Rating: 
Summary: A bit dry but isn't that the English way?
Review: Rise and Fall is a bit dry. It's a workmanlike text book but I enjoyed it. If you're coming to this book expecting romance, high drama and emotion go find another book. The author treats Anne like a politician or a warrior. She shows what steps Anne took and offers a theory as to why she took them and finally, the author shows why Anne fell. You'll probably enjoy Lady in the Tower or The Concubine better but if you collect Anne Boleyn books this is a worthy one for your collection.
Rating: 
Summary: Highly speculative!
Review: The early chapters of this book are interesting in that they examine Anne Boleyn's childhood and early career in the context of her family and society. Warnicke's choice to give little credence to the reports of Chapuys and others who had reason to portray Anne in the worst light is valid and creates a more balanced characterization of this queen than is usually seen.The major thrust of this book, however, is Warnicke's theory that Anne's fall was the result of having miscarried a deformed fetus in January of 1536. While it is an intriguing possibility, Warnicke fails to provide the slightest shred of evidence to prove her theory. Her sole argument is that while most royal miscarriages were kept secret, Henry took great pains to make Anne's miscarriage of 1536 public knowledge. She then makes the wild leap in reasoning that Henry was driven to do so by a need to prove that he was not the father of a deformed fetus - which at that time was viewed as a sign of God's wrath. It is an interesting theory, but she fails to back it up with any substantial argument. She then goes on to reason that the five men who were convicted of adultery with Anne, while not guilty of that particular crime must have been guilty of something, or they wouldn't have been condemned to die. (She seems unable to accept the possiblility that they were railroaded just as Anne herself was). This leads to another wild round of speculation - again with very little to back it up. While these arguments might have made for a powerful piece of fiction, they are hardly the basis of an academic reevaluation of Anne's story.
Rating: 
Summary: Thought Provoking and Sympathetic
Review: The impressive scholarship of this book in and of itself makes it well worth reading. At times it's a bit dry, and is not one of the easiest books to read, but a background in the subject matter makes a difference. Ms. Warnicke's thorough research is commendable, as is her willingness to challenge preconceived notions and alternate theories about Anne Boleyn's rise to the queenship of England and her rapid downfall. Unfortunately, the underlying feeling is that the author presents herself as Anne's champion, and spends a great deal of time trying to convince the reader that her theories are the only plausible ones. While it's blatant that she sympathizes with her subject, the nearly constant attempt to convince us that Anne's every action has been wrongly interpreted thus far is distracting. This is a slow read, simply because of the wealth of information packed into it. The time, preparation and research that went into this book are obvious, and I feel the reader will appreciate it. The best word of advice is that although the author spends much time portraying Anne in a flattering light, keep in mind that there are equally credible interpretations of this history which should be evaluated as well. Reading this book will aid in creating a well-informed opinion, but it should not be the only information on which your opinions or theories of the subject matter are based.
Rating:
Summary: Thought Provoking and Sympathetic
Review: The impressive scholarship of this book in and of itself makes it well worth reading. At times it's a bit dry, and is not one of the easiest books to read, but a background in the subject matter makes a difference. Ms. Warnicke's thorough research is commendable, as is her willingness to challenge preconceived notions and alternate theories about Anne Boleyn's rise to the queenship of England and her rapid downfall. Unfortunately, the underlying feeling is that the author presents herself as Anne's champion, and spends a great deal of time trying to convince the reader that her theories are the only plausible ones. While it's blatant that she sympathizes with her subject, the nearly constant attempt to convince us that Anne's every action has been wrongly interpreted thus far is distracting. This is a slow read, simply because of the wealth of information packed into it. The time, preparation and research that went into this book are obvious, and I feel the reader will appreciate it. The best word of advice is that although the author spends much time portraying Anne in a flattering light, keep in mind that there are equally credible interpretations of this history which should be evaluated as well. Reading this book will aid in creating a well-informed opinion, but it should not be the only information on which your opinions or theories of the subject matter are based.
Rating: 
Summary: original and thoughtful
Review: This book is a highly original and thoughtful analysis of Anne Boleyn and the events that eventually led to her execution. As Warnicke herself states, this is not a traditional biography but a study of Anne in the midst of her family networks and court politics. It is especially significant in replacing the stereotype of the aggressive and manipulative Anne with a more complex woman who did what she could for herself and her family with her limited choices. Warnicke's theory that Anne's 1536 miscarriage was of a deformed fetus is especially intriguing. The book is also valuable for early sixteenth century ideas about witchcraft and sexuality. This is not necessarily an easy read but it is a most worthwhile one.
Rating:
Summary: Rather Dry...
Review: This book is extremely well researched and accurate,yet it is rather a dry read and would not capture the imagination (or frankly attention) of someone unfamiliar with Anne's life.
Rating:
Summary: A New Look at an Old Story
Review: Warnicke makes a convincing argument for the downfall of Anne Boleyn. She looks at the tragedy of Anne Boleyn from another angle, instead of the typical explanation that Anne was beheaded because of factional politics or that her husband grew tired of her. What is particularly interesting and helps make Warnicke's case, is that she establishes that very few people knew about Anne's two previous miscarriages, whereas the King and Cromwell made sure to publicize her miscarriage of January 1536. Warnicke's argument is that the King and his minister must have had a reason not to hide this miscarriage. If the reader is willing to step back from what he or she may have read previously about Anne Boleyn, Warnicke's book shows that the tragedy of Anne Boleyn was not really a tragedy at all, but a 16th century response to ignorance of biology. One of the clues that points in this direction is that the King took pains to link her name with several men and on several occasions after the birth of her daughter. Henry needed to convince others these men were possibly the father's of the previous fetuses that Anne had miscarried. Warnicke explains the reasoning behind this based on Henry's response to Catherine Howard's infidelity six years later. Only one lover was necessary to convict and execute her. But in Catherine's case, Henry didn't need to prove that a miscarried fetus did not belong to him.
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