Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #77434 in Books
• Published on: 2006-08-28
• Original language: English
• Binding: Hardcover
• 528 pages

Daily Mail
'Gregory's research is impeccable which makes her imaginative fiction all the more convincing.' Daily Mail

Synopsis
From the bestselling author of "The Other Boleyn Girl" comes a wonderfully atmospheric evocation of the court of Henry VIII, and the one woman who destroyed two of his queens. The year is 1539 and the court of Henry VIII is increasingly fearful at the moods of the ageing sick king. With only a baby in the cradle for an heir, Henry has to take another wife and the dangerous prize of the crown of England is won by Anne of Cleves. She has her own good reasons for agreeing to marry a man old enough to be her father, in a country where to her both language and habits are foreign. Although fascinated by the glamour of her new surroundings, she senses a trap closing around her. Catherine is confident that she can follow in the steps of her cousin Anne Boleyn to dazzle her way to the throne but her kinswoman Jane Boleyn, haunted by the past, knows that Anne's path led to Tower Green and to an adulterer's death. The story of these three young women, trying to make their own way through the most volatile court in Europe at a time of religious upheaval and political uncertainty is Philippa Gregory's most intense novel yet.

From the Inside Flap
The stories of three young women, trying to survive the most volatile and dangerous court in Europe at a time of religious upheaval and political uncertainty, is Philippa Gregory's most intense and compelling novel yet.

Customer Reviews

Rashomon for the Tudor Set
This novel is written from the viewpoint of three very different women - the naive yet quick-witted Anne of Cleves, the calculating Jane Boleyn and the greedy and childish Catherine Howard. They take turns by each chapter telling their view of events as they occur over a fairly brief period of time. Anne is set aside by the King in favor of Catherine, and it's the best thing that could have happened to her. She's the only one of the King's wives to survive a parting in a fairly benign (compared to the others) way.

Catherine ignores her revulsion in order to be the new Queen, all so that she can get pretty new dresses and jewels. She is completely and idiotically heedless of the dangers that await her in this vicious court and, even more stupidly, seeks comfort in the arms of a man within her new husband's household.

Finally, Jane Boleyn, the woman who pretends to be the friend of all the queens and really is only a friend to herself. She is only the marionette of the duke, the uncle of both Anne Boleyn and Catherine Howard, but she has plenty of evil all on her own, and was, based on her behaviour, quite possibly insane. I knew nothing of what happened with these three ladies so every page brought a new surprise, and the writing is so evocative of the period and illustrates emotion in such a compelling fashion that I was loath to set the book down until I had finished it.

Philippa Gregory's books gets knocked for being historically inaccurate, and that's a fair complaint. However, they provide an excellent introduction to the period and, once interested, a reader can continue into non-fiction discussions of the times about which she writes by seeking out the volumes listed at the end of each novel. I know that I will be doing exactly that.

Another EXCELLENT Read
This is the second novel I've read by Philippa Gregory's; it's also the sequel to 'The Other Boleyn Girl' which I've recently read and reviewed.

The book is based around Anne of Cleves, Katherine Howard and Jane Boleyn. It's follows how their leave change when each become part of the court of Henry VIII.

Poor Anne of Cleves, leave her country to marry a king old enough to be her father, she is not how royalty should be, so she becomes another victim of Henry VIII, but he allows her to live but in exile, he replaces her with the cousin of his previous wife, Anne Boleyn).

Katherine Howard, a child and not ready to be queen due to her childish ways flirts her way to the throne only to wish she hadn't as the king is too old and sick, and he doesn't pay her the attention a husband should. Her roving eye falls onto Thomas Culpepper, but this story of two lovers can only end one way.

Jane Boleyn is constantly haunted by the death of a previous queen and her husband. She like the rest of the Boleyn girls do as they are told by family members, and is constantly just trying to survive suspicion, betrayal and death that surrounds the kings court.

The structure of this book is different to 'The Other Boleyn Girl', that book continually follows on with the story where as the sequel is split up into chapters where it deals with each of the ladies in turn. To me it made the book a little slow to get into at first, but once you'd got used to the structure it was just as enjoyable as the first.

The novel is a compelling and I will definitely read it again. This is another of Philippa Gregory's master pieces and I look forward to reading the others I have recently bought. :-)

Another novel worth every penny, whether you are male or female if you love history you'll love this. :-)

Just brilliant!
This is my third PG novel having read TOBG and TCP then this one. I have to say I loved how it was written from three completely different view points. Although it is fiction based with real historical facts it was good to finally read something more of Katherine Howard as I find I know very little about her of all the wives.

I feel it gives more of an insight into Jane Boelyn and although I do not agree with the way in which she helped with the downfall of Anne and George and then Katherine, I certianly feel I get an understanding of why she acted out the way she did.

Again I am not to convinced on all the facts surrounding Anne of Cleves and that she was the ugly wife but I she was definitely one of the luckier wives in that he let her live albeit in fear until his death.

Katherine Howard or Kitty as I like to think of her, I felt for and sympathised with. I know in Tudor times you grew up more quickly but I do think she was uneducated and not as mature for her age as other woman of that time were. As a result of this novel, I am now very intrigued in finding out more historical facts on Kitty.

Overall, this book is a brilliant read and would suggest you read TOBG first and then follow on with this novel. If you are a fan of the Tudor period then the I would highly recommend PG's Tudor range as I have read most of them now and have not been disappointed at all.