The Other Boleyn Girl

Jul 10, 2007

Mandy rated it

Disclaimer: Don't confuse this book with a biography of Mary Boleyn. It's fiction all the way. It's a good read when you remember that this is fiction and not a blow-by-blow account of historical events. And because it is fiction, Gregory is able to play a little fast and loose with historical fact. Mary was most likely the oldest Boleyn child, not the youngest as presented here. She had also served the French kings court, just as Anne did, but was sent home in disgrace after tales of her promis...moreDisclaimer: Don't confuse this book with a biography of Mary Boleyn. It's fiction all the way. It's a good read when you remember that this is fiction and not a blow-by-blow account of historical events. And because it is fiction, Gregory is able to play a little fast and loose with historical fact. Mary was most likely the oldest Boleyn child, not the youngest as presented here. She had also served the French kings court, just as Anne did, but was sent home in disgrace after tales of her promiscuity got out, including the fact that she was probably also that king's mistress. She was probably not the young, inexperienced girl Gregory chooses to portray her as. Gregory also depends heavily on Retha Warnicke's thesis that a homosexual ring surrounded Anne and included her brother George. This has been widely discredited by historians, since both Anne and George were very religious, and George was also a renowned womanizer.

Otherwise, it was a decent book. There were parts I thought went a little far, especially with Mary and George teaching Anne "whore's tricks" to woo the king without actually having sex with him. Granted, activity like this may have happened, but I don't necessarily want to read about it. I loved the love story between Mary and William Stafford, and would have liked to seen more of the relationship between Anne and Henry, when they were younger, seemingly in love, and she was as much a partner and advisor in his affairs as king (especially in religious thinking and such) as any man at court.

Somehow though, this book has tarnished my romanticized concept of courtly behavior. It's horrifying to consider that some of the political wrangling and the use of women as temptations, mistresses, and pawns to rise in society, titles, and the court probably happened, at least to some extent. If this was the way life was in those days, I would hope that I was a commoner. Because being in the court and used as someone's chattel to get what they wanted with no regard for my desires or who I loved would have been awful. (less)

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Mar 14, 2008

Sally rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: historicalfiction

I picked this one up at work because I want to see the movie (hello, Scarlett Johansen and Natalie Portman? Yes please), and because I know I'll have thousands of people asking me about it, like with Atonement, which I never read. In short, this book sucks. It's the worst kind of historical fiction - light on the history, and not fun or well written to make up for it. The characters are one dimensional, the writing is trite and full of cliches. Complete trash, but I'm not putting it on my enjoya...moreI picked this one up at work because I want to see the movie (hello, Scarlett Johansen and Natalie Portman? Yes please), and because I know I'll have thousands of people asking me about it, like with Atonement, which I never read. In short, this book sucks. It's the worst kind of historical fiction - light on the history, and not fun or well written to make up for it. The characters are one dimensional, the writing is trite and full of cliches. Complete trash, but I'm not putting it on my enjoyable trash shelf, because it's not particularly enjoyable.
The worst thing about this book was how blatantly obvious it was that Gregory hates Anne Boleyn. Mary may have been the narrator, but Anne was without doubt the main character, and it is impossible to enjoy a book where the author goes all out to make you hate the main character. Especially a badly written main character. Anyone who has done any literary criticism, or any writing, will know that good characterisation involves showing, not telling. We're told how charming and witty Anne is to the King, but we're shown her being a bitch and arguing with Mary. Anne would have been a much more effective character if she'd been written like her brother George (the only likeable character in the whole book), who IS charming and witty, will stab you in the back if it suits him, but then admit to it with a disarming honesty. If she'd been charming but manipulative to everyone, including Mary, her seduction of the King would have been much more plausible, but as it was I just couldn't see it.
Then there's the way Gregory manipulates historical fact in order to make Anne seem worse. Anne was clever, and well educated, all we got from that was that she spoke French and read a lot, but in reality her education and ability to discuss politics and serious issues with Henry was a significant attraction. And there was the love affair with Henry Percy. Anne admits to her sworn enemy that she has slept with her betrothed, and he says, no you didn't because it isn't politically convenient for you to marry him and later doesn't tell the king even when he's in a precarious political position because of Anne. WTF plothole??
Next we have the incest and the witchcraft, both of which Gregory paints as true. No, seriously. As far as incest goes, well, who the hell would sleep with their own brother? Apart from the fact that it's generally acknowledged that it was just a means of getting rid of them. As for witchcraft, well she was a devout Christian, and again, it's generally thought to be a convenient pretext.
The whole enmity between sisters thing is a creation, which would be fair enough, poetic license, dramatic tension, etc etc. Except Mary hates Anne, and yet she's always doing what she's told, helping Anne out, blah blah. She'll occasionally say that of course she loves her she's her sister, but we're told far more often and with far more vehemence how much she hates her, and all we're shown is the fights and the vindictiveness. Again, this is mostly because Gregory hates Anne. She seems to like Mary, although if the real Mary was anything like the characterisation then I can't see why. Gregory's Mary is insipid, whiny and spineless, and pretty much irritates the hell out of me. And then we get the whole "wanting to marry for love and not power as a feminist statement" thing that Gregory does with Mary, while we are told Anne, who had power and intelligence in her own right, is a spineless pawn in a man's game of politics. She couldn't possibly have been regent of England without her uncle's help, we are told. This of the woman who split the church, dethroned a queen, and was mother to Queen Elizabeth.
In the Author's note Gregory cites Retha Warnicke's The Rise and Fall of Anne Boleyn as one of her main sources, which according to Wikipedia (I know, Wikipedia, but still), is generally considered to be unsubstantiated which explains some of this. She also expresses admiration for Queen Elizabeth I, which I found rather ironic considering she is Anne's daughter and Anne and Elizabeth seem to me to have been very similar in character as well as ability. (less)

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Jun 03, 2007

Madeline rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: don-t-judge-me, historic-fiction

Some people (read: uptight history nerds with nothing better to do) like to get their undies in knots over Philippa Gregory's writing and whine about how she takes too many liberties with history. Well, guess what? She makes it interesting, and since her books are classified as fiction, I think she can be allowed that. Also, I consider myself a history nerd, especially when it comes to the Tudors, and I think Gregory's books are great. The stories surrounding Henry VIII are already really good; ...more

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Jun 16, 2010

Cindy rated it

Recommends it for: no one

Shelves: fiction

I love anything that has to do with English History and really am kinda fascinated by Henry the 8th. After reading so many good things on here and elsewhere about this book I was looking forward to it.

At about 100 pages into it I thought I really was enjoying it. Too bad the book didn't end at page 200. Because I hated this book with a passion. I don't even know where to start with it.

First you have the writing style which is written by Mary Boylen's POV. Which is fine...moreI love anything that has to do with English History and really am kinda fascinated by Henry the 8th. After reading so many good things on here and elsewhere about this book I was looking forward to it.

At about 100 pages into it I thought I really was enjoying it. Too bad the book didn't end at page 200. Because I hated this book with a passion. I don't even know where to start with it.

First you have the writing style which is written by Mary Boylen's POV. Which is fine. But every character in this book is one sided. Mary hasn't a brain for herself, Henry is a lustfilled king (that may be true), the Queen is soooooo smart but doesn't know what is going on. And Anne Boleyn is this hateful person that makes the reader want to kill her before she even is sent to the axe. There was also the same use of phrases over and over again. "You're just the other Bolyn Girl, we don't like you"...."I am Queen", "You are a whore" it's almost like the author has a limited vocabulary and wanted us to know it.

Second thing I hated was that there wasn't one ounce of family love, or loyalty about anyone. I know there is the family games going on in England, but not one guy thought about his daughter as anything more then a piece of old meat. That really really bothered me.

Third, this book had more details about sex then porn. I really wanted to hope the movie would be good and people have complained the movie is nothing like the book, which is obvious because if it was like the book it would be in the XXX section of the video stores.

Fourth, There were parts that focused on things that didn't matter. 5 pages about a tennis tournament that made you say "Why do I care about this". It's like the author had a goal page amount and she was going to go above and beyond it.

Lastly, the topic of Homosexuality and incest. Yes this is a theory out there about Anne but did the WHOLE book have to focus on it. Anne's brother was this neck kissing, french kissing sister lover the whole entire book. Anne was this girl that was always hot for her brother regardless of anything. Great way to branch out there!

Overall I hated this book. (less)

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Feb 17, 2010

Meaghan rated it

Shelves: historical-novels, favorites, tudors, adult-novels

The thing you must realize about this book is that it is, first and foremost, a novel. A novel based on actual historical events, yes, but still a work of fiction. So for those that criticize it for its historical inaccuracy, your criticism is misplaced. This is not a biography of Mary Boleyn or Anne Boleyn and it doesn't pretend to be.

I myself am a bit of a Tudor junkie and love reading both fiction and nonfiction about the family and the times, and I found this book a delight. It h...more

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Mar 10, 2008

Oriana rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: keepers, english, read-along-challenge, 2008

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I normally don't write reviews, never did but somehow, I think I should start todo something to keep track of my readings. With the support of my two friends, Ana T. and Ana O., here's my first try... Beware, there’s some slight spoilers and a major one at the end.

The Other Boleyn Girl was, in fact, a reread. This book was part of my Read Along Challenge with Ana T. and Ana O. and I'm glad we included it in our list.

I still remembered getting really annoyed the first time...moreI normally don't write reviews, never did but somehow, I think I should start todo something to keep track of my readings. With the support of my two friends, Ana T. and Ana O., here's my first try... Beware, there’s some slight spoilers and a major one at the end.

The Other Boleyn Girl was, in fact, a reread. This book was part of my Read Along Challenge with Ana T. and Ana O. and I'm glad we included it in our list.

I still remembered getting really annoyed the first time with the historical liberties taken by Philippa Gregory and this second round I just wanted to enjoy the story while keeping in my mind it is (very!) loosely based on real facts and it's far from being an accurate historical portrayal. Like Ana O. says in her review, this is better to be read as an historical fantasy. Couldn't agree more!

I struggled during all the book to keep that thought, but sometimes it was useless. Many parts of this story was based in unproved theories and even Mary Boleyn's life is mostly a mystery. There's some tidbits here and there, but very little information, especially about her relationship with her sister or/and the King Henry VIII.

It's rather obvious that the author has a huge sympathy for Mary Boleyn and even, sometimes, a bit of a condescending attitude towards the young, pretty and naive girl who fell helplessly in love for her king. Now, Anne is an entirely different thing, she's described as a true villain! An intelligent and ambitious young woman who did everything she could to attract Henry's attention and become a Queen. Two sisters. The fair and the dark one. The generous and the ruthless. This omnipresent dichotomy was kind of annoying and took some of the characters complexity and richness.

Henry VIII gained here an image that I suppose he really never had. He might have been a charismatic king, even charming occasionally but never someone physically attractive or even sweet and gentle or an attentive husband. For some moments, I even had the feeling that everyone had their schemes and intrigues, except for him. He is clearly a victim, just like sweet Mary.

What really bothered me in this story, was the sensationalized end. The incest with the brother, the accusations of witchcraft and treason. Gregory gives reason to the king for murdering his wife when nothing, absolutely nothing proves she was guilty of all those crimes. Even knowing the flaws, the historical mistakes and trying to keep this as a light reading, I just couldn't stomach this one without some frustration.

Besides these aspects, I really must confess that Gregory's writing style make up for the other less pleasant parts. The 16th century settings are described vividly and the court life and intrigues really drags you easily into the story. She is a talented storyteller and this was a page turner.

Grade: B+.
(less)

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Feb 18, 2008

Ana T. rated it

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Shelves: read-in-2008, read-along-challenge, traded, renaissance

I bought this book a few months back but I was hesitant to pick it up. Anne Boleyn's story is one I researched a long time ago and I wasn't too sure I wanted to revisit it. However this month I decided to read it with A. and A. so we could all discuss it and now I'm glad that I did it.

I wasn't sure I was enjoying it very much at first. Mary Boleyn seemed, at times too innocent and tongue-tied, and at other times an intelligent observer of human nature. I wasn't too convinced with her...moreI bought this book a few months back but I was hesitant to pick it up. Anne Boleyn's story is one I researched a long time ago and I wasn't too sure I wanted to revisit it. However this month I decided to read it with A. and A. so we could all discuss it and now I'm glad that I did it.

I wasn't sure I was enjoying it very much at first. Mary Boleyn seemed, at times too innocent and tongue-tied, and at other times an intelligent observer of human nature. I wasn't too convinced with her as a character! A king's mistress should be at the time an enviable position and she seems not to care for it which I found a bit unbelievable. Also Anne seemed too sophisticated for a girl of 16, not only she knows anything and everything about manipulating and seducing a man she is even knowledgeable enough to know her sister wont hold his interest for long and the real secret to do that. Even if she has learned a few tricks in the french court it seems a bit too much that in that time and age powerful nobles like her father and uncle would listen to a mere girl of 16. She seems a bit over the top in her ruthlessness and her knowledgeable attitudes. It's difficult to believe that Mary, being the king's mistress would so readily be ordered about by Anne, she would surely revel in the power she had. And being born is such a family of courtiers it's also difficult to believe she would be as innocent and without malice as she is portrayed here. She might be young but she was surely aware of what riches she could and should obtain. If nothing else from being brought up that way.

I became much more engrossed in the action after Anne captures the kings attention, and seems much more aware of what's at stake, and Mary is allowed to spend more time in the country with the children. It's seems to me that both sisters are much more fleshed out after that and it became more interesting for me too.

I think Gregory tried to paint them has having two opposing tempers and attitudes. To me she went a bit too far, that black and white approach is too unreal. The story is reported from Mary's point of view who is the narrator and is usurped and sometimes humiliated by Anne on her way to the throne. It would be too easy to say that one was the good and the other the bad but I feel that they basically did the same thing. Gregory chooses to portray Mary's affair as the family's ambition and Anne's fight for the throne as her personal ambition but can we really say that was what happened? And is that really relevant? The girl who had Henry's attention when he first thought of getting rid of Catherine would do all in her power to be his future queen. And if Anne was an intelligent and learned young woman who participated in the debates regarding the new religion to help her cause I think that that is more compliment to her than something to condemn. What she may not have realised was that, after getting rid of one queen it would be easier for Henry to get rid of another if she fell out of favour or didn't give him the desired son. He was a king of which it was safer to be mistress than wife.

As Mary's story unfolds I became more and more interested in her. She did really marry a "nobody" and she had to go away because of it, it seems like a beautiful love story and I found myself eager for more details about her and William's courtship. Much more than about Henry and Anne's which is ruined a bit for me because of Gregory’s portrayal of Anne who must have been scheming and determined yes but also intriguing and more complex than she appeared here.

Gregory does take several liberties with the story and I'm usually okay with that if there are no known facts or if there are several theories about it but I was really disappointed with what she decided to use to support Henry's accusations. Totally unnecessary I think, history is interesting enough in this case; no need to pass for truth something that is widely known today to be a lie... The case against Anne Boleyn was so badly done and the king's interest in getting rid of her was so open that even his contemporaries (and Anne's enemies) felt it unfair and without cause.

So yes I think Gregory is a good storyteller if even I am sometimes jarred out of the story by things I recognise as not being true or because the characters react in ways that I find are too modern. I will read her again but I'm hoping she won’t pull much more stunts like that one or she will ruin the books for me.

Grade: B(less)

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Jul 30, 2008

Sara W rated it

Shelves: i-own-these-books, fiction

I got through 25 pages of this book and had enough! I wrote down (literally - I had a pen and paper with me after the reading the first page or two) so many historical inaccuracies that I thought my head would explode. Then I checked out reviews on Amazon and realized the book would get much, much worse. As strictly a novel, this might be a great book, and I do hope to pick it up again with the mind-set that it is strictly fiction because I might be able to enjoy it then. But as a book deali...more

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Aug 14, 2007

Linda rated it

Recommends it for: People who think soap operas are high art

This book is pure trash. Simple as that. I was kind of embarrassed reading it. It reads something like a Danielle Steel novel wannabe. Not to knock Danielle Steel cause I'm certainly guilty of reading a number of Danielle Steele. (Tho in truth it was when I was much younger so I really didn't know any better.)

So back to "The Other Boleyn Girl" being pure trash. It's crazy for me to make such a harsh claim cause: 1. I love historical fiction-- always have. Even since ...more

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Mar 05, 2008

Edallia rated it

Recommends it for: people in need of brain candy

I will review this festering mound of shhh....surely quality literature, although I doubt I have anything to say about it that hasn't already been said.

"Historical controvery" aside- I mean, *whatever,* Gregory totally went to the Dan Brown place, and as someone who's interested in history, I don't entirely appreciate it, but I think we intelligent people all know that this is fiction, despite what Gregory seems to be saying in the "Author's Q & A" thingy at the...moreI will review this festering mound of shhh....surely quality literature, although I doubt I have anything to say about it that hasn't already been said.

"Historical controvery" aside- I mean, *whatever,* Gregory totally went to the Dan Brown place, and as someone who's interested in history, I don't entirely appreciate it, but I think we intelligent people all know that this is fiction, despite what Gregory seems to be saying in the "Author's Q & A" thingy at the back of my copy.

This is the story of Anne Boleyn's rise to power, her reign as Queen of England, and her eventual execution, told through the eyes of her sister and fellow courtier, Mary. As a young girl, Mary becomes the mistress of Henry VIII, has two children with him, and is eventually supplanted by Anne.

And hoo boy, is this some fiction. I mean, it was kinda *fun.* It was light and frothy, and not really much of a substantial meal. Gregory gravitated towards one of the more sensational theories about Anne Boleyn and her whole deal, and she really, really ran with it. I felt that many of her narrative choices were made for shock value when she could have spent a little more time developing the characters and motivations of Mary and Anne. Come on, Anne Boleyn was at least an *interesting historical figure!* Here, she's reduced to a scheming witch or a shrieking harridan- pretty much at all times. And Gregory tries to browbeat us into thinking that Mary's making all of these "Empowered Woman!!" decisions, when, truth be told, she lies pretty flat on the page.

Ms. Gregory, honestly, you threw in the gay thing, and the secret midnight birth of witchcraft babies thing, and the saying "whore" a lot thing, and on top of all of that "isn't it just so shocking!" cake batter, you give me the icing of... a milquetoast heroine. Huzzah.

Hell, it's a light, quick read, despite its size, and I enjoyed on the "eh, sometimes I like to read trash" level, so I have to give it two stars, but I feel kinda dirty.(less)

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Dec 11, 2011

Rebecca rated it

Shelves: historical-fiction

For the first half of the book, I was very intrigued. I thought the story to be fascinating. However, the book is too long (about 650 pages). I suppose it must be in order to cover the majority of Mary Boleyn's lifetime. Yet, I was finding myself fatigued by the end. Most of us know at least part of what happened to Mary's sister, Queen Anne, and so I knew already how the book would end. Also, I have never read a true, authentic "romance" novel. I don't know how explicit the rom...more

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Jul 31, 2011

Leanne rated it

Shelves: medieval-renaissance, fluff

Just to make things perfectly clear, this book by Philippa Gregory is classified as historical fiction, not biographical nor factual. The author takes huge liberties in writing this novel, so if you are a history buff who only likes reading about facts, and can't tolerate a bit of an author's imagination and speculation into a loose, controversial time in history, Than I recommend that you stay away from this book.

Gregory's writing is quite compelling and engaging. Yes, I...more Just to make things perfectly clear, this book by Philippa Gregory is classified as historical fiction, not biographical nor factual. The author takes huge liberties in writing this novel, so if you are a history buff who only likes reading about facts, and can't tolerate a bit of an author's imagination and speculation into a loose, controversial time in history, Than I recommend that you stay away from this book.

Gregory's writing is quite compelling and engaging. Yes, I will admit that this book has numerous historical inaccuracies, plot holes, the drama is so completely outrageous and the sex scenes are tiresome and redundant, but it's actually interesting. The novel is very detailed and descriptive, and the author creates a colourful description of the Tudor court. And while the drama, sex, and ambition is excessive, I do believe that the Tudor court was really THAT scandalous. Also, I liked how some of the characters were depicted. George Boleyn was charming, a character with depth and many flaws. King Henry VIII was cleverly described as the spoiled, self-satisfied, easily-coaxed king with obsessive desires and unrestrained lust. Mary Boleyn, while she grew older acted more as narrator than an actual character was defined well. In the begging of the novel she was the king's selfish, stupid, foolish lover, but later grows to become a more distant, mature and observant young woman. Though I know how much Philippa Gregory was taken by Mary's forgotten life, by the middle of the novel the focus undeniably turned towards the life and downfall of Anne Boleyn, despite the author's sincere desire to capture Mary's life. Even though the title, "The Other Boleyn Girl" signifies Mary Boleyn, the novel mostly revolves around Anne.

Which of course brings me to Anne herself. I know that many people who read this book did not like the author's harsh portrayal of Anne, as a conniving, scheming, raging, vicious bitch, with none of the mercy and compassion that some historians believed she had. She is portrayed in the novel with an unexplainable need to become queen. I personally agree, but also disagree. With no question, Anne Boleyn was a cunning, vain, self-centered individual who would go to great lengths to secure her position as queen. While I don't buy the fact that she committed incest with her brother, Anne was far from being an angel. I don't think that Anne was prone to vicious, unnatural rages described in this book, since in real life there is little evidence in supporting that idea. Anne also talks and acts rather crudely and frankly, which is unlikely considering her upbringing and her earlier life living in the French Court. She was most likely mannered and well-behaved, if not sincere or trustworthy. But that is simply my interpretation, and since this book is classified as historical fiction, and Anne's character is up to debate, the author has rights as a storyteller to change Anne's character. I won't send hate mail.

However, there are many other historical inaccuracies. Paternity of Mary Boleyn's children, birth order of Anne and Mary, sexual experiences of Mary Boelyn are just to name a few. But just so I won't bore my fellow goodread friends and members to tears, I will simply state that while the author heavily implies that Anne slept with George, modern evidence shows that incest between her and her brother is most likely false, along with the fact that George is a homosexual. But again, the concepts are loose and left to intrepertation, and to further the story, I think it's ok if the author thought that incest and homosexuality was especially needed to make the plot all the more dramatic.

There were few minor grammatical errors, and perhaps a few plot inconsistencies, but that can be overlooked by the book's fascinating (while not all-together likeable) characters, the book's addictive, compulsive quality and deliciously described drama and intrigue. Not literary quality, true, but still a favourite guilty-pleasure of mine.(less)

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Jun 16, 2008

Stella rated it

Recommends it for: No-one

OK firstly, there's no doubt that Philippa Gregory can write a good story. Her prose is engaging and the content fThe Other Boleyn girl was easy to read.

However what put me off was the absolute ignorance of historical fact and total villification of Anne Boleyn - yes this is a fictional interpretation but now it has made it to the big screen, there are a few who will think this is what really happened.

Ms. Gregory describes Mary Boleyn as her personal heroine and this bias...more

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Mar 08, 2008

Nichole (Dirty H) rated it

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I finally finished this book! Just in time to go see the movie, which was nothing like it. And neither was much like actual history. But I suppose that's not very important, is it?
This book is full of scandal and intrigue, sex and debauchery, scheming, betrayal, and maybe a little bit of love. Much like any good soap opera. This is a fairly entertaining read if you like such things. I had a hard time staying interested, and read several other books while I was trying to finish this one. I ...moreI finally finished this book! Just in time to go see the movie, which was nothing like it. And neither was much like actual history. But I suppose that's not very important, is it?
This book is full of scandal and intrigue, sex and debauchery, scheming, betrayal, and maybe a little bit of love. Much like any good soap opera. This is a fairly entertaining read if you like such things. I had a hard time staying interested, and read several other books while I was trying to finish this one. I did like it, it just never quite grabbed me enough to make me "have to finish it!"
Two complaints about this book. The first I've already mentioned; it's not very historically accurate. I didn't know much about Henry VIII or Anne Boleyn, so while I was reading this book I decided to do a little research. (Well, wikipedia... that counts, right?) While the major events and players are correct, the timeline and a lot of the more minor occurrences are all twisted or fabricated. Anne was not and is not remembered in history as being quite so conniving or evil. Mary was actually the older sister, her affair with the king had been over for quite some time before he took up with Anne, and she'd actually had an affair with the king of France first. And there is no evidence that their parents pushed either of them into the king's bed. I'll stop ranting, just keep in mind that most of what you read in this book isn't quite the way it really was.
My second complaint was that it was way too long. Not that I have a problem with long books, if they can keep it fresh. But I felt like Philippa Gregory came into my house, took this book and beat me over the head with it. 200 pages in and I was saying "Okay! I get it!" This book could have easily been half as long and still gotten the same point across. It felt like she took the same scene and rewrote it over and over and over again.... Mary's parents and uncle want her to sleep with the king. Anne must produce a male heir. Mary wants to leave court and live in the country. I understood these points the first time you brought them up. Repeating them two or three times, fine. But five, six, twelve times... Enough already! I got a little frustrated with the redundancy of this novel.
Overall this was a pretty good book and I would say if you're interested, read it. There is kind of a sweet love story hidden there, between Mary and one of her uncle's employees. But I did get frustrated with the redundancies and the historical inaccuracies, and occasionally the soap opera feel got to be a little too much.
Read it knowing what you're getting into; and keep in mind it's nothing like the movie!(less)

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Feb 16, 2008

Lynn rated it

Shelves: british-history, historical-fiction

I'd been meaning to get to this book for years, but, despite my love of historical fiction, hadn't felt a sense of urgency over reading it for a couple of reasons: 1) I've had a hard time getting over the negative reaction I had to this author's earlier book The Favored Child, and I also wasn't a big fan of her condescending introduction to the new edition of Anya Seton's Katherine. 2) The reviews I'd read were also mixed, at best; this book seems to be one you either really love or really hat...moreI'd been meaning to get to this book for years, but, despite my love of historical fiction, hadn't felt a sense of urgency over reading it for a couple of reasons: 1) I've had a hard time getting over the negative reaction I had to this author's earlier book The Favored Child, and I also wasn't a big fan of her condescending introduction to the new edition of Anya Seton's Katherine. 2) The reviews I'd read were also mixed, at best; this book seems to be one you either really love or really hate.

However, I did know I wanted to read it before I saw the movie, so I finally gave it a shot.

My verdict? Meh. I can't say that I either really loved or hated it. It didn't make me feel much of anything.

I think I might have liked this book a lot more if it had had a different narrator. Mary Boleyn was such an insipid and unbelievable character that I had a hard time following her thought process. One minute she's wildly in love with Henry, the next she just wants to settle down in the country with her children - and maybe a hundred pages later she'll give you a hint of when her feelings changed and why. She seemed to constantly switch between unbelievable naiveté, and unbelievable independence. I never knew which Mary was going to show up from scene to scene.

I'd like to blast this book for historical inaccuracy, since I'd always been told Mary was the elder of the Boleyn girls, but, having done a bit of sleuthing, it does appear that the details of her life remain so much of a mystery that scholars still debate her birthdate, and whether or not Henry VIII could have fathered either or both of her Carey children. So, I'll give Philippa Gregory that round. I'll eat my hat if the other events in this book happened as represented, though. Others have already pointed out the incredibly unfair depictions of Mary and George Boleyn. I also would have liked to have seen more of Henry in the second half of the book. Mary keeps telling us he's turned into a tyrant and a monster, and we see it from a distance in his actions, but not in the few times we see him face to face.

The characters I thought were best-drawn were actually the two wronged spouses, Katherine of Aragon, and William Carey. Here were a couple of characters who were allowed a bit of depth and ambiguity - and they also disappeared after the first half.

After reading this book, I have a hard time understanding what the fuss was about. I guess I have The Other Boleyn Girl to thank for the current crop of historical fiction bestsellers, but I don't see what about it struck such a chord with the public. I've read far better, and far worse, in the genre. And, although I enjoy books about the Tudors, I think life's too short to bother with the rest of Ms. Gregory's oeuvre.

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May 17, 2011

faeriemyst rated it

Shelves: historical-fiction, historical-fiction-tudors, historical-fiction-16th-century, historical-fiction-england, own, historically-incorrect

Going into The Other Boleyn Girl I already knew that the historical details weren't very factual, but I had this laying around and needed something both light and set in the past, so I figured this would do nicely. The writing itself is perfectly fine, and mostly, I did enjoy the book. Although, for the first half, it seemed as if everyone only wore red and by the end I got so sick of hearing about Anne's "B" for Boleyn necklace I could scream.

Mary Boleyn, the narrator, is ...moreGoing into The Other Boleyn Girl I already knew that the historical details weren't very factual, but I had this laying around and needed something both light and set in the past, so I figured this would do nicely. The writing itself is perfectly fine, and mostly, I did enjoy the book. Although, for the first half, it seemed as if everyone only wore red and by the end I got so sick of hearing about Anne's "B" for Boleyn necklace I could scream.

Mary Boleyn, the narrator, is a strange character: sympathetic and of reasonable intelligence one minute, a moronic irritant the next. Personality-wise she went up and down and back and forth. First she was fine not being the King's favorite anymore and seeming to want to leave the court life for the country to be with her children, then she was jealous of a title Anne received, years after the affair between Mary and Henry was over. Possibly this was put in as part of the rivalry between the sisters, but it didn't contextually fit. Her development could have used more work and she didn't mature or change much throughout the whole book, especially between the years 1522 to 1533. I seriously got tired of everybody's patronizing and calling her a fool all the time. They should have just named the book, The Foolish Boleyn Girl. I find it hard to believe Mary was so ignorant the king would have continued to have her as mistress for four years, give or take. She had to offer something other than good looks and being great in the bedroom. Anne herself sure was a piece of work, and even though she was pretty much evil throughout the book, I did still feel sorry for her at the end. Jane Parker was a one-dimensional malicious harpy who wasn't given a reason why she was that way; she was just the resident baddy to the Boleyns. To me, it felt like defamation of character.

Politics and the separation of the Church of England from the Catholic Church were merely mentioned in passing as court life and its primary players took center stage. The whole incest plot, I could have done without. Now if it were the absolute truth then it'd be okay, but since it's highly debatable and based on hearsay, I found it unnecessary and gratuitous. Around the two-thirds mark, the pace let up and it became more sluggish and boring, and it wasn't until the last sixty pages that it recaptured my attention again.

As long as readers know going into this book that the history has been twisted around and invented for pure sensation, then it's fine as a fictional read, but take any "facts" with a grain of salt. While it was an okay read, I didn't love it, but it managed to divert my attention for a few days.

One last note dealing with the fourth question in the Q&A with Philippa Gregory in the back of the book:

How about Mary and Anne's brother, George? Did he really sleep with his sister so that she could give Henry a son?

Nobody can know the answer to this one. Anne was accused of adultery with George at their trials and his wife gave evidence against them both. Most people think the trial was a show trial, but it is an interesting accusation. Anne had three miscarriages by the time of her trial, and she was not a woman to let something like sin or crime stand in her way--she was clearly guilty of one murder. I think if she had thought that Henry could not bear a son she was quite capable of finding someone to father a child on her. If she thought that, then George would have been the obvious choice.

Obvious? How in the world is that obvious? You cannot be serious, Ms. Gregory. Now I'm far from an expert in Tudor England, but I cannot imagine that being a common practice. Maybe someone more knowledgeable about this time could tell me if that ever happened, because it just boggles my mind that George would be the "obvious choice." Not to mention, who the hell did Anne supposedly kill? I hadn't heard that anywhere. Even my searches are coming up blank.(less)

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Apr 30, 2008

Annalisa rated it

Recommended to Annalisa by: Melinda

Shelves: chick-lit, historical-fiction, movies

Despite this being distorted history, I found myself engrossed in the characters. I know what happens to them, history is set in stone, but I still was anxious for it to turn out differently. It is a fascinating time and I loved following the political plotting that shifted constantly as well as reading up on the ideals of the time (especially about women and childbirth).

Although overly exaggerated and repetitive with an overdone flair for medieval misconduct, the book moves quickly...moreDespite this being distorted history, I found myself engrossed in the characters. I know what happens to them, history is set in stone, but I still was anxious for it to turn out differently. It is a fascinating time and I loved following the political plotting that shifted constantly as well as reading up on the ideals of the time (especially about women and childbirth).

Although overly exaggerated and repetitive with an overdone flair for medieval misconduct, the book moves quickly until surprisingly just before the climax. One of the most infamous moments in history, when it should be tense with suspense, and Gregory steps back from firsthand scenes to a less descriptive overview. The intensity dies. For that I was disappointed. I think Gregory missed an opportunity to victimize Henry's mistreated wives, giving the novel more emotional charge.

While the story was interesting, I didn't buy its historical accuracy. Not even a little bit. It seems as if Gregory took a few historical events and invented a more exciting tale than one that was probable. Anne's misdeeds were George's invention as an excuse for divorce. I fully believe that. Gregory presents George's paranoia as probable. I think Gregory would have been better served to plant suspicion with a touchy-feely family and closed-door meetings and and a childish king doing his own scheming. I would have liked to see the charges as more ambiguous instead of being spoon-feed theories I don't believe. But I suppose history is open for interpretation. It's fiction not a biography and I have to read it on that level. It's just that Gregory mixed historical truths with enough inaccuracies and improbabilities that I found myself doubting her interpretation of all events and character.

With Anne although her viscousness was over the top, I did believe her ambition and scheming. I wish her character was explored more closely, characteristics like her intelligence and wit, but I still found her fascinating. I doubt Mary was was such an unintelligent pawn, but I like that Gregory wanted to focus her novel on her untold story. However, I thought she was just as naive in the opening chapter as the closing, her personality ran the gamut of discording emotions, and the book still focuses on Anne. Of all the Boleyns, I enjoyed George the most. I think Gregory appropriately captured his charm.

I also enjoyed Henry VIII's portrayal, whom I have always detested as an evil selfish man. Here you see his self-justified transition from spoiled boy to power-hungry tyrant and get a feel for his motives. It makes you think that nobody considers themselves malicious but wants to feel justified. A person I intensely dislike, I can if not sympathize with at least understand.

While I agree with reviews about flaws in character, plot, and history, I found myself engrossed in the story and anxious for the outcome and that is why I'm giving it four stars. If the aim of the book is to get one interested in history than Gregory did her job. I couldn't wait to do my own research about the time period. Despite the scandalous sex, I will be reading the sequels.(less)

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May 29, 2008

Lisa rated it

I can't imagine that anyone who picks this book up is not at least somewhat familiar with the historical story of Henry VIII and his unfortunate marital history so the plot is no mystery. I was only vaguely aware of the rumors of his relationship with Anne's sister, Mary Boleyn, and Mary is the narrator and witness to the story.

The marked physical and temperment differences between Mary and Anne were contrived and hard to believe. Truly I think it was just a lazy way for the auth...moreI can't imagine that anyone who picks this book up is not at least somewhat familiar with the historical story of Henry VIII and his unfortunate marital history so the plot is no mystery. I was only vaguely aware of the rumors of his relationship with Anne's sister, Mary Boleyn, and Mary is the narrator and witness to the story.

The marked physical and temperment differences between Mary and Anne were contrived and hard to believe. Truly I think it was just a lazy way for the author to get the reader to immediately understand the situation: Mary - Good; Anne - Bad. How did two girls with identical backgrounds and upbringing end up so diametrically opposite in personality and ambition? How did Anne not get married off to the benefit of her family as did her YOUNGER sister, Mary? I kept coming back to these questions when reading the book and the lack of explanation of the inconsistencies of their respective situations bothered me. It's the age-old Madonna/Whore dichotomy and I expected better.

I can't imagine that this book can be taken as a historically-accurate recounting of the story so I discounted much of the more "Harlequinesqe" happenings, but it did provide interesting background into how King Henry could go from loving husband to Katherine of Aragon to tyrant and despot so easily led around by the nose by Anne. Obsession with Anne alone didn't explain why he completely went off the deep end during the second half of his reign. When he finds that his power is truly absolute, I don't know anyone that wouldn't easily lose their sense of boundaries and become rudderless. For the first time that I was able to understand that evolution.

The author makes an obvious effort portray the absolute lack of power/autonomy that women struggled with during the era. But, even given that context, I had a hard time believing that Mary, or Anne for that matter, would be so passive in the face of the machinations of their family. My understanding is that once a woman married, she was her husband's "property", but certainly not here and Mary's husband's actions never rang true for me. I also found Mary's troubled relationship with Anne hard to swallow. Even when the writing was on the wall and given Mary's strong feelings for her own children, she seemed unable to break free from putting her sister first and doing what she knew to be morally right. Bullocks.

But, the thing I kept wondering after finishing this book was: What was Anne thinking? I couldn't imagine she thought this was going to end well for her--regardless of her able manipulations. Once a King throws over one woman, every subsequent woman is in a precarious position and Anne doesn't ever seem to clue into that. For someone who seemed so attuned to handling the King early on, firey Anne inexplicably lost the ability to read/fulfill his desires when it mattered most. Enter docile Jane Seymour. The Boleyn family gambled quite a lot when the whole question of success boiled down to one uncontrollable fact: Anne's always questionable ability to produce a legitimate male heir and we all know how that worked out. They put all their eggs into Anne's basket and suffered for it.

I think I agree with other reviewers in that I recommend reading this as a piece of historical fiction rather than an actual retelling of the ill-fated relationship between Henry and Anne. The story was engrossing and I enjoyed exploring the questions of women's roles in marriage and family within the Tudor court. There were a number of memorable characters for me, namely Queen Katherine and even George Boleyn, that I enjoyed reading. I haven't seen the movie, but I imagine this story, filled with sex, betrayal, sex, and conspiracy, and a little sex, should translate well in Hollywood.

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Jul 16, 2007

nfwbls rated it

There's a lot to like about this book if you're an aficionado of historical romantic fiction. It reads quickly, the main character, Mary Boleyn, is written quite likeably, and the narrative is immersed in period details that give the novel lots of color. It's an interesting take on a little known historical figure who must have led an interesting life, having been the mistress of Henry VIII, supplanted by her sister, and then it seems married for love later in life. It certainly sent me googling...more

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Nov 27, 2008

Tilbatilba rated it

Utter rubbish. It is poorly written, particularly the embarrassing dialogue e.g. "she was hot for the King".

The author selects a particularly fascinating period of history, but those events just weren't interesting enough apparently, so she makes up various events purely for their titillation value.

There is much better historical fiction out there.

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Feb 14, 2009

Beth F. rated it

Shelves: historical-fantasy, 2009, medieval, tnbbc-winter-2008

When I started this book I could hardly put it down. It was easy to read. It was fast. And Philippa Gregory is a wonderful story-teller. But by the middle of the book, I started to lose my momentum because the repetition began to wear on me and I realized that any sort of real character development was decidedly lacking. It gave me flashbacks to reading Twilight.

That being said, I have given the book an extra star because the story was quite enjoyable, and even though I strugg...more

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Aug 07, 2008

Kelsey rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: historical-fiction, general-fiction, 2008

"Meh"

That is honestly all I can really say after reading this book. I had several issues with it, and at the same time, I enjoyed several aspects about it.

The main reasons I didn't like about this book:
1. The vulgarity. Sure, this is not the most bawdy book I have ever read--but it is close. The details it gives about "whore tricks" and other sexual practices are somewhat disturbing. I can hardly imagine what a teen would think if subjecte...more"Meh"

That is honestly all I can really say after reading this book. I had several issues with it, and at the same time, I enjoyed several aspects about it.

The main reasons I didn't like about this book:
1. The vulgarity. Sure, this is not the most bawdy book I have ever read--but it is close. The details it gives about "whore tricks" and other sexual practices are somewhat disturbing. I can hardly imagine what a teen would think if subjected to this book.

2. The classification. I am a conneseiur of good historical fiction. Having heard of this book, I thought I might give it a try. Be forewarned this book is far from historical fiction . It is closer to a modern, more obscene version of a Jane Austen novel. Don't get me wrong, the book does have some historical evidence in it--but for the most part, it is just a romantic tale of couple after couple after couple.

3. The writing (partially). As I have read elsewhere, Gregory does one thing really well in this book: she makes you dislike the main character Anne Boleyn. I can't think of another book that I have had that much distaste for one of the main characters. Shouldn't an author try to get you to like her characters? (At least present the truth and then let you decide if they are good or bad?)

4. The plot. At times this book seemed to lack a plot. It just kind of drudged along. ...meh...

What I did like about this book:

1. The sappy romance: All one has to do is look at the cover of this book and realize that it is a sappy chick book. With that in mind, be prepared for some think romance in this book. It was Mary's later courtings allowed me to enjoy some of the romance presented in this book.

2. The writing about court: I enjoyed reading Gregory's words of how the royal court dined and entertained themselves. How most girls had dozens of fine gowns... Wine was used to "wake one up" in the morning... Other details such of those were very enjoyable for me.

3. The organization. The book was organized by season and year making it helpful to reference where you were in the story. Believe it or not, I recall that about 8 years pass in this one book.

Overall, this book was okay. It wasn't phenomenal...and I probably won't read it again. But now at least I can watch the movie and say..."Hey! I actually read this book before I saw the movie."(less)

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May 04, 2008

Marisa rated it

Recommends it for: anyone who loves history and drama

Recommended to Marisa by: anyone who is open-minded and likes historical fiction

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. The Other Boleyn Girl tells the story of two sisters: Mary and her sister, the famous Anne.

Mary is obedient, loyal, and loving while Anne is ambitious, clever, and power hungry. Her thirst for power and position make her a deadly enemy and a dangerous ally.

As the book opens, the Boleyn family in their desire to acquire wealth and position in the court of King Henry VIII, takes Mary from her husband, William Carey, and forces her to become the king's mistress.

...more

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Feb 24, 2008

Karen rated it

I have to confess that I have a bit of a fascination with the Tudors, which is what originally motivated me to read this book. As a historical novel, it's incredibly well researched. I doubted some of the events in the novel, but upon completing my own research, I found them to be true. That is probably the strongest part of the novel. But, of course, novels are centered on characters, particularly when they're told from the first person point of view, as this novel is. And that's the major...moreI have to confess that I have a bit of a fascination with the Tudors, which is what originally motivated me to read this book. As a historical novel, it's incredibly well researched. I doubted some of the events in the novel, but upon completing my own research, I found them to be true. That is probably the strongest part of the novel. But, of course, novels are centered on characters, particularly when they're told from the first person point of view, as this novel is. And that's the major weakness of the novel. It's told from the point of view of Anne Boleyn's sister Mary, who herself was a mistress of Henry VIII before he transferred his "affection" to Anne. The problem is that I don't really care about Mary and what happens to her, however noble it might be that she didn't have the "vaulting ambition" of her famous sister. Also, it seemed to me that the author was trying to build the primary conflict of the novel around the rivalry between the sisters for the favor of the king--the cover of the novel even states as such. But this conflict is almost non-existent as Mary doesn't have any ambition to speak of nor love for the king nor a desire for courtly life. So, in effect, she defers to Anne entirely and without resentment or regret. The bigger conflict is the one within Mary herself: she wavers between loyalty to her family and their ambition and her own desire for a quiet life on the family's country estate. This conflict is very well developed, but unfortunately, it's also incredibly boring.

If you know the history, you will, of course, know the end. But the reading of it is still worthwhile even if it's just to discover the strength of a woman like Anne Boleyn, especially for that time, even if that strength is used for evil and not for good, most notably in the execution of Thomas More, but also anyone else she perceived as an enemy as she rose in influence and power. It was also interesting to learn that Henry's suspicions of Anne, taught in history class as charges fabricated in order to rid himself of her and move on to Jane Seymour, were not entirely without merit.

I just found out this book was made into a film that's coming out soon--it should be interesting to compare the two. Overall though, I can only recommend it as an interesting way to learn the history (as someone's story) but not at all as a good novel.(less)

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Jan 12, 2008

Hetty rated it

Shelves: fiction-historical

Oh, I was so sorry that this book was a disappointment. It has been a few months now and I immediately donated the book after reading, so I can't look at the book again. But my recall of my impression of this book was that, while there was a potentially interesting story here, the writing did not hold my attention. Written from the perspective and in the voice of the sister of Ann Boleyn, the style just felt flat and dull to me.

Also, perhaps a fault of my own lack of imagination...more

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Sep 25, 2007

Camie rated it

Recommends it for: English history enthusiasts

Who isn’t fascinated by King Henry and his Tudor England? The story begins with a beheading scene (proper foreshadowing), with Mary, Anne Boleyn’s younger sister, watching, who continues to narrate the story. Gregory’s novel is compelling, interesting, and reads quickly. I enjoyed the pace of conversation.

Mary is young, naïve, and compassionate. She learns through tough experience to trust herself, although her loyalties regularly get her into trouble—only because she wishes to hurt...more

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Sep 28, 2007

Sidhe1 rated it

Shelves: historical-fiction, history, drama, tudors, classic-literature

Okay, it took me maybe 100 pages to really get into this one, but once I did, I simply could NOT put it down. This was the first book by Philippa Gregory that I'd read. I found her writing style to be academic and intelligent without being at all dry or pedantic. Her research seems to be accurate enough to create a realistic story, and her understanding of the time allows her to write the thoughts and motivations of her characters in a believable manner. Telling the story of the rise and fall of...more

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Apr 26, 2008

Bree rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: historical-fiction, 2000-2005, books-to-movies

This one was quite a bit sexier and explicit than the first book in the series (although this book was written first), but it was still REALLY good. I found myself caring for Mary and being SO irritated by how she was treated and how her family acted. And then Anne...dear Anne...I wanted to slap that girl so hard!

It was slow going through the book, because there is so much detail about life in the court and trying to keep people straight. But, the last 50 pages or so, when it all co...more

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Aug 05, 2007

Kelly rated it

Shelves: fiction

This is the only Philippa Gregory novel I like. I read it and was charmed, so I looked up her other novels. The Wideacre trilogy was dreadful, and the post-Other Boleyn Girl novels are BORING. I think this is one of the first times I've ever liked a book so much and then been completely disenchanted with the writer's other work!

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Feb 24, 2011

Isis rated it

· review of another edition

Recommends it for: No one

Recommended to Isis by: No one - its publicity made me curious so I got it from library

Shelves: wall-bangers, renaissance-age-1400-to-1650ce-fict

The book is in outward appearances the same length as "The Constant Princess" and "The Boleyn Inheritance", but is actually a longer work, as is revealed when one realises that the font size is considerably smaller than the two aforementioned novels. The up side of this is that at least "The Other Boleyn Girl" has more of a story than the wafer thin plot of the other two. This is not however enough to make it into a good book. The writing itself is of low quality, m...moreThe book is in outward appearances the same length as "The Constant Princess" and "The Boleyn Inheritance", but is actually a longer work, as is revealed when one realises that the font size is considerably smaller than the two aforementioned novels. The up side of this is that at least "The Other Boleyn Girl" has more of a story than the wafer thin plot of the other two. This is not however enough to make it into a good book. The writing itself is of low quality, many scenes are redundant, drag with little or no purpose, and the descriptions and dialogue are lacking sophistication. The book butchers the historical fact, an issue which I'll examine shortly, but in many areas it also fails logically too, for example the idea that if Anne wanted to risk conceiving from another man then her brother George would be the obvious choice, or that Mary Boleyn would have actually done the work of a peasant farmer's wife. The so called plot revolves around the sensationalist scandals surrounding Mary and Anne Boleyn, in what Philippa Gregory laughably claims is a completely historically accurate portrayal, reducing the international political and ethical complexities of the period to the contents of a modern celebrity gossip magazine. She also inexcusably allows anachronisms to permeate the novel, turning the well-spoken Anne Boleyn into a foul-mouthed harpy. The novel, like her others, unfortunately succumbs to "tell" rather than "show" on far too many occasions.

To be brutally honest, I found it difficult to get through the book because it was so awful, and one of the biggest problems was with the main character, Mary Boleyn. The issues with her character overlap with the problems of historical accuracy in the book, since Gregory ignores certain historical facts and cherry picks from controversial discredited theories to create the Mary Boleyn character. It should thus be noted that the Mary Boleyn I am about to describe from the book bears no resemblance to the real life person. She is completely innocent, in stark contrast to every other character (including Jane Seymour who acts holier-than-thou but since Mary dislikes her, we know she's only putting it on), except perhaps Queen Katherine. She is portrayed as passive, naive, slow-witted, submissive to the authority figures in her life even when they are morally wrong, and all that is pure and virtuous in the world. She is always ethically and morally right, despite having some quite ugly opinions of other people and undertaking questionable actions. She cuckolds her husband and has a sexual affair with the king - but it's alright because Mary is truly in love with him. She betrays her mistress, the queen, by engaging in aforementioned affair and furthermore reporting the queen's secret correspondence to her relatives and betraying her - but it's alright because Mary constantly talks about how virtuous Katherine is and how she admires her. Mary is never reviled by the other characters, and is only once or twice called offensive insults, but only by stereotypical bad characters. In contrast, when Anne is with the king, she is single and has no husband to betray, and yet she is in the wrong because her love for Henry is not the innocent pure love of Mary. When Mary teaches Anne the techniques to keep Henry happy, Anne is spat at and insulted by everyone despite having learned them from Mary.

In short, this Mary Boleyn is bland, boring and one-dimensional. I hated her because she was a drip and a doormat, and a dictionary definition of a Purity Sue. Worst of all, Mary is held up as something to be admired. It's obvious that since Mary is supposed to be the character the readers identify with (Gregory thinks that making her unfailingly innocent and plopping her down in an unrealistic world of caricature villains will achieve this) and can do no wrong, her fate is supposed to be something to aspire to. We too, the readers are told, should try to be placid and obedient and prefer the life of an impoverished country idyll married to the stereotypical poor but honest man. Gregory hit upon a good idea of writing a book about the forgotten sister of Anne Boleyn, but in throwing all known historical fact out of the window, she might as well have written a novel about a completely fictional king and two sisters competing for his love.

As obvious as it is that Philippa Gregory adores Mary Boleyn, it is equally plain that she loathes Anne Boleyn. Anne, the devout, clever and generous woman of history is nowhere in evidence here. Instead she's been replaced by a character of the same name who is instead petty, vain, cruel, possessive, and whose wit and intelligence is painted as a negative character trait for a woman to possess. Her story in this novel revolves around sensationalist twaddle such as incest with her brother, deformed babies resulting from aforementioned sinful union, attempted poisonings of Princess Mary and Bishop Fisher, and using witchcraft to have an abortion. The other characters are equally implausible and one-dimensional, from the saintly Katherine of Aragon to the irredeemable greed and ambition of Thomas Boleyn, his wife Elizabeth and her brother the Duke of Norfolk, and as for Henry VIII he was simply a mixture of stupid and petulant. None of these characters have any depth or believability.

Finally, a particular word must be made in the historical accuracy stakes about Mary Boleyn's fate. Philippa Gregory has her riding off to find Stafford and marry him, and she lives in a small farmhouse cottage with him with some farmland. When Stafford is at court, we are told, he employs local tenants to keep this house and farm the lands, but when he is present he apparently sends his tenants away and takes up the plough himself. We are even treated to preposterous scenes where Mary describes how, following her marriage to Stafford, she learns how to cook, smoke ham, light a fire, churn butter, make cheese, bake bread and pluck birds. She even declares how much she is looking forwards to being a farmer's wife. This is all patently ridiculous. Either Gregory has a completely erroneous idea of just what class and standard of living gentry had, or she has a completely erroneous idea of farm life, imagining it to be a country idyll like Marie Antoinette's mock shepherdess residence at La Petite Trianon with no conception of the constant hard work involved. The real Mary Boleyn, judging from her stream of letters to her family and the king, was desperate to return to court and escape even the life of the country gentlewoman. She certainly wouldn't have contemplated undertaking manual labour.

These, and many more patently deliberately chosen inaccuracies in the book and about the characters had me shaking my head, and it was a strain not to throw the book down in anger at the disservice done to the historical people here, including Mary Boleyn herself who clearly had a much more interesting personality and life than the simpering drip of this novel. The only reason I curbed that urge was to avoid accusations that this review could not possibly be an accurate reflection of the novel if I had not read it all the way to the end. I appreciate that authors have a right to literary license, to fill in the gaps in history in their historical fiction, and maybe even to alter or reinterpret a few facts here and there, but the polite thing to do when an author does that is to admit to the alterations in the author's note, explaining where and why you did it and what actually happened. That way it openly acknowledges where the story has diverged from fact and helpfully informs the reader which bits in particular have been changed by the author and are not in fact accurate. The vast majority of people reading it won't be knowledgeable about the period, or historians, and could come away from this novel with a very skewed and in many places wrong idea about who these people were and what really happened. As a result, most people's idea of Anne Boleyn for the next generation or two is now going to be of a cruel, scheming harpy.

In historical fiction, based closely of real life events and people in the past, I believe that authors have a responsibility to be as accurate and as true to life as possible, or else freely admit their alterations, to do justice to the men and women who lived through it, otherwise it is ultimately doing those men and women a grave disservice.(less)

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topics	posts	views	last activity
Anne or Mary... Which Sister Would Have Been The Better Queen?	35	98	20 hours, 16 min ago
It's fiction	32	294	Jan 11, 2012 07:19am
review	37	289	Sep 05, 2011 04:43am
Recommendation	5	87	Aug 14, 2008 05:51pm

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BBCode	[url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/37470.The_Other_Boleyn_Girl?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book][img]http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1277607929m/37470.jpg[/img][/url] [url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/37470.The_Other_Boleyn_Girl?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book]The Other Boleyn Girl by Philippa Gregory[/url]

The Other Boleyn Girl (The Tudor #2)

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