.

I was over the moon to receive a copy of this, and it lived upto all my expectations. Mary and her maids banished to Lochleven Castle, surrounded by water, unable to leave. Plotting and scheming is rife on all sides - then all changes when Lady Seton arrives…

This is all you could want from a historical novel, excitement, plots, everything. I loved every second

My thanks to Netgalley and Random House UK, Cornerstone for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed this very much and it has made me want to find out more about Mary Queen of Scots. It is a vibrant reimagining of MQS's imprisonment in Lochleven Castle - the tower in the middle of the loch where the unfortunate queen spent almost a year of her life.

The characters are wonderfully drawn, from the slightly ditzy Cou Cou to the steady and sensible Jane, and from Lady Seton, friend to the Queen, to Mary herself. The many supporting characters are also well-defined. The surroundings, clothes, weather, food and drink , smells, and general conditions are all well shown, giving a sense of the claustrophobic atmosphere,

There is sadness, of course, but also moments of joy, and a strong sense of the loyalty of the three women to the doomed Mary.

I wanted to love this. I really did but the head hopping!

It's fast paced and deftly blends the politics and the claustrophobia of Mary's imprisonment at Loch Leven and gives life but Carr switches between povs 3 times in a paragraph sometimes!

Maybe it's just the eARC formatting fouling up but it made it hard to read and I had to reread sections several to figure out who was thinking or doing what. 😭

It is 1567 and a pregnant Mary Queen of Scots is imprisoned in a tower in Loch Leven Castle with just two serving women, Jane and Cuckoo. In a little while, after her enforced abdication, the three will be joined by Mary's lifelong friend, Seton.

The claustrophobic setting of just the one room, and the vulnerability and precarious safety of the four women, is beautifully portrayed by Flora Carr.

Danger is only ever a whisper away, and their predicament is as vividly and intensely drawn, as the physical details and implications of their confinement are viscerally rendered.

The atmosphere of this novel is intense and the unfurling of the action is quite slow-burn but nonetheless dramatic, reflecting perfectly the reality of the situation as it would have been for the imprisoned women.

There is a huge social chasm between Queen and servant in normal circumstances, but the author portrays 4 women crossing social divides, bonding and supporting each other in terrible circumstances, whilst at the same time experiencing everything from petty jealousy and insecurity, to the loss of a child and a crown, to disguised lesbian passions and increasingly frantic plans for escape.

You would be forgiven for thinking that 4 women imprisoned in one room for a year would eventually pall and become quite boring as the setting for a novel, but far from it. Carr makes good use of flashback episodes to provide the full backstory, and the finely judged and executed technique of foreshadowing hints at a future that will bring only sadness, tragedy and futility. The characters are perfectly realised and fully rounded, and you become completely invested in their fate.

Whilst it may not suit a traditionalist, I thought this novel was beautifully written. It is historical fiction at its finest, clearly underpinned by extensive research, but worn lightly.
It offers a feminist retelling of the story of women whose fates have been shaped and decided by the whims and ambition of men, and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

This wonderful historical novel is the story of Mary, Queen of Scots, during her year’s imprisonment in Lochleven Castle in 1567. Having been denounced by her enemies and forced to abdicate in favour of her young son, James VI, Mary is held captive in the eponymous tower with two maids – Jane and Marie (known as “Cuckoo”). Watched over unceasingly by the mother of her illegitimate half-brother, Mary increasingly relies on Jane and Cuckoo, leading to a unique bond between them which is further complicated by the arrival of Mary’s best friend and lady-in-waiting, Mary Seton.

What follows is a fascinating tale of friendship, captivity, hope and desperation in a period of time where women – even Queens – had little power and were frequently subjected to the whims of the men around them. I loved the camaraderie between the women, and the characters are very well rounded. The growing tension and increasing sense of claustrophobia is palpable, and the plot is very well paced.

It is meticulously researched, and gave a lot of insight into a period of history I didn’t know a huge amount about. The ending is very satisfying, and I would certainly recommend this to anyone interested in the Tudors and Stewarts. 4.5 rounded to 5 stars.

My thanks to the author, NetGalley, and the publisher for the arc to review.

A pregnant Mary Stuart, known usually as Queen of Scots, is taken to the isolated the bleak water-girt island of Lochleven Castle in the summer of 1567. Having just married the violent Bothwell after the murder of her favourite Rizzio, Mary is forcibly imprisoned in the damp and gloomy tower, along with two chambermaids, Scottish Jane and the French Marie de Courcelle, known as Coucou – who share the greater part of the narrative focus, along with Mary’s older friend Lady Seton (also Mary) who share the eleven months of incarceration in the tower of the castle .
This is a violent and cruel, misogynist society. One where so many people behave despicably and selfishly in the evil maelstrom of royal and nobility politics in Scotland. But Mary is a charismatic figure, both men and women are drawn towards her as a they would be a siren. The historical context is superb, with research thorough and melded seamlessly into the narrative. This is historical fiction at its very best. Literary, yet thoroughly absorbing. Flora Carr takes us into the very consciousness and mentality of the harsh sixteenth century world and portrays it with immaculate understanding and perception from a feminist perspective. There is one error, which I hope has been excised from my proof copy of the book, when Mary sees a murmuration of starlings at sunrise and in the summer - both times are exceedingly unlikely, as they occur at sunset and in the autumn or winter!

I did not know very much about this episode in the life of Mary, Queen of Scots and enjoyed reading about that time in her life. That aside, I don't think that this was particularly a book for my taste. I'm not a great fan of taking historical figures and attempting to see them through modern eyes, I found the lesbian references and feminist leanings took a little away from the historical setting and tone.

This is a claustrophobic fictional glimpse into the days Mary Queen of Scots spent in imprisonment.

The historical research and detail is thorough and somewhat interesting, although it has been extensively written and rewritten before. I also found the flow between historical information and background didn't often merge well with the fictional narrative and found the jumping around jarring.

There were too many florrid descriptions and metaphors that began to grate on me. I struggled to relate to the characters although some of the themes of status and class were interesting. But, although I understand they were in a situation that was incredibly tough, frightening and degrading - I began to find their internal voices whiney and irritating, particularly after Seton arrived.

I started to become quite bored and dnf'd at 44%, but I imagine that many readers would enjoy the feminist, LGBTQ themes with the famous historical figures. However, for me it just didn't blend together well.

This honest review is given with thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this book.

A very dark and harsh reimagining of Mary Queen of Scots year as a prisoner at Lochleven Castle. The descriptions of this horrendous year and Mary's miscarriage are not easy to read. The relationship between Jane and Cuckoo and the Queen is very interesting - they are not ladies in waiting but forge a close relationship in the claustrophic and cold prison they share.
Once Queen Mary relinquishes her right to the throne her close friend Mary Seton is allowed to join them; they are moved to better accommodation at the Castle and the relationship between each of the women changes yet again.
Three and a half stars for me.
Many thanks to Netgalley/Fiona Carr/Random House UK for a digital copy of this title. All opinions expressed are my own.

This is a good fictionalization of Mary Stewart's fight to keep her throne, the relationship with her cousin Elizabeth I. Atmospherice, dark and well researched,
A good story about the power plays and the fight between two very powerful women
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

An atmospheric retelling of Mary Queen of Scots life - yes please! I was fascinated by the shifting dynamics between the four women in this story and by how they spent their time as prisoners. A really good read.

This tells the story of Mary, Queen of Scots, and her imprisonment in the fortress on Lochleven. She is forced to abdicate the throne of Scotland for her infant son, and she only has the company of three ladies to help her in her new surroundings. As she looks out of her window and sees how close the mainland of Kinross appears to be, her thoughts turn to escape and regaining all that she has been forced to give up.
I requested this book as I am a great fan of Mary Queen of Scots, and have read widely about her life, and have visited many places she would have known, including Lochleven. That boat journey across that Loch to the ruined castle and the story remain in my memory even now, so I have quite a traditional image of her in my mind.
I found the story to be dry and slow moving, hesitant in action and the hint of lesbianism wasn’t really necessary for me. The shock value of this alternative history greatly annoyed and diminished my liking for this novel, which has resulted in a low rating of three.
My thanks to Netgalley and the publishers Random House UK, for my advanced digital copy, freely given in exchange for my honest review. I will leave reviews to Goodreads and Amazon UK upon publication.

This book was (for me) a slow read but Flora Carr has brought to life Mary Queen of Scot’s well known imprisonment in Lochleven Castle. She brings to life not just the Queen but the women who were with her which makes the story very interesting. Frightening times for the women and not just for the Queen. Through this book it’s possible for the reader to put themselves in the heads of these women. Thank you Netgalley for an advance copy.

A warts and all story about the imprisonment of Mary Wueen of Scots in Loch Leven Castle. A portraiture of her time there with heclafirs in waiting with perhaps some more modern aspects thrown in.
This may not appeal to traditionalists

As a lover of historical fiction, I was excited to read this...however, I ended up being left disappointed.

Mary, Queen of Scotland, has been captured by the rebels. Removed from her friends, she is taken across Scotland to Lochleven Castle with just two ladies maids. Heavily pregnant, Mary is in despair as she is confined to the tower with just her servants, Jane and Cuckoo. Following a miscarriage, she is forced to abdicate the throne in favour of her son and, as a result, is now allowed to be joined by Seton, her closest friend.

However, Mary refuses to settle to her captive life and is soon plotting her escape, even while she is being closely watched by members of the castle, who guard her rooms and accompany her on walks in the grounds. Will Mary ever leave the island, and will she reclaim her crown?

I am sad to say that I didn't really enjoy this story. While it is historically factual, it was such a dry retelling of events that I felt frustrated. It has such incredibly slow pacing I was longing to skip ahead to get to more exciting bits....sadly there weren't really any of those either.

Some will like it but sadly I didn't.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Mary Queen of Scots is imprisoned with her ladies in waiting. The mood of Scotland is not in her favour, and her future options are looking very grim. An interesting royal historical drama based on a well known event.

I'm afraid I couldn't finish this book. Despite being very interested in and quite knowledgeable about Mary Queen of Scots I found the writing very difficult to follow and couldn't get into any sort of flow whilst reading. I'm sure other readers may find it very enjoyable.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read an advance copy. All opinions are my own.