Mary Queen of Scots (Paperback)

~ (Author) "The winter of 1542 was marked by tempestuous weather throughout the British Isles: in the north, on the borders of Scotland and England, there were..." (more)
Key Phrases: most special servant, privy staircase, privy letters, Mary Stuart, Queen Mary, Queen Elizabeth (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review

?A book that will leave few readers unmoved.?
? San Francisco Chronicle

?She was sometimes reviled as a scheming whore, sometimes revered as a misunderstood martyr. But she was invariably regarded as fascinating. Antonia Fraser?s richly readable biography demonstrates that Mary?s great fascination continues unabated.?
? Time

?One of the most fascinating figures in history.?
? The Columbus Dispatch

?Compassionate, illuminating, rich in human interest.?
? The New York Times

?With grace, sensitivity and a sharp eye for detail, Lady Antonia Fraser has succeeded not only in recapturing the real Mary from the symbol but also in illuminating the chaotic age in which she lived.?
? Newsweek -- Review

The tragic life of Mary, Queen of Scots has long fascinated students of history and dreamy young girls alike. In this scholarly, comprehensive, and moving biography, Antonia Fraser skillfully guides the reader through the genealogical labyrinths and convoluted intrigues of the Scottish, English and French courts. Born in 1542, six days before the death of her father, Mary Stuart is crowned Queen of Scotland in her infancy and begins her life as the pawn of the powerful who surrounded her. Raised in Catholic France and married at fifteen to France's young dauphin in alliance against the Protestant English, Mary becomes Queen of France at sixteen and a widow at eighteen. Returning to Scotland, Mary - culturally a Frenchwoman - faces the challenges of ruling an unpredictable, fractious, still militantly Protestant society. Her determination to remain a Catholic furthered distances her from her subjects and antagonizes her cousin and nemesis, Queen Elizabeth of England, who is intensely aware of Mary's legitimate place in the English succession. Eventually Elizabeth imprisons Mary and later orders her execution. In lucid prose, Antonia Fraser examines and interprets the complex drama of one of history's most compelling figures, her transformation, significance, and paradoxical victory. -- For great reviews of books for girls, check out Let's Hear It for the Girls: 375 Great Books for Readers 2-14. -- From 500 Great Books by Women; review by Lynne Auld

Review

“A book that will leave few readers unmoved.”
— San Francisco Chronicle

“She was sometimes reviled as a scheming whore, sometimes revered as a misunderstood martyr. But she was invariably regarded as fascinating. Antonia Fraser’s richly readable biography demonstrates that Mary’s great fascination continues unabated.”
— Time

“One of the most fascinating figures in history.”
— The Columbus Dispatch

“Compassionate, illuminating, rich in human interest.”
— The New York Times

“With grace, sensitivity and a sharp eye for detail, Lady Antonia Fraser has succeeded not only in recapturing the real Mary from the symbol but also in illuminating the chaotic age in which she lived.”
— Newsweek

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 640 pages
• Publisher: Delta (September 1, 1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 038531129X
• ISBN-13: 978-0385311298
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.1 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (52 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #64,243 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

  Popular in these categories: (What's this?)

  #9 in	Books > History > Europe > Scotland
  #65 in	Books > Biographies & Memoirs > Historical > British

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

55 of 56 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful book bogged down with annoying problems, April 11, 2004

By	B. Walker (Wisconsin, United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Amazon Verified Purchase

It probably is unfair to compare the writing styles of Fraser and her counterpart, Alison Weir, but having just read what seems like a mountain of books by both of them, I can't help but do so and find Fraser ahead on some points, behind on others.

Fraser has a methodical style wherein each sentence is so cram-packed with detail that her books probably improve on their second or third readings. She takes a comprehensive, relatively non-biased look at her subject here and provides an interesting biography of a woman who has been characterized as everything from a near saint to a scheming, treasonous viper who deserved her eventual beheading. While Weir seems to take the position that Elizabeth I was some beloved angel who eventually had to sully her hands and cut off the head of her cousin for national security, I think the truth is somewhere else, as does Fraser.

In terms of historical accuracy, I think Fraser probably has the edge over Weir, notwithstanding both authors' impeccable research. Weir allows story to take precedence over fact, something that doesn't seem to happen as much with Fraser.

Which brings me to my list of quibbles with this book. Fraser may write factually, but in doing so, she comes thisclose to having written a book every bit as dry as the ones I steered clear of in school. It was torture to get through some of the passages and I put the book down more than once, not to pick it up again for days. I wasn't compelled to finish the book and find out the rest of the story the way I was with Weir's.

My second issue was with all of the passages in untranslated languages, French primarily. A few years ago, I'd say I spoke French fluently, but even I had to look up some of the phrases here. It wouldn't have hurt the narrative to provide a parenthetical translation for those of us not fluent in multiple languages who don't feel like getting up to run the thing through Babelfish. Intended or not, it gave the author an air of arrogance and was my main stumbling block to enjoying this book as fully as I wanted to.

Overall, it was a detailed biography, probably as accurate as anything else that's out there, without the apparent author bias that's seen in Weir's book. This is not easy reading though; the story is unevenly written, overly laden with minutiae where it's not necessary and filled with passages and important comments that a lot of people won't even be able to decipher without help. I'd give it 4 stars for credibility, 2 for accessibility, for a final 3 stars overall.

52 of 65 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The definitive biography of the tragically famous ruler, November 13, 2001

By	Maureen Ogorman "leneker" (USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Most famous for her beauty and horrific execution the history of her life is compelling litany of betrayal and tragic mistakes. For anyone interested in the period this is defiantly a must read. However there one issues that I take with the book. One is that Ms Fraser's good schooling shines through on many pages as she often quotes a line of two from Mary written in French without bothering to provide the led elite with a translation. This can often make funny little anecdotes seem rather pointless to the reader.

Still there is no better way to discover the full scope of Mary and how people and events all conspired against her.

Perhaps no resident of Edinburgh is more famous than Mary Queen of Scots. Ironically, she lived in the land for only twelve of her forty-four years and her period of personal rule lasted a mere six years, none of which were free from strife.

Born as her father lay dying she became Queen before she was a week old. During her infancy King Henry VIII of England raided the country several times in order to kidnap the girl and secure her as a bride for his son Edward. She was sent to France by her Mother and raised as a daughter by the King. At the age of 16 she married the heir to the French throne who became King shortly thereafter. When her young husband died a year into his reign she was left a teenaged childless Queen Dowager.

She returned to the land of her birth to find herself a Catholic Queen in a country in the midst of Protestant Reformation. Many of her protestant subjects feared that she would become a second 'Bloody Mary' and like her cousin Mary Tudor attempt to force her country back to the Catholic faith. Plots and rebellions against her were a persistent occurrence. Knowing herself to be in a weak position, needing to keep both her Catholic allies and her subjects contented, Mary set a policy of tolerance and moderation in religious matters. Radicals on both sides of the religious spectrum found fault with Mary's tolerance of the religious diversity in Scotland.

Mary herself made matters worse by her disastrous romances. She married her cousin Henry Darnley in the hopes of strengthening her claim to the English throne. After only a few short months he began to plot against her in the hope of securing the throne of Scotland for himself. He and other Scottish nobles murdered Mary's private secretary and friend David Rizzio as she watched, helpless to intervene. When Mary was able to put down this rebellion he turned on his former allies and attempted unsuccessfully to reconcile with the Queen. In the end his erstwhile allies disgusted at his betrayal murdered him as he lay ill at his home Kirk O' Field. It is still debated how much Mary herself knew about the plans to murder her husband the Scottish king.

With Darnley out of the way the remaining Scottish lords were horrified when one of their own kidnapped Mary and became her third husband. He was James Hepburn, Earl of Bothwell was one of the leading suspects in the murder of Darnley. Her marriage to him cost her the love of her people, her tenuous friendship with her cousin Elizabeth I, and her catholic allies around Europe. In one short month Mary was driven from the throne, forced to abdicate in favor of her infant son and placed in captivity by the Scottish lords. Her husband escaped the country only to be taken prisoner in Denmark. Bothwell would live another eleven years in a dungeon slowly going insane.
Mary was also able to escape from her prison, the castle and Lochleven, and she made her way to the English border. Mary of Scotland was the last person whom Elizabeth would wish to see in her kingdom. Viewed by many Catholics as the rightful Queen of England, Mary was a great danger to Elizabeth. Mary became Elizabeth's "guest" and spent nineteen years in captivity in her cousin's country. Since Mary was also the unacknowledged heir to the throne, her jailers were always cautious to treat her with the respect due to one so close to becoming Queen of the land.

As the years passed the captive Mary became a romantic figure to many and was able to restore the reputation lost by her marriage to Bothwell. In hopes of securing her freedom and of capturing Elizabeth's throne, Mary began to communicate clandestinely with English Catholics and her European allies. Using her claim to the English throne as leverage, she began to look for a fourth husband who would free her, overthrow Elizabeth and rule at her side. Eventually Elizabeth was forced to have Mary executed in 1587.
Her execution led Phillip of Spain to launch the armada against England in 1588. Mary was never able to sit on the throne of England as Queen. However, since 1603 all the monarchs of England have been her direct descendants. She is buried in Westminster Abbey in London, a city she never saw while alive.

27 of 34 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars This book is as trustworthy as a Bill Clinton deposition., November 24, 1998

By A Customer

The book was biased, misleading, and, ironically--considering Fraser's obvious efforts to present her as a saint--extremely unflattering to Mary. Mary comes off as weak, neurotic, helpless, and none too bright. She deserves better than that. While I believe Mary was guilty of most of the "crimes" attributed to her (an adulterous love affair with the Earl of Bothwell, complicity--or at least acquiescence--in Darnley's murder, intrigues against Elizabeth, etc.) I also believe that a case could be made making all these actions forgivable, under the circumstances. This is a point Fraser cannot seem to comprehend, leaving her to do a simple-minded "exoneration" of Mary that leaves her, as I said, difficult to sympathize with. Whatever her flaws, Mary was a strong-minded woman of intelligence, spirit, loyalty, and immense courage. You would never know it from this book, however. Also disturbing is Fraser's habit of distorting or omitting facts that disagree with her personal biases, especially where Bothwell is concerned. Fraser falls along with that tired old story of Bothwell-as-villain--in truth, he was one of the very few heroes in this whole grim story--which leads Fraser into some ludicrous and misleading conclusions. For example, she asserts that once Mary was separated from Bothwell, she was glad to be rid of him and immediately forgot him. The fact that all Mary's known words and actions suggest otherwise is ignored. That Mary continually contrived to send letters to Bothwell during her captivity on Lochleven, that on her escape, one of the first things she did was to send an envoy to negotiate his release from Denmark, where he was being detained, so they could be reunited, that she continueda frequent correspondence with him for years afterwards, that she interceded with the King of Denmark to plead with him to treat her husband well--all that, and more, is ignored.

However, the book is not without`its good points as a reference guide. It is heavily detailed and researched--when she wishes it to be, at least. If you want to know what Mary had for breakfast on December 6, 1563, this is the place to find out. As an overall understanding of her as a person, however, it is a complete failure. For that, I would suggest Elizabeth Byrd's novel, "Immortal Queen," which is, to me, the most intelligent and insightful book yet on Mary, fiction or non-fiction.