Available Formats
My Contrary Mary
By (Author) Cynthia Hand
By (author) Jodi Meadows
By (author) BRODI ASHTON
HarperCollins Publishers Inc
HarperCollins
30th April 2025
United States
Young Adult
Fiction
Childrens / Teenage personal and social topics: Families and family members
Childrens / Teenage fiction: Relationship stories
Childrens / Teenage fiction: Historical fiction
FIC
Hardback
512
Long live the queen: The authors who brought you the New York Times bestselling My Lady Jane kick off an all-new historical trilogy with the classy, courtly tale of Mary, Queen of Scotsperfect for YA fantasy and romance readers.
Welcome to Renaissance France, a place of poison and plots, of beauties and beasts, of mice and . . . queens
Mary is the queen of Scotland and the jewel of the French court. Except when shes a mouse. Yes, reader, Mary is an Eian (shapeshifter) in a kingdom where Verities rule. Its a secret that could cost her a heador a tail.
Luckily, Mary has a confidant in her betrothed, Francis. But things at the gilded court take a treacherous turn after the king meets a suspicious end. Thrust onto the throne, Mary and Francis face a vipers nest of conspiracies, traps, and treason. And if Marys secret is revealed, heads are bound to roll.
With a royally clever sense of humor, Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows continue their campaign to turn history on its head in this YA fantasy ideal for fans of A Gentlemans Guide to Vice and Virtue.
"Fast-paced, well-plotted, frequently hilarious--as delicious as the finest French pastry." -- Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
Praise for My Calamity Jane: "Witty and winsome, this rollicking tall tale makes its own rules." -- Booklist (starred review)
"Full of twists, turns, and laugh-out-loud humor, this tongue-in-cheek feminist alternative history is impossible to put down. A thrilling alternative history that sparkles with wit and charm." -- Kirkus Reviews
Praise for My Plain Jane:
"The authors' affection for their source material is abundantly clear in this clever, romantic farce." -- Publishers Weekly (starred review)
"A delightfully deadpan deconstruction of a Gothic novel, with a ghost almost no one can see providing the commentary. Marvelously self-aware and almost too clever for its own good." -- ALA Booklist (starred review)
"A madcap story of ghosts, possession, revenge, and murder. Humorously blends fact with fiction and offers a gentler, more hopeful outcome for Charlotte, her siblings, and her heroine." -- School Library Journal (starred review)
Praise for My Lady Jane: "Wacky, irreverent, and just plain fun. This fantasy-adventure politely tips its hat to history before joyfully punting it out of the way. An utter delight." -- Booklist (starred review)
"An uproarious historical fantasy that's not to be missed." -- Publishers Weekly (starred review)
"Gleefully anachronistic comedy." -- Kirkus Reviews
Cynthia Hand is the New York Times bestselling author of several books for teens, including the Unearthly trilogy, the contemporary novel The Last Time We Say Goodbye, and the historical comedy My Lady Jane. Before turning to writing for young adults, she studied literary fiction, and earned both an MFA and a PhD in fiction writing. Cynthia currently resides in Boise, Idaho, with two kids, two cats, and a mountain of books. Find out more at www.cynthiahandbooks.com. Jodi Meadows is the author of the Incarnate series and lives in Virginia. Find her online at www.jodimeadows.com, and on Facebook and Twitter (@jodimeadows).