These days I am reading Mary Queen of Scots by Antonia Fraser . I cannot help constantly comparing it with this other biography of Mary I had read years ago: The translated (Farsi) version of Mary Queen of Scotland and the Isles by Stefan Zwieg who is one of my most favorite authors of all times.
Both books are well-written, full of details and appealing imagery. Yet, the major difference is that Zwieg has mostly focused on the relationship between Mary Stuart and Elizabeth I of England, either's motivations and speculations for what they did, exploring the psychological aspects of their decisions and reactions. On the other hand, Fraser's book, so far as I have read (not finished yet), seems to be more focused on Mary, offering a rich-in-nuances picture of her life and the many adventures taking place in it. Here is a passage which I like:
"But for all Mary's enthusiasm for her native country or its customs Scottish clothes were by now for her definitely a form of fancy dress. Patriotism, wilfulness or the desire to please might lead her to don them: nothing could alter the fact with passing of every year, the progress of Mary towards becoming a French woman -- a child of the smooth land of France rather than of the rugged land of Scotland -- became still more marked."
This is how chapter 3, The Most Perfect Child, ends. Now I am moving forward to the next chapter, Betrothal. Sounds quite interesting :)
[For those who are lazy when it comes to reading books:] Check out this link for a quick insight into Mary Stuart's life. Reading these two great historical biographies by Zwieg and Fraser would be always rewarding, though.
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