Mary, Queen of Scots lived during one of the most fascinating periods in history. Graham's epic work paints a unique picture of this controversial woman, showing her to be neither a Catholic martyr nor murdering adulteress but rather a young woman out of her depth caught up in the sea of ruthless sixteenth-century politics. She relied on her beauty and charm and allowed herself to be a victim of circumstance. When she did finally attempt to control her future, she set in motion the events that would lead her to the executioner's block, sentenced to die by none other than her cousin, Queen Elizabeth.