The Rogue Queen
The fascinating figure of Isabelle of France, the wife of England’s King Edward II, is the central character of Marcia Maxwell’s spirited and absorbing debut novel The Rogue Queen. Isabelle came to her new role as Queen Consort in 1308 with guarded hopes that were soon dashed as she grew to know the high-strung, mercurial nature of the king. Isabelle must learn quickly how to navigate the treacherous politics of the English court, with the nobles grappling with Edward for power and Edward himself rashly lavishing attention and influence on obnoxious favorites like Piers Gaveston.
Over time, Isabelle accumulates allies and power of her own, and Maxwell very shrewdly avoids reducing any of these characters to simple good and evil single dimensions. Her Isabelle is a compelling fictional creation, simultaneously gentle and strong (and, when irritated, joltingly explicit in her language), and the portrait of Edward is appealingly complex – a weak and essentially overwhelmed man. The novel is very richly atmospheric and tensely human – a very strong work, highly recommended.
