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The Other Boleyn Girl | 
 enlarge | Author: Philippa Gregory
Publisher: Pocket Star
Category: Book
List Price: CDN$ 10.99
Buy Used: CDN$ 0.17
You Save: CDN$ 10.82 (98%)
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Rating:  255 reviews
Sales Rank: 294
Media: Mass Market Paperback
Edition: 1
Pages: 752
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.7
Dimensions (in): 6.6 x 4.1 x 1.3
ISBN: 1416556532
Dewey Decimal Number: 823.914
EAN: 9781416556534
ASIN: 1416556532
Publication Date: September 25, 2007
Availability: Usually ships within 1 - 2 business days
Shipping: Expedited shipping available
Shipping: International shipping available
Condition: Save a tree, buy from Green Earth Books. Ships from USA; Allow 2 to 3 weeks for delivery. All books guaranteed. Read -> Recycle -> Reuse
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From Amazon.co.uk
Everyone knows the fate of Anne Boleyn, but not many know the story of her rise to majesty and the part played by her rival and sister, Mary, who was Henry's mistress and mother to two of his bastard children before the dazzling older Boleyn girl even caught his eye. Philippa Gregory, whose own role as the Queen of historical romance grows more secure with each new novel, has surpassed her self with this epic tale of lust, jealousy and betrayal. The Other Boleyn Girl charts the lives of both Boleyns--each in their turn "the other Boleyn Girl"--and their fiercely ambitious, conniving family who used the girls as pawns to advance their own positions at the court of Henry VIII. At 13, Mary is little more than a child when she is presented to Henry, ordered by her scheming family to serve her King and country by opening her legs whenever commanded, or doing anything else the great monarch desires. And while his loins are satisfied, life at court is sweet for the unofficial Queen and her pushy coterie. Inevitably though, the King's eyes soon begin to wander and Mary is overlooked, helpless to do anything but aid her family's plot to advance their fortunes, replace her with Anne and give Henry the greatest gift of all: a son and heir. So good a job has Ms Gregory done at portraying the Boleyns and Howards as selfish, scheming, treacherous manipulators however, that it becomes increasingly hard to feel empathy for any of them. While Mary is merely hapless, Anne is the most ruthless of them all, so that instead of feeling cheated by knowing the outcome of her story, it only serves to help digest her unpalatable rise. Such a gruesome destiny was never more deserved. Ms Gregory has worked hard at researching her historical references. Daily life at court is described in fascinating detail--from the relentless leisure pursuits, masques and banquets laid on for the easily bored King to the complex hierarchies and machinations of the courtiers. However, the fall of Queen Katherine of Aragon and her only child, the Princess Mary, and the politics of the competing European courts and the break with Rome are seen only as a backdrop to the bawdy goings-on of the Boleyns and their fateful race for the crown. --Carey Green
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| Customer Reviews: Read 250 more reviews...
 Really great Book. Completely unlike the movie!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! September 9, 2008
Amanda Wood (Canada)
I purchased this book after watching 'The Other Boleyn Girl' movie. I wanted to know about the infamous Anne Boleyn and King Henry VIII. I was also very interested in the way women lived in the 16th century.
I enjoyed this book thoroughly! Both the fictional and historical aspects. All the history is quite accurate. There isn't a whole lot known about Mary Boleyn, the narrator, and therefore some is embellished obviously. But very well done.
However, if you are only interested in this book because you enjoyed the movie and not because you are interested in 16th century historical events, then you will not be happy with this book.
It is completely unlike the movie in almost every way. In fact, I am extremely confused how they even made the movie based on this book. Even though I absolutely loved the movie, but have realized it could have been amazing if they had stuck with the book more.
And don't be put off by the books size, I really did devour it.
Enjoy!
 love it!! August 30, 2008
Sveta (Ottawa)
I love it love it love it.Was sorry it's ended.One of the best book I've reade for last year.Thank you Philippa Gregory!!
Seamless Blend of Fact and Fiction May 31, 2008
Toni Osborne (Montreal, Canada)
King Henry V11 is accustomed to garnering flattery from young women in his court when he notices Mary Boleyn Carey, lady in waiting to his wife Queen Katherine. Mary becomes the king's mistress and bears his illegitimate children Catherine and Henry. Her joy is cut short when she discovers that she is a pawn in the dynastic plots of her family. While pregnant her sister Anne seduces the King with the aim of overthrowing Queen Katherine, becoming Queen and bearing his legal heirs. Mary realizes she must defy her family and her King and take her fate into her own hands.
George, their brother, is a popular member of the royal court and with family pressure he helps Anne to maintain a favoured position in the King's eyes. The family becomes one of the essential elements surrounding the eventual dissolution of the marriage to Katherine changing the history of England for ever. This eventually led to the demise of Anne and George.
This novel is a seamless blend of fact and fiction pulling together an incredible amount of history, political and socio-economic information. It is evident the author did immense research to put together this moment in history with just enough details to keep the story flowing smoothly making it interesting and entertaining. Anne's exhaustive pursuit of King Henry is wonderfully depicted; the description is so vivid you actually feel her determination and her desire for power at any cost. The novel recaptures the past in a non conventional way; Ms Gregory dealt with a lot of creativity describing the feelings, the motivations of her characters, some of events undoubtedly fictional in a manner quite plausible. It is an incredibly compelling, deep and fascinating novel....
Amazing! March 17, 2008
K. Gauthier (Bracebridge, ON, CA)
This is the first book by Pilippa Gregory that I have read. To be quite honest the book first intrigued because of the movie that was to be released. But after only a few pages into the book I was hooked! This book is now one of my favorites. I would deffinately recommend this book to anyone. It is a fantastic read.
Scandolous, Delicous, and Totally Enjoyable....Even with the Flaws February 23, 2008
Blanche Coday (The World)
2 out of 4 found this review helpful
This book is wonderful. I suppose my review is to build up on a bunch that has already been said, but I'll continue anyways. And oh, beware of spoilers.
I can't tell you how much I praise Gregory in this one. The court was done perfectly, the characters were engaging, and even though I already knew quite a bit about Henry VIII's queens and their fates, I wasn't bored at all. In fact, I've been hanging onto every word that the author has wrote.
In this one, I feel that Gregory really brought the court/Tudor times alive. I can see everything happening, it was like a movie in my head. Despite her not very much description, I can imagine how everyone would be like, where they were standing, how everyone was dressed like etc.
But then there are some flaws, like any book. However, you should be able to look past most of them.
1) Mary's age and rather...inexperience in this book. I have nothing with Mary Boleyn as the younger sister, but it was rather weird to see someone who was such an innocent girl, while she was really a total whore. (excuse me...) Also, I don't think that she was really that dazzled by Henry, since that seemed too soap opera-ish. Even if she was a fool in some areas (politics), I feel that Mary should have at least been somewhat knowledageable in bed. Well...it's Gregory's choice.
2) The relationships sometimes are given too much attention, or too little. It was too bad that the older Boleyns/Howards weren't featured that often, their ambition was something to read about. And Mary/whoever she happened to be in love with at that time, we get it. You love him! You don't need to keep hammering that in my face. Especially in the end, when were devoted to William/Mary. Too soap opera-ish and perfect for my taste.
3) Not enough of Anne. I know that this is about Mary, but then she is suppose to be focusing on Anne as well. I didn't really get enough of this fasinating woman until the last third of the book. I'm sure that there's more than a shrew in Anne, and Gregory, unfortunately, decided to omit that. Maybe they think having a bitch as your older sister is more appealing to readers...What do you think?
4) This one is defending Gregory. People have been complaining that she put incest in this book. Well, did it ever say there was any incest? Did the author actually say that Anne commited murder/incest etc.? No...everything was merely hinted. Yes, Anne and George shared a close relationship as siblings, but it was ultimately the reader that decides if she had really commit incest. Same with murder.
Still, despite the many historical faults, I still loved this book. It's just wonderful, and you'll probably be losing a lot of sleep. Good luck!
(for anyone that was wondering, I read mine during vacations. Thank God!)
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