Mary, Queen of Scots

From 500 Great Books by Women; review by Lynne Auld

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. --This text refers to the

Paperback edition.

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 --This text refers to the

Paperback edition.