The Memoirs of Mary Queen of Scots

By: Carolly Erickson

Genre: Historical Entertainment

Rating <3 <3 <3 1/2

Summary: Queen of Scotland at six days of age, married as a young girl to the invalid young king of France, Mary took the reins of the unruly kingdom of Scotland as a young widow and fought to keep her throne. A second marriage to her handsome but dissolute cousin Lord Darnley ended in murder and scandal, while a third to the dashing Lord Bothwell, the love of her life, gave her joy but widened the scandal and surrounded her with enduring ill repute.

Unable to rise above the violence and disorder that swirled around her, Mary escaped to England--only to find herself a prisoner of her ruthless, merciless cousin Queen Elizabeth.

Here, in a riveting first-person account, is the enchanting woman whose name still evokes excitement and compassion--and whose death under the headsman's axe still draws forth our sorrow.

Review: The Memoirs of Mary Queen of Scots is a first person account of the life of Mary Queen of Scots from around the age of fifteen up until her death by the order of her cousin Queen Elizabeth the first of England.  The main character Mary in other books has been displayed as a strong rival of Elizabeth who plotted her death, and who was really more vilified in other plot lines that I've read.  She had a strong backing in the Catholic movement of the time, who looked at Elizabeth as a "Protestant Whore" and did not believe she was the true heir to the throne of England because the marriage of her Mother Anne Boleyn and Henry the 8th was not considered valid.  

    

   This novel portrays Mary as a bit more wishy washy, then I have pictured her, with scenes where her main concern is her wardrobe or how many servants she has.  It did however bring  out the other side of the story from her point of view, and not just Queen's Elizabeth's who has gained more literary focus.  Also this book IS a historical entertainment so many events were added in that most  likely DID NOT take place in real life SPOILER such as, Mary having a daughter, bathing at a mineral bath with Queen Elizabeth, and other events. I would recommend this book if you're looking for a fast paced fun read about Mary Queen of Scots...but NOT a strictly historically accurate book about her life. Cheers! 

Elizabeth