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3.74 AVERAGE
3.74 AVERAGE
This book is about three young women: Jane Boleyn (George Boleyn's wife/Sister in law to Anne Boleyn), Anne of Cleves, and Katherine Howard. The book is well written, and very interesting. I haven't read much about Anne of Cleves or Katherine Howard- so I really enjoyed seeing her "take" on these ladies. My only objection to the book (but not enough to change my rating) was her early portrayal of Jane Boleyn. If you read "The Other Boleyn Girl" Jane Boleyn hates George, hates Anne, and would do anything to be rid of them. When you read this book, Jane Boleyn is distraught by the loss of George and fondly remembers him. Almost too many times, a chapter about her will begin with the exact same idea "We are at (name the place), the last time I was here with George I was so in love....." This idea was revisited enough that at one point I thought I had put my bookmark in the wrong spot, because I had already read it. Gregory writes dramatized history, which I understand, and enjoy reading very much- but when the same author writes about the same character in two VERY different ways, it is a little unsettling. It would be understandable if it was a different author portraying the same character two different ways. Anyway- it is a good book, and worth your time. I enjoyed it very much, just the two minor dings- which didn't hurt my overall rating.
I enjoyed The Other Boleyn Girl much more than this novel, and it's nothing but a mindless read. Maybe what bothered me most of all was the arching of The Other Boleyn Girl to this novel. Henry goes from being the most desirable man in all of England to one of the most feared, loathsome kings of all time. I guess I wanted to see that transition. Jane Seymour is left out of the story as queen, and I would have found that story to be the most fascinating. However, I was most compelled by Anne of Cleves story in this novel.
emotional
informative
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I'm a big fan of Phillips Gregory (I'm into saucy historical fiction!). This book was good--however the plot does not grab you like her other books and in all honesty, you could trim off about 75 pages to the book.
It was still a worth-while read--especially if you like to "learn" about King Henry VIII's wives and court.
It was still a worth-while read--especially if you like to "learn" about King Henry VIII's wives and court.
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Phillippa Gregory knows how to tell a good story, and she clearly revels in the dangers and complexities of the Tudor era. While not always historically accurate, they are terrific reads, and keep me turning pages until late in the night. I love the stories of Henry VIII and his six wives, and I love to read Phillippa Gregory!
Philippa Gregory's The Boleyn Inheritance picks up where The Other Boleyn Girl left off. Well, skipping the short marriage of Jane Seymour and the birth of her son, Edward. The Boleyn Inheritance shows the changes that have come about because of the interfering Boleyn's and their cousins the Howards. We read about the marriage and annulment of Henry VIII to Anne of Cleves as well as the consequent marriage to Anne Boleyn's much younger cousin, and my second favorite wife, Kitty Howard.
I enjoyed The Boleyn Inheritance, but it's a little more like short stories put together than Gregory's other works. I would have liked her to delve more into the characters and given these wives their own novels as well, although I can understand why she chose not to. Writing takes much longer than reading, and Gregory prides herself on doing actual research. This could have gotten very tedious. Or maybe there wasn't enough truth out there, just rumors or unreliable accounts. or perhaps she just had other ideas she was anxious to get to work on. So I understand why the book may be set up like it is, but it made it harder to get into the work and get to know the characters. Regardless, it's an enjoyable historical fiction. If you like Henry VIII's life as I do, give it a go!
http://jaymesbookreviews.blogspot.com/
I enjoyed The Boleyn Inheritance, but it's a little more like short stories put together than Gregory's other works. I would have liked her to delve more into the characters and given these wives their own novels as well, although I can understand why she chose not to. Writing takes much longer than reading, and Gregory prides herself on doing actual research. This could have gotten very tedious. Or maybe there wasn't enough truth out there, just rumors or unreliable accounts. or perhaps she just had other ideas she was anxious to get to work on. So I understand why the book may be set up like it is, but it made it harder to get into the work and get to know the characters. Regardless, it's an enjoyable historical fiction. If you like Henry VIII's life as I do, give it a go!
http://jaymesbookreviews.blogspot.com/
Ok this is definitely my least favorite of hers so far. The sad part is it had so much potential because I really enjoyed it being told by the three different viewpoints. However, it was very repetitive and Kitty Howard was beyond annoying, I wanted to smack her around quite a bit.
Unlike others, I enjoyed The Boleyn Inheritance more than The Constant Princess and The Other Boleyn Girl. I thought that the characters were well-developed and the back and forth between narrators kept my interest. If, like in the other novels, the narrator had just been one of the women, I think I would not have enjoyed it so much. At first, I was dismayed by the disjointedness between the characterization of Jane Boleyn in The Other Boleyn Girl and then in this book; however, I was pleasantly surprised to find that this disjointedness was, in the end, a device to highlight the denial and deluded nature of Jane.
PS: I find it repeatedly hilariously (and enraging) that individuals find these books too 'sexy.' They need some adventures in their life. The sex scenes in Gregory books are quite tame.
PS: I find it repeatedly hilariously (and enraging) that individuals find these books too 'sexy.' They need some adventures in their life. The sex scenes in Gregory books are quite tame.