Amongst numerous royal dynasties in Britain, the Windsors and Tudors have notoriously been most fierce in their interactions, which could explicate their prevalence in literature, film, and television. Their intriguing stories, from contested ascendancies– dating back to the 16th century– to the emotive adventures of two individuals in Montecito, captivate an extensive audience, and I must confess, I am part of this ensemble.
While Mary Queen of Scots, the protagonist in Flora Carr’s inaugural novel, belongs to the Stuart dynasty, she ascended the throne when her granduncle, Henry VIII, ruled England, during an era known as Elizabethan was in its zenith. Mary was made to relinquish her rule 25 years later.
“The Tower” is primarily set between 1567 and 1568 during Mary’s imprisonment at Lochleven Castle. Carr skilfully portrays the bleakness of Mary’s detainment and the multitude of humiliations she was made to endure, all within the confines of a solitary room – marvel that even Emma Donoghue would acknowledge.
A perpetual state of fear pervades every page. Even her captors, wary of the fickle nature of political power and the ease at which a monarchy can be restored and retribution can be delivered, offer her minor gestures of comfort and respect.
Mary’s existence is depicted as cheerless in the extreme. Married, divorced, and remarried to men who either violated or deserted her, she yearns for her newborn son. Heartrending details of the loss of her twin babies in miscarriage are described in such bare terms, you wonder how any female could endure such an ordeal. The intermittent notes from Elizabeth, her cousin, who simultaneously respects and fears Mary as a crowned queen, reveal intrigue beyond their immediate surroundings.
Carr steers us directly into the treachery within the tower, weaving an intense and overwhelming narrative. However, the epilogue seems misplaced; a brief summary of the fate of each character leading up to Mary’s execution seems to shift the genre to non-fiction, especially after the penultimate chapter concludes with such a lyrical tone, leaving the reader yearning for a sequel.