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Fabulous historical novel set in the court of King Henry VIII. Mary Boleyn attracts the attention of the young king and becomes his mistress; when he tires of her, she sets out to school her sister, Anne, as a replacement.
Politics and passion are inextricably bound together in this compelling drama.
The Boleyn family is keen to rise through the ranks of society, and what better way to attract the attention of the most powerful in the land than to place their most beautiful young woman at court? But Mary becomes the king's mistress at a time of change. He needs his personal pleasures, but he also needs an heir. The unthinkable happens and the course of English history is irrevocably changed.
For the women at the heart of the storm, they have only one weapon; and when it's no longer enough to be the mistress, Mary must groom her younger sister in the ways of the king.
What happens next is common knowledge, but here it is told in a way we've never heard it before, with all of Philippa Gregory's characteristic perceptiveness, backed by meticulous research and superb storytelling skills.
How many of us long for the bygone days of chivalry, quests, knights and thier ladies? Fantasy images of courtly love, royal castles and beautiful flowing gowns. Gregory combines some of our historical longings with the historical facts - adultery, political intrigue and death. This is a compelling work of outstanding merit which follows the life of Mary Boleyn - Anne's younger sister. The superb characterisation throughout makes this a believable and heartfelt tale based on fact. Mary is a fascinating, if little heard of, character in this period of Tudor history who is drawn into many situations she would rather have escaped. King Henry VIII's obsession with a legitamate royal heir, Anne's rise to Queen and her eventual downfall are charted here with real human feeling and depth. Any woman reading this should come away thanking their lucky stars that they are not the political pawns that both Mary and Anne were. Highly recommended. (Kirkus UK)
ISBN: 9780006514008
ISBN-10: 0006514006
Series: Boleyn Series
Audience:
General
Format:
Paperback
Language:
English
Number Of Pages: 544
Published: May 2002
Dimensions (cm): 19.9 x 13.7
x 3.5
Weight (kg): 0.398
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