Fascinating look at three lesser known females in Henry VIII's court

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	• The Boleyn Inheritance (Boleyn) Philippa Gregory Touchstone Books, 2007 - 544 pages average customer review:based on 163 reviews view larger image
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highly recommended

Better that Other Boleyn Girl - and that ain't easy!

I was a little wary about diving into the Boleyn Inheritance after the great gong-show that was The Constant Princess (tedious, unbelievable, and with every indication of being "phoned-in"). But I love Anne of Cleves - she's easily my favorite of Henry's wives, so when I saw she was one of the narrators, I took the plunge and picked up Inheritance.

Well, I devoured it. I loved The Other Boleyn Girl (once I made my peace with Anne's characterization), but The Boleyn Inheritance edges out as my favorite of Gregory's Tudor novels. The three-narrator device is very well handled (although a few of Anne of Cleves's sections do come across as "filler"). Jane Boleyn's talent for self-deception made her as controversial and intriguing character as Gregory's Anne Boleyn, and despite being convinced I'd dislike her, I really felt for her by the end.

But my favorite characterization by far was Katherine Howard. I don't think I've ever seen a self-absorbed teenage girl's voice portrayed so convincing. Her narration has an almost stream-of-consciousness tone as she bounces around from one half-baked idea to the next. It's by turns hilarious and quite sad, especially as she faces her execution.

One wish: a second edition with about half of the examples of the phrase "Boleyn inheritance" taken out. Each of the three leads gets her own "inheritance." We get it. And it's a lot cleverer if the reader isn't beaten over the head with it.

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Made me want to know more...

The Boleyn Inheritance gave me an unexpected passion for Anne of Cleves. Little is known about her and I found this book to be a great history lesson. (Wouldn't it be nice to have learned history this way in school? If so, I would have been a history major for sure.) I very much enjoyed her strength and even though I knew she wouldn't end up on the block, I found myself nervous for her all the same.

Katherine Howard was another poor little girl caught in the web of her family's plot for position. Phillipa Gregory portrayed her as a self-centered, yet naive girl who I wanted to rescue.

Jane Boleyn is portrayed as a woman without a soul and always carrying out her family's wishes no matter what the cost. But even at her end, I wished her better.

I feel P.G. did another excellent job bringing the 16th century to life. Although this book is historical fiction, it's altogether possible that the stories of these three women's lives could actually hold some truth.

A really good history lesson once again.

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Wonderful book

This was a really good read. The three-person narrative was a little difficult to read at first but after a few pages it was really intriguing.

Fascinating look at three lesser known females in Henry VIII's court

I believe this is my fifth Philippa Gregory book and, while (to me) it is not nearly as good as The Other Boleyn Girl, it's an entertaining read nonetheless. The Boleyn Inheritance is told from the alternating first person perspectives of Anne of Cleves, Katherine Howard and Jane Boleyn, each short chapter jumping between these three lesser known females who inhabited Henry VIII's court. I enjoyed Gregory's exploration of sweet and simple Anne of Cleves (Henry's fourth wife), dimwitted and self -absorbed Katherine Howard (Henry's fifth wife) and scheming yet tormented Jane Boleyn (lady in waiting to Anne and Katherine as well as sister-in-law to Anne Boleyn). Anyone who enjoys historical fictional, particularly involving Henry VIII and his wives, will likely enjoy this book ... but just do not expect to enjoy it as much as The Other Boleyn Girl.

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reviews: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, page 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16

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