Rating: 
Summary: SUPERB AND EASILY RECOMMENDED
Review: I agree with other reviewers, couldn't put it down, wished the bus ride was longer. I disagree with the review who said Jane Parker was vapid--hasn't met someone like that, probably, because she was anything BUT vapid. Well written, exciting, and I, too, am on the quest for other books by this author.
It is difficult to find excellent historical fiction and this book more than qualifies. I bought a copy of this to pass around to family members.
Rating:
Summary: This book fills in the blanks with well-written fiction....
Review:
If you missed the beautiful film, "Anne of the Thousand Days", its probably because you were born after 1969, the year of the film, and watch videos on DVD (the film has only been released on VHS). The film, a historical piece, is a treasure, illustrating with some historical inaccuracy the schism between the Catholic church and the throne of England, which fathered the Reformation and the rise of the Church of England. To think that it was all caused by a fiery young girl that the King (Henry VIII) simply had to have, in the belief that she would bear him a son.
Richard Burton shines in the role of Henry VIII, and makes you believe that the women in his life all married him for reasons other than queenship. He creates unbelievable chemistry with the then unknown young actress, Genevieve Bujold, who went on to some success in Hollywood in the next decade. She is bewitching as Anne, and gives one of the finest speeches on film ever made by a woman, when she vents her anger and fear at Henry in the tower before her death, and pledges that her daughter will become a great leader one day (Elizabeth I); a vision that came true.
Phillipa Gregory may have been inspired by that film, because her Anne (in a secondary role in this story of Mary Boleyn)is just as conniving, feisty and beautiful as was Bujold's. She captivates all of the court, but her need for power (encouraged by the grasping Boleyn & Howard families) and lust for vengeance at a lost love turn her from the center of the kingdom to one of its most despised residents.
Gregory's genius in writing her tale is point of view - that of Mary Boleyn, who was spurned by the king after giving birth to two of his children out of wedlock. Mary is a complicated woman who learns what Anne cannot; that happiness is more important than position in life. Gregory completely holds the reader's interest through good times for the Boleyns and bad, and populates the tale with strong characterization of supporting players, particularly Katherine of Aragon, Henry's first queen.
George Boleyn, Uncle Howard, Wolsley the Cardinal, Jane Seymour,
William Carey and Mary's children are all convincingly drawn, and Gregory makes it hard to know where fact ends and fiction begins, so compelling is her rationalization of the events that played out on the world's stage.
The character of Jane Parker, George's wife, is perhaps the only false or shallow note -- too vapid to be believed.
What a wonderful tale and a wonderful author! It will hold your interest, despite its length, and you'll remember it as every bit as well written as the historical fiction given us by Jean Plaidy some years earlier.Bravo!
Rating:
Summary: Amazing! I devoured this book (and skipped sleeping!)
Review: I picked this book up on a whim. I'd never heard of the author, and I normally stick to ones that I like. I am completely blown away. This is the first book in a very long time that I felt I simply MUST sit down and read and find out what happens. It's just amazing. The story follows the lesser known of the Boleyn sisters, Mary. Her early years at court, her romance with the king, her marriage, and her tumultuous love/hate relationship with her sister Anne are all incredibly detailed. The author wants you to love and hate Anne at the same time, and Mary as well, and somehow you do. You get to watch first-hand as Anne battles her way past her sister's star at Henry's court only to supplant her, and later fall (as history tells). Only we see it all from Anne's sister's point of view -- a naive, innocent, well meaning girl that hates herself for betraying those that she loves for the betterment of her all-consuming family. Characterization will make or break a book more often than not. I found that 'The Other Boleyn Girl' was wonderfully written, and the characters rich and complex. Mary is simple, but she has layers of duplicity about her, and you can't help but admire her when she discovers her backbone. Anne is her foil, and you hate her at the same time that you admire her tenacity and fire. You even understand the (frequently) caricatured figures of Henry VIII, Catherine of Aragon, and Jane Seymour. On a perspective note, this book is written in first person -- Mary's story -- yet the telling is so rich and watchful that it doesn't hamper the tale one bit. I really loved this book. I'm off to find out what other gems Philippa Gregory has written lately. If they are HALF as good as this book, I will be utterly pleased.
Rating:
Summary: A Machiavellian Masterpiece
Review: Much has been written about this turbulent time in English history, the reign of Henry VIII, when the English Court changed course, breaking from the Roman Church in order to dissolve Henry's marriage to Katherine of Aragon, who could not bear a living heir to the throne. The fortunes of the great aristocratic families, who fill the courts and fawn upon the King, are immensely enriched when they gain the King's favor and attention. Comely as a young king, Henry VIII is accustomed to garnering the flattery of the young women who serve as the Queen's attendants. The Boleyn/Howard family holds a prominent position in Henry's court in the early 1520's, as Katherine of Aragon becomes ever more desperate in her need to supply an heir and keep the King's affection. The Howards and Boleyns have many young women available to the court, and when Henry first takes note of Mary Boleyn Carey, she is already married. It is acceptable behavior for the King to tryst with her as a paramour, which would be scandalous if she were not married. Mary's sister, Anne, recently returned from the French Court, is one of the clever minds pushing Mary to prominence. The third Boleyn, George, their brother, is also a pet of the Tudor Court, forming the family triumvirate that is to be part of the intrigue surrounding the eventual dissolution of marriage to Katherine of Aragon that will set a precedent and change history. Eventually Mary is replaced in the King's favor by her sister Anne, and George and Mary are instructed to hold their positions, this time in support of the clever, if unlikable, Anne. For five long years Anne tempts and challenges Henry, until she herself is crowned Queen. Never beloved, Anne's temperament is equal to Henry's and she hasn't the wisdom or patience to turn the other cheek on dalliances as Katherine did. Eventually, Henry tires of Anne's scolding and constant demands, his attention newly captured by the seemingly docile and pure behavior of a simpering Jane Seymour. Anne must live with the precedent she's established, swept aside by the King in his desperate pursuit of another to provide a male heir. Gregory's characters are incisive, the story masterfully told, the plots and counter-plots necessary for political viability fascinating to follow. No less complicated than modern day affairs, the degree of scheming is truly of Machiavellian design. Engaging and thought provoking, Gregory's beautifully crafted novel overflows with intrigue and ambition, with scheming characters who bet everything of the whims of a puerile King. The result is magnificent.
Rating:
Summary: Awesome!
Review: I have never been one interested in historical fiction, but I bought this book after the blurb on the back peaked my interest. They don't teach you about Anne's sister, Mary, in high school history class. Immediately I was hooked on this novel. Though obviously fictional, Gregory does a great job of getting most of the background about the time period correct. She is a master story-teller and her prose just draws you in. I found myself rushing home from work so I could get back to my book! I thought all of the characters were quite believable, except maybe Jane Parker, and I sympathized with Mary and Queen Katherine. Some of the other reviewers seemed to be put off by a few inaccuracies, but I think if the reader looks at this as a work of fiction influenced by the time period, they will not be bothered, and probably won't even notice. I know I didn't. Also, to address the issue of George's homosexuality, Gregory DOES speak to this in the back of the novel in the interview section. She says that there is a school of thought that believes this theory and that is the one she chose to base that storyline on. I felt she explained herself rather well. Anyways, buy the book, it will keep you up at night wanting to know what will become of poor Mary and her corrupted family.
Rating: 
Summary: Really Fun Read
Review: I am a grad student in european history and loved this book. Of course, it is not totally historically correct; as pointed out, Mary is the older sister, not younger, and Henry was born before her daughter. But the impression of romance - correct, from what historians can tell, is true about her marriage with William, her second husband. They did live happily ever after, as far as one can tell. Story, while a long book for some, I read in two sittings and will read again. What a great movie this book would make!
Rating:
Summary: An excellent read¿
Review: The Other Boleyn Girl is a good read. The author is a very able storyteller, allowing us a glance into the interiors of Tudor England and Henry VIII's court. Her characters are mostly to be pitied as we see the push and pull of great families vying for political and social dominance in the realm. In this society, daughters are bought and sold like prized cattle, their families acknowledging that they were no more than pawns in the courtly game. No one knows much about the life of Mary Boleyn, however the major events and general outline of her life are understood and followed somewhat accurately in this novel. Because of this obscurity, Philippa Gregory uses it to her advantage and invents the feelings and emotions of those around her, at the same time giving us a fresh look into the events surrounding her family and of course her sister. Gregory may take too many liberties with the attitude of the characters; she shapes Anne Boleyn into a hateful devil-woman and perhaps allows Mary to be a bit too innocent. Other than those issues the only problem I had with the book were technical. Her use of adverbs is incessant, everyone always replies harshly, coyly, triumphantly, and miserably, coldly, etc. You get the idea. The other problem I noticed was some time period inconsistencies. Obviously it is a historical novel, but there are many times when she will laps into modern phrases and ideas, I know she must do this to get her point across, but it sticks out like a sore thumb. For instance: "Mary went downstairs to get a pen and paper to write a note to the king". I don't believe in sixteenth century anywhere the use of pens or paper was existent. Maybe she could have said a quill and parchment or something. Anyway that is just one example and for all of these discrepancies. She makes up for it with her ability to tell a story and her written dialog I found myself wrapped up in the exchanges, they were wonderful and quick. The voice of her characters really comes out here. I would recommend this book to anyone who is a fan of historical fiction, or anyone who is interested in this time period. It is a fresh perspective into the life of an obscure woman and a lesson on the treatment and role of women in this society.
Rating: 
Summary: Entertaining, but skips some facts
Review: This is certainly an entertaining novel, and it will keep you turning the pages. But Ms Gregory has a few of the facts a little muddled, and as history is always stranger than fiction, I do have to wonder why she chose to change anything about this fantastic story. For example, Ann was Mary's younger sister, not elder, and this may have put quite a different spin on their relationship. Mary's son Henry was her first born child, not second. And finally, there was absolutely no evidence that Ann ever committed incest with her brother George, and the book hints very heavily that this was indeed what happened. I guess we can just pass this off as historical fiction, and Ms Gregory certainly does do this well, painting a vivid image of Ann as a young woman who gambled all and lost, and endangered her family in the process. But this was a well documented time in history, and whereas I am willing to give historical authors a lot of leeway with characterisation, I do like my facts to be right. It is a ripping tale all right, and it is well written, but I still found myself disappointed with the liberties taken with the facts.
Rating:
Summary: An Incredible Page Turner!
Review: Flawlessly and artfully written, I can't say the last time I so enjoyed a book! This book takes you deep into the intrigue of the English court and the story of the Boleyn family's strategic political rise through the bartering of it's daughters to a lecherous, philandering king. Told from the perspective of the less infamous oldest sister, and the king's first Boleyn mistress, Mary; Historical fact is seamlessly blended with fiction in an exciting tale of political intrigue, backstabbing sibling rivalry and one woman's insatiable and unstoppable ambition to be crowned queen. I couldn't put it down!--
This isn't the history they taught you in school!
Rating:
Summary: Every page is an adventure
Review: I absolutely LOVED this book! Extremely long books like this one (661 pages) usually turn me off, but each and every page of THE OTHER BOLEYN GIRL is an adventure within itself. Filled with mystery, tragedy, injustice, scandal, romance, heartbreak, and even the occasional touch of humor, THE OTHER BOLEYN GIRL provides an intimate and colorfully detailed portrait of life in Henry VIII's court over a period of 15 years. I was absolutely riveted and couldn't bear to put this book down until I reached the end. Now I want Philippa Gregory to write Elizabeth's story!
|
