The Other Boleyn Girl

The Other Boleyn Girl contains about 660 pages that include elements of both history and scandal. As the author, Philippa Gregory, intertwines the two throughout the plot, she creates an interesting historical fiction that is addicting and hard to put down.

The book begins with the return of Anne Boleyn. When the 14 year old Anne arrives from France, she returns an expert at flirtation and seduction and remains on the lookout for a husband. The story is told through the eyes of Mary Boleyn, a 13 year old newlywed who is married to a man named William Carey. However, the entire family works together to separate Mary and her husband when King Henry begins to flirt with her. With an ulterior motive of receiving numerous land grants and pensions, the family makes countless efforts to land Mary in bed with the king. The beginning of the book focuses on her family’s control over the situation; regardless of what Mary wants, she must be persistent in her attempts to win the favor of King Henry. Throughout the novel, the importance that Mary holds for family loyalty is apparent. She becomes the King’s mistress to remain loyal to her family, even though it means she betrays the Queen. (Her husband, Carey, stepped aside and let this affair continue.) The Boleyn family eventually became powerful and richer because they had the favor of the king through Mary's efforts. Mary had two children by Henry, a girl and a boy. However, neither child was ever recognized and remained illegitimate. With time, Henry grew tired of Mary.

The Boleyns’ brought their other daughter, Anne, to court. The conniving Anne captured Henry's heart and his good senses. The novel suggests that Anne was guilty as charge of the Incestuous affair with her brother George. The proof of this accusation was Anne's miscarriage of a grossly deformed fetus. The book also suggests that Anne was so ambitious that she would have done anything to maintain her power. This meant she had to deliver a son - her savior. Since no one knows what really happened except for Anne and George, this is a possibility. The book is very convincing.

The focus of The Other Boleyn Girl is the Boleyn family, specifically Mary and Anne, and their relationships with Henry. Mary, the younger sister, becomes his mistress and bears him children before her conniving sister Anne takes the throne away from Catherine. This book is an intricate look at the scandalous English court, the beginnings of divorce in England, and the public beheadings of royalty which still shock today's reader.

I believe this book is worth picking up. It has a sense of history tied in with a plot full of love affairs, incest, and secrets –which makes it hard to put down. The historic content included is not very solid, but I guarantee there will be no regrets from a weekend of reading this. It is a book filled with love, sex, ambition, intrigue, and still a little helping of history.

READ IT! :]