The Three Crowns: The Story of William and Mary Review

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The Three Crowns: The Story of William and Mary ReviewWhile I've read quite a few books which feature William and Mary, this was the first book I've read that was dedicated solely to them. I was under the impression that the majority of this book would be about their reign...I was wrong. A huge portion (over 50% on the Kindle) is detailing Mary Stuarts childhood. Her life and relationships with her father James, Duke of York, her uncle King Charles II, and her cousin James, Duke of Monmouth. There are a couple short chapters that rush through Williams childhood in Holland, and how he came to marry Mary. The final chapters are pages and pages of Williams horrid and cruel treatment of Mary, and his quest to take the English crown from James II, Mary's father.
While I was surprised at how much of the book was following Mary's younger years, it was still enjoyable. Mary's privileged yet simple childhood was sweet, and seeing her relationships with her various friends and family members blossom was entertaining. However, once she marries William Mary becomes a complete doormat. Williams treatment of her is just terrible, and her refusal to stand up for herself was infuriating, and very unbelievable.
Now, in all the other books I've read that mention Mary and William, they all agree that their marriage definitely started out on rocky ground. Mary did NOT want to get married but her uncle King Charles II felt it was a necessary match to bring peace between the English and the Dutch. She was still very young, and her new husband was a very solemn man who hardly ever showed his emotions. Over time though, they truly came to love and respect one another. This is the first time I've ever read about William being downright cold to Mary. According to Ms. Plaidy, the only reason William showed her affection at the very end is because Mary promised him that he would be King to her Queen, instead of just her consort (since Mary was next in line for the throne of England, that made her Queen...William could only become a King if Mary allowed it). After the way he treated her all those years in Holland...ignoring her, ridiculing her, carrying on an affair with one of her ladies, WHY would she grant him Kingship?
In the end, while this was a decent read, I just don't think it's a very realistic picture of William and Mary's marriage. Yes, I know this is historical fiction, but most HF keeps things relatively accurate. Also, we don't get to read ANYTHING about the actual reign of William and Mary. The book ends right as Mary's returning to England to claim her throne...this was a big letdown (for me at least). Overall, Jean Plaidy is a great storyteller. Even though I didn't like the latter half of this book, it certainly moved along at a great pace and was almost impossible to put down. Though I didn't really care for this particular book, I will DEFINITELY continue to read her stuff. So while I recommend Ms. Plaidy, I don't really recommend this book.The Three Crowns: The Story of William and Mary Overview

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