jesstootired 's review for:

The Boleyn Inheritance by Philippa Gregory

4.0

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This book is told from the point of view of three women: Lady Jane Boleyn of Rocheford, Anna of Cleves and Katherine Howard. Jane Boleyn was the wife of George Boleyn, who was the brother of the ill-fated Anne Boleyn. Anna of Cleves and Katherine Howard were the fourth & fifth wives of Henry VIII, respectively. I enjoyed this book immensely, especially the way it was told - alternating chapters in first person for each woman. The only argument that I would have is that Katherine Howard was not 16 at the time of her execution, but closer to 19 or 20 (a small difference), and I felt that Gregory made Howard a bit too immature and childish. I don't quite think that she was quite as stupid as she is made out to be in the book (she is convinced through most of her imprisonment that she will be allowed to return to Henry despite the fact that she is accused of treason and adultery, both of which Anne Boleyn were accused of as well). Other than that, I think that Gregory did a good job of creating the atmosphere of the late Tudor court, one which would have been very tense given the increasingly volatile nature of Henry.