The Boleyn Inheritance
My Review
This is a delightful book even though it documents the growing tyranny of an ill fat old king. Seen from the perspective of three ladies in the court, two of them queens, one replacing the other, the action unfolds remorselessly, telling the story of the fourth and fifth queens of Henry VIII. Anne of Cleves is quickly rejected by the king but manages to avoid the block. Philippa Gregory portrays her as a strong and eminently sensible woman caught up in the political games of the men around her. By contrast Katherine Howard is flighty and silly, if not stupid, but then she is only sixteen at her death. As Anne of Cleves tells us Henry is a monster. The Duke of Norfolk is also a scheming monster and uses Jane Boleyn to wreak havoc in the lives of others just to promote his family. The story is told by each of the three women. Gradually we see what is the Boleyn Inheritance.Buy the book below.
The Boleyn Inheritance
Showing the helplessness of the women of the Tudor court, simply pawns in the men's game for power
The Boleyn Inheritance is a great book which manages to create suspense - even though we know the outcome, we still hope the women will escape the terrible veng
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This book portrays Tudor England in all its raw cruelty
Telling words
We are two women who have recognised that we cannot control the world. We are players in this game but we do not choose our own moves. The men will play us for their own desires. All we can do is try to survive whatever happens next.
Philippa Gregory's official site - don't miss it!
- http://www.philippagregory.com/
Philippa Gregory's official site
To sum up
The Boleyn Inheritance is easy to read. The three voices of the women involved are very distinctive giving a variety to the book as a whole. Jane Boleyn is haunted by the memories of her involvement in the deaths of her husband and sister-in-law. She tows the family line prompted by her uncle, who is forever scheming and who inevitably lets her down at the end.
Anne of Cleves is eminently sensible and keeps her head and Katherine is vain and covetous, always interested in her possessions. She has no idea of her danger and believes the king will always be charmed by his "rose without a thorn" no matter how she behaves.