Author: Phillippa Gregory

Publisher: Touchstone/Harper Collins

ISBN #:   978-0-7432-2744-5

Type:  Fiction:Historical

Pages: 664 Trade Paperback

Published:  November 2, 2004

Website:  http://www.philippagregory.com/   

Purchase:  $10.08 (HERE) 

The Author’s Summary

“Mary Boleyn catches the eye of Henry VIII when she comes to court as a girl of fourteen. 

Dazzled by the golden prince, Mary’s joy is cut short when she discovers that she is a pawn in the dynastic plots of her family. When the capricious king’s interest wanes, Mary is ordered to pass on her knowledge of how to please him to her friend and rival: her sister Anne.Anne soon becomes irresistable to Henry, and Mary can do nothing but watch her sister’s rise. Anne stops at nothing to achieve her own ambition. From now on, Mary will be no more than the other Boleyn girl.

But beyond the court is a man who dares to challenge the power of her family to offer Mary a life of freedom and passion. If only she has the courage to break away – before the Boleyn enemies turn on the Boleyn girls…”

(Excerpt is from www.philippagregory.com)

The Review

Numerous readers have recommended this book to me.  I keeping thinking and reiterating, “I don’t care for historical fiction.”  Some of my friends remind me, “Yes, you do!”  I guess, I do… sometimes.  I can say with certainty that I loved the historical fiction of The Other Boleyn Girl! 

You must understand, I’ve always hated history.  My ex-husband used to torture me with hours of The History Channel (ugh).  Cognitively, I know that the key to the future lies in the understanding of our past.  Yet, when I studied history in school, I just grew so tiresome reading stories about things that happened so long ago to people who had long since died.  Frankly, it seems that the older I get, the more intrigued I am by the past.  History isn’t this boring thing that I should run away from.  Rather, it contains the books of stories that I should be running to. 

For those of you who have never read this book… READ IT.  I don’t want to outline for you the entire storyline nor the hundred reasons why I loved the book.  Rather, just know that as I read it, I was continually intrigued to learn about what happened next.  This was partially due to the fact that I knew that this book was based on real people and for the most part, these things did happen.  I honestly had a hard time putting this book down!  It’s horribly addictive and you’ll never forget the story once you’ve read this book!

For those of you who have read this book and recommended it to me… thank you!  I wish it hadn’t taken me this long to read it.  And, you were right… Henry is a pig!

I am looking forward to renting the movie.  I have heard mixed reviews about it.  Being a purist, I may find that I adore the book so much more. 

The Rating

On Sher’s “Out of Ten Scale,” I am giving The Other Boleyn Girl  a rating of 10 out of 10.  Yes, folks… it’s going on the Menagerie’s Guaranteed Good Book List.  What are you waiting for?  Order yourself a copy off Amazon.com…. hit the library… borrow it from a friend… READ IT!  Then, email me!

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