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Review
'In this classic, very readable biography, now available in a new edition, Antonia Fraser does full justice to a fascinating woman.' (WATERSTONES BOOKS QUARTERLY )
'More books have been written about Mary, Queen of Scots than almost any other being, yet few have matched Fraser's for elegance, sophistication and soul.' (Rosemary Goring HERALD )
'Mary's tragic story...is told with authority and compassion.' (CHOICE )
'The poignant descriptions of her long imprisonment are both moving and detailed and reveal just why the book became an international bestseller.' (HUDDERSFIELD DAILY EXAMINER )
'More books have been written about Mary, Queen of Scots than almost any other being, yet few have matched Fraser's for elegance, sophistication and soul.' (Rosemary Goring HERALD )
'Mary's tragic story...is told with authority and compassion.' (CHOICE )
'The poignant descriptions of her long imprisonment are both moving and detailed and reveal just why the book became an international bestseller.' (HUDDERSFIELD DAILY EXAMINER )
Review
'The writer injects intimacy and immediacy by quoting from contemporary sources giving them human side to the religious battles which raged over Elizabeth's succession.' THE OBSERVER 'It is read by actress Patricia Hodge, her clear diction complementing Fraser's erudite prose' WATERSTONE'S BOOKS QUARTERLY 'cut-glass enunciation, by combining solid research and an empathetic novelistic approach, Fraser's fascinating story of the queen and her part in the trouble and intrigues between France, England and Scotland is well told' THE SUNDAY TIEMS
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
35 of 35 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I have been fascinated by Mary, Queen of Scots, since I first heard about her in a history lesson when I was about 9 years old. I was very shocked by the fact that she was executed, partly because she was a queen and partly because she was a woman. I felt that her fate was so unfair and have never come across anything to change that vivid first impression.
I loved this book about her. Antonia Fraser really brings her subject to life, truly a 3 dimensional portrait painted in words. This book is so full of detail, none of which feels unnecessary. There is no skipping bits because they are dull and/or irrelevant. I also got the impression that Antonia Fraser liked her subject, that she too had at some time felt distressed that this woman met such a horrible end, the culmination of a life spent largely in captivity. The author does a splendid job of conveying the frustration of Mary's position as a "guest" of Queen Elizabeth I.
This book is interesting and well-written. I find that even the most interesting history books and/or biographies often have dry sections that I skim but that wasn't the case at all with this particular book. There are long discussions of the moral and political issues surrounding Mary's captivity but they are written in such a way that they engage the reader. In some ways the author had a head start, given the subject matter. Even the bare bones of Mary's story are interesting but Antonia Fraser has certainly doen her subject justice.
I think this is one of the best historical biographies I have ever read. The subject comes alive and almost jumps out of the book. By the end of this book I felt like I had known Mary all my life and overall my impression of her was favourable. The detailed description of her last moments was difficult to read such was my sympathy for the vital woman described by the author. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who has even a passing interest in Mary, Queen of Scots. I have read many good books by Antonia Fraser but this one, to my mind, stands head and shoulders above the rest.
24 of 24 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Fantastic amount of information. How did she manage to put it all together in the 1960s, before the days of word processors? But it's not an easy read, because the politics of Mary's time were complicated and it's hard to tell one of the Protestant lords from another if you don't know something about the period before you start. She does manage to bring Mary to life, though, without doing too much of the 'Mary must have thought...' or 'It probably occurred to her', which is the downfall of lesser biographers. I like the way she gets faintly exasperated by her heroine without ever falling out of sympathy with her. It makes a change from so many biographers nowadays, who devote themselves to debunking their subjects. All in all, very impressive.
18 of 18 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Antonia Fraser tackles the life of Mary, Queen of Scots, in this excellent biography. Written originally in the late sixties this book details every twist and turn in the fateful Queens life. Not only does it give step by step accounts of those famous episodes in Mary's life - her 3 marriages, 2 widowhoods, incarceration by Elizabeth I and execution - but it gives the reader an insight into Mary herself. After reading this book I feel that I know a lot more about Mary's personal thoughts and what exactly made her the person she was. This is mainly in part to the excellent research by the author but the way this is brought into an easily readable script makes this book compelling without being too heavy as some big historical biographies can be. I honestly cannot believe that any other biography on Mary would better this one and for that reason alone recoomend it to anyone interested in her life. However even if, as I did, you thought you knew her story I would still recommend the book as it is a cracking good story, kept at a good pace throughout that it reads like an historical novel.
There are plenty of pictures to aid the text (although a map would of been a plus - to show locations of some the events in her life) and I learnt that Crichton castle, near where my brother used to live, has a part to play in her story which surprised me.
A must read.
There are plenty of pictures to aid the text (although a map would of been a plus - to show locations of some the events in her life) and I learnt that Crichton castle, near where my brother used to live, has a part to play in her story which surprised me.
A must read.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
DETAILED AND AUTHORITATIVE
Absolutely brilliant book.
Dense at places, but written to engage the reader in Mary and her life, you feel that you get to know her as you read. Read more
Dense at places, but written to engage the reader in Mary and her life, you feel that you get to know her as you read. Read more
Published 1 month ago by J. Colin Moss
An excellent account of Mary's life
It is years since I have read this book and I have found it even more fascinating this time round. Not only is it thoroughly researched but it is a very good read as well. Read more
Published 2 months ago by M E Willoughby
Defintive review of the last Queen of an independent Scotland
The life story of Mary Queen of Scots, is tragic and intriguing.
Written first in 1972-This is certainly the definitive biography of Mary Queen of Scots, still an... Read more
Written first in 1972-This is certainly the definitive biography of Mary Queen of Scots, still an... Read more
Published 3 months ago by Gary Selikow
Jean plaidy's better
In this novel Mary is pure white queen and sad beautiful princess. I think this book as novel and not nonfiction.
Poor Mary has lot of enemy who is villains. Read more
Poor Mary has lot of enemy who is villains. Read more
Published 9 months ago by Hiragi00
Mary Queen Of Scots, Antonia Fraser (40th anniversary...
Mary Queen of Scots is an iconic figure, a life full of romance and tragedy whose shadow still falls across us today. Read more
Published 16 months ago by Victor
Enjoyable, and thorough, biography
I shall keep this review brief as previous reviewers have covered the pros, and cons, of this book. All in all, I enjoyed the biography. Read more
Published 20 months ago by Matthew Turner
Mary Queen of Scots
Any book by Antonia Fraser Can be relied on to be a good read. A full and interesting account of the life of Mary, Queen of Scots.
Published 21 months ago by Ms. B. Langton
history made interesting
This was the first Antonia Fraser book I have read. She had obviously done her research well and managed to provide a detailed analysis of the Queen's character as well as the... Read more
Published 23 months ago by MVF
Opinionated
A very well researched book which covers Mary's entire life. However, the author is so in love with her subject that she continually presents her own opinion as fact and tries to... Read more
Published on 2 Aug 2009 by Gemma
Mary Queen of Scots: Fabulous at Forty
Mary Queen Of Scots The first time I read this book was in 1973 when I was 16 years old. I was enthralled with Mary's story and read this book several times over the years along... Read more
Published on 21 Jun 2009 by Anita Johansen
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