The Boleyn Inheritance
and over one million other books are available for Amazon Kindle .
Learn more
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Did you know you can trade in your old books for an Amazon.co.uk Gift Card to spend on the things you want? Plus, get an extra £5 Gift Certificate when you trade in books worth £10 or more before June 30, 2012. Visit the Books Trade-In Store for more details. |
Product details
|
More About the Author
Product Description
Review
Praise for 'The Constant Princess': 'One of Gregory's great strengths as a novelist is her ability to take familiar historical figures and flesh them into living breathing human beings. The Constant Princess is a worthy successor to her previous novels about the Tudors and deserves to be a bestseller.' Daily Express 'Gregory's research is impeccable which makes her imaginative fiction all the more convincing.' Daily Mail 'Gregory is great at conjuring a Tudor film-set of gorgeous gowns and golden-plattered dining.' Telegraph 'The contemporary mistress of historical crime. Her novels are filled with strong, determined women who take their fate into their own hands!Gregory brings to life the sights, smells and textures of 16th-century England.' Kate Mosse, Financial Times
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Product Description
This work provides a wonderfully atmospheric evocation of the court of Henry VIII, and the one woman who destroyed two of his queens, from the bestselling author of "The Other Boleyn Girl." The Last Boleyn is Jane, Lady Rochford - widow of the disgraced George Boleyn. Caught in the intrigues of the Tudor court, she manoeuvres for personal position as her family in turn tries to manipulate her. The king has married again; his bride is the deceptively astute Anne of Cleves. Her wits are tested as she senses a trap closing around her, with the Howards ready to take advantage of her fall. Central to their plot is the pretty, flirtatious Catherine, ready to take the place once held by her cousin Anne Boleyn. Jane briefly believes that she will escape the fate of all who attempt to betray the royal trust but she reckons without Henry's growing maliciousness. Her fate is sealed; she will be the last Boleyn. Philippa Gregory is the acknowledged queen of historical fiction and this novel again displays her trademark blend of passion and politics, authenticity and tremendously gripping storytelling.
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Inside This Book
(Learn More)
Browse and search another edition of this book.
Browse and search another edition of this book.
Suggested Tags from Similar Products(What's this?)Be the first one to add a relevant tag (keyword that's strongly related to this product)
|
What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
100 of 106 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
I am a big fan of Philipa Gregory's novels and am also very interested in Tudor history, so I am naturally biased towards enjoying a book that brings to life those times so vividly.
This novel, like many of Gregory's, is different to the majority of historical fiction floating around. Her research is extensive and her creative license is therefore built upon a real historian's detective work. The book focuses on Anne of Cleves, Katherine Howard and Jane Boleyn and the chapters are divided between their three voices as the story unfolds. This is where the genius of the book lies. Elsewhere, the two Queens are normally dealt with in a more perfunctory way than even Henry VIII himself did. Gregory however skilfully gives them a realistic and sustained voice as women. Katherine Howard is characterised so well that the first time I reached one of 'her chapters' I smiled and fully, finally, recognised an authentic voice for her after years of reading Tudor history.
The strength of characterisation and the choice to give a voice to women usually passed over in this story as brief 'middle' wives before Henry finally expired whilst married to Katherine Parr is what makes this novel so potent. I read it in two days.
This novel, like many of Gregory's, is different to the majority of historical fiction floating around. Her research is extensive and her creative license is therefore built upon a real historian's detective work. The book focuses on Anne of Cleves, Katherine Howard and Jane Boleyn and the chapters are divided between their three voices as the story unfolds. This is where the genius of the book lies. Elsewhere, the two Queens are normally dealt with in a more perfunctory way than even Henry VIII himself did. Gregory however skilfully gives them a realistic and sustained voice as women. Katherine Howard is characterised so well that the first time I reached one of 'her chapters' I smiled and fully, finally, recognised an authentic voice for her after years of reading Tudor history.
The strength of characterisation and the choice to give a voice to women usually passed over in this story as brief 'middle' wives before Henry finally expired whilst married to Katherine Parr is what makes this novel so potent. I read it in two days.
38 of 40 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
The Boleyn Inheritance was my second Philippa Gregory book and I enjoyed it even more than the first (The Other Boleyn Girl). I loved seeing how things panned out, depending on which side of the fence the narrator was on, and I really felt like I knew the characters and their motivation by the end. The end just came too soon for me. I'd have liked it to carry on and on, especially Anne's part.
Anne's and Katherine's chapters were more entertaining than Jane's but that's probably because Jane's chapters/thoughts/narration were primarily about her own self inflicted torment and delusions over her husband's and Anne Boleyn's betrayal. Her narrative had a definite air of madness about it as the story progressed. By the end she was a broken woman and I don't doubt she was as mad as box of frogs. I don't pity her though.....well, not much anyway.
I love that I feel I know these women a little better now (albeit in a fictional way) and will look out for other fictional works which cover the Tudors.
King Henry was vividly repulsive in the pages, to the point where I swear I could smell the supporating wound on his leg every time I opened the pages. At best he was delusional, at worst he was a maniac and I wonder how anyone could bear to be around him.
All in all it's a great read, I just hope I can find a worthy bedtime read to replace it, now it's finished. That's the worst part of a good book.....it's over too soon.
Anne's and Katherine's chapters were more entertaining than Jane's but that's probably because Jane's chapters/thoughts/narration were primarily about her own self inflicted torment and delusions over her husband's and Anne Boleyn's betrayal. Her narrative had a definite air of madness about it as the story progressed. By the end she was a broken woman and I don't doubt she was as mad as box of frogs. I don't pity her though.....well, not much anyway.
I love that I feel I know these women a little better now (albeit in a fictional way) and will look out for other fictional works which cover the Tudors.
King Henry was vividly repulsive in the pages, to the point where I swear I could smell the supporating wound on his leg every time I opened the pages. At best he was delusional, at worst he was a maniac and I wonder how anyone could bear to be around him.
All in all it's a great read, I just hope I can find a worthy bedtime read to replace it, now it's finished. That's the worst part of a good book.....it's over too soon.
29 of 31 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I find Philippa Gregory's novels a little variable, but I really enjoyed this one. It gave a new perspective on three characters about whom I knew little, despite being very well read on the Tudor period. The historical accuracy of some of it is of course questionable, and the author makes no secret of that in her Appendix, but nevertheless it was an interesting and believable account of events seen through the eyes of three very different women.
One reviewer has expresed disappointment that Katherine Howard is portrayed as a silly and vacuous 15-year-old, but I think it very likely that this was a pretty accurate portrayal. It is certainly known that she was practically illiterate, promiscuous and vain, and that her only assets were her looks. It is difficult in this account to feel much sympathy for her most of the time, but we must remember that her ignorance meant that she was manipulated by her unscrupulous uncle for political ends and paid a huge price.
Anne of Cleves comes across as an intelligent, thoughtful and discreet woman, who had a very lucky escape. One feels a certain sympathy for her, in that she was forced into exile, still only in her 20s, and never able to marry, but at least she was spared having to live with an increasingly deranged King, and she kept her head! The one aspect of this book which I didn't think rang true was the much-repeated assertion that Anne's life was at risk while the King was still alive. This seems unlikely, because once she had been divorced from the King she was no threat to him and it seems unlikely that he would have risked the consequences of getting rid of her. In fact it is generally believed that she and the King got on well after the divorce and she was very friendly with his children. However, Anne did live in dangerous times, and it is interesting to see the King through her eyes, because while she herself is careful to keep on his good side and not 'rock the boat' she observes in private that he is mad and becoming more so. While it is well known that Henry VIII was quite a brutal King, especially later in his reign, the descent into madness is a new perspective.
The third character, Jane Boleyn, is a very complex one. She is totally self-absorbed, haunted by the past, by her betrayal of her sister-in-law Anne Boleyn and her own husband which led to their execution, although she seems to show little remorse. She is obviously not to be trusted and is sly and manipulative, and uses and betrays people for her own ends. No-one likes or trusts her except the naive young Katherine, who knows no better, and she ends up without friend or advocate, always teetering on the edge of madness. In the end she pays the price and it is difficult to feel much sympathy for her.
I really enjoyed the characterisations and the way in which this book gave the reader a real sense of how dangerous it was to be close to the King and his court in those times, when a careless word could lead to imprisonment or death. Highly recommended.
One reviewer has expresed disappointment that Katherine Howard is portrayed as a silly and vacuous 15-year-old, but I think it very likely that this was a pretty accurate portrayal. It is certainly known that she was practically illiterate, promiscuous and vain, and that her only assets were her looks. It is difficult in this account to feel much sympathy for her most of the time, but we must remember that her ignorance meant that she was manipulated by her unscrupulous uncle for political ends and paid a huge price.
Anne of Cleves comes across as an intelligent, thoughtful and discreet woman, who had a very lucky escape. One feels a certain sympathy for her, in that she was forced into exile, still only in her 20s, and never able to marry, but at least she was spared having to live with an increasingly deranged King, and she kept her head! The one aspect of this book which I didn't think rang true was the much-repeated assertion that Anne's life was at risk while the King was still alive. This seems unlikely, because once she had been divorced from the King she was no threat to him and it seems unlikely that he would have risked the consequences of getting rid of her. In fact it is generally believed that she and the King got on well after the divorce and she was very friendly with his children. However, Anne did live in dangerous times, and it is interesting to see the King through her eyes, because while she herself is careful to keep on his good side and not 'rock the boat' she observes in private that he is mad and becoming more so. While it is well known that Henry VIII was quite a brutal King, especially later in his reign, the descent into madness is a new perspective.
The third character, Jane Boleyn, is a very complex one. She is totally self-absorbed, haunted by the past, by her betrayal of her sister-in-law Anne Boleyn and her own husband which led to their execution, although she seems to show little remorse. She is obviously not to be trusted and is sly and manipulative, and uses and betrays people for her own ends. No-one likes or trusts her except the naive young Katherine, who knows no better, and she ends up without friend or advocate, always teetering on the edge of madness. In the end she pays the price and it is difficult to feel much sympathy for her.
I really enjoyed the characterisations and the way in which this book gave the reader a real sense of how dangerous it was to be close to the King and his court in those times, when a careless word could lead to imprisonment or death. Highly recommended.
Would you like to see more reviews about this item?
Were these reviews helpful?
Let us know
Most Recent Customer Reviews
Anne of Cleves bought to life
I'm a History teacher and go through the Tudors on a yearly basis. When you get to Anne of Cleves she's always the frumpy one, the forgotten one, the German one, the one who you... Read more
Published 17 days ago by FreeByrde
I love it
This Tudor series is really gripping me. I've stopped caring about the historical inaccuracies and started enjoying the books just as they are presented. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Chrissie
The Bolyn Inheritance
This is another wonderful book by Phillipa Gregory. It's unusual how it is written from the different women's perspective. Couldn't put it down!
Published 1 month ago by Buster
The Tale of the Pretty, the Ugly and the Deranged
This book covers the marriages of both Anne of Cleves and Katherine Howard to Henry VIII with the extra perspective of Jane Boleyn, George's jealous twisted wife whose testimony of... Read more
Published 2 months ago by C. M. Carragher
A delight
I highly recommend this book, it had me glued from beginning to end. You sympathise with Anne Cleves and want to dislike Kitty Howard but you can't. Read more
Published 6 months ago by Aliperu
The Other Side of Henry V11
I enjoyed this book very much. At last, a different look at life in Tudor times. It was a change to discover the true character of Henry V111 in his later years. Read more
Published 7 months ago by Tudor Freak
Gregory's Inheritance
SAFE READING - NO SPOILERS
There is a little to add to the many other reviews and, usually, if a book attracts a large number of reviewers, it is either very good or the... Read more
There is a little to add to the many other reviews and, usually, if a book attracts a large number of reviewers, it is either very good or the... Read more
Published 9 months ago by RR Waller
an excellent read
It was the first book by Philippa Gregory I read and it gave me a whole new insight in what power can do to people. Read more
Published 9 months ago by Veronica Franco
Brilliant follow-up
Having just read, and thoroughly, thoroughly enjoyed The Other Boleyn Girl, I was not disappointed by this stand-alone sequel. Read more
Published 9 months ago by Bookrat
Much better than 'The Other Boleyn Girl'
I found Philippa Gregory's sequel to 'The Other Boleyn Girl' to be much better than the original. Unlike 'The Other Boleyn Girl,' 'The Boleyn Inheritance' is much more historically... Read more
Published 10 months ago by Claire Lewis
Customer Discussions
|
This product's forum
Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
|
Related forums
|
![[Start the discussion]](http://g-ecx.images-amazon.com/images/G/02/x-locale/communities/discussion_boards/start-new-discussion-sec._V192198663_.gif){kind=small}
Listmania!
Look for similar items by category
- Books > Fiction > Historical
Look for similar items by subject
Feedback
- Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
- I am the Author, and I want to comment on my book.
- I am the Publisher, and I want to comment on this book.
