Rating: 
Summary: lots of detail and some peculiar conclusions
Review: Fraser's biography seems to be the product of lots of admirable research. I'm impressed by her access to original source materials, as well as by her attempts to synthesize the details she gathers from them into a coherent story of Mary's life. But the conclusions she draws often seem sentimental and unrealistic. On more than one occasion, she corroborates information about a person's behavior with some folkloric history of the temperament known to run in his or her family. It sounds like someone's great aunt gossiping about an errant niece, and had to seem just as inappropriate to an historical biography in 1969 as it does today. Moreover, while she only wrote the book in the late 1960s, the author's own social views show through strongly and seem strangely out-of-date or even prudish in the early 21st century. The wealth of detail and the story they describe are satisfying in themselves, but someone else might have told this story to better effect.
Rating: 
Summary: Very good telling of one of Britain's best Royal stories.
Review: Frasier does a very good job of research, and convincingly agrees and disagrees with scholars who have gone over this subject before. She makes keen observations about not only her subject, but about the evidence used against her. Mary was the wrong woman at the wrong place at the wrong time. That was her sin. I wonder where she would have ended up had she not put so much stock in Elizabeth to treat her honorably. It is worth noting that the film, Mary Queen of Scots, made in the early 7os, has a couple of egregious historical errors. But that's Hollywood...or should I say....Hollyrood.
Rating: 
Summary: Finest biographical writing ever
Review: Having just finished this book and being currently inmersed in another of Lady Antonia's great works (The Wives of Henry VIII), with Cromwell awaiting on the shelf, I have nothing but praise for the author. I have often heard that a biographer's main virtues are accuracy, clarity and the ability to depict as fully as possible the life and character of an individual. While not disagreeing with the above, it is my firm opinion that a good biographer also has to be a good writer, leading us pleasurably through events and people. Lady Antonia is both of these, and to a degree of excellence as yet (or as far as I have read) unsurpassed. I certainly hope she will embark on some new subject soon.
Rating:
Summary: Saint Mary...?
Review: How you will like this book much depends on what you expect of a biography. Personally, I prefer it to be an account, as objective as possible, of a life, revealing both the subject's strengths and flaws in relation to his or her wider cultural and historical context. This is what you will not find here. Fraser basically styles herself as the defence lawyer that Mary lacked during her Fotheringay trial - the book is one extended apologia for the Queen of Scots, of whom, as a result, a picture emerges that is simply too good to be true. It is also a picture that is inherently inconsistent: on the one hand we are to believe that Mary was a truly regal woman, proud, aware of her position, full of wisdom and insight beyond her age and blessed with a tolerance even beyond her time - and yet she is also constantly depicted as a hapless victim tossed about by forces over which she had no control. Human beings have many characteristics, but blameless perfection is rarely one of them, and the total lack of shades of gray in this black-and-white tale does not help its believability. Fraser finds an explanation and excuse for every of Mary's actions that might be considered foolish or of evil intent. However, Queen Elizabeth and her government, who obviously represent the 'black', need not count on such clemency. Personally I am amazed that one can write a book about Mary Stuart without dedicating at least a full chapter to her English cousin. With Fraser, Elizabeth remains a cipher, an ominous and ill-willed force in the background. Walsingham gets to see a bit more of the limelight, but only to put him on show as an almost devilish plotter, a liar and a forger. The problem is that on one level, that of everyday human interaction, some or even much of that may be true - but the picture changes drastically when viewed on the world stage of competing kingdoms. There can be no doubt that Elizabeth's actions were intended to benefit what she believed was the good of England, not that of herself. Nor can there be any doubt that from the English perspective Mary posed a serious threat to the throne, and thus to stability, especially given her Catholic faith. Mary on her part was naïve, to say the least, in believing that in England she would find assistance from a queen whom she had in fact never met, with whom she had only communicated through non-committal letters, and to whom she plainly was a rival - especially given her adamant refusal to give up her claims to the English throne. Add to that her peculiar talent to make herself unpopular with her own people, and the story acquires the kind of deeper profile one would have liked to see in this book.
No doubt some, maybe even many of the points Fraser makes are true; yet, many are also based on mere speculation or on sources that cannot but be prejudiced. Towards the end, much of her criticism of the council that tried Mary is no more than an extended paraphrase of Mary's own words on the subject. I was also struck by Fraser's apparent belief in prophecies by astrologists and the like, again something that does not help believability and furthers the impression that the author is too enmeshed in her subject and her mission to be able write a balanced book about it. Worse, by her refusal to truly probe Mary's character and her determination to canonize her, Fraser also ends up telling a story that is too superficial to support itself and claim attention for nearly 700 pages.
Rating:
Summary: An immediately accessible and gripping read.
Review: I don't normally read historic books, especially to do with the British monarchy. But I'm glad I read this one. Fraser's writing style made the content appealing and enticing. What a fascinating life this Scottish Queen had and what a tragic end she came to. I will look forward to reading other books by this author.
Rating:
Summary: Interesting read but biased
Review: I have always been interested in English history especially around the Tudor era. I especially like Elizabeth I so I decided to read about one of her contemporaries. I have always been fascinated by the relationship between Mary and Elizabeth but this book seems to put it seriously one sided. As a great admirer of Elizabeth I am willing to admit that she had her flaws but also must admit that she was one of the most amazing women of all time. She held her country together when it seemed as though it were ready to fall apart. Her cousin Mary was in stark contrast. This book makes Mary to be the victim in every circumstance. Every time you turn around big bad Elizabeth is making life miserable for her. Must we forget that Mary was the cause of most of her own problems. She made numerous errors in her judgement with men. Her marrying exploits caused many of her own people to turn against her even murdering her own husband. Then she marries the man who seems most guilty of the deed. All of these decision led to her countrymen taking her crown and giving it to her young son. This is where the book finds the "horrible" Elizabeth imprisoning her outcast cousin. Lest we forget in these turbulent times called the sixteenth century that many of the nobility used the monarchy for their own profit. Mary posed a serious threat to the throne of England. All of Elizabeth's enemies would be poised and ready to take her away and put Mary in her place. Mary was given most luxuries that you and I don't see today. Clothes, servants, horse-back riding in the countryside. It was not as if she was kept locked in a tower the entire time of her imprisonment. Elizabeth had to protect the throne and her subjects. Under Elizabeth's watch she was safe from the people who were out for revenge for her horrible judgement. But Mary had plans of her own. She plotted treason against her cousin and had many people who were willing to help. In the end Mary lost out and was beheaded. It took Elizabeth over a 10 years and 5 plots by Mary to usurp the throne before she would sign the death warrant against Mary. Even after the deed was done Elizabeth threw herself into a rage and was angry that her servants had actually gone through with the course of action. This book represents Mary as a poor unknowing pawn in the game of royalty and the shuffling of crowns. But this is truly a forgiving portrait of Mary Queen of Scots. She was raised to be a queen and she knew from the time that she was learning lessons at her teachers knees the power of what a crown held. She was not beneath taking it from another when her own stupidity caused her to lose her own.
Rating: 
Summary: Incredibly tedious
Review: I have not read other books by this author, but have read many other biographies of the period. I am fascinated by the times and the politics. I often will sit down with one of these biographies and be so interested I will have trouble getting cooking, cleaning, etc., done at all. Not the case with this book. I am forcing my way through. One thing that particularly irritates me is the constant use of comments from the time that look like they would be interesting, but are in French, with no translation. Another is the continual reference to portaits and busts of Mary, with long, boring descriptions that have no life. The book contains none of these illustrations, yet refers to her appearance often. I have not yet finished this book, and may have to return here to eat my words later, but at this point I do not recommend it for purchase.
Rating: 
Summary: Interesting story of a Great Woman in history
Review: I must admit that my usual style of book is military history but my Scottish heritage tempted me to look at this book and I loved it. The author presents a tragic tale in such a well written way that I just lost track of time reading the story. Its a well research and written book and I think anybody who has a love for history would enjoy this book. The only thing I disliked about this book and its only minor, is the french phrases used without any translation supplied. Overall its a great story and a good read.
Rating:
Summary: The Forgotten Queen
Review: I read Lady Antonia Fraser's book "Mary Queen of Scots" some time ago. It is a fascinating biography of one of England's most tragic figures. This account leaves one question; did Elizabeth I, really want to execute her because she posed a dangerous threat to the throne, or was she simply afraid not to? Most all accounts have Elizabeth struggling with what to do with Mary, Queen of Scots. We will never really find out for sure, but it was a sad life she struggled with even though her son, James, ascended the throne after Elizabeth Tudor left no issue. A very good read and the reader will learn much.
Rating:
Summary: Erudite and compelling
Review: I read this book because I have Scot ancestry and wanted to know more about the rise of Protestantism in Scotland. I had two false prejudices from popular culture when I started the book: I thought Mary was a religious zealot (against the "rational" Queen Elizabeth) and that Antonia Fraser was a romance-type novelist. This book is a page turner of excellent quality. Fraser's vocabulary alone is a treasure.
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