Average customer rating:
- Good FICTION book
- Queen of Scotland, lived in France
- Mary, Queen of Scots
- some history about this book . . .
- She is not Bloody Mary
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Mary, Queen of Scots: Queen Without a Country, France, 1553 (The Royal Diaries)
Kathryn Lasky
Manufacturer: Scholastic Inc.
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Binding: Hardcover
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Lasky, Kathryn
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ASIN: 0439194040 |
Amazon.com
Sent from her native Scotland to live in the court of her future father-in-law, King Henry II of France, young Mary, Queen of Scots, spends her time attending balls, hunting and hawking, learning Latin and fractions and music, and playing with her future husband, Francis. In Kathryn Lasky's fictionalized diary of the 11-year-old queen, readers will get a piquant taste of 16th-century life in Europe. Mary is quite aware of her role as the betrothed to France's royal family. Playing chess together one day, Francis comments to Mary, "Did it ever strike you, Mary, that we are not so much children and sons and daughters of parents as we are pieces on a gigantic chessboard called Europe? You are given to me to help checkmate England." As with the other titles in the Royal Diaries series (Elizabeth I: Red Rose of the House of Tudor, etc.), a fact-packed historical note, epilogue, paintings, and family tree provide just enough additional information to whet the appetites of readers for more about the ill-fated queen of Scotland and France. (Ages 9 to 14) --Emilie Coulter
Book Description
Mary is only nine months old when she is crowned Queen of Scotland succeeding her father King James V. Because of political conflicts, she is forced to be separated from her mother and her country from the age of five. For the benefit of forging an alliance with France, the youngster is betrothed to Francis, the son of King Henry ll of France and his wife, the vicious and jealous Queen Catherine de Medici. Mary is sent to France to live in their care until she is old enough for the marriage to take place. It is at their home, the beautiful Chateau St. Germaine, that we first meet the irresistibly charming Mary at 11 years old. Keenly intelligent, she excels academically, and shows a talent for dance, music and poetry. She's an expert horsewoman, skilled at archery and hawking.
Customer Reviews:
Good FICTION book.......2006-10-19
THis book is a good read. I've found though that many books in this series are incomplete. They fail to metion any parts of their deaths. I for one don't like this. In History Mary Queen of Scots was killed by her cousin Elizabeth I of England. I also noticed that in the last grand duchess, they again failed to show why she ended up as the last grand duchess. I enjoyed reading this book. In reality, the book isn't a history lesson and shouldn't be read as such. Finally, it is an incomplete account based on a certain author's view.
Queen of Scotland, lived in France.......2005-11-07
I'm a big fan of the Royal Diaries series and own this book, which i think is very interesting. It tells you alot about the life of Mary Queen Of Scots, where she lived, ect. I acually didn't know she had lived in France before i read this book. Historicly corrrct, interesting and fun to read; this book also mentions Elizabeth I, whom a diary in this series has also been written after. I definetly recomend this book.
Mary, Queen of Scots.......2005-10-28
Alright, here is some information about the history of this family. This is not completly about this book, but scince so many people are getting their history wrong, i chose to write a review just for that reason.
Mary is the cousin of Elizabeth I of England. Mary became Queen of Scotland before she was even 2 years old, (rather odd!) but was raised in France.
Mary was a betrayer, and did not appriciate Elizabeth's kindness at all, and was plotting against her with the Spanish. Elizabeth warned Mary but she chose not to listen. Elizabeth ordered for Mary to be executed, and so it was done on February 8, 1587. She was executed.
Mary is the great - grand daughter of Henry VII. Here are some of the people she is related to:
- King Henry VIII (Son of Henry VII, Father of Elizabeth I and Mary I, married to Anne Boleyn, her Great - Uncle)
Second Cousins , Mary I, Elizabeth I, King Edward VI , Lady Jane Grey (i think), ect.
Margaret Tudor (Daughter of Henry VII, Sister of Henry VIII, her great - aunt)
************************************************************
That is just a small percent of the history of Mary. Thank you.
some history about this book . . . .......2005-10-27
Mary, Queen of Scotts (Mary Stuart) is the Great- Grand daughter of English King Henry VII. She is the second - cousin of Elizabeth Tudor, Daughter of King Henry VIII. She was Queen of Scotland, and was exiled from Scotland for many years, and lived in England at the palaces of her Cousin, Elizabeth. Mary betrayed Elizabeth greatly, and planned to kill the Queen. She talked behind Elizabeth's back, and even though Elizabeth was kind to her, Mary acted very ignorantly towards Elizabeth! Because she planned to kill to Queen, she was ordered to be be-headed by Elizabeth. THANK YOU!
She is not Bloody Mary.......2005-10-05
The book was very intresting like all the Royal Diaries I have read so far. [...] SHE IS NOT BLOODY MARY that in fact was Elizabeth I's half sister Mary TUDOR not Mary STUART( who is the man character in this story)
chiao!
Book Description
For the first time Dunnett's Lymond Chronicles are available in the United States in quality paperback editions.
Second in the legendary Lymond Chronicles,
Queen's Play follows Frances Crawford of Lymond who has been abruptly called into the service of Mary Queen of Scots. Though she is only a little girl, the Queen is already the object of malicious intrigues that extend from her native country to the court of France. It is to France that Lymond must travel, exercising his sword hand and his agile wit while also undertaking the most unlikely of masquerades, all to make sure that his charge's royal person stays intact.
Customer Reviews:
Lymond series No 2: brilliant but not for everyone.......2007-09-06
This is the second book in a series which you will either love or hate. It is also one of those multi-book series which must if at all possible be read in the right order, which is
1) The Game of Kings
2) Queen's Play
3) The Disorderly Knights
4) Pawn in Frankincense
5) The Ringed Castle
6) Checkmate
The Queen of the title is Mary Queen of Scots, a child ruler at the time of the story, with much of the action in Scotland and France relating to intrugues as to who will control the person of the young Queen.
There are two reasons why this series, and the author's similar "Niccolo" series, should be read in chronological order. The first is that the plots are incredibly complicated and if you read them out of sequence you have no chance of understanding what is going on. The second is that many of the characters meet their deaths in ways which are exceptionally unpleasant both for themselves and for the characters who survive them.
I made the mistake of reading one of the later books first. When I came to read this one, advance knowledge of how an important character in this book is going to die, and how Lymond is going to find out about it, seriously affected the pleasure I would otherwise have had in reading the passage when they meet for the first time in "Queen's Play".
Like the books, the central character, Francis Crawford of Lymond, is brilliant, violent, and extremely complicated. Unlike the books he is very flawed. Lymond is a mercenary with particular interests in Scotland and France, and gets involved in nefarious deeds all over the world as 16th century Europeans knew it. Dunnett brings the splendour, cultural ferment, and violent cruelty of the Renaissance world splendidly to life.
If you are at all squeamish, or do not like having to make your brain work overtime to follow a book, leave this series alone. Lymond's story is neither "chewing gum for the brain" nor a comfortable read. And even if you prefer flawed heroes to knights in shining armour, Lymond may infuriate you from time to time. But if you can put up with these features, these books will richly reward the effort you make in reading them.
There is no middle ground: you will either hate the Lymond series or recognise these books as one of the greatest works of historical fiction ever written. Or very possibly both !
Plodding Through.......2007-07-26
I'm almost done with book 2 of the Lymond Chronicles and so far I've realized that Lymond is moody, manic-depressive, an alcoholic and highly intelligent. I couldn't be his woman. Actually, so far he hasn't had any serious relationships with anyone, just sex with [...] and one night stands with court people that are vaguely mentioned. The relationship with Christian Stewart in book 1 was very sweet and tender but purely platonic - however I know she had his heart.
I'll keep reading and see what more I learn of him. As a character he is interesting. This particular book - book II - is not my favorite. I am only reading it in hopes (and from reading reviews) that the rest of the series is better. I don't want to miss anything by skipping this one so I am forcing my way through. The most interesting part of forcing my way through are the tidbits I pick up on his character. The plot/story line of the book is not interesting at all to me.
I enjoyed book 1 after I got about 100 pages into it and after putting it down and picking it up for a second time.
Wonderfully pleasurable and eminently educational.......2007-03-10
Utterly fascinating from cover to cover as a novel, while the research backing up even the smallest detail commands an admiration bordering on awe. It is a book that I will re-read several times.
Reviews paperback book, not content.......2005-09-01
I have heard great reviews of this author from friends, so I set out to buy one of her books. The paperback version of this book is so offensively ugly no one should buy it. The type bleeds so the letters are fuzzy, and the overall impact is negative. I haven't looked at the hardbound version, but don't buy the paperback version - get it from the library if you want to read this book. No publisher should get away with this kind of product. No author should put up with it, and no reader should buy it.
Confusing.......2002-11-25
I hate to be a spoil sport since so many comments about Dunnett have been so effusive- however, I have to be honest and admit that I just don't get it. The plot lines are very confusing and the characters are not well enough developed to identify with. In Game of Kings Lymond communicates solely by spouting erudite witticisms in various languages. Every uttered sentence is either joking, tongue in cheek or nebulous in some way. I never felt for one moment that I understood this character. In fact, there is almost a comical aspect of the larger-than-life adventures that undermines the historical accuracy. Another problem is that Dunnett uses a lexicon that is so archaic and erudite that it becomes annoying after a while. I never thought that I would ever feel this way about a book since I love a good challenging read. This is over the top! I started reading this series in the sincere hope that I would discover something as wonderful and entrancing as the Patric O'Brian novels, I have been sorely disappointed. To tell the truth, I had to stop reading Queen's Play after the first few chapters.
Book Description
Author of
Marie Antoinette
She was the quintessential queen: statuesque, regal, dazzlingly beautiful. Her royal birth gave her claim to the thrones of two nations; her marriage to the young French dauphin promised to place a third glorious crown on her noble head.
Instead, Mary Stuart became the victim of her own impulsive heart, scandalizing her world with a foolish passion that would lead to abduction, rape and even murder. Betrayed by those she most trusted, she would be lured into a deadly game of power, only to lose to her envious and unforgiving cousin, Elizabeth I.
Here is her story, a queen who lost a throne for love, a monarch pampered and adored even as she was led to her beheading, the unforgettable woman who became a legend for all time.
Customer Reviews:
A powerful and troubled queen.......2007-10-07
Antonia Fraser's first biography still stands as one of her best. This is a sympathetic look at Mary who at a young age was used as a political pawn, raised not to be "Queen of the Scots" but to be Queen of France. After the Dauphin died, she eventually returned to Scotland as a stranger to the culture and religion of her native land. Though a strong women, she was easily led astray by her passions and her advisors. Her cousin Elizabeth I, offered Mary shelter after she was forced to abdicate her Scottish thrown. Instead of shelter, Elizabeth held her prisoner moving her from place to place to isolate her as much as possible. This is the first great read from Fraser.
finally justice.......2007-06-15
I just finished reading this book, I did not want to end. Such a good research, lovingly told. I always felt respect for this woman but now I've discovered through Fraser's narrative the greatness of her character.
hard to put down.......2007-02-01
I just finished this book and found it to be extremely hard to put down. It is filled with more intrigue, romance, and betrayals than the best novels..and it's all true! What a life she led. Even at her very lowest point she was still heads above the rest of the crowd. She had true dignity. Mary Queen of Scots shall reign over Scotland till the end of time.
Beautiful, if overly-sympathetic look at MQS.......2006-12-04
I really wish I could give this book 2 1/2 stars. It is beautiful written, and compassionate look at one of history's most enchanting figures. It reads very-much like a novel and the reader is able to empathize with Mary through-out the book. That said, I think it is overly sympathetic. She portrays Mary as a saint, while admitting that she knowingly married her husbands murder and assented toa an attempted assinatation of Elizabeth, who had kept Mary alive at great risk to her [Elizabeth's] own life. Also snide comments are made against Elizabeth through-out the book some of them blatantly untrue (e.g.That her behaviour during the rosbart affair was scandalous, when the record shows it was impeccable.), and glossing over some of the more nasty aspects of Mary Queen of Scotts character. There are other flaws with the book: Lady Fraser has made the silly assumption that I am fluent in French and Latin, the authors own religious bias (She is an English Roman Catholic.) definitely comes through, and she moves into theology at some points in the book, and even political bias comes out when she makes sneering comments at the modern welfare state, which are totally irrevelavant.) A beautiful, if flawed book, by an extremely compassionate and commendable author. I look forward to reading some of her other works.
FYI...Biographies should be NON- fiction........2006-09-09
I could go on about this one forever. So i'll keep it short and simple(simple for all of those readers who gave this book a good review). This author is completely biased, objectivity being alien, which is a very unwelcomed quality in a biographer. Fraser sounds more like Mary's defense attorney than the objective observer she's suppose to be. A "biographer" should know better. I will never buy another "biography" written by this woman. If you want a good read on Mary, try "Immortal Queen" by Elizabeth Byrd. It's actually not a biography, but a novel, and reads a hell of alot more realistic than Fraser's "fantasy".
Book Description
She was a child crowned a queen......A sinner hailed as a saint......A lover denounced as a whore....A woman murdered for her dreams....
Customer Reviews:
Not as Good as Henry Viii.......2007-07-10
I didn't enjoy this as much as I did The Autobiography of Henry VIII. However, it was a marvelous novel mixed with lots of historical fact. I suppose part of the reason it was not as entertaining was that the Henry VIII novel contained comments from his fool. This added a very personal touch that this book lacked. It read a bit more like a history.
My star ratings:
One star - couldn't finish the book
Two stars - read the book, but did a lot of skipping or scanning. Wouldn't add the book to my permanent collection or search out other books by the author
Three stars - enjoyable read. Wouldn't add the book to my permanent collection. Would judge other books by the author individually.
Four stars - Liked the book. Would keep the book or would look for others by the same author.
Five stars - One of my all time favorites. Will get a copy in hardback to keep and will actively search out others by the same author.
Lost in a good book.......2007-06-02
This covers Mary Queen of Scots from cradle to grave. The details from start to finish are engrossing. I was tempted to skip parts (cut to the chase), glad that I didn't though.
When we read history, it's very easy to say, "what were they thinking" or "were they thinking?" The way the novel is written, Queen Mary seems to make a decision that we might make in a similar situation. That time in Scotland seemed to remind one of modern urban gangs and mobsters than a genteel royal court. A sound snap judgement seems to always be shown to have grave repercussions (the trust in her half brother comes to mind).
Margaret George did a very good job showing Mary's initial intense attraction to Lord Darnley. We know how he turns out but, we think, "I might have been attracted to this man." Lord Bothwell is the classic opposite to Lord Darnley, making him a classic rebound affair. Making it possible to empathize with Mary is a strength of this story.
I would recommend this to fans of Tudor era history and British historical fiction.
A daunting history.......2007-04-01
I really wanted to like this book. I adore Elizabethan historical fiction!
But I have not been able to finish the book. I know what lies ahead and I can't imagine how it takes that many pages to get to that inevitable tragedy.
And perhaps I should not be reviewing a book that I have not finished, but I think that can also be just as telling of a book's worth as suffering to the end. At the point where I stopped reading, so much had happened and I was barely halfway through! I cannot imagine the rest of Mary's tragic life taking that long!
But the writing is quality work, make no mistake. Margaret George's writing is rich, lush, and gorgeous. She is a talented lady, to be sure. The scenes where Mary has fallen into a ecstatic religious state in the French church still resonate with me.... So many beautiful moments, but not enough overall momentum.
If you are already a fan of her work, you will probably enjoy this novel.
And I am sure I will get around to finishing it eventually.
Mesmerizing Portrait of a Tragic Queen.......2007-01-22
The life and reign of Mary Queen of Scots is vividly brought to life in this outstanding work of historical fiction. Mary was first Queen of France before becoming Queen of Scotland, and spent the last years of her life in exile and, in essence, imprisonment in England. Her reign in Scotland was complicated and made tragic by the strident discord between the Protestant and Catholic faiths, the political rivalries among England, Scotland, and France, poor judgment on her part, and historical events beyond her control. This fictionalized account of her life is mesmerizing, very readable and believable. The time and place of the 16th century, with its castles; nobility, religious zealots, peasants; political intrigue; battles, etc. are wonderfully portrayed. The personaliaties, psychological makeup, and relationships of Mary and many of the other main characters are portrayed with depth. Solid research was used in developing this fictionalized account. The result is a captivating historical story. Very highly recommended.
Passionate and compassionate portrayal.......2007-01-21
Mary, Queen of Scots, was the last Roman Catholic ruler of Scotland.
The tale of this beautiful woman, is one of the great tragedies of British history.
Margaret George, in this long book, brings Mary, and the Scotland, France and England of her time to life.
A sympathetic, but not idealistic portrayal of Mary as a woman who was warmhearted , loyal, brave, generous and spirited, but also unable to read character,volatile and impulsive.
The book takes us from Mary's birth, and her coronation as Queen of Scotland, when she was only a week old,she was shipped to France, for her own safety when she was six years old, together with her companions from early childhood , Mary Livingstone, Mary Fleming, Mary Beaton and Mary Seaton (the four Mary's).
Brought up in the French court , she was married to the Dauphin Francois at the age of 15, and widowed two years later.
She returned to Scotland, after the death of her husband , King Francois II, after his mother Catherine De Medici, made it clear she was no longer welcome in France.
Dealing with conniving Lords and officials , she was clearly outmanouvered at every turn. She was married to the worthless coward, Lord Darnley , who led a gang of conspirators ,into the palace and murdered her chief secretary David Riccio.
Later Darnley himself, died in myterious circumstances , for which George, in this volume, absolves Mary of any responsibility.
She then married her lover, the Earl of Bothwell , for which she lost the throne of Scotland. much due to the influence of the fiery Protestant preacher , John Knox, who nursed a vicious hatred of Mary.
She fled to England , where she was imprisoned by Queen Elizabeth I , and after 20 years, was accused of plotting against Elizabeth, and executed.
George takes us through Mary's life with passion and compassion. She gives us the picture through Mary's mind, but we also see the story through the minds of others, such as Lord Darnley, Earl Bothwell and Queen Elizabeth.
George explores the mysteries behind the history , in this well researched, and highly readable historical epic.
We really get to know the essence of Mary, Queen of Scots in this volume.
I particularly liked the end where Mary's spirit journeys after her execution , and see's the reactions to her life and death , and watches her funeral, before her spirit returns to G-D.
It was truly the spirit of a remarkable and tragic woman.
Average customer rating:
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Mary Queen of Scots and the Casket Letters
A. E. MacRobert
Manufacturer: I. B. Tauris
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Binding: Hardcover
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ASIN: 1860648290 |
Book Description
Mary Queen of Scots was a romantic and tragic figure. The story of the 'Casket Letters' adds richly to the enigma and mystery - eight letters, a love sonnet and two contracts, allegedly written by Mary to her lover, implicated Mary in her husband's murder and 'proved' her adultery. This forensic re-examination of the controversy, the latest historiography, and the huge literature it has generated together with an accessible presentation of the 'Letters', is a detailed and powerful study for both scholar and general reader and illuminates sharply the dramatic events leading to Mary's imprisonment and eventual execution.
Book Description
The haunting story of the beautiful—and tragic—Mary, Queen of Scots, as only legendary novelist Jean Plaidy could write it
Mary Stuart became Queen of Scotland at the tender age of six days old. Her French-born mother, the Queen Regent, knew immediately that the infant queen would be a vulnerable pawn in the power struggle between Scotland’s clans and nobles. So Mary was sent away from the land of her birth and raised in the sophisticated and glittering court of France. Unusually tall and slim, a writer of music and poetry, Mary was celebrated throughout Europe for her beauty and intellect. Married in her teens to the Dauphin François, she would become not only Queen of Scotland but Queen of France as well. But Mary’s happiness was short-lived. Her husband, always sickly, died after only two years on the throne, and there was no place for Mary in the court of the new king. At the age of twenty, she returned to Scotland, a place she barely knew.
Once home, the Queen of Scots discovered she was a stranger in her own country. She spoke only French and was a devout Catholic in a land of stern Presbyterians. Her nation was controlled by a quarrelsome group of lords, including her illegitimate half brother, the Earl of Moray, and by John Knox, a fire-and-brimstone Calvinist preacher, who denounced the young queen as a Papist and a whore. Mary eventually remarried, hoping to find a loving ally in the Scottish Lord Darnley. But Darnley proved violent and untrustworthy. When he died mysteriously, suspicion fell on Mary. In haste, she married Lord Bothwell, the prime suspect in her husband’s murder, a move that outraged all of Scotland. When her nobles rose against her, the disgraced Queen of Scots fled to England, hoping to be taken in by her cousin Elizabeth I. But Mary’s flight from Scotland led not to safety, but to Fotheringhay Castle...
“Plaidy excels at blending history with romance and drama.” —New York Times
Customer Reviews:
Not Plaidy's Best Work.......2006-08-01
I usually really enjoy Jean Plaidy's novels because she paces the tales well, usually sticks to fact, and makes the characters "come to life," so to speak. Perhaps it was that I found the main character unattractive, but this novel disappointed me. Knowing the way all these tales end before you ever begin, historical fiction needs the reader to be caught up in the story in order to enjoy it. Mary is (as portrayed in this novel) not captivating at all. She's kind of whiny and weak. I found that I didn't really care that she was going to be executed. I'm sure it's as close (fairly) as the rest of her work to history, this novel is just missing that "enthralling" quality. If you're new to Plaidy's work, try Anne Boleyn's tale or Katherine Howard's tale instead.
A great novel by Jean Plaidy.......2005-12-07
I am an avid reader of Tudor fiction and non-fiction. I can't get my hands on the materials fast enough. I found this book, as well as many other of Plaidy's books too be filled with rich images of time in the Tudor age.
I have read much on Mary, Queen of Scots, and the one complaint that I have about this book is that it jumps from the point where Mary was forced into captivity by the Scots, to her execution day. Everything between was left out. I found this to be very different from the other Plaidy books I have read.
I would recommend the book to others, but I would also recommend reading a bit about Mary Stuart, and her life before reading this book.
So Boring and Slow.......2005-08-06
"Royal Road to Fotheringhay" is the tale of Mary, Queen of Scots. Jean Plaidy's novel about this much famed Queen begins with her childhood and follows through to her death. I found this novel to be painfully slow. This was my first encounter with this author, and I cannot say it was a pleasant one. There was entirely too much filler in this novel and the action that was included was horrifically boring.
I was extremely disappointed by this book. I will be giving Plaidy another try, but there will need to be a marked improvement from this novel.
Royal Road to Fotheringhay.......2005-08-02
Of all the books that I have read about Mary, Queen of Scots, this one seems to be nearer what I have read about her in history.
My first Jean Plaidy - WOW.......2005-07-19
It took me a while to get through this one because i was so determined to get the dates and people committed to memory, but wow was Jean Plaidy thorough! This was so entertaining and eye opening and although "fiction", an excellent history lesson painted with vivid images and very intelligent writing. The research that must have gone into this books overwhelms me and I went out and bought several of her others to work my way through those as well.
Very interesting and hard to put down.
Average customer rating:
- Jane Dunn should reflect on her own issues before writting another book about women...
- "This island isn't big enough for the two of us"
- engrossing dual biography
- Too repetitious
- Same old story
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Elizabeth and Mary: Cousins, Rivals, Queens
Jane Dunn
Manufacturer: Vintage
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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Similar Items:
-
Queen of Scots: The True Life of Mary Stuart
-
The Life of Elizabeth I
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Elizabeth: The Struggle for the Throne
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Elizabeth I
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The Children of Henry VIII
ASIN: 0375708200
Release Date: 2005-01-25 |
Amazon.com
Jane Dunn's Elizabeth and Mary: Cousins, Rivals, Queens offers a blend of history and biography that traces the "dynamic interaction" between two of the most powerful women in Western history. Dunn remains ever aware of the uniqueness of her two central figures: both women ruled as divinely ordained monarchs in a male dominated power structure; and both women were from the same family (Elizabeth I was the granddaughter of Henry VII, and Mary Queen of Scots the great-granddaughter of King Henry).
By focusing not on pure biography but instead on relationships, Dunn is able to narrow her book (still mammoth in scope) to the most salient and interesting events in the two queens' lives. The book begins in 1558, the year in which Mary first wed and Elizabeth assumed the throne of England. Almost immediately the cousins were embroiled in a conflict that would endure for the remainder of Mary's life. A restless, sexually-active Catholic, and leader of the Scottish people in alliance with France, Mary was ever a conduit for rumors of rebellion. The "Virgin Queen" Elizabeth used Mary as a dark reflection to underline her own celibate constancy as a ruler of law and order.
The pair never met face to face, but as Dunn reveals, their lives were closely intertwined. After holding Mary in Fotheringhay prison for nearly two decades, Elizabeth ordered her cousin executed in 1587. Mary had chosen martyrdom in favor of a confession to complicity in the Babington assassination plot. In court, she declared: "I would never make Shipwreck of my Soul by conspiring the Destruction of my dearest Sister." Though the ostensible victor, Elizabeth (who had struggled to find a way to release her cousin while still upholding her own power as queen) confessed, "I am not free, but a captive." In Elizabeth and Mary, Dunn has built a rich world that underlines the tragic struggle between private emotions and the public faces history puts on them. --Patrick O'Kelley
Book Description
The political and religious conflicts between Queen Elizabeth I and the doomed Mary, Queen of Scots, have for centuries captured our imagination and inspired memorable dramas played out on stage, screen, and in opera. But few books have brought to life more vividly than Jane Dunn’s Elizabeth and Mary the exquisite texture of two women’s rivalry, spurred on by the ambitions and machinations of the forceful men who surrounded them. The drama has terrific resonance even now as women continue to struggle in their bid for executive power.
Against the backdrop of sixteenth-century England, Scotland, and France, Dunn paints portraits of a pair of protagonists whose formidable strengths were placed in relentless opposition. Protestant Elizabeth, the bastard daughter of Anne Boleyn, whose legitimacy had to be vouchsafed by legal means, glowed with executive ability and a visionary energy as bright as her red hair. Mary, the Catholic successor whom England’s rivals wished to see on the throne, was charming, feminine, and deeply persuasive. That two such women, queens in their own right, should have been contemporaries and neighbours sets in motion a joint biography of rare spark and page-turning power.
Customer Reviews:
Jane Dunn should reflect on her own issues before writting another book about women..........2006-04-22
Jane Dunn, Elizabeth and Mary: Cousins, Rivals, Queens - I would not advise any avid Mary Stewart admirers (or feminists) to purchase this book. Jane Dunn in my mind (and from the extensive text I have read) does Mary Stewart a great injustice with her blatant Elizabethan bias. She over looks the obvious motives of Queen Elizabeth for Mary's murder, instead painting Elizabeth as a strong woman in a man's world who had no option but conspire against, imprison and eventually have her cousin put to death.
I was looking forward to an in-depth read, a psychological & sociological perspective of these two female power brokers... but instead found the book to view Mary in a very sexist fashion (surprising, as the author is female!). Jane Dunn's `Mary bashing' stems around her intolerance of Mary expressing and ruling with her female traits intact... Mary rules from the heart and is often merciful, and led by her intelligence and her emotions.
In contrast to this, Elizabeth kills off the feminine aspects of herself, and rules with a cold, calculating and ruthless vision. She is the archetype that we 21st century women still struggle against...we do not want to have to behave like men to function at a effective level in this world, we want to be respected for our feminine qualities of caring, understanding and tolerance; something this world sadly lacks. Mary had these qualities and used them to great effect (i.e. allowing the blend of the two dominant religions in her land to co-exist). Mary had her faults as we all do but she accepted others and there faults and tried to negotiate for compromise and tolerance.
Mary could have made a real difference in her time if it were for two factors.
1. If she had the chance to grow and learn free of imprisonment.
2. If she had had the support of her so called `sister' Elizabeth!!! Something that Elizabeth would never give...in fact Elizabeth was wriggled with the most terrible of negative female expression `Jealousy'... because she had suppressed her femininity, she became a twisted version of a woman, one who could not allow a real female Queen to share the same island...so much so she murdered her!
Mary was wronged enough in her lifetime and Jane Dunn should be ashamed that she finds it necessary to slander her character and trivialize her even in death.
"This island isn't big enough for the two of us".......2006-03-31
First, I would like to review the book itself, and then address some of its critics.
Two of history's most famous queens, one for her unexpected and remarkable greatness, the other for her inexplicably poor judgment and bad luck. But was their famous rivalry inevitable? Was Elizabeth always the popular, talented, dominant one while Mary remained in her shadow? Jane Dunn asks these questions, and I was surprised - and pleased - by some of her answers.
The first part of the book is essentially a point-by-point comparison of the two queens, detailing their very different youths and explaining how they would influence the women in later years. Essentially, Mary had a huge sense of entitlement, was overconfident in her own power and security, and was a much more 'traditional' woman - and Queen - of her day. Elizabeth, whose childhood was punctuated by dramatic changes of fortune, had a much more acute sense of how tenuous her position was, and how much she depended on the good will of her people to maintain power.
Dunn does beat the Mary-as-charming-but-spoiled and Bess-as-brilliant-control-freak comparison into us a bit, but it is a good way of looking at the very different natures of these two women. Her book isn't a full biography of either queen; rather it's a look at the intersection between them - their relationship with each other, their competition, rivalry, and common causes. As such it's a fascinating look at a unique time in European history, the so-called "Age of Queens".
Posterity-wise, Mary got the short end of the stick. History will always remember her as Elizabeth's paler shadow, a major annoyance and minor queen who had no one but herself to blame for her tragic end. Although Dunn does occasionally (perhaps unavoidably) slip into Mary-bashing and Bess-worship, on the whole she does a good job pointing out that that wasn't always the case - and, had a few things gone differently, we would paint a very different portrait of the two cousins. Her Mary and Elizabeth are fully human - flaws, quirks, charms, and all. It's the best way to explain the convoluted relationship between the two, and it provides a lot of useful character insight into all other aspects of these Queens as well. (I do wish Dunn had gone further into the possibility that Mary was bipolar. It's a fascinating hypothesis, and it would explain a lot.)
Mary's end - which also serves as the book's - is too rushed; twenty years are covered in a handful of pages and the account of the execution itself offers nothing new. But until that point, I thoroughly enjoyed this provocative and inspiring portrait of two very different women whom circumstances thrust into such fierce competition.
Now: Some reviewers seem to feel that Dunn was somehow "unfair" to Mary and that her comparison of the two queens is misogynist. I admit to being completely baffled by this point of view. It appears to stem from the argument that somehow Mary was a better "feminist" queen than Elizabeth, I suppose because Elizabeth "betrayed the sisterhood" by having Mary executed.
Further, Dunn's critics seem to argue that Mary was a better "feminine" role model than Elizabeth was, apparently because she ruled through emotion rather than reason. They complain that Elizabeth is too "cold" and "calculating" to be a good example of a female ruler, while waxing rhapsodic about Mary's "mercy" and "gentleness". Let me be blunt: this is the sort of idiotic, feel-good, p.c. claptrap that has set the cause of working women back 50 years. Yes, there is something to be said for women's differing management styles; you will get no argument from me that in today's world, women should not have to emulate uber-masculinity to succeed. But - newsflash! - this was the 16th century. Not only were the roles of men and women completely different - and thus incomparable - than they are today, have you ever actually tried to get anything done with the kind of dithering, vapid leadership exemplified by Mary and her ilk?
Attempting to repaint Dunn's dual biography as some sort of feminist management manifesto does a disservice, both to the author and her subjects. We should admire both Elizabeth and Mary for who they were and what they did, while admitting their flaws and shortcomings. But this is not the 1500s, and trying to appropriate their story to make a point about women today is grossly misrepresentative, self-centered, and intellectually careless. If you want to adopt antiquated delusions about women in the workplace, try reading Forbes online - not "Elizabeth and Mary".
engrossing dual biography.......2006-02-28
Jane Dane has done an excellent job in this dual Bio of
Mary,Queen Of Scots And Elizabeth I,and how previous history
and that of the era they lived in contributed to and helped
their destinies.QWould recommend it to anyone with an interest
in the time period.
Too repetitious.......2006-02-05
The authors over determination to create parralells in the womens lives create an unending series of repetitions. Not only are the sequences of events repeated, the conclusions she makes are also said at naseum. Any possible flow to the story is replaced by poorly adjoined references.
A waste of reading time.
Same old story.......2005-12-22
I was disappointed with this book. I was looking for a book that would give me an unbiased discussion about these two women and their relationship. Instead I found it was really just another of many many books that put Elizabeth on a pedestal and Mary somewhere very much lower.
Book Description
The acclaimed author of The Princes in the Tower now brilliantly investigates another of Britain’s notorious unsolved mysteries: the murder of Lord Darnley, second husband of Mary, Queen of Scots.
Tall, handsome, accomplished, and charming, Henry Stuart, Lord Darnley, had it all, including a strong claim to the English throne, a fact that threatened the already insecure Elizabeth I. She therefore opposed any plan for Darnley to marry her cousin, Mary, Queen of Scots, who herself claimed to be Queen of England. But in 1565 Mary met and fell in love with Darnley—and defied Elizabeth by marrying him. It was not long before she discovered that her new husband was weak and vicious, and interested only in securing sovereign power for himself.
On February 10, 1567, an explosion at his lodgings left Darnley dead. There were many who might have had a motive for murdering him, not least Mary herself. The intrigue thickened after it was discovered that apparently he had been suffocated before the blast. Emerging from the tragedy were more mysteries than any historian has ever satisfactorily solved.
Mary and Darnley’s marriage had been an adulterous disaster. After Darnley’s death, Mary showed favor to the powerful Earl of Bothwell, causing her enemies to accuse her of being his partner in both infidelity and murder. Mary insisted that the murder conspiracy had been aimed at her, and that she had escaped only by changing her plans at the last minute. It has even been suggested that Darnley himself had planned the explosion in order to kill her.
The murder of Darnley ultimately led to Mary’s ruin. After her deposition, there conveniently came to light a box of documents—the notorious Casket Letters—that her enemies claimed were proof of her guilt. But Mary was never allowed to see them, and they disappeared in 1584. The question of their authenticity has haunted historians ever since.
After exhaustive reexamination and reevaluation of the source material, Alison Weir has come up with a solution to this enduring mystery that can be substantiated by contemporary evidence, and in the process has shattered many of the misconceptions about Mary, Queen of Scots. Employing once more the bright writing and stunning characterizations that have made her a favorite writer of popular history, Weir has written one of her most engaging excursions into Britain’s bloodstained, power-obsessed past.
Customer Reviews:
Hoped for more balance.......2007-09-23
I was disappointed in the book, because I hoped for a more balanced, objective look at the murder of Darnley, and Mary's degree of involvement. I agree with the reviewer who said the book needed better editing. Too much time was devoted to repetitious and indignant refutation of George Buchanan's ludicrous allegations about Mary, and Ms. Weir's point of view was driven home too vehemently. The research was meticulous, to the point of ponderous. Near the end of the book, I found myself thinking "Off with her head!" and skipping chunks of pages to reach the conclusion, which, by that time, I found rather satisfying.
A house of bricks, a foundation of straw.......2007-06-15
Alison Weir writes wonderfully. Her discussion is crisp, engaging, and even by turns charming. She has a knack for pulling out telling detail, and weaves original source material deftly through each passage. In introducing Lord Darnley, the then-future husband of Mary, Queen of Scots, she notes that his parents doted on him, holding him particularly precious as most of his siblings died in infancy. She finds a letter he wrote at 8 that sheds insight on his ambition and religion. Detail by detail, she paints his personality, bringing him to life before us. This is a book that is hard to put down.
Yet, Weir also has a knack for building assumption on frail assumption, trying to build a house of bricks on a foundation of straw. As an example, she speculates that the illness that plagued Darnley in the months before his death was not smallpox (as commonly assumed) but rather an intermediate stage of syphilis. She acknowledges that this is not clear from the record, but merely speculation, and outlines both the pros and cons for her view. Weir is clear enough: there's some reasonable chance she is right, but she acknowledges that, across the years, it is impossible to establish her position with certainty. Weir then builds on this assumption, suggesting it was "inconceivable" that Mary did not find out that syphilis ailed her husband, making assumptions about Mary's state of mind, whether or not she may have had another pregnancy, and how she interacted with other men and her husband based on the speculations about Darnley's disease. This is but one example. Again and again, as one works through the book, speculations which are carefully qualified and limited on first argument become certainties when repeated a few pages later, so that as one finally reaches her conclusion, gets her point, and steps back to consider whether she is right, her logic simply melts away. In the end, she adds nothing to the history but her pretty words.
Had this been a work of historical fiction, I would praise it. Weir is a wonderful story teller. Alas, the book masquerades as history. But, oh, if only other historians could write like Weir!
Controversial matters, but entirely enjoyable.......2007-03-15
I'll start off by saying that before reading this book, my only knowledge of Mary Queen of Scots came from fiction books. I had thought she was an interesting character, so I bought this to read more about her. For a 600+ history book, I swallowed it pretty fast.
This book is written well, discussing an interesting topic, and all in all, clearly presenting facts that are very intriguing in a manner that makes it interesting to anyone who tries to read it. While I can't say that I know whether or not the facts were accurate or not, I know that it all seemed plausible to me (or, well, most of it, at least) and that I enjoyed myself reading this.
For those who may know more about this fascinating queen and simply want another view, I don't see why you shouldn't read this. It's nice, it's well done, and it's certainly a good way to spend a few days. For those trying to get into Mary, this may also be your book. It's not too difficult to read, and while some of Weir's beliefs on what happened are questionable, it's a good book.
Fabulous historical analysis.......2007-01-04
Alison Weir gives you all the information of what led up to Darnley's murder in an excellent, very readable format. The events are entertaining with just enough interjection of factual evidence, as well as different theories of explanation. Weir has done excellent, very detailed research and gives the reader an education. One of the best books on Mary Queen of Scots that I've seen.
Real Life the Stuff of Romance.......2006-08-03
This meticulously researched story of Mary Stuart reads like the very best of historical novels. Weir creates a finely woven tapestry of fact, pacing and style. A thoroughly satisfying and absorbing read.
Book Description
In the first full-scale biography of Mary Stuart in more than thirty years, John Guy creates an intimate, gripping portrait of one of history's greatest women and depicts her world and her place in the sweep of history with stunning immediacy. Bringing together all surviving documents and uncovering a trove of new sources for the first time, Guy dispels the popular image of Mary Queen of Scots as a romantic leading ladyachieving her ends through feminine wiles and establishes her as the intellectual and political equal of Elizabeth I. Through Guy's pioneering research and "fabulously readable" prose, we come to see Mary as a skillful diplomat, maneuvering ingeniously among a dizzying array of factions that sought to control or dethrone her. An enthralling, myth-shattering look at a complex woman and ruler and her time, Queen of Scots "reads like Shakespearean drama, with all the delicious plotting and fresh writing to go with it" (Atlanta Journal-Constitution).
Customer Reviews:
Lots of information; leaves you to make up your own mind........2007-06-25
Guy's life of Mary Queen of Scots is written in a "Just the facts, ma'am" spirit that, while not slaking my thirst for a more judgmental approach, did allow me to form my own.
The predominant tone is one of a knight gallant leaping to Mary's defense, such as in the lengths to which he goes to prove that the documents incriminating Mary in her 2nd husband Darnley's murder were forged, but to his credit he doesn't skirt over the unsavory details of her life, and in fact adds to them. But I must say, it is time for historians to discard the objective approach of the 20th century and let their belief in the supernatural once again reign, as we are once again entering supernatural times ( they all have been, really, but the devil's greatest trick -- you know the rest ).
The six-foot, redheaded Mary -- too bad Nicole Kidman didn't play this part -- was thought by almost everyone in her time to be a "witch." I'm tired of this kind of accusation being glossed over as a mere superstition of the past, that feminist theory has rendered forever outmoded. Is it perhaps the heathen present and not the religious past which is ignorant? Why did this charge follow her so doggedly?
It is clear to me, as a Christian who believes in such things, and has some experience with witches myself, that the relationship between Mary and Bothwell was indeed one that can only be described as a Satanic seduction, something that the Scottish nobles and even the populace immediately apprehended when they posted the famous drawing of the mermaid and the hare ( with, as Guy points out, phallic swords surrounding it ) all around Edinburgh. Bothwell was the Colin Farrell of his day, except murderous and unstoppably ambitious for political power, and there is no doubt that the relationship between him and Mary was based entirely on his sexual hold over her. He barely tried to conceal that he didn't even love her.
It is fascinating to think that one of Catholicism's last, best hopes before the Protestant takeover was defeated by a mesmerizing appendage, but those who can read between the lines will clearly see the evidence of its truth. And what is a witch if not a woman who lets lust drag her and her countrymen into the abyss? Bothwell, who should be remembered as one of the great hommes fatales of history, had absolute power over Mary and within months destroyed her life and her hopes. His involvement in the assassination of Darnley is much less disturbing than an anecdote Guy relates where he literally kills with a single blow one of Mary's loyal retainers -- the old man had dared to wish her good luck on a journey.
And yet even this didn't stop her from marrying him. Didn't even faze her. She persisted in her "love" for Bothwell even in the face of the unanimous disapproval of her court and of the people, until she was like a cornered rat, alone with her morbid obsession. The once-noble and cultured queen was reduced within months to a frumpy mess, her looks gone, being heckled by peasants and shouting crude obscenities at them from the roof of her castle ( Guy shows how Bothwell's vulgarity infected her ). The story ends with Bothwell and Mary being forcibly separated and pledging their eternal fidelity to each other -- which he instantly broke with a Danish woman, whose dowry he stole! This finally ended his rake's progress.
What this book made me realize is that the rivalry between Elizabeth and Mary has been entirely trumped-up. They were not rivals; Mary was nothing more than a cautionary tale for Elizabeth, who was much more evil than Mary but also much more shrewd. ( Elizabeth's real rival was the ghost of Isabella of Spain, as she, with the help of her cryptic spies, undid the effects of Isabella's glorious reign. ) The real story here, which hopefully future historians will take up, is the stunningly rapid descent of Mary into blind sexual insanity, and how it forced the last bastion of the Catholic faith in the British isles to deliver herself meekly into the hands of her enemy. Catholics treat Mary almost as a saint due to her supposed piousness in captivity; she should be considered the greatest of traitors. Would history have been entirely different if she never met Bothwell, or is a witch is a witch is a witch?
Another Marian Apologist.......2006-12-05
It is harder to imagine a woman history has been kinder to than Mary Queen of Scotts. She is always the tragic women, betrayed by those she loved, and executed by her cruel, vicious, and nefariosu Cousin Queen Elizabeth. Guy does little to change this classic tale, despite the fact that history doesn't match up with it. Mary Queen of Scotts knowingly married her second husband's murderer and assented to the murder of Elizabeth who kept Mary alive, albiet in a very comfortable captivity, at great risk to her own [Elizabeth's] life. I don't think Mary, Queen of Scotts is a totally unsympathetic figure; she loved bad men and was betrayed by them. She was betrayed by her half-brother the earl of Moray, and she died with great courage. That said, she is not a flawless saint, no matter how much Guy wishes to make her one. (Also he makes the errenous assumption that if the the casket letters are fake, which he convincingly shows to be forgeries, Mary is automatically vindicated from the murder of her husband. Something on which the evidence is quite inconclusive.) For a more balanced look at Both Queens, I would reccomend both Jane Dunn and Alison Plowden's duel biography. And please do not say history has not been kind to this woman.
Mary as never seen before - an excellent account!.......2006-07-26
I thoroughly enjoyed John Guy's biography of Mary Queen of Scots. The only flaws are that Guy insists that Mary's prayers before death were for a public show of her Catholicism. I don't think so - people about to die don't act that way. Also, he says that when Mary was kidnapped and raped by Bothwell, she must have enjoyed it because she did not cry for help. Sorry, but studies of rape victims have shown that even today women are afraid to go to the police. In those days, a woman was heavily stigmatized when violated against her will. But other than those flaws, this biography is a work of profound scholarship, depicting the details of Mary's daily life as I have never before read anywhere else. Guy also shows that Mary was a clever and even a savvy politician, as clever as Elizabeth her rival, although she fell through treachery and one lost battle. Very sad but very enlightening. Recommended.
Mary's Heart and Mary's Head.......2005-12-07
John Guy's biogaphy is one of the best works of scholarship I have read in a long time. His book gives us a non-romanticized vision of Mary Queen of Scots, a woman raised in France (and married, briefly -- before being widowed -- , to the dauphin and then king of France). After his death, she returned to Scotland and learned a fast lesson is Scottish Politics. More of a fragmented land of kin groups, revenge and blood feud than anything she encounted in France, Mary coped as best she could.
Guy does not gloss over her disastrous marriages, first to the dissolute Darnley and then to the man who probably assisted in the murder of Darnley, the brutal Bothwell. He does, however, provide a convincing portrait of her stamina, intellect, and will.
Mary has been constantly compared to Elizabeth, but here she comes across as an a woman who acts, whereas Elizabeth seems more of a ditherer, often overbourne by her adviser, Cecil. This may be giving Elizabeth less credit than she deservers, but the new perspective is refreshing.
I found this (long) biography hard to put down. While the opening seems almost formulaic, once Mary is in Scotland, the prose picks up and we are exposed to documents that have had little or no scrutiny in the past. If I have one objection, it is that the wild excitement of the events of Mary's life are sometimes rendered in too factual of a tone. Occasionally, the rainbow of her life is lost in the stones of fact.
The New Woman, indeed!.......2005-05-12
When I was a kid, my grandmother gave me the then-new biography of Mary by Lady Antionia Fraser. Growing up in a family of Scots descent, I remember my eagerness to read about the national heroine - and what a disappointment! I couldn't understand how such a flighty girl thought she could run a country between worrying about pretty frocks, decorating castles and torrid love affairs. Served her right, I thought, to come to such a tawdry end.
Now as an adult, I have an adult's view in 'Queen of Scots'. Discovering Mary's education began reforming her in my eyes. I gained a new understanding of Scottish politics and, not for the first time, deplored the way greed sold the land and people of Scotland to the English time and again. Although I've admired Elizabeth's resolve, Gee shows she behaved like a 'frail woman' more often than she and her modern spin doctors would like known. Mary is rehabilitated in my eyes, and I find it fitting the present British monarchy goes through her line and not Elizabeth's.
The book begins and ends with Mary's execution, but it's not that tragedy for which she should be best known. Mary is a heroine because she valiantly tried to put the principles of government she studied as a child in France to use in steering the nation of Scotland into the Renaissance and establishing it as an equal among the nations of Europe. That the greed of her advisors and political neighbors reduced her to a prisoner and Scotland to dependency is a history lesson that should not be forgotten.
Book Description
A brilliantly written study of the relationship of Elizabeth I, England's Protestant queen, and her cousin Mary, Catholic queen of France and Scotland.
Customer Reviews:
WONDERFUL!.......2001-08-31
I read this book for a British History class and loved it. Plowden makes the history of the relationship between Elizabeth and Mary come alive with many anecdotes. She describes in such detail the way the two lived and the era that the reader can almost visualize it.
I've read a few of her other books and they're all wonderful. But this one gives you more than just the stereotypical story you hear "Elizabeth felt threatened. Elizabeth had Mary beheaded." Plowden goes into great depth to show why the decision was so hard on Elizabeth and gave more than just the cursory examintion of Mary's character.
Wonderful read - not just for a class but for pleasure-reading as well!
Boring summation of two fascinating women and queens.......2001-06-21
I love both of these women and their place in history, but Plowden's work leaves me cold. This could have been a fascinating, gripping, dynamic fiction tale of love, ambition, politics, history and royalty such as Susan Kay's "Legacy". Despite the alluring title, it's not. Not worth buying.
It was ok.......2001-05-08
I was a little disappointed with this book because it didn't cover any new ground for me. But more importantly, the style began to grate on me about half way through the book, to the point where I just wanted to get it over with. I felt Alison Plowden relied too heavily on extracts from comments and speeches made by people of that era. These were popped in every now and again which, for me, meant I would "lose the plot". I'd have to re-read sections because I couldn't remember what point was being made. And, not being an expert in "old English" (despite the fact that I was born in England, and my daughters keep telling me I'm old!), I'd sometimes struggle to understand what was being said. Still, this is only the humble opinion of one reviewer, and I'm sure that there would be a great many people to whom this style would be perfectly acceptable. Having said all that, it wasn't a "bad" book. I'm pleased I bought it, and wouldn't like to have missed out on reading it.
Throughly enjoyable.......2000-08-09
By focusing on Elizabeth and Mary, and the national and international events that influenced them and their actions, both independant and in relation to one another, Alison Plowden beautifuly illuminates "the deadly relationship" between Elizabeth and Mary. Her writting reads like a novel, rending the history alive and vibrant. An excellent book.
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