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3.74 AVERAGE
3.74 AVERAGE
Whew, what a messed up time, best not to be noticed by the king if you were a pretty lady.
I was very close to finishing this audiobook, but the end of it is way too dark for me.
I think I was enjoying this book more than the others I listened from the same author, but listening in first personthe experience of people sentenced to death, especially one of a child, it's not something that I can really enjoy listening to...
I will check the historical facts on Wikipedia to know more about how things ended, but I don't think it's good to have a first person narrative of what happened... Too dark, too depressing... Even morbid, we could say.
I think I was enjoying this book more than the others I listened from the same author, but listening in first person
I will check the historical facts on Wikipedia to know more about how things ended, but I don't think it's good to have a first person narrative of what happened... Too dark, too depressing... Even morbid, we could say.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death
While I love this author's approach on historical events, I was disappointed in this text. The idea of providing the view points of the three women could have been played out more smoothly. Instead, it became repetitive, especially during major events. All women had similar thoughts or even repeated their exact thoughts only pages later. I became frustrated with the drag of the story and finally gave up, skimming to the end.
I really love Philippa Gregory. This is my least favorite book I've read of hers so far. It's good, but not great. I would say it's worth reading if you like her novels, just don't expect it to be the best.
slow-paced
adventurous
informative
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
emotional
informative
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Gregory writes such engaging historical fiction. Her ability to make historical figures so realistic, so believable, so vivid, makes her one of my favorite authors of historical fiction, if not one of my faves in general. I liked her use of three narrators, especially since two of them were unreliable (I love me some unreliable narrators). Jane Boleyn was a fabulous character. Someone said she seemed too scheming and cold to be believable, but I can think of a couple people I know, off the top of my head, who will say pretty much anything to save their necks. Who are self-absorbed to the point of narcissism. So Jane seemed pretty believable to me! I also loved Gregory's portrayal of Kitty Howard. That girl made me laugh out loud. She captured the vain airhead attitude perfectly.
I have two quibbles. Gregory has a tendency to beat one over the head on many points. Same thought or point, written four different ways, in four different chapters. When I read something for the fourth time, I get a little irritated. Other quibble, Anne of Cleves starts the book not knowing much of anything, having spent her entire life rather cloistered in (what is now) northern Germany, yet by the end of the book she is coolly commenting on the style on the French court (never went there!). It was an unbelievable transformation, and it seemed like Gregory had Anne be almost all-knowing by end so she could get some things said.
I just picked up The Constant Princess by the same author because I enjoyed this and The Other Boleyn Girl so much. I recommend this to any fan of historical fiction.
I have two quibbles. Gregory has a tendency to beat one over the head on many points. Same thought or point, written four different ways, in four different chapters. When I read something for the fourth time, I get a little irritated. Other quibble, Anne of Cleves starts the book not knowing much of anything, having spent her entire life rather cloistered in (what is now) northern Germany, yet by the end of the book she is coolly commenting on the style on the French court (never went there!). It was an unbelievable transformation, and it seemed like Gregory had Anne be almost all-knowing by end so she could get some things said.
I just picked up The Constant Princess by the same author because I enjoyed this and The Other Boleyn Girl so much. I recommend this to any fan of historical fiction.
adventurous
dark
hopeful
informative
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes