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Mary Queen of Scots
Mary Queen of Scots: Film Tie-In | John Guy
24 posts | 5 read | 1 reading | 7 to read
Now a major film, this is a dramatic reinterpretation of the life of Mary Queen of Scots by one of the leading historians of this period. Winner of the Whitbread Biography Award For centuries, Mary, Queen of Scots has been a figure of scholarly debate. Where many have portrayed her as the weak woman to Elizabeth's rational leader, John Guy reassesses the young queen, finding her far more politically shrewd than previously believed. Crowned Queen of Scotland at nine months old, Queen of France by age sixteen and widowed the following year, Guy paints Mary as a commanding and savvy queen who navigated the European power struggles of the time to her advantage. Her life was one of drama and conflict - Scottish lords constructed labyrinthine plots to wrest power from her and attempts to prove her claim to the English throne were thwarted by English ministers bent on protecting Elizabeth. Mary Queen of Scots re-examines the original sources, resulting in a riveting new argument surrounding Mary's involvement in her husband Lord Darnely's murder and her subsequent marriage to his suspected assassin. Guy's accessible treatment of the well-trodden story, his deft storytelling and insightful new arguments provide compelling and dramatic reading. 'An absorbing biography . . . meticulously researched . . . scholarly and intriguing' Peter Ackroyd,The Times 'Rarely have first-class scholarship and first-class storytelling been so effectively combined' John Adamson, Daily Telegraph John Guy is a Fellow of Clare College, University of Cambridge. His bestselling books include A Daughter's Love: Thomas and Margaret More, Thomas Becket: Warrior, Priest, Rebel, Victim: A 900-Year-Old Story Retold, Tudor England, The Children of Henry VIII, and 'My Heart is My Own': the Life of Mary Queen of Scots, which won the Whitbread Biography Award and the Marsh Biography Award. He appears regularly on BBC radio and television. Previously published as 'My Heart is My Own'.
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review
BookNerdMama
Pickpick

So I salute you, John Guy, for treating your subject not as a Prize Dumbass or the Proverbial Whore (Elizabeth was the Virgin, so...), but as an actual human who adapted, in accordance with her nature, to the circumstances into which she was born.

I see you, Mary. (3/3)

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BookNerdMama
Pickpick

And this is the first book I've read about her that helped me to really understand her as a whole person, who changed and played the game and lost and won and was not the same person at 40 that she was at 20. I never understood the Bothwell business (why, Mary? Why?). But I get it. He was loyal. He was all these other terrible things, but he was pretty much the only Scottish lord left who hadn't betrayed her. (2/3)

review
BookNerdMama
Pickpick

Studied Tudor/Stuart England in undergrad, wrote a paper on whether or not Mary really murdered Darnley (I said no). And here's the thing: most secondary material makes her an innocent victim of stronger (subtext: smarter and more decisive) men, or a cunning femme fatale who was hoist on her own petard (so to speak). I remember being so frustrated, and thinking 'There's got to be an actual *person* in here somewhere.' (1/3)

review
Sammidnightsun
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Mehso-so

Was ok I thought there would be more about Mary but not a bad read

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KarenCanRead
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Her grandeur had to be respected

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KarenCanRead
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Her charm and conversational skills would be among her greatest assets.

Protocol was of the highest importance

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KarenCanRead
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Mary could be allowed to grow up, to pursue her studies and her pleasures almost as she chose, but within the limits of his advice.

-She was sexually safe and correspondingly dull

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KarenCanRead
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She gows in charm and good manners and becomes more suited to the place to which she was called and which she was never allowed to forget

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KarenCanRead
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She was said to be "everything that could be desired"

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KarenCanRead
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She is the most perfect child that I have ever seen

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KarenCanRead
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Our little Scottish Queen has but to smile to turn all the French heads

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KarenCanRead
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She is the prettiest and best for her age that you ever saw... She is graceful and self-assured

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KarenCanRead
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Mary Fleming, Mary Beaton, Mary Seton and Mary Livingston - the so-called 4 Marys

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KarenCanRead
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Diplomatic alliances were sealed by marriage pacts in the 16th century

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KarenCanRead
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As a child, Mary played no role herself in this intrigues, but all of them were about her

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KarenCanRead
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He went to pieces when told that his heir was not a boy

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KarenCanRead
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Mary Stuart was queen at the age of six days

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KarenCanRead
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Mary always aroused the strongest feelings

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KarenCanRead
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The belief that power lies in the people and not in the ruler

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KarenCanRead
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You ought to rejoice rather than weep for that the end of Mary Stuart's troubles is now come

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KarenCanRead
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Born and brought up to be a Queen, she walked confidently through the doorway as if she were once more processing to a court festival

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jenniferw88
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Many, many thanks for the birthday wishes & presents!

Thanks @RachelO @squirrelbrain @Lel2403 @Cathythoughts @kathedron @TrishB - I'm looking forward to all of them! I did it as a collage so that I didn't bombard you with posts!

Also using tagged book for #maymoviemagic #youngandbeautiful @Cinfhen @rohit-sawant

Cathythoughts Your welcome😘. Happy Birthday to you , you received brilliant books 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻🎁 6y
quietlycuriouskate Happy Birthday! Have a gorgeous day. 🎁📚🎂 6y
LoveToReadLiveToRead Happy birthday!!! 🥳🎂🍾 6y
See All 16 Comments
rockpools Happy Birthday! Have a lovely day 😘 6y
gradcat Wow! This is so nice! I hope you have a perfect, lovely day. 🥳 🎂 🎁 💝 6y
squirrelbrain Happy Birthday! Have a great day! ❤️🎉🍰 6y
TrishB Happy birthday 🎉🎉 great gifts! 6y
Naj Happy birthday! Have fun 🎉💜🎂🎁 6y
Velvetfur Oh gosh Jenny I hadn't known it was your birthday, I'm sorry! Hope you have a fabulous day, lots of love to you! 🎂🎉🎁 6y
Lel2403 Happy Happy Birthday lovely......have a great day 💕💕 6y
MicheleinPhilly Happy Birthday! Enjoy your day! 6y
Itchyfeetreader Happy birthday greetings from Mexico! 6y
Librarybelle Happy Birthday! 6y
Cinfhen Happy birthday, my sweet friend!!!! 6y
Caroline2 Oh fab books! I loved burial rites and I‘ve heard good things about Vox. 👍🏻 I hope you have a lovely day. 🎁 🎂 🎈 6y
RohitSawant Happy Birthday! 🎉🎂🎉 5y
101 likes16 comments
review
Angela_TheBookNerdess
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Pickpick

Intense and gripping narrative of a woman whose life was beyond tumultuous. The author skilful chronicles her life whilst analysing arguments and evidence against here. A skilful book that is sympathetic, bordering on biased to the subject of the biography.

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Angela_TheBookNerdess
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Nope not the movie but the book (Originally titled: My Heart is my Own) by John Guy.

So far 23 pages in it has been fascinating and definitely foreshadowed her grandson' s demise. I'm thoroughly both feet in