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"Born Queen of Scotland, married as a young girl to the King of France, Mary took the reins of the unruly kingdom of Scotland as a young widow and fought to keep her throne. Many believed that she, and not her cousin, Queen Elizabeth I, was the rightful Queen of England, but this only fueled their bitter rivalry, ending in Mary's execution at age forty-four." (From the back of the St. Martin's Press Advance Readers' Edition.)
For a woman who spent a good chunk of her adult life in the custody of England's Queen Elizabeth, Queen Mary of Scotland sure got around! The Memoirs of Mary Queen of Scots
gives a whirlwind tour of Mary's life from her marriage to Francis, Dauphin of France, to her death, minus the intricate details. It makes for a fabulous light read, but leaves a more curious reader not already familiar with her story wondering who some of the other players are. Important people pop into and out of Mary's life with alarming speed and we never really get to know them or the motives for their actions, nor are Mary's always clear. A reader looking for more entertainment than history will be very pleased with Carolly Erickson's newest fiction offering. If you're looking for something meatier but still fiction, I would recommend Margaret George's Mary Queen of Scotland & The Isles
.
Other Carolly Erickson books on Books 'N Border Collies:
The Last Wife of Henry VIII
The Tsarina's Daughter
14 comments:
I read a really neat bio of Mary this year called Queen of Scots by John Guy. She's one of my fave queens, so I'd be hesitant to read fiction about her, lol.
Eva ~ I think she is a tough one to do really well. I should check out the bio you mention. I haven't read any non-fiction about her at all!
Lezlie
I have Margaret George's book and I'll take your recommendation. I enjoyed this author's book about Katherine Parr. It's a shame that this novel isn't as good as it should be.
Literate Housewife ~ Erickson's books have consistently been entertaining for me, but if I want some good historical detail she's not the author I turn to. I find that interesting, since she has written a lot of non-fiction history books. Maybe lighter-style fiction is a nice change-up for her? She does openly admit generous use of literary license in the author's note of this book.
Lezlie
I added both books to my TBR. I read Elizabeth and Mary: Cousins, Rivals, Queens by Jane Dunn in 2004. It's non-fiction and did a pretty good job of detailing the relationship between them. Maybe just a tad dry in a few places, but worthwhile.
Thanks for the suggestion, Teddy! I will keep an eye out for that one.
Lezlie
I really like your balanced review. This sounds like it might be a good one to read for fun, and to pique a reader's interest in learning more about this part of history.
Laughing Stars ~ Thank you! And that is exactly what I think this book is good for. Sometimes a person wants a historical read without slogging through a lot of minute detail. You want just enough to keep your attention and let you know if you might want to investigate further. This is one of those types of books. So was her book about Marie Antoinette. For that kind of entertainment, they're excellent!
Lezlie
This sounds like an interesting book, Lezlie.
Your mention of Margaret George reminded me of the book I have of her's on my shelf. I believe the book I have is about Cleopatra.
Literary Feline ~ That's a pretty good one, too. My favorite Margaret George book is The Autobiography of Henry VIII. It was the first Tudor book I ever read, and it was amazing!
Lezlie
I'm a bit curious aboout Mary Queen of Scots. I've read a couple of reviews lately where she's the main character but I don't think I've read anything with her in it before.
Ladytink! Good to see you! Mary is an interesting person. The Margaret George book is my favorite fictionalization of her life that I've read, but it's a chunkster of a read!
Lezlie
Good review, I do like Erickson's novels, like you, for their light, entertainment value. Might add this one to my list.
Teddyree ~ Thanks! This is a light, quick read, so if you decide to give it a try, it's not a huge time commitment. Sometimes that's just what we're looking for. :-)
Lezlie
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