Elizabethan Era Drama

The Other Boleyn Girl by Philippa Gregory

 

My mom sent me this after I read The Boleyn Inheritance, and I preferred that one.  It's not that this book wasn't entertaining, but I just liked the way Gregory chose to portray certain characters better in The Boleyn Inheritance.  I have no explanation for why or even a justification, but I like to think of Anne Boleyn as a sympathetic character, even if Henry VIII left his wife for her.  Perhaps it has to do with the fact that she was Elizabeth I's mother, and Elizabeth is such an impressive historic figure, but from what I can gather, Anne Boleyn was actually very intelligent.  Not to say that Gregory paints her in completely negative light, but it is not exactly always flattering.  As in the other novel, she shows the women as the pawns of their powerful families in their search for more power, though Anne is portrayed as a more active and willing pawn.  The Other Boleyn Girl is narrated by Anne's sister Mary.  When the novel starts, she is fourteen, and in the first few pages, she sounded a little dizzy like Katherine Howard in The Boleyn Inheritance.  I actually started to wonder if Gregory could only portray teenage girls in one way, but that impression only lasted a few pages.  I doubt I'll read anything else by Gregory for quite a while - I'm pretty much stocked up on books right now, so by the time I get desperate enough to buy from the PX, The Constant Princess will probably be gone - also, my mom says that's her worst one.

 

I kind of still want to see the movie even though I hear it's pretty horrible.  The dresses are pretty, though.