Rating: 
Summary: Kept me on the edge of my seat
Review: I can't believe I fell asleep in English History class, and yet I was so enthralled with this story. This is an excellent read. The details of life in the court, and the value of a male versus female life, makes you realize how far we have evolved since these times. But mainly it is just a spellbinding tale.
Rating: 
Summary: Enjoyable historical fiction from the Tudor era
Review: Most people have heard of Anne Boleyn, the second wife of King Henry VIII who was infamously beheaded when she failed to bear him a son (and whose daughter, Elizabeth, went on to become a great monach). But few are aware that prior to Anne's rise, her sister, Mary, was the King's mistress and allegedly bore him two children. This novel seamlessly blends fact and fiction to tell the story of the Boleyn family, whose ambitions and aspirations caused them to put two daughters in harm's way. However, the story centers around the rivalry between the two sisters as well as their relationship with their brother, George Boleyn, who was executed just prior to his sister. A captivating tale about this fascinating period of history.
Rating:
Summary: Good read
Review: For the most part, this was a gripping story that revived my interest in the Tudor period, the kind of story with a "you were there" feel. However, I gave it four stars instead of five. One reason was that, for all its compelling qualities, it did lack a little in the drama department. When the final tragedy sweeps over George and Anne, witnessed by Mary, I wasn't as engaged as I thought I would be. This may be an inbuilt problem with making a minor character the center of the story. Anne's trial, imprisonment and execution are experienced by Mary only at second hand, or from a distance. I wanted more. The second reason (SPOILER alert) has to do with the author's choice to take seriously the accusation of incest between Anne and her brother. Her reason for doing so--that in Anne's desperation for a son, she took a lover, and George would have been the "obvious choice"--seemed far-fetched. It's difficult to imagine any situation where one's brother would seem the "obvious" choice to father your child, no matter how desperate you were. That Anne might take a lover I could believe, and that she would trust George as her go between, absolutely; but that a woman raised in such a highly religious culture, and surrounded by admirers, would turn to her brother? It makes no sense, except as a sensational plot device. The fact that before his execution, George confessed to homosexuality but not incest, supports this. It is as if he were saying, "This was what I really did." Henry had a string of stillborn children with Katherine. Ironically, another stillbirth is probably the best proof that Henry was the father. (If Anne had taken a lover, or even produced a healthy boy with Henry, it's interesting to think how different history would have been.) The accusations, along with witchcraft and multiple adulteries, seemed obviously design to blacken Anne's name, so that Henry would be justified not merely in divorce but execution. Henry had followed a similar with Katherine, convincing himself the marriage was invalid and, crucially, it was really Katherine's fault. Probably it was also meant to salve his conscience. Having gone to such great lengths to put Anne, a commoner, on the throne, only a very good reason would seem to justify setting her aside. Mere adultery apparently wasn't enough. But an incestuous witch who trafficked with the Devil? Who could blame Henry then? I think it shows the depth of his hatred, and perhaps fear, of her. Certainly, there was more than a touch of cruelty in persuading Anne to sign annullment papers (making her only child illegitimate, with no right to the throne) in the belief that she would be spared, only to take her life anyway. In any case, Gregory's unorthodox interpretation made it difficult for me to connect with the story after a certain point. Not difficult enough, however, to dock the book more than one star.
Rating:
Summary: Sometimes it Takes Fiction to Bring History Alive
Review: In THE OTHER BOLEYN GIRL it's Mary who initially caches the eye of Henry the 8th - and because her family wants to climb society's ladder, they groom her to capture the heart of the King. However the fickle King turns his attention to Anne, and Mary must watch from the sidelines as her family uses the information she gathered by to trap the Henry in marriage. They secretly marry in 1533, and in September Anne gives birth to a girl, who later becomes queen (Elizabeth I). We know from our history that Henry wanted a son and Anne eventually gives him one, however it's stillborn and Henry is not happy. Three months later Anne's charged with adultery with five men and is sent to the block. Poor Anne and lucky Mary, but can Mary now break away from her social climbing family? There isn't much writing about Anne's younger sister. Mary did exist, however, and she really comes alive in this fantastic story. And though the book may have attracted criticism because of its historical inaccuracies, one should remember that it's not a text book. It's fiction and darned good fiction at that. A page turner in fact and I know, because I couldn't put it down. Karen Holtz, New Jersey Book Girl
Rating:
Summary: Captivating!
Review: I realize this is a fictional account of court life during the reign of King Henry VIII given from the POV of Mary Boleyn, younger sister of well-known Anne, but enough facts are included in the book to make it all the more fascinating.
Mary, a young recently-married teen, is depicted as the innocent pawn put into play by her calculating family with hopes to gain the attention of the young, virile king and secure a higher position for the family. Court politics decree that Mary is better suited for the task as she is already married and once the king has tired of her she can return to her husband. However, an unmarried maiden taken mistress would be "ruined" and unfit for marriage once discarded. What's more, Mary's husband doesn't dare speak out against the arrangement. Instead he must freely give his wife to the king and is compensated with a new title and land. The children she has from the "royal union" bear her husband's name. How generous.
And that's only the beginning. The book abounds with the constant rivalry between the sisters coupled with the unbreakable bond of familial unity, all witnessed within the setting of the strictly choreographed and often corrupt court.
As fascinating as it is to peek into this amazing world of court life with all its intrigue and outrageousness, it's also interesting to read about Mary and to follow her as she matures into a woman who discovers true happiness in the simple pleasures found with a loving and beloved spouse and children, free of the choking ambitions imposed on her by her greedy, power-hungry family.
Overall a delightful, hard-to-put-down novel.
Rating: 
Summary: Decent enough fiction -- don't mistake it for history
Review: This is a light read -- two dimensional characters and a heavy dose of anachronism -- and it's easy to get sucked into believing this is "as it was." But this is NOT an accurate portrayal of Anne Boleyn. In fact, I couldn't help but feel a little depressed at how such an educated, passionate, courageous, ahead-of-her-time woman was treated in this novel. Gregory's portrait is of little more than a pathological sadist bent on achieving her goals at all costs. Talk about subtle characterization -- the author practically slaps you in the face every other page with the sibling rivalry theme! Anyone wishing to learn the truth about Anne after should check out Eric Ive's biography -- and in the meantime take this for what it is: Fiction.
Rating:
Summary: Great read
Review: I have not read much historical fiction and never would have come across this novel but for the recommendations of some acquaintances. I LOVED it! Fascinating subject and engrossing fictionalized account.
Rating:
Summary: Eloquently Informative
Review: One of the best books I have ever read. Once I opened the first page, my life started to revolve around this book. I stopped watching TV altogether because it was so riveting. I have read very few historical fiction pieces, but after this, I will read many more. Beautifully written and wonderfully informative about the era and the way people lived at the King's Court. Incredible inside look into the lives of these prominent people.
Rating:
Summary: wonderful
Review: I haven't had much time to sit down and read any books lately, however this one fell into my lap while waiting in an airport of all places and i could not put it down! This is an amazing story. Everything from the setting to minor characters are beautifully nurtured. Well done.
Rating:
Summary: Absorbing and delightful
Review: I wasn't very familiar with the Tudor period and knew little about Anne Boleyn and Henry VIII, but this book had me engaged from the first page and was a fast read despite the 600+ length. From the characters and wardrobe to the activities that took place within the Royal Court, the author's descriptions were vivid and well detailed. Not being an historian, the book left lingering questions about the era that made me want to buy the text books. I disagree with one reviewer who said the book wrongly blames Anne Boleyn and is degrading to women. Gregory equally portrays King Henry as childish, selfish and incapable of truly loving someone other than himself. This book is "degrading" to those who put greed and ambition above love and virtue. This may sound harsh, but I found myself despising Anne Boleyn's character so much that I secretly delighted in knowing her fate ...
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