Rating: 
Summary: Good, but not historically accurate.
Review: While the book itself was a very entertaining read, one should remember that this is historical fiction, the emphasis being on FICTION. I enjoyed the book greatly, the characters are all very interesting and the glimpse into the life of a courtier entertaining, but if you are looking for a book that will tell you what really happened to the Boleyn girls you'd best look elsewhere. The half third to quarter of the book is filled with major inaccuracies. That aside, it did serve to pique my interest in Anne Boleyn, her family, and her times as well as provide a few enjoyable hours of reading.
Rating: 
Summary: This book is amazing!
Review: This was a great book, and, as a newcomer to Mrs. Gregory, I was highly impressed. I recommend this book to anyone who is tired of hearing the surgarcoated Anne Boleyn story, and is ready to hear the real deal. Blunt and to the point, Phillipa Gregory weaves an awe-inspiring and seductive tale that is sure to please and amaze the reader. While many readers have said that her book is ill-researched, and so let me just make a few points:
*For starters, no one really knows exactly how old Anne Boleyn was when she died, and just the same, no one knows who was the older of the siblings. It is actually more plausable that Anne was indeed the second sibling and older sister to Mary.
*Many have also said that Anne was displayed as a seductive and destructive wench. Well, if she played so hard for 6 years to captivate the king, not to mention exiling Princess Mary and Henry Carey, and possibly killing many people and alienating others from the court, well, yeah, I have to say she must have been a big seductive and destructive wench.
Rating:
Summary: The Other Boleyn Girl
Review: This book has absolutely drawn my complete attention - I just couldn't put it down. The rich description of the English court and life fascinated me and the clever blending of the fiction and history was flawless. I highly recommend this book.
Rating:
Summary: Historical fiction at its best!
Review: Simply (and often) said, I could not put this book down. This is the first book that I have read by Philippa Gregory and I am very impressed.She has done an excellent job of intricately weaving the characters into a web that becomes too tangled for them to escape. A beautifully orchestrated trainwreck...15 years in the making. That process and the end result, are literary genius. I found myself reading so intently on the subway to work, that I missed my stop...several times. It's that good!
Rating:
Summary: Unusual book
Review: My interest in Tudor history began with the PBS series on Henry and Elizabeth I many years ago. Since then I have read many books on these figures. Although little is actually known about Mary Boleyn, Anne's sister, this book told a very believable story of Mary and her family. It incorporated both rumor and historical fact in such a way that I forgot it wasn't necessarily accurate. A nice departure from the typical books by Weir, etc, which although interesting, don't capture the same feeling of "being there" that this book does.
Rating: 
Summary: Review Based on the First Few Pages
Review: Maybe I know too much about Tudor England. The author's placing Anne as the eldest sibling bugged me right off the bat, as I'm almost positive most historians see her as the younger sister. Or, maybe I'm too big a fan of the fascinating Anne to buy anything from boring cow Mary's perspective, I don't know. All I know is, I've only read the first few pages and I'm bored and turned off by this book. I should want to read it. I bought it. But somehow, I just can't be bothered. I recently read a book about Frida Khalo written from her jealous sister's perspective, and it was [junk], so maybe it's bad vibes. Either way, this book isn't nearly as interseting as it's title would suggest.
Rating: 
Summary: Second Rate Look at History
Review: This book could have benefited from a good editor. Following the story of Mary Boleyn, sister to the famous Anne, and their rivalry, it had great potential that was somewhat squandered by repetitious dialogue and prose. We were "told" more than "shown" the sisters' rivalry. After multiple pages of being beaten over the head with the words that they were jealous of each other and pawns in their family's machinations, I was longing for more action scenes. I also thought the love scenes read like a cheap romance novel, not something I expected for a piece of historical fiction. The last 50 pages of the book had some real suspense, but even this was diluted. Mary's daughter is taken by Anne to the Tower, where Anne awaits trial and execution, and Mary understandably fears for her. This interesting twist is diluted, however, by the assurances of Mary's husband that no harm will come to the girl. All the suspense thus escapes like a pricked balloon.
I think a full two thirds of this book could have been cut and the rest reshaped, and it would have made a good story. As it is, I wouldn't pay money for it. I'd look for it in the library or borrow from someone.
Rating:
Summary: WOW!!!!!
Review: I purchased the hardcover when I visited London in January 2002, I was so facinated by Philippa Gregory manner of emblishing her stories with human passion and historical facts. I tried to purchase the book soon after in the states and it was not out yet. In fact, I found only two hardcovers. Now that the paperback is out, I have given each of my friends a copy. After reading this book, I ask myself why we don't incorporate European History in our schools. It is far more interesting, to me anyways.
Rating:
Summary: Great fiction with a historical basis
Review: This was a wonderful book, hard to put down. The author very effectively blends historical fact with her own imagination of characters' motives and feelings. Very well done and enjoyable.
Rating:
Summary: A different viewpoint of Anne Boleyn
Review: The story of Anne Boleyn has been told numerous times over the years in various formats, so I was intrigued by this book and discovered it is just as much Mary's story as it is Anne's. Anne Boleyn's younger sister Mary catches the eye of King Henry VIII of England at the age of 14 and, at the direction of her family, becomes the king's mistress. No matter that the girl is already married, her family sees Mary's relationship with the king as a way to advance their social status - if only Mary could bear the king a son, the family's future would be secure. Mary bears the king a daughter and later has a son (whose parentage is, to this day, in dispute) and the king soon tires of her and turns his attention to Anne, whose story we all know from high school history classes. Yet, it was interesting to see the story told from the viewpoint of Mary in the first person, rather than a narrative or an historical book. Sadly, Mary was the only of the three Boleyn siblings - Mary, Anne and George - who did not have a date with the executioner. She was also the only one to marry for love, and not to advance her family. This single act caused her to be disowned by her family, although it is believed she lived a happy life. I'm a sucker for those crazy Tudors. I have read Alison Weir's "Six Wives of Henry VIII," Elizabeth I" and "The Children of Henry VIII," all of which I count among my favorite books on the Tudor period. "The Other Boleyn Girl" has joined them on that shelf.
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