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A review by allyriadayne
Mary Boleyn: The Mistress of Kings by Alison Weir
3.0
It took me such a long time to read this book, I really don't understand why. This was my first non fiction book by Alison Weir, I firstly read her historical fiction book about Lady Jane Grey, [b:Innocent Traitor|111218|Innocent Traitor|Alison Weir|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1388228144s/111218.jpg|910444], which I liked a lot even thought I though her writing was too dense. In this one, it happened the same but her writing style fits much better with non fiction.
I did not know much about Mary Boleyn before, but I've always been interested in her because she was Anne Boleyn's sister, I wanted to know how was their relationship, with Mary been one of King Henry's former mistress before Anne married him, though, it was ratter bittersweet to know the reality of it.
One of the problems I have with this book was that like any other "secondary" female in history, Alison Weir did not have much to work with. Only two letters survive of Mary and what is what most people know her for (Henry's mistress) was conducted discreetly or simply there isn't record of her at court at that time. i would say 60% of the book was not about Mary Boleyn, but about the people close to her: Her two husbands, her children, Anne and the rest of the Boleyn family and what passing mention of her in letters and reports is still left. It left me more doubts (mostly about her feeling/thoughts on some matters but it's because I CARE) than I have, but I guess I'll have to fill it with fiction, if there is.
I did not know much about Mary Boleyn before, but I've always been interested in her because she was Anne Boleyn's sister, I wanted to know how was their relationship, with Mary been one of King Henry's former mistress before Anne married him, though, it was ratter bittersweet to know the reality of it.
One of the problems I have with this book was that like any other "secondary" female in history, Alison Weir did not have much to work with. Only two letters survive of Mary and what is what most people know her for (Henry's mistress) was conducted discreetly or simply there isn't record of her at court at that time. i would say 60% of the book was not about Mary Boleyn, but about the people close to her: Her two husbands, her children, Anne and the rest of the Boleyn family and what passing mention of her in letters and reports is still left. It left me more doubts (mostly about her feeling/thoughts on some matters but it's because I CARE) than I have, but I guess I'll have to fill it with fiction, if there is.