The Boleyn Inheritance by Philippa Gregory

You can't help but get caught up in the drama that unfolds.

The narrative of her willingness to spy for the Duke of Norfolk, her denial of the part she played in the deaths of her husband and his sister, Anne Boleyn, and her slide into madness all unfold with conviction. Lady Rochford is an opportunist, willing to use and be used so that she can be a part of the court while she fights the ghosts of her past. The Boleyn Inheritanceis a novel drawn tight as a lute string about three women whose positions brought them wealth, admirations, and power, as well as deceit, betrayal, and terror. She remains cool and collected throughout, although she lives in constant fear of Henry's whims and his wrath. She has become the first wife of the Tudor monarch to lose her title and keep her head. Her young mind does not grasp the seriousness of her position. Even after she is sentenced to death for treason, she believes that she will be forgiven and returned to court because she has apologized. Katherine is concerned about her gowns, flirting and having fun. I love the way Gregory reminds us that Katherine Howard was no more than a teenager when she caught the eye of Henry VIII. The book is broken up into sections, with each character relating events from her unique perspective.

I don't have to worry about spoilers because I am quite certain that we all know the particulars about how this story turns out. The story is told from three distinct points of view and the narration is done by three excellent actresses (Davina Porter as Jane Boleyn, Lady Rochford Bianca Amato is Anne of Cleves and Katherine Howard is read by Charlotte Parry). (Dec.I listened to the audio version and it was quite a treat. Rich in intrigue and irony, this is a tale where readers will already know who was divorced, beheaded or survived, but will savor Gregory's sharp staging of how and why.

Gregory's accounts of events are accurate enough to be persuasive, her characterizations modern enough to be convincing. Male characters are not nearly as endearing. While Gregory renders Lady Rochford with great emotion, and Anne of Cleves with sympathy, her most captivating portrayal is Katherine, the clever yet naïve 16th-century adolescent counting her gowns and trinkets. Gregory beautifully explains Anne of Cleves's decision to stay in England after her divorce, and offers contemporary descriptions of Lady Rochford's madness. Attended by Lady Rochford, 24-year-old Anne of Cleves endures a disastrous first encounter with the twice-her-age king-an occasion where Henry takes notice of Katherine Howard. Among the cast, who alternately narrate: Henry's fourth wife, Bavarian-born Anne of Cleves his fifth wife, English teenager Katherine Howard and Lady Rochford (Jane Boleyn), the jealous spouse whose testimony helped send her husband, Thomas, and sister-in-law Anne Boleyn to their execution. , historical powerhouse Gregory again brings the women of Henry VIII's court vividly to life. Returning to the scene of The Other Boleyn Girl

The Boleyn Inheritance by Philippa Gregory