A review by sammyemma
Anne Boleyn: A King's Obsession by Alison Weir

emotional informative reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

This book offered a good fictionalisation of Anne Boleyn’s famous story in the Tudor Court. Though it lacked the depth and emotion that I had enjoyed so thoroughly in the first instalment of this series: Katherine of Aragon: The True Queen. The storytelling could feel rushed in places and I did not feel the same level of understanding and connection to the Queen. Whilst Weir makes it clear in the Author’s Notes that fewer letters and reliable sources exist to form a true depiction of Anne’s character, Weir’s decision to take an unbiased and vague view point does feel quite detrimental to her retelling of Anne’s story. For example, I finished the book without a clear idea of what Anne’s true motives were: ambition, love, religious reform, pride?
I would still strongly recommend this book but it was markedly lower in my esteem compared to the opening book in the series.
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