Mary Queen of Scots (original 1969; edition 1994)

read this on Ashfield - donated to PV library April 2022 ( )

I was inspired to read this book after seeing the film about Mary last year and I really enjoyed it for a detailed and balanced view of a woman with a fascinating life. ( )

Antonia Fraser’s biography tells the story of Mary Queen of Scots, whom the cover bills as the most tragic and romantic figure in history. Mary’s story is told with sympathy but not uncritically; Fraser discusses all aspects of Mary’s character and deals with other major figures, such as Elizabeth I and even Bothwell (Mary’s third husband, the chief suspect in the murder of her second husband), fairly. Her writing is fluid and her footnotes deployed to maximum effect, highlighting areas where she had done extra research or where scholarship was contentious, and recommending other works on certain areas of Scottish history.

This is a comprehensive and deeply moving biography; I was crying during the last chapter, when Mary was executed. The detail that underscores the tragedy was Mary’s dog: the Skye terrier had been smuggled in under her skirts, and after its mistress was executed it got out and sat unconsolably whimpering between Mary’s head and her decapitated body.

I highly recommend this biography; even though there may be new scholarship about Mary, given that this was published in 1969, it is a vivid, sensitive and thoughtful portrait of Scotland's best-known queen. ( )

The ultimate cautionary tale about marrying a man just because he is taller than you, this biography is a testament to the Fraser's meticulous research and the immediacy of her writing (and also the unfortunate mess that seems to be Mary's tragic life, seriously, just the worst luck coupled with terrible decision-making) that even as I was reading and finished reading about events from five centuries ago, I was and still am holding out hope that the story will end differently. Even though it is distinctively less objective - the style is decidedly on the side of a long profile piece in the lift-out magazine of the weekend newspaper, (o)ver(l)y sympathetic and apotheosising - than her later work on Marie-Antoinette, it is nonetheless detailed, educational and eminently readable.

Aside #1: Apparently there is a movie of Mary-Elizabeth coming out this year. Current casting aside, as if Ronan would not make a luminous Elizabeth I, instead of what currently looks to be a Helena-Bonham-Carter-in-Alice-in-Wonderland-inspired caricature. As for Mary, Queen of Scots, (who Fraser reports is five feet eleven, just over 180cm), who could possibly play a tall, red-haired Scottish queen with renowned complexion, as if not Amy Pond!

Aside #2, exciting link to my favourite (Decca) Mitford: The Chatsworth House, one of the many places in which Mary was kept prisoner, was the Chatsworth of sister Debo Mitford's duchess life! ( )

I think one reviewer here noted that Fraser is just in love with Mary Stuart and I tend to agree. This is a substantial and detailed work (although I still felt my lack of overall knowledge of the period at times) but Fraser does find it hard to ever find fault in Mary. She is a tragic figure, for sure, but this sets her up as sometimes a bit of plaster saint. It was a long time to read, clocking in at over 600 pages, but I'm glad I persevered. I was most moved by the epilouge, that despite the tragedy of her life, Mary Queen of Scots is the actual mother of the English royal family with a direct line of descent straight down to the current Queen. So despite, her long and ultimately fatal struggle to assure her place in te succession, she was the one who did win out.