REVIEW: Mary Queen of Scots (John Guy)

Book: Mary Queen of Scots

Author: John Guy

My rating: 3.5/5.

Premise: The life of Mary Stuart is one of unparalleled drama and conflict. From the labyrinthine plots laid by the Scottish lords to wrest power for themselves, to the efforts made by Elizabeth's ministers to invalidate Mary's legitimate claim to the English throne, John Guy returns to the archives to explode the myths and correct the inaccuracies that surround this most fascinating monarch. The portrait that emerges is not of a political pawn or a manipulative siren, but of a shrewd and charismatic young ruler who relished power and, for a time, managed to hold together a fatally unstable country.

I'll admit, before reading this book, the only thing I knew about Mary Queen of Scots was that she was a Catholic queen who plotted against Elizabeth I. But her life is much more interesting than that final year of her life. The majority of this book covers her childhood in France and reign in Scotland. I didn't realise how fractious Scotland was back then, with blood feuds between Lords and constant shifts of power. An underlying theme is that Mary was constantly undermined by various schemes of the Lords and men grasping for power. There are also a lot of mysteries surrounding her: did she plot to kill her second husband? why did she marry her third husband? how genuine was the evidence used to condemn her? John Guy explores these mysteries with pure logic and putting forward various theories from Mary's lifetime and since her death. A very interesting life and an insightful book.