I rate this 4.5 out of 5.

I want to thank NetGalley and Harper Publishing for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Brief Summary: George Villiers was born a second son to a minor gentleman in England and rose to the heights of British politics. Becoming a favourite of James VI of Scotland and I of England, Villiers started his meteoric rise to the Dukedom of Buckingham. However, Villiers' swift rise to power did not gain him any friends among the Lords or the Commons. Politically skilled, but militarily inept Hughes-Hallett examines the impact of Villiers on British Politics and the Stuart Dynasty from his first appearance at court to his untimely death.

Thoughts: This was an exceptionally captivating biography. Hughes-Hallett's writing style draws the reader into the vivid and tumultuous courts of James VI and I and his son Charles I. There are many points where you feel you are watching a play of events rather than reading them on the page. However, the structure of the book often muddles the sequence of events. Perhaps it is because I am not as familiar with this time in history, but I had difficulty following when certain things happened in Villiers' life, for example, the births of his children. It was unclear to me when his heir Charles was born and how much of an age gap there was between his daughter Mary and Charles.

I enjoyed the detailed descriptions of life at the Stuart court during Villiers' lifetime, but in some ways, these details subsumed the biography. The loadstar of this book is Villiers as all the events are tied to him in some way. However, there is often more detail about the governing nature of both James and Charles Stuart outside of their relationships with Villiers. These details are interesting and help to frame why Villiers made certain choices throughout his life, but it did feel like this book was more than just a simple biography of one man. Hughes-Hallett's work demonstrates that you cannot discuss Stuart politics without including him.

The shining moment in this book was the discussion of Charles (later Charles I) and Villiers' trip to Spain. I had heard of this event in other books, but the level of detail that Hughes-Hallett included from the primary sources paints an evocative picture of events. After reading this section I began to contemplate if James's relationship with Villiers might shed some light on how James parented Charles and Charles' later developed obstinacy. Hughes-Hallett highlights how James often referred to Villiers as his "son" and Villiers in turn referred to James as his 'father" in letters. I find it interesting that Villiers and Charles took the same approach to the Spanish match and later when Charles was King he and Villiers were very good friends. Was James cultivating something in Charles that he liked about Villiers or did the mere association with James strengthen similar parts of Villiers and Charles' personalities? I also appreciated how Hughes-Hallett infused humour into her assessment of the trip to Spain. Given the evidence, it was a foolish idea to have undertaken.

The material history of Villiers' life was also fascinating. The clear description of his lavish dress and interest in art helped to flesh out Villiers as a person rather than simply a political player. His tastes were lavish and expensive for the time, even for a person of his rank. The description of his jewels and clothes and how he had himself depicted in art.

If you want to understand the early reign of the Stuarts in England I recommend you pick up a copy of this book. Hughes-Hallett weaves a captivating narrative about court dynamics, parliamentary politics, and human connection at the heart of the court.

Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Child death, Chronic illness, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Toxic relationship, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, War, Injury/Injury detail, Classism, and Pandemic/Epidemic

This book portrays the life of George Villiers, the 1st Duke of Buckingham, the favorite of kings James I and Charles I. It explores Buckingham’s rise to power, his flamboyant lifestyle in the 17th-century English court, and his spectacular downfall.

Addictive, informative, and easy to read, this book is both history and biography, artfully capturing the man and his times. Buckingham’s story is tragic—he was in over his head, raised too high too soon, and incapable of recognizing his own limitations. This narrative portrays the man in all his glory and pathos.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.

I requested and received an eARC of The Scapegoat: The Brilliant Brief Life of the Duke of Buckingham by Lucy Hughes-Hallett via NetGalley. This must be my year of reading about the Stuarts and their lovers and I am happy to be adding this title to my list. I was especially excited to see this on NetGalley after watching Mary & George earlier this year. Although the television program proved to be an occasionally tepid affair, the history remained fascinating. In Hughes-Hallett’s work George Villiers, Duke of Buckingham takes center stage as the author explores his origins and his meteoric rise as James I’s favorite.

The introduction to the text addressed two points that really interested me going into this work. Hughes-Hallett’s suggests that perhaps Buckingham wasn’t the monster some chose to portray him as (making him the titular scapegoat) and that those who knew him most intimately thought him kind, courteous and modest. The author also suggests that Buckingham and those connected with him in many ways subverted gender roles and traditional familial relationships. These claims are backed by the text that follows and are often used to pose very interesting questions that provide for a more nuanced understanding of the subject matter.

This was a captivating account of an often misaligned man. The text is well-sourced and the cast of characters who make up this history are well explained. Although this is quite lengthy, there are frequent chapter breaks, and the information is presented in a digestible way making it quite easy to put down this book and pick it up again without feeling lost. Hughes-Hallett uses Buckingham's and James’ personal histories to make interesting assessments of their characters. I particularly enjoyed the sections about James I’s childhood, the relationship between Buckingham and his mother, as well as the bits about Buckingham and Francis Bacon.

Perhaps, most importantly, this was a fun read! History can often be dry, but that isn’t the case here. Hughes-Hallett leaves no stone unturned as she explains the art, culture and prevailing attitudes of the era, while also providing enough salacious history to make for a very interesting reading experience. I found myself wanting a glimpse of Buckingham's famous legs or wondering how he might have spoken. I really appreciate the way the author breaks down complex understandings of friendship and sexuality in the early Stuart era. Being both informative and entertaining can be a difficult task, but Hughes-Hallett seems to excel at it. I will absolutely be adding a physical copy of this book to my library as soon as I can get my hands on it!

Hughes-Hallett deftly examines how individuals and groups have been unfairly blamed for societal woes, using compelling case studies and vivid storytelling. The book's insightful analysis and rich historical context make it a compelling read, offering readers a deeper understanding of the mechanisms of blame and its consequences. Hughes-Hallett’s engaging prose and thorough research ensure that "The Scapegoat" is both informative and intellectually stimulating.