Sunday, July 15, 2012

Review: The Other Boleyn Girl by Philippa Gregory


Read an excerpt
Genre:   Historical Fiction
Release Date:  November 2004
Series:  The Tudor Court Novels, Book #2
Publisher: Touchstone/ Simon and Schuster
Pages:  672
Source:  Purchased
Rating:  Four Flowers Of Love

Book Blurb
Mary Boleyn catches the eye of Henry VIII when she comes to court as a girl of fourteen. Dazzled by the golden prince, Mary’s joy is cut short when she discovers that she is a pawn in the dynastic plots of her family. When the capricious king’s interest wanes, Mary is ordered to pass on her knowledge of how to please him to her friend and rival: her sister Anne.

Anne soon becomes irresistible to Henry and Mary can do nothing but watch her sister’s rise. Anne stops at nothing to achieve her own ambition. From now on, Mary will be no more than the other Boleyn girl.

But beyond the court is a man who dares to challenge the power of her family to offer Mary a life of freedom and passion. If only she has the courage to break away – before the Boleyn enemies turn on the Boleyn girl.


Luv It Line:
“If you want to rise to be a somebody in this court you will get blood or shit on your hands.  I have had to learn this through a hard apprenticeship since I was a little girl.  You can learn it now if you have the stomach.”

My Thoughts
This book is full of sex, scandal, backstabbing, in other words a total winner for me.  Since I’m a fan of the Tudor era, it was very entertaining for me.  The book is a rather lengthy read with some 500 plus pages and at times did get a little wordy and boring, but it quickly picked back up and kept me from putting it down. 

When I first met Mary, I thought she was the model “do girl” willing to do anything at her own expense for the advancement of her family.  I felt a little sorry for her because she was just a girl when she became her family’s pawn, but after awhile, I just got annoyed with her not having a backbone.  Later in the book, I admired her for fading into the background and letting Anne carry everything, but she paid steep prices just to be left alone.

And don’t get me started on Anne.  What a selfish, arrogant bitch!  With a sister like her, who needs enemies?  As soon as she came to court, I already knew she was jealous of her little sister and wanted England to see her and only her.  Her determination to make that happen was admirable, but extreme.  The Boleyn family was so treacherous, it didn’t make sense.  Anne was a true Boleyn through and through.

And Henry, what an ass!  In all of the books that I have read, I have never met a fool as big as he was.  He trusted no one, but yet he listened to everyone and made all the wrong decisions.  I would have hated to live in England during his rule.  He cared more for his pleasure rather than the advancement of his country.  But, I guess that’s why I couldn’t put this book down and also why I luv these type of books.  Historical romances have no shame and are all over the place. 

Overall, I really liked this book and would recommend it.  A lot of reviews that I read didn’t give it high marks because they based their reviews on the author’s deviation from the real history.  My review was based on the enjoyment of the story.  I really could care less how closely it related to the actual history.  I just found the book to be entertaining and well written.

I’m not sure if I will be checking out any of the other books.  The only other wife that interested me was Catherine, the first wife-luved her and her determination not to just step aside and let Henry have his way, so I may check out her story.  We’ll see…



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 Other Books In This Series:
The Constant Princess, Book #1
The Boleyn Inheritance, Book #3
The Queen’s Fool, Book #4
The Virgin’s Lover, Book #5
The Other Queen, Book #6

Other Reviews Of This Book:

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