Book Review: The Other Boleyn Girl

Author: Philippa Gregory
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Reviewed by: Kath

We all know the famous Boleyn girl, don't we? The one who married King Henry VIII after his famous divorce (which led to his rejection of the authority of the Pope in Rome and ultimately the creation of the Anglican Church) and ended rather -- ah, shall we say -- badly? She's famous for saying (as she was being led to the scaffold) "I heard say the executioner was very good, and I have a little neck".

I refer, of course, to Anne Boleyn, second and most famous of Henry VIII's six wives, first to be beheaded, and mother of Elizabeth I, arguably one of England's greatest and most famous monarchs.

But what about her sister, Mary? Many wouldn't know that Mary Boleyn (Anne's older sister but portrayed in the novel as her younger sister) was Henry VIII's mistress well before Henry ever set eyes on Anne. Interesting historical fact, no? Two sisters, the same powerful lover...you can see where it might lead...and this is where Philippa Gregory's novel (due to be released in film version in February 2008) takes off.

Through the eyes of Mary, the lesser known of the two sisters, Gregory paints a remarkably vivid picture of the glamourous Tudor court and the inevitable sibling rivalry as Henry's interest in Mary wanes and Anne is manoevred in by The Family to take her place in Henry's bed and, incredibly, on the throne.

Historically accurate enough, Gregory still takes a good deal of creative license (this is historical fiction, after all folks), and the result is a page-turningly vivid yet authentic snapshot of a remarkable family in Europe's most exciting court. In the end, readers will identify with and cheer for Mary who, as a woman in Tudor England, was nothing more than a pawn for her family's political ambitions, yet nonetheless managed to break free of her bondage, follow her heart, and survive where her royal sister did not.

My opinion? I loved this book; read it twice in a row, then ran out and read its (then) sequel: The Queen's Fool (also twice!). Since I first read The Other Boleyn Girl and The Queen's Fool, Philippa Gregory has written three other books in this loose "series": The Constant Princess (about Katherine of Aragon), The Boleyn Inheritance (about Anne of Cleves and Katherine Howard, Henry VIII's 3rd and 4th wives, respectively) and The Virgin's Lover (about Elizabeth I and Robert Dudley).

Shoud you read it? Emphatically, yes. I say run, don't walk to get your hands on this book. Due to the impending movie release, copies will be hard to come by at your local library, but I've never felt that buying a book was a waste of money. Even if you're not a re-reader like me, you can give the book to someone else when you're done.

Have you read it? If so, let the rest of us know what you thought! Rate The Other Boleyn Girl below.

About the reviewer: Kath is an urbanmoms.ca staffer and blogger AND an avid reader. Check out her weight loss blog, Losing It right here on urbanmoms.ca, and her brand-spanking-new indie blog, This Is Kat.

Comments

[Bronnie]

I totally loved this book too! Read it in about a week. Couldn't put it down.

[Jen Maier]

Anne - I am SO sorry to hear about your mom. It is amazing that books have brought so much to your relationship with your mom. Every time you pick up a good book you will think of her. As my "little" sister who is a palliative care nurse always reminds us "while there is dying there is living". Cherish this time with your mom.

[ali]

i have been wanting to read this for a while...i just started...am reading the last 100 pages of middlesex before really getting into it. i'll let you know what i think!!

[Anne]

Jen - I read "Clan of the Cave Bear" way back when as well. After reading your post I got to thinking about how important reading was in my family. I was required to "Go To Bed" at 9PM most nights right through High School...unless I was at work. As I got older it did not mean I had to go to sleep but I was pretty much expected to retire to my room. I had wise parents, they realized they needed time to themselves and that I was not going to gain anything by watching TV with them late at night.

Basically from Grade 2 the rule was I could stay up as late as I wanted to as long as I was reading. :-) Sneaky Mom. Of course I wanted to stay up late and be a big girl...so I would read till my eyes did not let me read anymore. I plowed through books at an incredible rate.

My parents had another rule. I was certainly not allowed to watch movies that were too grown up for me. But... I could read WHATEVER I wanted. And I asked my Mom and Dad questions about what I read. Lots of very interesting conversations started with the words... "I'm reading Judy Bloom and..." I specifically remember the day I asked my Mom as she was preparing Spanish Rice A Roni (the San Fransico Treat), "I'm Reading Judy Bloom and what is a wet dream?" LOL

She paused looked around the kitchen at my younger siblings and replied "I think we'll have to discuss this together after dinner." Which we did.

Many of my teacher were shocked at what I was allowed to read...on more than one occasion they required me to bring a note from home from a parent approving what I was reading. Often they were books my mom had finished and I had picked up.

I'm still trying to catch up on my "Mom Says Read This" list. This summer I read "Cheseapeake" by James Mitchner. And at the moment I have "Ancient Evenings" by Norman Mailer on the night stand. I find my self desperate lately to try to get through the books mom has recommended over the years.

You see my Mom was diagnosed with Stage 4 lung and brain cancer this past May. And, to be quite frank, time is running short and there are still too many books to read and discuss. So I'm trying to get through "Ancient Evenings" and when she comes to visit this month I'll pass my "I, Elizabeth" to her. And when she's gone I'll treasure the gift of the love of reading she gave to me. I'll read on in hopes that when we meet again they will have the latest good book in the after world as well.

[Jen Maier]

Wouldn't it be nice if our 15 year old daughters wanted to read only sweet and innocent Anne? I read The Clan of the Cave Bear around that age which was not only semi soft-porn but not even well written. I LOVED it. I also read Wifey when I was 11. I think I turned out OK...happily married and (relatively) normal. It is great that your daughter is reading, in my opinion. I don't think a book or a show is going to change who she has become over the last 15 years. Hopefully the fact that you read it too means that you can have a conversation about some of the unrealistic and over the top components critical to a good read.

[Anne]

I totally sympathize with Dianne's comment about wanting our daughters to read Anne of Green Gables instead of A glorified Harlequin Romance...but..

I was reading Steven King's book "Carrie" at her age and that was 20 years ago! (Um Oh Uh Darn I suddenly realized it was closer to 30...I'll be dwelling on that for the rest of the day...sigh...)

I was reading books like "Anne of GG" and "Little House on the Prairie" books around age 10.

Sadly 15 is not such a tender age these days. We can try to force the matter but unless you keep her locked up in a tower...but alas tis not 1520 anymore.

I have not read this book but read Rosalind Miles book "I, Elizabeth" this summer and enjoyed it very much. It seems like it was a bit more true to the facts? Guessing really since I am just going by this review and have not read the book yet. Still fiction though...told by Elizabeth herself.

I love the way the author wrote Elizabeth's thoughts. One of my favorite lines is when Elizabeth and her council decide to fight Spain...You turn the page and she writes..."Oh, God, Money! Amor et pecunia...Love and Money." She was always having to worry about where she was getting money and what strings it would come with." Don't we all have days like that!

Was disappointed with the Latest Elizabeth Movie, They left Robin out all together. Am enjoying CBC Tutors series...a guilty pleasure to be sure.

Am finding myself strangely interested in acquiring a tiara. Even poked around on Ebay a bit. Might just where it around the house.

[Heather]

While I found the premise of the story interesting, I found that Gregory's style was a little long. I felt the story could have been told in a shorter book. There were places when the pace of the story was lagging.

[Dianne Wood]

I felt forced into reading this book because my 15 year old daughter is into Gregory's books and anything Tudor. She reads them over and over and over.
While it certainly was a page turner, well written, intriguing, do we really want our daughters reading this stuff? I would prefer my daughter to read books that fill her mind with good things, more along the line of the Anne of Green Gable's series, instead of this smut.
Sure this book is full to the brim with description, a sensual explosion, a study in love, hate, strength, treachery, deceit, cunning, wit and intelligence, but I would rather my daughter at this tender age have better role examples in her stories.
With the CBC's Tudors series, and all these books on their lives, it is hard for parents to present their daughters with a good model of all that a love life and marriage can be instead of all we do not want it to be.
This is just another well written Harlequin if you ask me, soft porn. Really Mary is better forgotten, she was a harlot, not what I want for my daughter.