The Other Boleyn Girl

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I'm currently reading this novel by Philippa Gregory and can’t seem to put it down! I was up into the small hours this morning because I just kept saying to myself, "just one more section/chapter..." It's addictive! I'm really interested in Tudor history anyway, but the characterisations in this book are fascinating! Anne is such a horrific person and just when you start to sympathise with her and even pity her slightly, she does something so awful to her sister that you just want her downfall to hurry up and arrive! The interaction of the sisters is really interesting as at first it's hard to have sympathy for Mary as she's so weak and ignorant, but as she grows into a woman, she gains your respect and you begin to see that the wily Anne is really often the ignorant one and the path to her own destruction and ruin is laid by herself alone. Henry's portrayal is really realistic; he's a bully and you see that the way he is spoiled and never stood up to, leads to the way he treats women as so disposable. The court creates an illusion around him that is so convincing that he truly believes he is effortlessly invincible, and never sees the constant toil of the courtiers around him to keep him believing he is so. I think that the mark of Gregory’s skill as a writer lies in that, if you know the history, you know what has to happen, but you care about the plot and character so much that you can’t help hoping things will work out differently, even though you know that they can’t. There’s also an element of feminism that the writer introduces as she criticises the disposable role of women and the way that they have no choices or control over their own lives at this period. They are completely at the whim of the men in their lives; their fathers, husbands and their king. Katherine of Aragon’s struggle is admirable and poignant, even in the face of a foregone conclusion. It raises many questions about how Henry forced wives into an even weaker position by calling into question the sanctity of marriage. I’m really excited to see the film of the novel this year. I hope it lives up to expectations. I’m still only halfway through the book, but I’m so impressed so far that I know I’ll enjoy the rest just as much.