The Other Boleyn Girl

Written by Philippa Gregory

Narrated by Ruthie Henshall

The #1 New York Times bestseller from “the queen of royal fiction” (USA TODAY) Philippa Gregory is a rich, compelling novel of love, sex, ambition, and intrigue surrounding the Tudor court of Henry VIII, Anne Boleyn, and the infamous Boleyn family.

When Mary Boleyn comes to court as an innocent girl of fourteen, she catches the eye of the handsome and charming Henry VIII. Dazzled by the king, Mary falls in love with both her golden prince and her growing role as unofficial queen. However, she soon realizes just how much she is a pawn in her family’s ambitious plots as the king’s interest begins to wane, and soon she is forced to step aside for her best friend and rival: her sister, Anne. With her own destiny suddenly unknown, Mary realizes that she must defy her family and take fate into her own hands.

With more than one million copies in print and adapted for the big screen, The Other Boleyn Girl is a riveting historical drama. It brings to light a woman of extraordinary determination and desire who lived at the heart of the most exciting and glamorous court in Europe, and survived a treacherous political landscape by following her heart.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio
• Release date: Jan 22, 2008
• ISBN: 9780743569071

Philippa Gregory

Philippa Gregory is an internationally renowned author of historical novels. She holds a PhD in eighteenth-century literature from the University of Edinburgh. Works that have been adapted for television include A Respectable Trade, The Other Boleyn Girl and The Queen's Fool. The Other Boleyn Girl is now a major film, starring Scarlett Johansson, Natalie Portman and Eric Bana. Philippa Gregory lives in the North of England with her family.

Reviews for The Other Boleyn Girl

[tulikangaroo · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

A good story. The interesting thing, to me, is that Mary (the narrator) has little memorable personality at all, other than being sweet and un-scheming. Perhaps her character development is more evident in the unabridged version?Since I don't know much about the actual historical record involving Anne, Mary or Henry (or Anne and Mary's father and uncle), I am curious to hear the basis for the grand political intrigue the Boleyn's brewed up in this book. I fully believe that there was pressure to get on the king's good side and receive favors, but were Anne and Mary so easily used as pawns? Were their parents so heartless?

[laurendd · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This book was just wonderful - it painted such a vivid picture of life in England during the days of Anne Boleyn and it was impossible to put this book down.

[emcarso1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

An amazing read following the life of Mary Boleyn, little sister to the infamous Anne Boleyn, as her and her sister's lives come to intertwine with that of Henry VIII. A must-read

[rbtwinky · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I'm sucker for historical fiction almost as much as fantasy, and because of that I enjoyed this book quite a bit. I would not recommend it to someone who was not already a fan of historical fiction, however. For a good bit of the book the story dragged on, circling and hovering, without making any forward progress. Maybe this was intentional on the part of Gregory, in an effort to convey the extensive period of time that Anne entranced King Henry VIII while still holding him at arms length. Regardless, the middle of the book dragged quite a bit. Gregory did an outstanding job of transporting me to the Tudor court, however, and for that reason I'm likely to pick up another of her books sometime.

[trinity_3 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I was hooked on this book from the moment I started reading it. It seemed to drag a little at the end, but I loved the book and read through it in a few days. I was sad to get to the end. If youre a historical literalist you may want to avoid this book, it is based on the well known Tudor family but steers toward fiction from there. If you love historical novels and wont get your knickers in a twist by conjecture, this is definately a book for you!

[angelic55blonde · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This is a great historical-fiction book written by one of the best historical-fiction writers out there. It is a book, loosely based on Tudor England, about Ann Boleyn's sister Mary Boleyn, who also slept with the notorious King Henry VIII. It is very entertaining and it does give the reader some true historical background, which is always important. This is a great period in England's history and this book really brings it to life. I've read numerous other books by Philippa Gregory and they are all pretty good but this is the best.

[melydia_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I'd heard of Anne Boleyn, the second wife of King Henry VIII and the primary reason for his schism with the Catholic Church. However, I'd never heard of her sister, Mary, who was also the king's mistress and possibly the mother of two of his children. This book is told from Mary's point of view, beginning when Anne returns to the English court after spending her childhood in France, and ending at the conclusion of her reign as queen. While Anne is the focal point for much of the book, Mary's transition from content courtier to distressed mother longing to live in the country with her children was the more compelling story. I was especially moved by her struggle between loyalty and disdain for her family. However, while the plot and description were lovely, the writing was somewhat amateurish. The adverbs in particular got a little tiresome. Almost every single line of dialogue ended with "said somethingly." She said sweetly, he said irritably. It was distracting. All the same, I got sucked into the political and sexual intrigue of a time obsessed with social standing and royal heirs, every thought laced with ambition and superstition. Even knowing how it must end, I was still held in suspense during those final few chapters. Were the events described completely factual? I have no idea, and it really doesn't matter. I read historical fiction to get a feel for the time period and the people. If I want names and dates, I'll read a history book. This was a fun little trip to the past.

[willowwaw · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Wonderful! Wonderful! I absolutly loved this novel. I adored how the author took her own initiative in regards to the era, while keeping true to the era itself. Even though this was a longer novel I just could not put it down and continued flipping pages until the very end. I would recommend this book to anyone who has even had just the inkling of taste in the stories of King Henry VIII and the Boelyns.

[kpapenfus_2 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I didn't like any of the characters, and yet I couldn't put the book down.

[wareagle78 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Wonderful story, wonderful historic detail, great characterizations.

[msjoanna · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I didn't expect to like this book as much as I did. The book is a wonderful fluff book -- history, intrigue, royal politics, and romance. While the book is, in most respects, a soap opera set in Tudor England, it was completely engrossing to read. I'll definitely look out for the other books from this series for the next time I have a long plane or train ride. I'd recommend this to almost anyone.

[mrsdanaalbasha · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

I think it is a very sad story, and I am not sure I liked it.

[opalcat1986 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Passionate, clever and perfectly detailed. I love everything about this book. Philippa Gregory never disappoints me no matter in what period of time or genre.

[ethelmertz_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Interesting perspective on Henry VIII and his first two wives.

[elphaba71 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I was recommended this book by a friend, & was totallt absorbed into the book from page one. I wasn't even half way through the novel when I recommended it to another friend. The novel is told through the eyes of Mary Boleyn, sister of Anne. The Boleyn/Howard family would stop at nothing to get Anne married to Henry VII & onto the throne of England, ant ultimately the families down fall.

[cleoxcat · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Philippa Gregory's series on the women surrounding Henry VIII are written in novel form. Fun way to learn history (even though you know how it will turn out.)

[blejaneyhre · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I have not read a book by this author for some time and am so glad I picked this one up in a charity shop!The story is well told with a little licence to historic detail that makes the story so interesting and informative.Since finishing the book I have researched the Tudor times for more infomation and will certainly be reading more historic novels. During my research I read that Mary's daughter Catherine becomes one of Henry's companions - is this true? I have to read more about this.I was so pleased that Mary found love with William Stafford and settled away from court.A great read.

[lisamaria_c · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

I really have to shake my head when I think of the popularity of this book. I love good historical fiction. This is bad history and even worse fiction. The Tudor period and the reign of Henry VIII is a popular one in historical fiction for good reason. I certainly have found it a compelling period in history and have read several books about it, fiction and non-fiction.I can't see a redeeming feature in this one and certainly won't ever read another novel by Gregory. I thought the prose style puerile--which admittedly fits the heroine and narrator, the Too-Stupid-To-Live Mary Boleyn. The novel opens with her witnessing an execution, and her certainty it's all a masque and Henry will be swooping in any moment to save the condemned from the block. And it closes that way too, and this time Mary doesn't have the excuse of youth for being so stupid. And Gregory's Henry who she falls in love with? Gregory puts these lines in his mouth when he first meets her: "You're a very pretty girl," he said approvingly. "Carey tells me that he so likes a young bride that he'll never bed any but twelve-year-old virgins ever again." Charming. Anne Boleyn comes across just about as sympathetic and witless despite us being told she's so clever. And you know, I've read and bought lots of different Annes. I can see her as sympathetic as in the novels of Nora Lofts or Jean Plaidy or a more sinister figure like that in Margaret George's biofic of Henry--but I can't see her as an idiot. But that's how Gregory draws her in a book that actually takes seriously the accusations of witchcraft and incest used in her judicial murder. At the end in an author's note Gregory lists a long list of sources for her tale. But there's not one insightful or convincing portrait in this book or anything that to me conjures up the age. There are countless better books featuring these historical figures from Jean Plaidy's The Lady in the Tower to Margaret George's The Autobiography of Henry VIII to the recent Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel. Avoid this one.

[citygirl_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Ambivalence. Page-turning, interesting retelling, fun plot twists, indelible characterization of Anne Boleyn -- I understand why a big-studio movie has been made of this and I will go to see it. However, the prose isn't exactly well-crafted, Gregory beats the reader over the head with the themes. And *spoiler*, the love story in the last third was nice, but seemed to abandon the premises set up early in the book. I wish there was a three and a quarter star.

[pandorasbox_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The story of Mary Boleyn and how her power hungry family used her to rise to the thrown.One of the best historical books I've ever read.

[ksana84 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

There's a very good chance reading this book will improve your chess game. While the characters and settings are superbly painted over this lengthy novel I found the most interesting aspect to be the scheming, plotting and planning that went into every calculated move by the players. Its so easy to drift through your day assuming no one notices you, thinking about the results and reactions to your movements that you don't even see is very fascinating. Anne plays the game so well, while Mary is constantly confused- created a much needed guide through the constant court intrigue. Gregory is a skillful author, pulling and flipping the concept of who is "the other Boleyn girl" throughout the novel. Her attention to detail creates a rich context for events to progress from, and I have now become utterly fascinated with the entire family. Time to start Netflixing The Tudors.

[indreamsawake · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I would give the first half of this book 2, maybe 3 stars and the 2nd half, four stars so if you're struggling with caring about what happens to any of these characters, stick with it. I finally started to care about Mary after she fell in love with William and wanted to make a life for herself. Some parts of the book I relished in, while some parts I just had to forget about as soon as I read it.
To the argument that the author took many liberties with the story and distorted some facts, it is historical FICTION!! I don't think I would use it to teach a history lesson.
All in all, it was an entertaining read.

[jillsnyder_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

"The Other Boleyn Girl" is the heart-wrenching tale of Anne Boleyn and the Boleyn family. Told from the perspective of Anne's sister, Mary, the book takes the reader through the tumultous Henry VIII's court, full of love, hatred, deceit and devotion, re-telling the Boleyn family's rise and eventual fall from royal favour. Masterfully told, leaving the reader unable to set it down at times, the book is infinitely better than the movie adaptation. Capturing the feel of Tudor England, and the hardships of women in 16th century Europe, "The Other Boleyn Girl" is not to be missed!

[everydaymiracles · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The Other Boleyn Girl, by Philippa GregoryThe Other Boleyn Girl is a book that has haunted me since the movie was released. Although I didn't see the film until after I had read the book (and thank goodness, too!), the book kept calling to me, mostly because I had heard the title and the concept sounded interesting -- the story of Anne Boleyn, told from the perspective of her sister.Who doesn't know the story of Anne Boleyn, the woman who dethroned Catherine of Aragon and married King Henry VIII? It was Anne Boleyn who helped Henry to found the Church of England, and it was Anne who was the first executed wife of King Henry the VIII, put to death on charges of incest, adultery and treason.The stories of the other Boleyns are less-told: George and Thomas, Mary and Elizabeth (Anne's Mother, not her daughter) are less well known. The Other Boleyn Girl begins to tell the story of Anne's siblings, Mary and George, and the relationships that they had with one another and with Anne.In spite of my intense desire to read The Other Boleyn Girl, I was disturbed the idea that I believed the book would be dry. I pondered the length of the novel (nearly 700 pages) and the content (I am no a history buff by any means) and several times overlooked the book. I couldn't bring myself to spend the money on this novel.When I ran into The Other Boleyn Girl at a used book store, however, I snatched it up eagerly and perhaps a bit greedily and read it promptly.While Philippa Gregory takes some license with the story line regarding Mary, George and even Anne, I felt that this book was a wonderful, fast-paced and easy read. I was able to pick it up and put it down during waiting periods and still finished reading it within a week of having started the book.I highly recommend The Other Boleyn Girl and look forward to reviewing other books in the Tudors series!

[kayautic57 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Pulpy but good. I enjoyed it enough to make me want to read more Phillipa Gregory.

[scriberscouse · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A cut above the average historical saga, this deals with the notorious Anne Boleyn and how her ambitious family set schemes in place to see a Boleyn on the throne besides Henry the VIII. My first Philippa Gregory and not the last; immensely readable, the historical details feel accurate and the prose just washes over you gripping you in the plot as the best books should. Told from Mary, Anne's sister's perspective, who becomes Henry's mistress while he is married to Katherine of Aragorn, this doesn't make the best portrayal of Anne Boleyn's character but is an absolute page turner. Even if you're not a fan of historical fiction this provides enough twists and intrigue to entertain and reads like a Tudor soap opera but in a good way.

[dms02 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This was a book that I didn't want to set down.

[sdjurek17 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Great book! Quick read.

[picklechic · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I loved this book! This has to have been one of the best books I've ever read. I seriously could have read another 600+ pages about this family. I am so fascinated by everything that went on during this time period and all the intricasies in the relationships. I loved that the book was written in a more modern language, less flowery then most historical fiction. I could not put it down. I was not very familiar with this time period and I couldn't remember my history well enough to remember whathappened to Anne Boleyn. So the ending was a surprise to me. I am now starved to read more of Gregory's historical fiction novels. 5 stars!

[mandolin_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Filled with sex, scandal, corruption, and reckless ambition, The Other Boleyn Girl is a must-read for historical fiction fans. Told through the point of view of Mary Boleyn, Anne's sister, you can't help but despise and pity Anne Boleyn at the same time. As Anne and Mary are both used as pawns in the quest for power, it becomes very clear what a dangerous game they play. In the end, it's the success that they have that will be their ultimate undoing.