The Dog Who Loved a Queen

The Dog Who Loved a Queen Jackie French, Angus & Robertson [HarperCollins: NZ agents], 207 pages, paperback, NZ$16.99
ISBN 978-0-7322-8508-1


In The Dog Who Loved a Queen, Jackie French, has told the story of the ill-fated Mary, Queen of Scots from the point-of-view of her faithful terrier. French has always had a rapport with animals – from wombats to blacksnakes – and she makes the dog’s-eye-view of the Scottish terrier completely convincing. ‘Was she here? I could smell horse droppings, men and muskets, and the damp smell of rats and river.’ Folly is a lively witness to the intrigues that surround the imprisoned queen giving the reader a vivid impression of the dramatic events that led to Mary’s trial and execution.


Trevor Agnew

This review first appeared in The Press, Christchurch NZ, on 22 Mar 2008.