"Queen of Scots" by John Guy

In traveling through Scotland this summer, I was often confronted with the complicated history between England and Scotland, particularly during the tumultuous reign of Mary, Queen of Scots. Despite many well-written plaques at Edinburgh Castle, I left the country mostly confused and set out to find a book that would do justice to the soap-opera tale, the showdown between Catholic Mary and Protestant Queen Elizabeth. Guy's Queen of Scots was well-reviewed, but ultimately I wished I'd just chosen a historical fiction version instead.

I get it--if you're a historical scholar, you do a lot of research. Especially if what you're writing about has already been researched and dissected for hundreds of years. And if you then write a book about that research, you want to include everything. For the fellow historical scholars who are reading the book, that kind of thoroughness is no doubt appreciated and necessary. But for an average reader who wants some insight on an important period in history, that level of thoroughness is simply tedious. There are so many names. There are so many complicated lineages and relationships. And a lot of them aren't that important to understanding the central conflict. A 200-page Reader's Digest condensed version might have been nice, but I found myself increasingly skimming as the book went on. It's a shame, too, because the story really is wild and deserving of a great, fact-based, narrative retelling.

Guy is also very clear in his allegiances. That's not necessarily bad, but it does come across a little oddly in a comprehensive biography. In Guy's view, Mary is a beautiful, charming, crafty strategist who makes only a few minor blunders. Queen Elizabeth also comes across well. But other people are dismissed out of hand as villains. 

I'm going to try the film adaptation and see if it's any better.