The Other Boleyn Girl - A Book Review
Posted: Monday, February 16, 2009
by Sara O'Rourke
It's always best to read the book before you watch the motion picture. In this case especially, the written word of author and creator of the Early-Modern masterpiece adaptation, Philippa Gregory, feeds you more.
One is definitely uncertain of what exactly The Other Boleyn Girl will offer as a novel; a delectably pulling concept of a sisterly rivalry over a religious champion of a king surrounded by an influential junta - a storyline which could easily sink or swim with the reader individual. Interpreting the whole array of bold personas that the century 1500 brings to our History books is a challenging and dangerous task even for a talented and respected writer. To offer to the literate public your personal ideas captured into a character such as Anna Bolena, Anne Boleyn, is like laying your whole career's work out for potential merciless scrutiny.
The language is flawlessly perfect, grabbing the reader to join the factional heat of Henry VIII's travelling court and witness the scandals and feuds first-hand. The accuracy of many of the by-plots is impressively good, too, which is always not only a relief but a vital aid in making the book more believable. Gregory provides a long list of historic sources at the end of the story, such as works by John Guy (Cambs) to make us aware of her extensive research in constructing such a seamless story.
I firmly hold to the fact that fiction can offer even historians and students some steady foundations for the formation of an image of a particular person. Philippa Gregory's Anne Boleyn, in my opinion, was exactly what I had always imagined her to be - alluring and seductive, capricious, impulsively imprudent, a bit of a rebel, even. Most of all, what Gregory draws on beneath all of the more obvious and outward attributes of the second Tudor queen is the twisted lack of support and caring relations between Anne and her parents and uncle when the bite turns sour for the Howards. She is made to look like many different things - an intelligent, driven and sexual woman, throughout, but at the climax of the story we see her for what she really was - a young girl thrust into the adult game of favours and advancements who finds all her lifelines withdrawn from her when her family's plans for her do not succeed.
Gregory's King Henry VIII was also a very convincing Regent. For the most part of the book it does appear that his character conforms to the typical 21st Century interpretation. However, the author dexterously puts forward a whole new Henry we do not meet so often - the older King, the overweight, dissatisfied man with no son and little time left on his hands. There is a very sudden switch from suave to severe in the King's personality, and this newer Henry is a man to be feared, and a delightful read.
The other two main characters, namely Mary and George Boleyn, really do have a debut fit for the Gods to the hungry public in this epic novel. They are two names never before put to a face, let alone whole functionings and habits, until now. It was incredibly interesting to learn about the other people at Tudor court who exerted so much and yet were mentioned so little in our country's History. Their characters provide the other half of the story - they complete the spherical observation of 16th Century life. George is nothing short of lovable, witty, and generally a young man far too good to be pulled down by the trouble of court. Mary would make a wonderful sister. Gregory, thankfully, gives her what she and her kind heart deserve.
Although many, far and wide, know very well the fate of the Howard family and the somewhat eyebrow-raising details of the marriage between Anne and Henry, and many more know her name purely from the mechanics of her execution, such as by the playground rhyme; 'divorced, beheaded, died, divorced, beheaded, survived' (Notice how both beheaded wives were Howard girls!) this piece of work will teach you so much more. It is the missing ingredient to any scholar interested in the Tudor regime, likewise to the reader looking for an escape to send them into a good sleep at night. The Other Boleyn Girl is all these things, and at its most basic, is just a great book.
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