Vengeance Is Mine: A Novel Of Anne Boleyn, Katherine Howard, And Lady Rochford The Woman Who Helped Destroy Them Both by Brandy Purdy

Dec 29, 2009

Marie Z. Johansen rated it

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Shelves: historical-fiction

I have always been fascinated by the purported strong relationship that Anne Boleyn had with her brother George. Jane Parker, Lady Rochford, wife to George Boleyn, Lord Rochford has always been mentioned in the history books as an afterthought. Indeed, I don't think that there is a lot of factual information to be had about Jane Parker - women themselves, unless famous, were more or less afterthoughts in Tudor times!

I am an avid reader of both history and historical fiction - and am...moreI have always been fascinated by the purported strong relationship that Anne Boleyn had with her brother George. Jane Parker, Lady Rochford, wife to George Boleyn, Lord Rochford has always been mentioned in the history books as an afterthought. Indeed, I don't think that there is a lot of factual information to be had about Jane Parker - women themselves, unless famous, were more or less afterthoughts in Tudor times!

I am an avid reader of both history and historical fiction - and am always enthralled by anything Tudor. This book was no exception! The book draws on history to tell the tale of Jane Parker who, through an arranged marriage, became wife to George Boleyn. Jane paled in comparison to the fiery spirit of Anne Boleyn - George's sister and wife to England's notorious King Henry VIII. As Anne's star rises in the Court, Jane's resentment grows and she begins to plot her revenge. Ultimately, it is Jane's spurious charges, of adultery and incest with her brother George that brings about Anne's downfall. Oliver Cromwell, the Lord Protector is the person that Jane turns to. She unfurls her plot - making allegations to Cromwell that will ultimately cause the downfall of both Anne and George as well as the other courtiers who were alleged by Janeto have been Anne's lovers. Jane erroneously thought that by arranging to have Anne out of the picture she would, at last, have George's attentions all to herself. Wrong! George, always proclaiming his innocence and remaining true to his sister, goes to the block just short of Anne's own appointment with the swordsman.

Free of Anne - and her husband, Jane is sent from Court but she is soon brought back to Court to attend to Henry's newest bride, Anna of Cleves. Anna of Cleves is the only one of King Henry's wives prior to his last wife, Katherine Parr, to keep her head because Henry's dislike of her results in Anna's becoming the King's 'beloved sister". Their marriage is annulled - freeing Henry to marry once again. Henry's next marriage, to the very young Katherine Howard, finds Jane ready to serve once again and Jane becomes the go-between, arranging clandestine meetings between Katherine and her love, Thomas Culpepper. Ultimately,when the affair is exposed to King Henry, Jane Parker Boleyn herself along with Queen Katherine, becomes a victim of the swordsman's axe.

This book is, we must remember, historical fiction. When I read a historical fiction book I like to reference the true history to see where the author remains true to the facts and where the true facts diverge and become true fiction. I don't expect a work of historical fiction to read like a history book. It is true that there are places in this book where scenes are invented and/or extrapolated. I anticipate this in a work of fiction. Indeed it is works of fiction that originally spurred my fascination with the Tudor period as a youngster and fanned my desire to read the true historical books about the period later on. I remain Tudor smitten.

I find it unfortunate that the new publisher chose a cover that sports an image that is somewhat tawdry and most definitely not in period garb. It reminds me too much of bodice ripper's like some of the Harlequin series. I much prefer the original, self-published cover - or the British edition's cover. It is an unfortunate fact of a literary life that, once a publisher accepts a book for publication, author's have little input into cover selection. I can't think what the publisher was thinking when they chose this one.

Nonetheless, under the cover this book is an enjoyable read; it's fast paced and will hold your attention. I recommend this book for all 'Tudor-philes' and for everyone who enjoy historical fiction and who can accept it as fiction based on some historical events rather than history that reads like fiction. I think everyone who buys this book will enjoy it quite well!(less)

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Nov 05, 2009

Robin rated it

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Shelves: england, historical-fiction, tudor, read-for-review, arcs

This is the story of Jane Rochford, wife to George Boleyn, sister-in-law to Anne, and one of the people that helped send the two siblings to the block. Because of her actions her name is forever connected with jealousy, vindictiveness, viciousness, and disloyalty. It covers her life from about the time she first meets and falls in love with George up to her death with Henry's fifth queen, Katherine Howard. Once she sees George she is determined to have him, despite her father's misgivings on the...moreThis is the story of Jane Rochford, wife to George Boleyn, sister-in-law to Anne, and one of the people that helped send the two siblings to the block. Because of her actions her name is forever connected with jealousy, vindictiveness, viciousness, and disloyalty. It covers her life from about the time she first meets and falls in love with George up to her death with Henry's fifth queen, Katherine Howard. Once she sees George she is determined to have him, despite her father's misgivings on the match. She naively believes that once they are married George will fall in love with her and be the loving attentive husband she wants him to be. As the story moves along and she realizes that he wants absolutely nothing to do with her, she fluctuates between loving him and hating him. We see her throughout the novel spying on all the other players from behind a bush, through a keyhole, hiding in a cabinet, etc, hoping to see something that she can use against her sister-in-law. Jane focuses a lot of her anger and hatred on Anne, believing her to be the sole cause of George's lack of attention; this leads her to helping Cromwell in his attack on Anne as she thinks once Anne is out of the picture, George will give her the attention she craves. Jane's sworn testimony to Cromwell helped convict George and Anne of incest and treason. The author throws a very interesting twist into the story at this point concerning the relationship between Cromwell and Jane; this was something I never expected but rather creative and explains, in a way, why Jane was so eager to give testimony against Anne. Of course, Jane is wrong again and is further infuriated when she realizes that George would rather die with his sister than live with her. After their deaths, Jane becomes lady-in-waiting for the next three queens: Jane Seymour, Anne of Cleaves, and Katherine Howard. She especially takes to Katherine as she sees her as the child she was never able to have and hopes that Kat will come to love her. Jane is horrified to learn the kind of life Kat has lead and the type of person she has become and constantly warns her against her behavior with Thomas Culpepper (she is also quite horrified at her behavior with the former queen, Anne of Cleaves). Kat is eventually caught and she and Jane are both sent to the Tower and sentenced to death. Once in the Tower Jane apparently goes a bit mad, thinking she sees both George and Anne's ghosts lurking around to torment her. She was executed immediately after Kat.

It was very interesting to read a story solely from Jane's point of view. Most stories about the Boleyns only mention Jane in passing, as the jealous, hateful wife of George whose lies helped send her husband and sister-in-law to their deaths. In most cases where the story is told from the point of view of someone classified as a villain, a reader, at some point, will sympathize with the character. Her portrayal here will do nothing to incite sympathy from the reader. At the beginning of the novel she just comes across as a bit naive, very obsessive, and only slightly jealous. However, as the story moves along she really becomes nasty and vindictive and all the other horrible adjectives that have been used to describe her. Sometimes she is downright hysterical, going so far as to bite a servant on the heel in one of her rages. I absolutely hated her and found myself laughing each time one of her schemes backfired on her. I firmly believe she got her just desserts in the end. Outside of Jane's feeling, thoughts, and actions, there really isn't a whole lot of description about much of anything else. We see all the major players here, of course, but as this story is really focusing on Jane's life, there isn't much delving into their lives or personalities. The author doesn't show Anne as being such an ambitious, mean person as others have shown her; we actually see her in the beginning trying to be friendly with Jane, though Jane is set to dislike her from the start. Despite this, I thought the book was well written and there really was a deep probing into Jane's motivations and feelings, which was certainly new. We see that the harder she tries to gain George's attention, the more indifferent he becomes (and becomes more emotionally cruel), which leads her to become more jealous and hateful. I would caution readers that if you are uncomfortable with some sex scenes, I wouldn't recommend this book. Otherwise, I would certainly recommend this to those that are interested in the Tudors and would like to see another side to the soap opera. It is a much different perspective on a story with which we are so familiar. (less)

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Jan 29, 2010

Lois Clark-Johnston rated it

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Shelves: books-i-read-in-2010, all-things-tudor, historical-fiction

it was ok, The rise and fall of Anne Boleyn told thru the eyes of her jealous angry sister-in-law. Portrays Anne as never getting over Henry Percy and not in the least interested or in love with King Henry and therefore able to keep him chasing her all those years because she truly does not want him. Interesting take on the common fable.

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Nov 15, 2010

Monique rated it

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Shelves: king-and-queen-tudor-dynasty

Took a hiatus from reading as exercise, The Sims, applying for school and just life took precedence but as I got a new hairstyle that requires long hours in the hair salon I renewed my passion with who else King Henry VIII, my favorite monarch and the ladies who loved him...This book was one of my favorite kinds of Tudor drama with a span of five of his most interesting queens and the tragedy and scandal of court life..This story is told by one of the most spiteful and silly women of the time bu...more

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Jun 15, 2010

Penny Dreadful rated it

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Feb 05, 2010

Misfit rated it

Shelves: one-time-read-only

Vengeance is Mine is a bit of a different take on the oft told tale of Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn - this time through the POV of George Boleyn's wife Jane Rochford. Although Jane loves George, he finds her distateful and prefers the company of his sister Anne, other women and men (poor Mark Smeaton), and finds her solace instead by sneaking around peeping through keyholes and hiding in cupboards to witness the salacious lives of others at court.. The latter part of the book covers the period of ...moreVengeance is Mine is a bit of a different take on the oft told tale of Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn - this time through the POV of George Boleyn's wife Jane Rochford. Although Jane loves George, he finds her distateful and prefers the company of his sister Anne, other women and men (poor Mark Smeaton), and finds her solace instead by sneaking around peeping through keyholes and hiding in cupboards to witness the salacious lives of others at court.. The latter part of the book covers the period of Katherine Howard's short reign where Jane served as lady in waiting.

Since we've all been Tudor'ed to death and know the basics I don't need to rehash the entire plot, I'm just here to give my two cents on the reading experience. I didn't care for the use of the first person narrative in this one, it really was too much of a stretch some of the places Jane had to be in to *witness* events first hand - and my, oh, my those keyholes were awfully big back in the days. I never really felt that I was inside Jane's head and seeing what made her tick, and while I know Anne had the reputation for her shrewish tongue this just seemed OTT to me - it was all so black and white, I like a few shades of gray.

And lastly, there are the infamous *sex scenes*. Were they as graphic and offensive as I'd heard about? No, but neither were they well written and tasteful either. Anne dressing up as Salome in front of the entire court with Henry Norris in a loin cloth was quite enough, as was the pot of honey scene between Anne of Cleves and Kat Howard but the book definitely flew at the "Little Kitten" bit on page 228.

Page 228, "...and to know that you want me, deny it though you will, as much as I want you, and that between your thighs your Little Kitten is hot and dripping wet with lust for me."

Eeeewwww. This novel has just been revamped with a new publisher under the title The Boleyn Wife and I'm not sure how close it stays to this book, but I strongly recommend a closer look at the book store prior to making a purchase - this is not going to be the book for everyone and it was definitely not the book for me. If you're looking for a very fictional take on Anne and Henry and don't care about historical accuracy this might suit as a quick and easy read, but on the other hand this book isn't going to provide you with anything new on the matter either. 2/5 stars.(less)

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Dec 28, 2009

Michele rated it

Shelves: fiction, historical-fiction, tudor-history, 2009

Okay, so this is Brandy Purdy's book that was originally self published and was recently picked up by Kensington and will be re-released under the title The Boleyn Wife towards the end of January 2010. Just to be clear, I read the older, self-published version.

And if you aren't too picky about your Tudor facts, this book is a funny romp through Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn's court, as told from the perspective of Jane Rochford, Anne's sister-in-law who later provided the testimony tha...more

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Jul 30, 2011

Jo Graham rated it

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A look at the now familiar Tudors, particularly the wives of Henry Vlll, from the point of view of Lady Jane Rochford. Lady Jane was actually insane at the time that she went to her execution with Queen Katherine Howard to whome she had been a lady in waiting. As a piece of historical fiction the book was o.k. but there was quite a lot of licence with what was said and done in the royal appartments, I am sure that to an extent life was very promiscuous but I do feel that however stupid Katherine...more

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Dec 12, 2011

Naynay rated it

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This book was written through the eyes of Jane Parker, and so consumed with hate, Jane is completely unaware of the destruction she is setting in motion until it is to late.

In the court of King Henry VIII, Jane was a shy girl but not stupid, men seemed to desire her but she was uninterested in any of them beyond furthering her position at court until she meets charming George Boleyn. When Jane and George are directed to wed, he obeys without much passion while she is ecstatic. Howev...more

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Oct 25, 2010

Vixenne rated it

Shelves: genre-historical-fiction, settings-tudor-england, historical-figures-henry-viii, historical-figures-anne-boleyn, historical-figures-anne-of-cleves, historical-figures-katherine-howard, historical-figures-jane-boleyn

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I've always been fascinated by Lady Jane Rochford, the woman who helped to send Anne Boleyn and her brother George, to the chopping block. History hasn't been very kind to her, though a great deal isn't known about her life prior to the events which have made her infamous.

Vengeance is Mine does absolutely nothing to fill in the blanks. If anything, this historical fiction novel paints Jane Rochford in a worse light rather than offering her a modicum of redemption.

Th...moreI've always been fascinated by Lady Jane Rochford, the woman who helped to send Anne Boleyn and her brother George, to the chopping block. History hasn't been very kind to her, though a great deal isn't known about her life prior to the events which have made her infamous.

Vengeance is Mine does absolutely nothing to fill in the blanks. If anything, this historical fiction novel paints Jane Rochford in a worse light rather than offering her a modicum of redemption.

The Jane Rochford in this book is spoiled, self-centered and not very bright. It's little wonder when she enters the well-read and witty circle of the Boleyn family--namely the handsome George Boleyn and his sister Anne--that she instantly feels out of place and the seeds of jealousy are firmly planted. Even with Anne's sincere overtures of sisterhood, Jane simply sees her as a rival for George's affections, poisoning their relationship with disastrous conseqences.

Jane Rochford spends a great deal of time in this novel hating Anne, obsessing over a husband who doesn't want her and sneaking into closets to watch people having sex. She even manages to catch Anne of Cleves (who is now "the King's sister") and Katherine Howard in a lesbian tryst (don't ask). She also engages in a brief tryst with Thomas Cromwell, as she spills lie after lie which he uses against the Boleyn siblings. Is she remorseful about sending her own husband to the block? Obviously not, because a few years later she does the same thing to Katherine Howard.

Of course, Jane Rochford gets hers in the end, and the novel actually begins with her in the Tower of London, waiting her turn to meet the headsman's axe. By this time, she's slipped into madness and swears that the ghosts of Anne and George are haunting her.

The novel doesn't just take liberties with history--it steals them and sends them to the chop shop. Ironically, the characters who evoke the most sympathy are Anne and Katherine, both victims of an egotistical tyrant. Anne of Cleves fares well here, though the horrid pseudo-German accent is unforgivable. And though what Jane does is unforgivable, it would have made for far more compelling reading had I been able to see inside of Lady Rochford's head, for her to have possessed at least one redeeming trait. Ironically, the second season of The Tudors actually does a better job of giving Jane Rochfort reasons for betraying her husband and sister-in-law, since George comes off as callous and unfeeling towards her.

Vengeance is Mine is a quick read, and little else.(less)

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Dec 17, 2011

Clare rated it

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If you don't know by now that Anne Boleyn was framed, you simply haven't read enough. But this book - out of the many many Tudor dynasty books out there - is told from the perspective of Lady Jane Rochford, wife to George Boleyn, Anne's beloved brother.

In the same way and for the same reason I didn't enjoy Snow Flower and the Secret Fan, reading about one person's cruelty to another is not a pleasurable experience. Lady Rochford's madness and hatred is uncomfortable often, but offered ...more

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Apr 14, 2011

Hayley rated it

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Shelves: historical-fiction, read-2010

Told from the view point of Lady Jane Parker, this book tells of the jealous wife that gave evidence against two Queens, sending both and her husband to death. Spanning the course of five of Henry VIII's wives, The Tudor Wife is an engrossing tale full of drama.

I've read the story of Henry VIII's court many times but I've never heard it told from the view point of the plain wife of George Boleyn.

Emily Purdy doesn't linger on the politics of the time but serves up a simpl...more

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Jan 19, 2012

Katherine Blocksdorf rated it

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Recommends it for: no one

Recommended to Katherine by: Local Library

The only reason I finished this book was to see how many quotes were lifted from the movie "Gone With the Wind". Honestly, I expected the last line to be...I don't give a damn. I found this book boring otherwise. I really doubt that Jane Rochford, or any of the women of the time that held court appointments were able to act of their own volition. They were the pawns of the men who controlled them. I also found it a little far fetched that this woman was actually present at most of the ...more

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May 12, 2010

Colleen rated it

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I thought this book was awful and I'm not sure why I even kept reading it(I think I was hoping it would get better). While I understand that it is a piece of historical fiction, I'm not quite sure that this author really knows anything about Tudor history other than the very basics and dates. So much of this book deviates from what historians know about this period and the historical figures. When writing historical fiction the author can certainly take some liberties but I just feel like thi...more

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Oct 10, 2011

Siobian rated it

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Shelves: historical-fiction, library, read-in-2011

Jane Parker is definitely a "plain Jane" and seems like she would be hardly memorable. However, Jane Parker went on to marry George Boleyn, Anne Boleyn's brother, and become Lady Rochford. Jane becomes obsessed with George and wants to spend her every waking hour with him; unfortunately, her husband seems to prefer the company of Anne and his friends more than his demanding wife. As Anne gets closer to King Henry VIII, Jane becomes more and more jealous and wants Anne to fall from g...moreJane Parker is definitely a "plain Jane" and seems like she would be hardly memorable. However, Jane Parker went on to marry George Boleyn, Anne Boleyn's brother, and become Lady Rochford. Jane becomes obsessed with George and wants to spend her every waking hour with him; unfortunately, her husband seems to prefer the company of Anne and his friends more than his demanding wife. As Anne gets closer to King Henry VIII, Jane becomes more and more jealous and wants Anne to fall from grace so that George will focus his attentions on Jane instead. Instead, Anne becomes Queen of England and when there is an opportunity to yank her from the heights that her star has risen, Jane seizes it and is determined to make her pay for what Jane sees as the destruction of Jane and George's marriage. But will Jane regret her decision when it is obvious that George will suffer her wrath too?

When reading about Anne Boleyn, her relationship with her brother seems important because they are later charged with incest, but I don't really ever remember much about her sister-in-law. Except that her testimony was key in sending George to the block and that later, Jane herself was beheaded because of her role in helping Henry VIII's fifth wife, Katherine, have an affair. This novel provided a plausible explanation behind why Jane would testify against her own husband: that she was jealous and though she didn't really believe that Anne and George had an affair, she was too angry to care and say otherwise. I have to say, I really, really did not like Jane. She was nagging, irritating, and generally made for an unsympathetic character. I literally had to remind myself at times, "It's okay, she dies at the end" just because she drove me so crazy. Although I didn't like her, it was interesting to read a novel from her point of view and see some sort of justification (insane as it was) for why she testified to what she did. Overall, it was an good read and I enjoyed it, but hated the narrating character.(less)

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Apr 23, 2011

Kim rated it

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Recommends it for: Tudor enthusiasts

Shelves: recommended, tudor-era-fiction

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I was pleasantly surprised by this book. The cover leaves something to be desired, but I was curious to see the rise and fall of the Boleyn faction from the woman who was instrumental in helping to them down -- George Boleyn's own wife, Jane Parker.

More often than not people write Jane Parker off as being a madwoman. Indeed, stories abound about how she went mad after her arrest and her being committed to the Tower, the very place where her husband, sister-in-law, and many acquainta...more

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Mar 01, 2011

chucklesthescot rated it

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Shelves: fiction, femalehardship, historical, all-time-faves, tudors, political, religion, harsh-regime

Jane Parker is being married to rising star George Boleyn, brother of Henry's next Queen, Anne. Jane is immediately jealous of the close bond between George and Anne, especially as her new husband shows no interest at all in her. Jealous Jane then gets an opportunity for revenge by testifying against Anne, sending her and many men including George to the block. Her return to court ends in her assisting young Catherine Howard to have an affair behind the King's back.

This was one of my...more

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Jan 31, 2011

Elysium rated it

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Shelves: books-i-own, historical, tudor, read-in-2011, bookmooch

One day Jane get lost in court and gallant young man comes to rescue and escorts her to her rooms. She finds out his name is George Boleyn and she just can’t get him out of her mind. Jane convinces her father to start marriage negotiations but her father has doubts about the whole thing. But Jane is sure after she and George are married he will fall in love with her and be attentive and caring husband. After the marriage Jane realizes George wants absolutely nothing to do with her. But Jane refu...moreOne day Jane get lost in court and gallant young man comes to rescue and escorts her to her rooms. She finds out his name is George Boleyn and she just can’t get him out of her mind. Jane convinces her father to start marriage negotiations but her father has doubts about the whole thing. But Jane is sure after she and George are married he will fall in love with her and be attentive and caring husband. After the marriage Jane realizes George wants absolutely nothing to do with her. But Jane refuses to accept the situation and soon finds the reason why her husband doesn’t love her, George’s sister Anne.

Wow, that was an interesting book. And not in a good way. When Jane meets George for the first time she instantly falls in love.

"My eyes were so dazzled by the sight of him I almost raised my hand to shield them, but to be deprived of the radiant sight of him would have been unbearable. A god in yellow satin, he was indeed the sun that lit up my life." pg.16

That pretty much sums up the whole book. I just wanted to strangle the woman! Of course it’s because of his fiends, sister or whatever that he can’t love her, because there can’t possible be anything wrong with her can there? She seemed always to be there when something happened and those keyholes must have been huge and walls paper thin.

The sex scenes wasn’t as graphic as I feared but not good either. The whole masque thing with Anne as Salome and Henry Norris in a loin cloth was one thing but I really didn’t need that Anne of Cleves and Katherine Howard scene with pot of honey, even if it was behind curtains. And Derham’s and Kat’s first meeting after Derham came to court with Derham licking juices of his fingers was just bad... And then this:

"To watch you, my darling wife, and to know that you want me, deny it though you will, as much as I want you; and that between your thighs your Little Kitten is hot and dripping wet with lust for me." pg. 386

Aww how romantic. NOT. Just eeww!

The only characters I liked were George and Francis Weston. Have I mentioned I have soft spot for George? Well I do.

I was curious about Purdy’s book on Piers Gaveston but after this I’m so not going there!(less)

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Sep 14, 2010

Indiaskye rated it

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Shelves: books-read-in-2010, historical-fiction, england-tudor-period

With "The Tudor Wife" Ms. Purdy has written a novel that is somewhere between historical fiction and soap opera --- the writing is vivid and detailed, and it felt like a movie was playing right in front of my eyes. However, there were some scenes that I did not like at all, and that did not seem to fit the rest of the story --- I felt that the book could have been much better if a few scenes had been left out.

The book essentially tells the story of Anne Boleyn through the e...moreWith "The Tudor Wife" Ms. Purdy has written a novel that is somewhere between historical fiction and soap opera --- the writing is vivid and detailed, and it felt like a movie was playing right in front of my eyes. However, there were some scenes that I did not like at all, and that did not seem to fit the rest of the story --- I felt that the book could have been much better if a few scenes had been left out.

The book essentially tells the story of Anne Boleyn through the eyes of her sister-in-law Jane Boleyn, wife of Anne's beloved brother George. Jane is a mean-spirited, hateful, and despicable character, and more often than not while reading this book I would shake my head in disbelief at the things Jane said or did out of pure jealousy.

One one hand I could understand where some of her behaviour was coming from --- she was desperately in love with George, who in turn did not care at all about her and chose to spend all his time with his friends and his sister Anne, leaving Jane an unwelcome outsider. On the other hand, the way she behaved towards Anne (and at times George as well) probably made things much worse than they would have been if she had tried to actually like and befriend Anne and get on George's good side in that way.

The biggest part of the book is devoted to the period of time from the moment Jane first meets Anne to the moment of Anne's execution. I think it might have been better if Ms. Purdy had ended her story with (or shortly after) George and Anne's executions. Instead she tacked on another 100 pages about the years after that, with the first few of those pages being about Jane Seymour and Anna of Cleves, and the remaining pages about Jane's involvement in the fall of Henry VIII's fifth queen, Katherine Howard (ironically, a cousin of Anne Boleyn), and her subsequent death.

But where the first (and biggest) part of the book --- the one that contained the story of Jane, George and Anne --- was really good and kept me turning the pages, the rest of it felt like it had just been tacked on to add some length to the novel.

I think "The Tudor Wife" will appeal to readers who enjoy light historical fiction and are at least a little familiar with the history of Tudor England. Keep in mind, though, that this is a work of historical fiction, and the author did take quite a few liberties (read: it's not exactly historically accurate).

Overall, I liked it, and I think Ms. Purdy's writing has a lot of potential. Would I read another book by this author again? Absolutely.
(less)

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Dec 15, 2009

Dianne Salerni rated it

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In The Confessions of Piers Gaveston, Brandy Purdy took on the portrayal of one of the most maligned male characters in English history. Now, in The Boleyn Wife, she brings us a narrative of a similar vein – the confessions of Lady Rochford, the woman who helped bring Anne Boleyn and her brother to the chopping block.

Lady Jane Parker is described on the back cover as shy and plain. Personally, I felt that based on this portrayal, better words to describe her would be manipulative an...more

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Jun 23, 2010

Jo rated it

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Ok, this book doesn't tell you anything new about what it was like to be a "Tudor Wife" , nor would it win any categories for best historical writing but it's not as bad as the 1* review on Amazon suggests. The machinations of the Tudor court are told through the warblings of Jane Rochford ,the shrewish wife of George Boleyn, where driven by jealousy, she intrudes and spies on the darlings of the Tudor court, ultimately plotting their downfall. It's hard to feel any sympathy for this m...more

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Apr 26, 2010

Alex rated it

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Shelves: tudors

This book was originally published years ago as "Vengeance is Mine". I had heard a lot about that book, mostly bad. But when they decided to republish it under a new title, I decided to give it a try.

I am so glad I did! Maybe they fixed everything that was wrong in the old book (I have no idea) but I thought this book was so fun to read. Told through the eyes of Jane Parker Boleyn, Lady Rochford, this novel follows the rise and fall of Anne Boleyn, the death of Jane Seymour...more

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Oct 18, 2009

Elizabeth rated it

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Recommends it for: those who enjoy the Tudors

Shelves: historical-fiction

I admit it. I am rolling along in the current amore for historical novels of the Tudors and Plantagenets. Recently, I was lucky enough to win The Boleyn Wifeby Brandy Purdy. A minor character in most of the Boleyn sagas, Lady Jane Parker is best known as the wife of George Boleyn, who was beheaded along with his sister Anne, and 4 others, for treason. Some novels include the fact that Jane was the primary witness in the case, but Ms. Purdy delves deep into her motives and behaviors, as well as t...moreI admit it. I am rolling along in the current amore for historical novels of the Tudors and Plantagenets. Recently, I was lucky enough to win The Boleyn Wifeby Brandy Purdy. A minor character in most of the Boleyn sagas, Lady Jane Parker is best known as the wife of George Boleyn, who was beheaded along with his sister Anne, and 4 others, for treason. Some novels include the fact that Jane was the primary witness in the case, but Ms. Purdy delves deep into her motives and behaviors, as well as those of the people around her, leading up to the fateful accusations. Written in the first person, Jane tells the story of her youthful infatuation with George Boleyn, who only sees her as on of many girls in the court. At Jane's urging, her father initiates marriage negotiations with Sir Thomas Boleyn, that go on for 3 years. During this time her father speaks to her more than once about his feelings that it will not be a good match, but Jane's hysterical insistence pushes the doting father to finalize the contract.

George does not want to be married to anyone, much less a quiet girl like Jane who cannot play the lute, sing, write poetry, or make witty jokes, but instead stands in the background watching all that happens around her. George enjoys singing, carousing, and gambling with a circle of friends, including his sister Anne. At first he is polite to Jane, but her obsessive attempts to gain his attention soon weary him and he becomes indifferent and often emotionally cruel. His constant solicitous, caring behavior toward Anne brings Jane to jealous rages and obsessive observations, which today would definitely be called stalking.With the story written from Jane's point of view, one would think she would be extremely sympathetic to the reader, yet my feelings for her ranged from confusion, to pity, to disgust. I could see where much of her social awkwardness came from, and living in a time when one did not talk to others about feelings and relationships the way we do today.
Being part of Henry VIII's court through five of his six wives, Jane has a unique perspective on each from her place on the sidelines. If you enjoy reading about this time in history, definitely get your hands on The Boleyn Wifeby Brandy Purdy.(less)

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Dec 05, 2009

Kathleen Kelly rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: finished

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Shy, plain Lady Jane Parker feels out of place in Henry VIII's courtly world of glamour and intrigue--until she meets the handsome George Boleyn. Overjoyed when their fathers arrange a match, her dreams of a loving union are waylaid when she meets George's sister, Anne. For George is completely devoted to his sister, and cold and indifferent to his bride. As Anne acquires a wide circle of admirers, including King Henry, Jane's resentment grows. But if becoming Henry's queen makes Anne the most p...more

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Sep 22, 2009

Nan Hawthorne rated it

· review of another edition

This is a fun book. It's unintentionally irreverent and that's what I like about it. It plays with the historical figures in a provocative and controversial way that I found refreshing. If you are a prude or an idol-worshiper skip this one. If you l ike to be entertained, tantalized and challenged, the novel is for you.

It follows the thought process, actions and disintegration of Anne Boleyn's sister-in-law Jane as she destroys Anne thorugh malice and later Henry VIII wife Cather...more

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Apr 18, 2011

Éowyn rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: historical-fiction

This was not bad for an 'on holiday, don't think too much about it' sort of read. I still can't say I'd go out of my way to recommend it though!

I thought the writing style was OK, but in places got a bit repetitive - towards the end I lost count of the number of times we heard "she who sows the whirlwind reaps the storm".... I never think books written in the first person work quite so well as those written in the third person anyway. This one was written from the point of...more

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Feb 26, 2010

Wen rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: books-read-2010, fiction, historical, tudor

I cant say I Hated the book because I Did finish it, BUT I kept plowing along hoping the book would get better and have more substance. Sadly it got more and more wild as it went on. The book spends much of its content focused on Janes peeping tom tendancies and on the sexual escapades and depravity of various characters.

I was hoping to learn more about Jane Boleyn but only got a more fictionalized, over the top, quasi-erotica expanded upon version of rumors and what little facts ar...more

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May 03, 2010

Marie added it

I was looking forward to a book on Jane Parker Boleyn; this is a sad disappointment. Purdy brings up all the dark myths and tales about Anne, adds gratuitous sex, and draws hysterical conclusions.
She just re released this as The Boleyn Wife with a different cover.
A much wiser choice: Joanna Denny's Jane Boleyn.

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Jun 29, 2010

Megan rated it

· review of another edition

I enjoyed this book and at times found it quite difficult to put down. Some portions of the story were a bit laborious to get through (ex: description of the characters clothing), but overall it was a surprisingly good read.

Warning: This book contains explicit sexual content.

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Nov 19, 2011

Elizabeth rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: old-world

a raunchy, predictable fictional story told from jane parker's view. that particular scene with anne of cleves & kat was bizarre and out of character. only recommended if you prefer a quick, run-of-the-mill tudor read with lots of carnality.

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title link	preview: Vengeance Is Mine: A Novel Of Anne Boleyn, Katherine Howard, And Lady Rochford The Woman Who Helped Destroy Them Both
avg rating	preview: Vengeance Is Mine: A Novel Of Anne Boleyn, Katherine Howard, And Lady Rochford The Woman Who Helped Goodreads rating: 3.25 (279 ratings)
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BBCode	[url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2463887.Vengeance_Is_Mine?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book][img]http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1327884112m/2463887.jpg[/img][/url] [url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2463887.Vengeance_Is_Mine?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book]Vengeance Is Mine: A Novel Of Anne Boleyn, Katherine Howard, And Lady Rochford The Woman Who Helped Destroy Them Both by Brandy Purdy[/url]

Vengeance Is Mine: A Novel Of Anne Boleyn, Katherine Howard, And Lady Rochford The Woman Who Helped Destroy Them Both

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