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nikkysturm's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
missbecca's review against another edition
dark
informative
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
keen23's review against another edition
3.0
Not as good as "The Other Boleyn Girl" but a decent historical fiction.
nickylizzy's review against another edition
informative
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
joyreadsinnc's review against another edition
5.0
Really enjoyed this book and the three different female perspectives it brings to the stories. Each are so different and intriguing.
stephaniesteen73's review against another edition
4.0
This book covers the part of Henry VIII's life that I knew little about: wives 4 and 5 (Anne of Cleves and Katherine Howard). All I can say is, I'm glad I didn't live in Tudor England. Absolute madness! Well-written and engaging...I felt sympathetic to all the main characters (Henry excepted).
outoftheblue14's review against another edition
4.0
The third book in the Tudor Court series, The Boleyn Inheritance focuses on Henry VIII's fourth and fifth wife: Anne of Cleves and Catherine Howard, as well as Jane Boleyn, duchess of Rochford and a prominet lady at the court. Anne of Cleves is a German duchess who has lived all her life under her brother's authority. She's happy to move away from him and to England, even though she doesn't speak the language.
After her wedding, however, Anne is disappointed: her husband is old and tired, and can't even manage to have intercourse with her. He considers her plain and undesirable, plus she obviosuly can't bring him an heir. Anne would like to live closer to little prince Edward and the princesses Mary and Elizabeth - but Henry considers Elizabeth a bastard, and Mary is also in disgrace.
Among the ladies at the queen's court, fifteen-year-old Catherine Howard (cousin of Anne Boleyn) is able to catch the king's eye with her beauty and flirting. The duke of Norfolk, Catherine's uncle, tries to take advantage of this fact in order to put Catherine on the throne, in order to gain power for the Howard family. He also has Jane Rochford at the court, in order to spy on the queen. In just a few months, the king divorces from Anne of Cleves and marries Catherine Howard instead. While Catherine keeps behaving flirtatiously, she has an affair with the king's valet and is accused of treason.
Told in the alternating point of views of three women very different from each other, The Boleyn Inheritance is tightly knit together. Anne of Cleves is innocent and naive. She escapes the accusations of witchcraft and ends up being considered a sort of duchess, a "sister" to the king. Jane Boleyn's accusations brought her husband and sister-in-law to the scaffold and she's always feeling remorse about it, even though she did it with the idea of saving her husband's life. She is cunning and astute, and following the instructions she receives from the duke of Norfolk. However, she os deceived by him in the end.
Catherine Howard is a silly, young girl. She's barely fifteen when she marries Henry. She's young and revels in her power over men, in the pretty dresses and jewels she receives from the king. Her past, however, quickly comes back to haunt her. She is accused of not being a virgin when she married the king, and also having an affair. This time, Jane Boleyn does not survive the scandal.
I love Philippa Gregory's writing, I love learning about the Tudor court. I will be reading the next books in the series.
After her wedding, however, Anne is disappointed: her husband is old and tired, and can't even manage to have intercourse with her. He considers her plain and undesirable, plus she obviosuly can't bring him an heir. Anne would like to live closer to little prince Edward and the princesses Mary and Elizabeth - but Henry considers Elizabeth a bastard, and Mary is also in disgrace.
Among the ladies at the queen's court, fifteen-year-old Catherine Howard (cousin of Anne Boleyn) is able to catch the king's eye with her beauty and flirting. The duke of Norfolk, Catherine's uncle, tries to take advantage of this fact in order to put Catherine on the throne, in order to gain power for the Howard family. He also has Jane Rochford at the court, in order to spy on the queen. In just a few months, the king divorces from Anne of Cleves and marries Catherine Howard instead. While Catherine keeps behaving flirtatiously, she has an affair with the king's valet and is accused of treason.
Told in the alternating point of views of three women very different from each other, The Boleyn Inheritance is tightly knit together. Anne of Cleves is innocent and naive. She escapes the accusations of witchcraft and ends up being considered a sort of duchess, a "sister" to the king. Jane Boleyn's accusations brought her husband and sister-in-law to the scaffold and she's always feeling remorse about it, even though she did it with the idea of saving her husband's life. She is cunning and astute, and following the instructions she receives from the duke of Norfolk. However, she os deceived by him in the end.
Catherine Howard is a silly, young girl. She's barely fifteen when she marries Henry. She's young and revels in her power over men, in the pretty dresses and jewels she receives from the king. Her past, however, quickly comes back to haunt her. She is accused of not being a virgin when she married the king, and also having an affair. This time, Jane Boleyn does not survive the scandal.
I love Philippa Gregory's writing, I love learning about the Tudor court. I will be reading the next books in the series.
nicholslaw's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0