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 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!