THE QUEEN'S LENDER

A royal jeweler to King James VI of Scotland finds his life uprooted when James succeeds Queen Elizabeth as the ruler of England.

The most surprising thing about Findlay’s fictionalized history of the court of King James Vl is its length. Historical novels tend to be colossal in size, laden—and sometimes weighed down—with facts and descriptions. But Findlay’s nimble work clocks in at less than 200 pages without losing any of its appeal. A playwright and journalist, she makes every word count in this entertaining retelling of Scottish history. The story is largely seen from the perspective of George Heriot, jeweler to the king of Scotland and a special favorite of the gem-besotted Queen Anna. Like the rest of the court, Heriot finds his life in Edinburgh uprooted in 1603, when Queen Elizabeth dies. King James takes over the British throne, and the move to England alters Heriot’s life in tragic and lucrative ways. Findlay’s seamless narrative weaves confidently through court intrigue and hard economic realities. Heriot, who is also a moneylender, is particular about his ledgers, but the king is careless and extravagant: He’ll risk the displeasure of all others to please his wife. Religious complications abound throughout the story: The king’s Catholic mother, Mary, Queen of Scots, was executed, but he has sworn to uphold Protestant values and sees himself as a peacemaker. Other real-life characters appear throughout the book, among them poet William Drummond, architect Inigo Jones, and playwright Ben Jonson, as well as his more famous counterpart, William Shakespeare. Sometimes storylines could have been fleshed out more—the creation of the King James Bible, for example, deserves more attention—and sometimes Heriot’s personal losses feel a bit passed over. But, overall, Findlay’s economy of words works in the novel’s favor. She leaves the reader wishing for more, which is really all a writer can hope for.

A slim but intriguing view of the court of James VI of Scotland.