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What are readers saying about Other Boleyn Girl, the (Boleyn)?
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A Reader posted a review at 2008-07-12 04:33:18.
(Language: English)
 
This is a fictionalized historical account of some years at Henry VIII's court, the people and dates are real, their thoughts and feelings are made up. My first comment would be that this book is freakishly long, halfway through I was looking for the end, but then I guess that fits since it is two stories, two sisters' stories. Throughout the story is dark, and I'll warn you about language and sexual content, but at the end it gets worse, and I had mixed feelings. What I loved about the book is the honest look at the relationship between sisters. Clearly, it is not as extreme for all sisters, but I do think there is some truth that while sisters love each other, they will always be in competition. There can only be one sister who is the better, more favored, and while you rejoice at your sister's accomplishments because you love her dearly, you always strive to best her.
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A Reader posted a review at 2008-09-01 10:28:58.
(Language: English)
The Other Boleyn Girl is a historical fiction piece narrated from Mary Boleyn, and younger sister of Anne Boleyn, the second wife (and later the beheaded wife) of King Henry VIII. It gives a glimpse of the drive of the Tudor families, and their willingness to do anything to obtain power within the royal family. Mary Boleyn, a girl of only fourteen, and already married, finds that she is the object of King Henry VII's attention, and must become his lover for the advancement of the Boleyn family. This always wavering attention of the King later falls upon her older sister, Anne, whose seduction and drive eventually leads her (head) to the chopping block.Part fiction, part history, this book is a captivating read that I couldn't put down. A great trashy quick read. You might even get some history while you're at it too!
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A Reader posted a review at 2007-11-05 12:29:16.
(Language: English)
Historical fiction set in King Henry VIII's court. The story is narrated by Mary Boleyn, the lesser-known sister of the famous Anne Boleyn, once Queen of England, who was beheaded for treason and adultry. I enjoyed reading this book, especially given my predilection for history. Mary is an engaging narrator throughout the novel, taking us through the intrigues, romances, ambition, scandal and treachery of the Tudor court during the reign of Henry VIII. Just keep in mind that although the story is based on actual people/places/events etc. this is a work of FICTION! So don't take it all too literally :o) If you do your own research on the topic you'll see how the author has taken creative license to create a fascinating story around the facts (and you'll also discover that the Tudor court was indeed full of drama, even if not to the extent presented in this novel :o)) Overall an entertaining read and I'll certainly be picking up more of Philippa Gregory's books.
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A Reader posted a review at 2010-08-13 08:08:34.
(Language: English)
This was a "guilty pleasure" choice of mine that ended up being more guilty than pleasure. There was a fun, seductive element. The palace intrigue, the royal love life... But in general it was too drawn out and insubstantial. I did find myself drawn to the protagonist, but not until nearly half-way through the book when Gregory really starts pulling at those mother's heartstrings. Most of my enjoyment is closely connected to my interest in history. Without the historical connections, which I'll admit Philippa Gregory does a splendid job of incorporating into narrative, this would have been nothing but a bit of fluff.
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A Reader posted a review at 2009-07-20 07:51:29.
(Language: English)
Full of secrets, betrayal, scheming, love and plotting this book had everything you need for a good old drama, I could hardly put it down but with books that I enjoy I take my time a savor it and definitely did with this. I never expected this book to be historically accurate and has been criticized for it, but it does have the well known historical events put in it and for most that's good enough I always found history boring as they skipped over the details and into the main points while this throws you into the world of the royal Tudor court and the story telling is spell binding you find yourself reading till the early hours of the morning (like I did) just to find out whats going to happen next. There is some descriptive sexual text with in this but not so graphic that it becomes smut or porn but it sets the mood, some might find this a bit too graphic for there tastes. Overall I loved this book and a bit sad that I finished it so will have to read it again at some point and I rarely re-read my books, and made me fall in love with the romance of it all. Overall I loved this book and a bit sad that I finished it so will have to read it again at some point and I rarely re-read my books, and made me fall in love with the romance of it all. Probably not the best book if you know your history or like historical accuracies as this is a hugely embellished book and I don't think the events are correct thou from the small research I did nothing is for sure. But the story wins above all and if like a good story and not fussy over the details then this a book I would recommend.
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A Reader posted a review at 2009-02-20 02:44:43.
(Language: English)
Contrary to poular belief, this book is about as far from the actual history as is possible. Only the character names and some vague events are the same. I would not recommend it for people who tend to believe everything they read about in fiction books. It does, however, make for a good fiction romance story, if you treat it as something that never happened.Gosh. For someone claiming to write "historical fiction", Philippa Gregory does a hell of a lot to warp, twist, and otherwise destroy the story of Anne and Mary. I see no reason why the story needs to be totally re-written because it is fascinating already! To think how many people actually believe that this is what happened...it's sad.
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A Reader posted a review at 2007-12-05 11:23:22.
(Language: English)
I was excited to find this for $1 at the library sale, because I'd been meaning to learn more about the life of Mary Boleyn after seeing Anne of the Thousand Days. I don't know why I didn't take into account the fact that life for women during Mary Boleyn's time was pretty dull. Not keen on what Gregory chose to do with the characters of Mary and Anne, although a lot of the more minor ones are interesting and well-realized, including, ironically, Henry's other two wives. And she seems to be attempting an overall feminist message (women as property = bad) which she undercuts with blatant Madonna vs. Whore characterizations and, SPOILER ALERT, making Queen Anne guilty of all the charges brought against her. All in all, though, it was a good plane read, and will probably make a decent Tudor flick - albeit one better suited to Natalie Portman than Genevieve Bujold.
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eva posted a review at 2011-05-07 06:56:03.
(Language: English)
I can't quite explain why I like her series of books. On the surface I'd say I have no interest in historical fiction, but I mean we all kinda know a little bit about all of those wives and how some were killed, but we forget. This offers a sort of behind the scenes look (although fictional) but maybe could have happened. It weaves actual events with created situations and dialogue well. I liked this on the best.
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A Reader posted a review at 2011-04-15 08:53:38.
(Language: English)
Fantastic! The story of Anne Boleyn and King Henry VIII, told from Anne's sister Mary's point of view. This book is what I call "faction" -- historical facts mixed with a little fiction. The fiction was basically the private conversations, the perceived motivations & thoughts... but the end result, as we all know, was the beheading of the Queen of England. This author, Philippa Gregory, has quickly become a favorite of mine. I'm looking forward to reading more of her works.
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A Reader posted a review at 2008-09-11 09:25:46.
(Language: English)
It is amazing to travel to this world and see it from the perspective of a member of the royal court, a role I never had spent any brain cells imagining. Think of a man as powerful as a king of England, remember the Asian emperors and their concubines... Interesting to imagine how a woman could plot to catch, and hold, a powerful man with an ego the size of Europe! Then imagine plotting to get him to give up his queen and church for you. Of course she had to sell her soul to achieve it! So interesting, themes of feminism, the use and abuse of power, and to be right in the thick of "the big dogs." Much better to be a spectator than a player, I think. And yet, we all play these kinds of games on a much smaller scale... Do we have to? Should we?
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A Reader posted a review at 2008-03-29 10:36:11.
(Language: English)
I was unusually intrigued when I saw the movie trailer some weeks ago. Perhaps because I'd always liked actress Natalie Portman, or that Eric Bana looked pretty cool in the movie. Perhaps the costumes and the English royal accents did it for me. Whatever the reason, I have not regretted the buy. It made me sleepless on the flight home. Never have I ever dreamt of myself reading a historical novel, let alone enjoying every single detail of it and wishing it'll never end. As I flipped the pages, I imagine the drama unfold visually. Never mind the historical inaccuracies, the novel is a delight to read. Think royal extravagances, bitchy and scheming characters, unforbidden love and relationships, sisterly rivalry, sex and betrayals. Imagine them all in posh English accents. Wow - so juicy, what is there not to like?! I would certainly recommend this to anyone. Awesome!
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A Reader posted a review at 2008-02-08 11:06:20.
(Language: English)
This is not the first time I've read this book. I read it when it first came out and I loved it so much I went out and read most of Gregory's other books. I say most because I couldn't bring myself to read that Wildacre series of Romance-fantasy garbage. At any rate, Gregory does a fantastic job with this book. Her characters are interesting and relatable - which is hard to accomplish given some 500 years of social and political change. I mean you have to read it with a grain of salt. Yes it's historical fiction but FICTION is the operative word. She's very good at keeping to the correct timeline, her knowledge of customs and social activities is top notch and she get the major historical events correct. Everything else is entirely out of her own imagination. The story is wonderful though and it makes you feel almost like you're a part of the Tudor court. If you're looking for a good story or are intrigued with this time period, read it, you'll love it!
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A Reader posted a review at 2010-06-09 11:42:51.
(Language: English)
Awesome book. As someone who is fascinated by Anne Boyeln and has admired her tenacity and use of sexuality, knowledge and politics to gain such power in an all man's world, I really enjoyed how Gregory wrote this book from her sister's angle. That said, she portrays Anne as a very ruthless and almost horrible person, especially towards her sister. I'm not sure really what Anne was like, but personally, I could identify between both sister's aspirations, particularly this day in age. Anne was ambitious but Mary simply wanted to reside in the countryside with her family, which is all she needed to be happy. Even at that time, it was expected from Mary to give that up for family and personal ambitions. Interestingly, Mary fought hard to justify her own personal happiness and simplicity of that happiness and way of life she wanted. This books definitely parallels what a lot of women today seem to go through in our modern society, full of expectations.
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Carolyn Joy posted a review at 2010-03-22 10:17:31.
(Language: English)
It was tragic. I didn't like it for that reason, but to give credit to the author, this book was expertly written. Philippa Gregory made a convincing plot, weaved fact and fiction, and I was really carried away. This is the third novel I read from the author and I wasn't expecting it to be harsh. I read for entertainment, and I really felt the sorrow, the pain, and the angst while reading this book. It's 90% tragedy, and 10% redemption. Even though things turned out well for Mary, those events didn't compensate the heavy tone of the book. To sum it up, the author's account of Mary Boleyn coincided with historical facts or probably suppositions, because no one really knows, right? Mary was described as prettier than her sister Anne, but the latter is more cunning and ambitious. Everything was, I can't say exaggerated, but extreme. They weren't really family, but pawns in a game being played by their Uncle. Anne was evil incarnate and she got what she gave, it's a perfect example of karma. Mary on the other hand, was the epitome of contentment. I didn't expect the homosexuality and incest, it was discreetly implied. I appreciated the author's writing style, it was fluent and effective given the first person point of view. I read it until the end just to get it over with, and because of this I'd rest from reading her novels. I wasn't really entertained, I was disturbed. This is one of the books that slowed my reading pace.
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A Reader posted a review at 2008-12-16 10:22:44.
(Language: English)
As a big fan of historical fiction, and also a big fan of Tudor history, particularly Anne Boleyn, I was quite excited to pick up this novel that focused on the forgotten tale of Mary Boleyn. It makes a good, light read, as long as it is not taken seriously. It is enjoyable for perhaps a reader that is ignorant of the tale of Anne Boleyn, but if they are unfamiliar, they are going to go away with a very dark picture of Henry VIII’s most famous wife. The research surrounding the everyday lives of the courtiers is thorough and convincing, as are the details of the buildings, landscape and costumes. The main problem with this novel is that Gregory is clutching at straws to come up with a story for Mary and fleshing her out as a character, and as such, sacrifices Anne’s character as a two-dimensional super bitch. Mary is characterised as her opposite, but is problematically modernised for the modern reader. Many of Mary’s reactions to situations are completely out of context. Gregory would have done a better job to have made her a woman of her time and made us understand her in her own contemporary society, that way; we would have truly been drawn into their world. The depiction of Anne is awful to put it mildly. It makes her out to be guilty of the worst crimes, and that her fate was deserved. She is made out to be a truly selfish person, concentrating only on herself, and that any charm that she had was not her natural personality, but a complete act. I know this is fiction, but I think an author has a responsibility when writing about someone who was a real person. This is a clear insult to her memory. Anne spent much of her time studying theology, as a patron to the arts and to religious figures she had sympathy for, and did endless work for the poor. Of course nobody is perfect, but at least add gray to the palette, not complete black or white. And Gregory has taken almost every single exciting rumour and scandal that have since proved false by historians and fitted it into her plot to make a wild Eastender’s episode. The film adaptation of this novel, starring Natalie Portman as Anne Boleyn and Scarlett Johansson as her sister Mary, should be avoided. Despite the terrible representation of both Anne and Mary (she is a little too perfect) I wouldn’t call this novel anti-feminist or misogynistic as many critics have been branding this novel (though Gregory does seem to have something against ambition, though she depicts it as a destructive force for both men and women). The problem with feminist critics is that they focus too much on the representation of just women and not the men, but it seems very clear to me that the men do no better in this novel. If you know you would not take this novel too seriously, then I think it would be enjoyable for you. It is an easy accessible read, and has a lot to offer on every day Tudor life, and it may pull you in to do some of your own research in non-fiction books. Just as long as you do not go away thinking that this story has any truth in it besides from the obvious. On a side note I have also seen the film, and will briefly say that while this book may be worth some of your time, the film most certainly is not.
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A Reader posted a review at 2009-11-08 06:52:26.
(Language: English)
As I read this book it quickly became a favorite! Mystery, sex, family dynamics, money, love, lust, power, politics... It has it all. To think it's based on real people who lived in time so long ago made me a new fan of the genre "historical fiction," which I had not given a thought to before I found this book. The women faced such struggles and hardship, and were so often able to find and claim their own power in a time before many other women had done so. This book is a page-turner that will have you searching for more great historical fiction, especially by Philippa Gregory (although none of her other books even comes close to this one!).
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A Reader posted a review at 2010-12-01 12:36:53.
(Language: Italian)
Nel libro che narra le vicissitudini di due sorelle che si contendono la posizione più ambita nella corte inglese non può passare inosservato di certo il peso della Storia. Essere nella corte di Enrico VIII e vivere insieme ai protagonisti il momento della storia inglese che forse ha deciso il futuro di un'intera nazione, osservare le mosse attente di un'oculata ascesa sociale che non guarda in faccia ai sentimenti, assistere impotenti alla distruzione di una famiglia e alla fine (forse non del tutto fondata) della regina Anna Bolena. Ma nonostante corruzione, manipolazioni e violenza, l'amore puro e sincero sembra esistere ancora. Maria Bolena sceglie la sua strada e si scopre che alla fine l'umiltà è l'unico valore che conta davvero e rende le persone degne di essere amate davvero. Un secolo lontano, sconvolgente per certi versi, ma non troppo differente dai nostri giorni.
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A Reader posted a review at 2007-06-22 09:46:36.
(Language: English)
The Other Boleyn Girl – Phillippa Gregory I found this book quite by accident at a fundraising book sale at the museum in Jasper over the summer – and wow am I ever glad I did! As with most people I know the basic story of Ann Boleyn… second wife of Henry VIII, the English king notorious for his love of beheading wives. That her ghost still wanders the halls of the Tower of London and all that jazz. But did you ever wonder about what happened before the famous separation of her head from her body? I never did… until this book. Historical fiction, if done well, has no substitute, and this is one of those. Phillippa Gregory is an amazing author who has brought the world of the English court of the Tudor era (in the 1500s) to life. The ways of life, the social statuses, the strict caste system and how people got around all of it is relayed beautifully in these pages. Written from the point of view of the ‘other Boleyn girl’, Anne’s younger sister Mary the story follows the pair who both love each other and regard each other as fierce rivals for the King’s attention and their place in the royal court. Following actual recorded history well, the author recounts Mary’s life starting as a 12-year-old bride arranged by her family to the King’s mistress and on through the next 15 years while Ann rises to power, eventually becomes Queen, and ultimately loses her head to treason. The interesting part is that Ann’s story is only half of the tale. The rest of the story belongs to Mary: her life, her children, how she views the world, the rules, the King, her sister and a myriad of things. Every day life is examined through her eyes and is captured well. This novel had me completely enthralled. The style of writing is relaxing while compelling and the story intriguing from the very first page. I would recommend this book to anyone interested in bringing history to life and enjoying the world as it once was.
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A Reader posted a review at 2008-03-04 10:52:15.
(Language: English)
Feeds you a nice taste of tudor culture as it weaves you through the threads of history. I happened to read it while living in England, and a vivid imagination can really let you visualize thier life as you travel the country (standing in the dusty road to Windsor Castle and feeling the ground rumble as the court passes by on their horses, lined up in order of importance mind you; Queen Katherine standing in a window, out of favour, watching but not participating in the lawn bowling games; going off for a hunt in the crisp air of Hyde Park; over-hearing conversations between the bishop and the chancellor while lingering on castle walkways; escapes to Hever Gardens). Something about getting caught up in a book when you're actually living in the same location, it's amazing...I will say when I put the book down though, I was THANKFUL for the way we live life now: with the notion that individual people matter, that you choose your career and lifestyle, that everyone has rights, and that you are loved for being... individually yourself. Thank God for lives with purpose. :)
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A Reader posted a review at 2008-09-23 10:12:36.
(Language: English)
This is the type of book written for those whose typical literary repertoire consists of cheap romance novels picked up at the last minute in the drugstore while waiting for hormone replacement therapy or related drug to try to spice up one's every day existance. Or because the reader is stuck in the airport on their second layover and can't bear the thought of yet another uber censored boring in-flight movie. You get the picture. For some odd reason, however, this book kept my interest, and I ended up enjoying it thoroughly. It's written in a more intellectual style than most writings of its genre and takes the reader down a historically accurate path that, until now, hasn't received much popular attention. Readers know what's going to happen at the end, but it's getting there that is half the excitement.
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A Reader posted a review at 2007-09-06 03:03:47.
(Language: English)
PLEASE!!!! You are not learning about history when you read this book. This is FICTION!!! I loved this book. I ripped right through it. But it is NOT an historical account of the life of Mary Boleyn. Some of the players are the same, but the events are not true to fact. Please do not read this book thinking you are learning something about history. If you want to learn about history you need to read non-fiction. Good interesting read - The history teacher in me needed to push past the glaring historical inaccuracies and just enjoy the story. It's a fast and fun read, but please please please please do not for a moment assume that it has much basis in historical fact. Some things to keep in mind as you read the book: Yes – Mary Boleyn was a mistress of Henry VIII. NOOOOOOOO he did not father any of her children. Her first child, a daughter, Catherine Carey was born before her affair with the king began. She had long been discarded as a mistress when she became pregnant with her second child, a son, Henry Carey. There is no evidence that Henry Carey was the king’s biological son and documents from the period clearly pinpoint Henry's birth in March 1526 by which time the affair is believed to have ended. Also, had the boy been Henry VIII's bastard, the child more than likely would have been legitimized as was Henry Fitzroy, Duke of Richmond. Mary's marriage to William Stafford was very real. He was a commoner and she was banished from court by Anne and disowned by her family. Eventually it was Anne that provided them with gold, but refused to allow them to court. There is no evidence that Catherine Carey served Anne during her imprisonment in the Tower. On the contrary, what is known is that Mary and William kept well away from her disgraced relatives. Enjoy The Other Boleyn Girl for what it is as I did. An interesting clever story. When you're done take a moment to read about the life of the real Mary Boleyn. She's really quite fascinating!!!
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A Reader posted a review at 2009-02-08 03:27:15.
(Language: English)
worst book ever. seriously. the same things happen over and over and over again. nothing ever changes. this may be symbolic of the time, but i think it's actually just bad writing. the author spends very little time on the very dramatic stuff, such as the execution of anne boleyn (which got roughly a page and barely any dramatic lead up), and spends excessive amounts of paper telling us how mary is sad she's betraying the queen, and how they dress up and dance for the king, and how mary needs to go see her children in the summer. these three things (and more) happen in a cycle about every 60 pages. my mum told me it read like a soap opera and it does, but only in the way it repeats itself. don't read it. it's seriously crap.
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Karen Lee posted a review at 2009-12-13 03:08:37.
(Language: English)
It is fiction based on the court of Henry VIII. The important word in that last sentence is “fiction”. I think a lot of people tend to forget that this is NOT a biography, it is only a story. The author has taken some well known events, such as the beheading on Anne Boleyn, and then has decided which version of events she wanted to write about and built a story around them. Reading this book made me want to research the true events and, from my quick research, I discovered that the timeline was as accurate as it could be because no one knows exactly when the Boleyn sisters were born or if Mary’s two older children were in fact the king’s. They are not sure which sister was the eldest. There is a rumour that Mary had another son. There are conflicting stories about most of the period so the author of this book has made a decision and stuck with it. I commend her. She has made an interesting story out of muddled events. I know that she has used creative licence in many places throughout the book to fill in gaps and smooth out uncertainties. And I commend her for that too because she did a good job. The Other Boleyn Girl is a good story. It stirred my curiosity enough to make me research the real people. There were parts that felt a bit long winded and repetitive, but there were a lot of years to get through and these sections (or scenes) were short. When I wasn’t reading, I found myself thinking about the characters and setting, and looking forward to seeing what would come next. I enjoyed the story enough to pick up The Boleyn Inheritance (the sequel) immediately after finishing the book and continued reading (which is something I never do as I prefer to have a short break, at least, between volumes). History buffs will only enjoy this book if they remember it is fiction. If they want the facts then they should be reading non-fiction. Everyone else will have mixed reactions, because as humans we all have different tastes. I enjoyed the book and will recommend it.
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A Reader posted a review at 2007-10-02 11:01:32.
(Language: English)
This book would have been fine if I'd been looking for a brainless romance novel, but it's not great historical fiction. Maybe it was spoiled for me by actually knowing something about the Tudor court. Anywhere history is uncertain, Gregory picks the most sensational possibility and runs with it, which is a disappointing choice, because there's enough drama in that story without trying to invent some. Additionally, it means that all the actors do at least one thing that seems out of character. The writing is a bit overwrought, the characterizations are all too black-and-white, and the feminist ideals Mary is constantly spouting are unrealistic for the time and very distracting. They seem like a cop-out, too: If you can't make readers like your protagonist without her waving a big sign that says, "See? I'm just like you!" maybe you should rethink your approach. All in all, a poor imitation of Alison Weir, whose biographies and historical fiction I strongly recommend to anyone who liked this book.
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A Reader posted a review at 2007-06-12 10:38:48.
(Language: English)
The Woman Who Would Be Queen One of the many historical fiction pieces out in the market today, The Other Boleyn Girl stands out in my mind as one of the early and better originals of the genre. Based on the rise of Anne Boleyn to power and her eventual downfall/execution, Ms. Gregory retells the story from the point of view of Anne's lesser known (and considerably less scheming) sister, Mary. Not being an English historian or student myself, I knew little of Tudor England prior to reading this, but the author's rich style of writing makes the whole story quite engaging. Certain aspects of the book obviously draw from historical fact(character names, placenames like Hever Castle, significant events like Henry VIII's conversion to Protestantism, etc), but I'm pretty sure Ms. Gregory took some creative licenses with the bulk of the narrative. On the whole, a very decent and entertaining read. For an interesting exercise, read The Secret Diary of Anne Boleyn by Robin Maxwell right after this one.
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