This book is one of my favourites. It is told in first person narrative from Mary Boleyn's point of view and is set during the Renaissance over a number of years. It has not chapters but rather sections of the year and season. I originally read this book in Swedish because my grandma had all the books in the series and. She doesn't really read in English so I took all the books and started with this one because I'd seen the film a while ago.
The book is more about Mary than Anne which I think is good because you get the view of someone who stood Anne close. Now this book is classified as historical fiction rather than non-fiction because it's based on historical events and facts, but Gregory has made up the plot based on what she knows. I think it's done very effectively because you learn from it, but you don't read a history book; hence the genre historical fiction.
I highly recommend this book for any history/royalty lovers. Historical fiction at it's best! Philippa is one of my favourite authors. She writes in such a capturing way you absolutely fall in love with it!
Plot Summary:
When Mary Boleyn comes to court as an innocent girl of fourteen, the catches the eye of Henry VIII. Dazzled, Mary falls both in love with her golden prince and her growing role as unofficial queen. However, she soon realises just how much she is a pawn in her family's ambitious plots and the king's interest begins to wane and she is forced to step aside for her best friend and rival: her sister, Anne. Then, Mary knows that she must defy her family and her king and take fate in her own hands.
- Goodreads
My Rating:
10/10
Favourite historical novel of all time.
Other Books by Philippa Gregory:
The Constant Princess
The Other Boleyn Girl
The Boleyn Inheritance
The Other Queen
The Queen's Fool
The Virgin's Lover
These books are technically stand alone books as they have nothing in common except the historic era and the Tudor court. However, if you are unfamiliar with the history behind them you may wish to read them in the order they take place historically to get a greater picture but it is certainly not necessary.
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