This fictionalized account of the love triangle between Queen Elizabeth I, the Earl of Leicester, and Amy Robsart, swung between interesting-and-very-nearly-suspenseful to mind-numbingly dull. Fortunately, the dullest parts were skimmable without great harm done. I did miss the backstory on Wayland Whatshisname because the pedant character that preceded him sent me into a coma of boredom, from which I was several chapters in recovering. The best parts featured Elizabeth and Leicester's interactions. Scott does a great job of envisioning the dangerous line Elizabeth's courtiers had to toe.

If you enjoyed such novels as THE OTHER BOLEYN girl, this isn't the book for you.