I didn’t think I would like it but knew it would help me pass the time. I just finished it yesterday (3/26/08) and I have really enjoyed it. I am looking forward to reading more books by this author. I am a huge history buff and this feels like being right there. Philippa Gregory paints Anne Boleyn as a complete BIATCH! Seriously, there is no character bitchier than this chick. King Henry VIII is also portrayed as a spoiled brat, you can tell how this relationship would be doomed. As for Mary Boleyn you just want to strangle her through out the book. I didn’t really care what happened to her, I was very interested in the “supporting cast” and you only get to “see” them through Mary’s eyes.

Now that I’m about finished with the book I would like to see the movie. My only gripe is the casting is all wrong. I don’t see Natalie Portman as Anne Boleyn. At least the not the Anne that’s portrayed in this novel. I don’t think she’d be very convincing as a strong power hungry brat. Sienna Miller as Mary, sure, why not. Mary is not a strong force at all. However if you look up her history, she’s a bit of a floozy LOL! Either way I’ll be watching the movie at some point.

Not an easy read, well not at the beginning. I was close to closing it and forgetting it a few times but at about page 300 I pleased to stay with it and toward the end I couldn’t put it down. I say give it a whirl. You may be like me and read a few hundred pages and be like heck, I don’t care about this person, why does all this happen so quickly in the book, I barely know who this and that is and there are so many characters it’s hard to keep straight and I nearly cursed Maverick for bringing this book to my attention, I can’t put down a book once I’ve started so I felt a tad trapped; however, I am glad I stayed with it. Maverick and I have had talk after talk about what I think about this and that. It’s fun. . I have finished the entire series, 4 thick books, and look forward to when Mr. Martin releases #5!

-little note, this has about as much fantasy as LOTR’s, maybe less, just enough to keep things interesting and not be like Oh My God that is too far out there I can’t even stand it, I’ve read books like that blech.