The Other Boleyn Girl by Philippa Gregory
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Book Reviews of The Other Boleyn Girl
Book Review: A powerful and compelling read about sibling rivalry and their family's struggle for power
Summary: 5 Stars
In the history of English monarchy, Henry VIII's life will remain one of the most fascinating even if only for the fact that he went through Queens as voraciously as he went through food. And of his many wives, Anne Boleyn has cemented herself as probably the most controversial. Yet before Anne's ascend to the royal throne, her sister was the most favored by the king. In this book, Philippa Gregory charts the rise and fall of the Boleyn family as seen through the eyes of the "other Boleyn girl."
It is 1522 and Mary Boleyn is one of Queen Katherine's favorite ladies-in-waiting. Although already married to one of King Henry's courtiers, she catches the king's eye and is soon the recipient of his seductive advances. Meanwhile, hungry for power, Mary's family plots to advance their position in the king's favor and realizes that Mary is the key to achieving their ambitions. Thus, they order her to set aside her marriage and forced her against her moral scruples and religious beliefs to become the king's mistress. Shortly after, she bears the king two children. When the second birth forced Mary to confinement, the family fears that her "unavailability" to the king would lead him to another woman. Therefore, her sister Anne is ordered to take her place to ensure that the king's eye doesn't wander. Thus begins Mary's fall from the king's favor as Anne sets out to seduce, captivate and manipulate him. But while her sister was a reluctant mistress to the king, Anne is a willing participant and takes things one step further by ensuring that Queen Katherine's throne is cleared for her ascent. But as we have learned from history, it all ends when Anne and her brother George become the victims of their family's dangerous game as their lives ended at the scaffold, while Mary, dubbed by everyone in court as "the other Boleyn", escapes when she turns her back on her family's game, remarries and live a quiet life in the country.
THE OTHER BOLEYN GIRL is a novel about greed, power and sibling rivalry. From the start we see the magnitude of the novel as we are introduced to Mary and Anne and various other characters that play pivotal roles in the lives of these two Boleyn sisters. It was fascinating reading about the hunger of their family for power, the way they didn't care which sister the king slept with as long as it secures the Boleyns' position in the court. Reading about the family meeting to plot and manipulate was like watching an intense chess game. And seeing it in the eyes of the only Boleyn with scruples is what makes this book so deep and compelling. Mary's portrayal as the meek and kindhearted sister adds to the depth of Anne's ruthlessness and venomous character.
This book is a riveting and compelling read. It is a real page-turner and I guarantee that you won't be able to put it down once you start reading. While many people, especially historians, would dispute the accuracy of some aspects in this novel, you need to keep an open mind and remember that this isn't meant to be a literary accounting of the lives of the Boleyns, but a historical fiction based on their lives.
Book Review: Fun & Fast reading ...
Summary: 5 Stars
The whole time I was reading this book, there was an old saying that kept coming to my mind: Pride goeth before a fall. That is exactly what I thought of Anne Boleyn. Now mind you, this was my second attempt in reading "The Other Boleyn Girl." I had heard so many rave reviews about this book so two years ago, I picked it up and couldn't get into it. For one thing, it portrayed Anne Boleyn as a scheming and crafty girl, instead of a victim to a man's lust for a son to be his heir. After reading "The Queen's Fool" ~~ I got snared in with Gregory's writing and just had to try "The Other Boleyn Girl" again. This time, I was hooked.
I love reading historical fiction. I know that it's fiction based on the few historical gleams that any author could find. I know that the real story may never be known in its fullest truth. So knowing that, I can sit back and enjoy this immense novel about two sisters who vied for the King's attention. How much of it is factual? I don't know. Do I care? No. It's not as if I am going to write a biography on the Tudors. Do I find their lives ~~ supposed and actual ~~ interesting? Oh yes. I have been a devoted fan of Alison Weir and Antonia Fraser, as well as Jean Plaidy ~~ they've whetted my interest in history. So, I know that this book, based on a lot of historical studies, is a work of fiction. If I didn't want to read fiction, I would read different authors ... so my point is, this is a fun book to read.
This story was narrated by Mary, the "other" Boleyn sister. She was newly married and just shortly after Anne returned to England from France, Mary was selected to be the King's lover. Between her uncle and her parents, Mary was a biddable girl who did what her elders told her to do to further the Howard/Boleyn family connections in the king's court. As a very young lady-in-waiting, Mary was prime picking for a king's lust. In this novel, Mary gave birth to two children, a daughter and a son. During the recovery period after her son's birth, Anne decided to further her family's interest and her own personal interest by going after the king. As you can imagine, the relationship between the two sisters were never quite the same after that.
While Mary was at her sister's beck and call, she fell in love with an "ordinary no-body" ~~ William Stafford, a rural landowner. But bidden to do Anne's calling, Mary was in the midst of all the court's intrigues. From her eyes, she told the tale of how Anne came to power and how she intrigued the king to the fatal end. The longer Anne fought to be queen, the more corrupted she seems to be. The more corrupted Anne seem to be, the more reasonable Mary seem to be and more mature of the two.
This was a hefty book but oh so much fun to read! It is definitely one of the more enjoyable books I've read this year. I am glad to add Philippa Gregory to my never-ending list of authors to read ~~ she writes well and very convincingly of a time period that little is known. She is a great story-teller ~~ and definitely one to recommend.
3-30-07
Book Review: GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN...
Summary: 5 Stars
This well-known author of historical fiction has outdone herself with this rich and absorbing tale of the notorious Boleyn sisters, Anne and Mary. The Tudor court, with all its pomp and intrigue, is seen through the eyes of the beautiful Mary Boleyn, who at the age of fourteen arrives at court and becomes lady-in-waiting to Katherine of Aragon, Queen of England and wife to King Henry VIII. Although already married to courtier William Carey, Mary captures the heart of King Henry VIII, whose roving eyes land on this innocent young miss.In the eyes of the grasping and greedy Boleyn family, Mary is but the fatted calf through whom their ambitions, they believe, will become realized. So, they offer her up as a sacrifice to their ruthless ambition. Forced to separate from her husband in order to become the King's mistress, Mary betrays the Queen and becomes mistress to the King, all at the behest of her family. Every step of her affair is choreographed from the wings by her family, with the adept aid of her sly and clever sister, Anne, in the role of chief manipulator.
Mary struggles with her own code of honor and personal morality, which is often in conflict with what is mandated by her family. Still, despite her best intentions, Mary disappoints them, as her nature is not the kind that takes well to intrigue and manipulation, as she has sincere feelings of affection for the King, as well as for the Queen. After bearing the King two children, however, she is set aside by a formidable rival, her own sister, Anne, in whom the Boleyn family now place their hopes and ambitions.
This is, first and foremost, the story of Mary Boleyn, a woman who has generally been reduced to a footnote in history. It is notable, however, that she was the only Boleyn sibling to survive the purges of the Tudor court and who, ultimately, married for love in an age when this was not the norm among those of her class. It is also the story of Anne Boleyn, her rise and fall, as seen through the eyes of her sister, Mary, with whom Anne was to have a lifelong rivalry.
To a lesser degree, it is also the story of their brother, George, a more remote, though no less interesting, personage. His interjection into the story is necessary, as the author attempts to address the issue of incest that arose at the trial of George and Anne Boleyn. She gives quite an interesting perspective on the issue, weaving it, part and parcel, into the story in an effort to explain his downfall, as well his betrayal by his own wife.
Told against the magnificent backdrop of the Tudor Court in all its splendor and majesty, the author weaves a complex tale of greed, ambition, sex, and political machination, as well as unparalleled intrigue, in sixteenth century England. Filled with well-fleshed characters taken right out of the annals of history, the story is one that is sure to delight all those with a love for well-written historical fiction. In particular, fans of beloved author, Jean Plaidy, will enjoy this book.
Book Review: The Other Sister
Summary: 5 Stars
I was pleasantly surprised by this book. I'm really into history and this gave me an insight into a period of English history I never really paid attention to before.
As to the book. I had no idea that Anne Boleyn even had a brother or sister. History just focuses on her so much you forget that she had a family. Gregory's novel made Anne and her family come to the forefront and kept them there for me. I really looked forward to reading the next chapter and finding out what was going on at court now.
It had it's good parts and bad. Mary was a bit simple for me sometimes. Always wishing to see the best in people I felt that had she been a bit more ruthless she would have faired a little bit better against her sister Anne. Of course, as we all know, she's the only one to fair out well at all once everything is said and done. But Gregory does turn this little known sister, into a sort of heroine for meeker and milder people. Mary will never be an Anne, but her personality was able to keep her close to those she needed. And her meekness was also able to give her an insider's outside view of the machinations at court. Something you couldn't get if the story were being told by Anne.
Anne, (upon second reading) was really bitchy in this book. I felt Gregory almost demonized her, when other's showed her good and bad side.(I'm referring to Jean Plaidy's novel Lady in the Tower and Showtime's The Tudors.) Anne wasn't all bad, but in this book you'll get more of the bad than anything. She nearly nothing but ambition, pride and selfishness. You almost wonder why Henry even fell in love with her. Until you remember they were really two of a kind. I believe this may have led Anne to her downfall as Henry coudn't suffer anyone to equal, or outdo him.
Henry, in this book wasn't as spoiled and obnoxious as I first though. Reading this again I realize that he was coming to terms with his deep, true self. He isn't the Golden Prince he's been led to believe, but he's truly more selfish and unforgiving. I think parts of this realization drove him mad. Even to the point of killing his wife to gain another when he simply could have shut her away.
George, I liked. I was sad he died, homosexual or not. He was actually one of my favourite characters. I think I would like to see a book written from his perspective.
Katherine, a much better woman than I, or any other woman I know. Gregory's show of her was phenomenal. She showed Katherine with the dignity and grace a queen should have, and the dignity and grace she was bred with. I really admired her character, and the person.
The other characters like Jane Parker, who truly turns out to be just as vile as the other characters say; Thomas Boleyn and his wife, the Duke of Norfolk and William Stafford really bring this Tudor novel to life.
Book Review: The Other Boleyn Girl: riveting historical fiction!
Summary: 5 Stars
The Other Boleyn Girl, set in the years 1521 to 1536, focuses on the Boleyn/Howard families and their endless quest to climb the social ladder in King Henry VIII's court. In particular, this book deals with Mary and Anne Boleyn, two sisters who could not be more different in looks and personalities. They are Boleyns due to their father's side and Howards due to their mother's. Anne is the dark-haired, seductive beauty who marries the king and is later executed for witchcraft and adultery. Mary, the younger, fairer Boleyn sister, is actually the girl who starts the Boleyn chapter in English history. Mary, married at a young age, catches Henry's eye with her pretty fair looks and charm, and her relatives, the Howard family, seize the opportunity to make Mary Henry's mistress and to glorify the Howard/Boleyn names. Even after conceiving two beautiful children, Mary does not achieve a higher status other than the king's mistress, so Anne takes her place. Anne, with her deadly ambition, is determined to outshadow her fortunate sister and leave her mark in history. The king divorces his faithful but barren Spanish wife of many years and breaks from the Roman Catholic Church so he can marry Anne, and she will do anything, even go to the gates of Hell, to bring a son for the sake of the English throne.
Meanwhile, Mary, no longer the Howard favorite, discovers the simple pleasures of life on a farm, and she decides to follow her heart for once and marry her true love. However, she is forced to watch the poignant rise and fall of her best friend and rival, Anne, in the whimsical English court. Anne is constantly kept on her toes, both literally and figuratively, to please the king. Henry acts like a spoiled child who will stop at nothing when he wants something, especially that something being a legitimate son to the throne, and one wrong dance move means certain death.
This book wonderfully illustrates the deadly ambition that seizes many families like the Howards and turns the daughters and sons into mere pawns of an intricate game. Some of them escape alive, like Mary and her children (and her new husband), but others like Anne end up greeting the scaffold and not leaving it alive. The Other Boleyn Girl shows the whims of love and lust; Mary eventually discovers true love (to my joy), and she is the only fortunate member in the Boleyn/Howard families, as her brother bitterly notes. I love the magic and the suspense of the book. It is one of the few books I have stayed up many nights in a row, sacrificing precious hours of sleep, just so I could finish reading it. Philippa Gregory blends historical fact and fiction so well; she truly makes Mary, an obscure character in English history, come alive. Although this book is about 700 pages long, it is a true page-turner that keeps the reader wanting more.