The Thistle and the Rose by Jean Plaidy

Rating 3/5

The Thistle and the Rose is about Margaret Tudor and her marriage to James IV of Scotland. Jean Plaidy's writing was very simplistic and her characters did not have much depth. I found Margaret to be very annoying. She seemed like she wanted to be a strong woman and fight for custody of her sons and the right to do what she wanted, but she made very poor decisions which prevented her from achieving her goal. She married men of low status that had no political gain, but wanted to be part of politics. She tried to stand up for herself by not putting up with their infidelity, but then went back to them. It was sad, really. She just wanted to be loved. I'm not sure if I will read any more of Plaidy's work. I think they are designed for young adults.