Boleyn Inheritance
Written by Philippa Gregory
Narrated by Ruthie Henshall, Dagmara Dominczyk and Bianca Amato
4/5
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About this audiobook
After the death of his third wife, Jane Seymour, King Henry VIII of England decides to take a new wife, but this time, not for love. The Boleyn Inheritance follows three women whose lives are forever changed because of the king's decision, as they must balance precariously in an already shaky Tudor Court.
Anne of Cleves is to be married to Henry to form a political alliance, though the rocky relationship she has to the king does not bode well for her or for England.
Katherine Howard is the young, beautiful woman who captures Henry's eye, even though he is set to marry Anne. Her spirit runs free and her passions run hot—though her affections may not be returned upon the King.
Jane Rochford was married to George Boleyn, and it was her testimony that sent her husband and infamous sister-in-law Anne to their deaths. Throughout the country, her name is known for malice, jealousy, and twisted lust.
The Boleyn Inheritance is 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.
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.
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Reviews for Boleyn Inheritance
95 ratings94 reviews
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Love her writing.
- Rating: 1 out of 5 stars1/5I think I must have grabbed this by mistake when I was cruising the New Book section of the library. I was one chapte rin when I realized it was some sort of historical bodice ripper- so not my thing. How embarrassing!
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Typical Phillipa Gregory fun read. I especially liked the way the chapters were told from the first person of three women: Jane Rochford (widow of George Boleyn) whose testimony sent her husband and sister-in-law, Anne to their deaths. Anne of Cleaves, the only wife of Henry VIII to survive the marriage, and Katherine Howard, fifteen, foolish, and married to the obese, mad Henry.Basically the story stays very true to history, but of course the narratives are all imagined. Just a good fun read.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Excellent read
- Rating: 1 out of 5 stars1/5Not as good as the rest of the series. This one seemed like odds and ends cobbled together. A pretty dreary story.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Boleyn Inheritance was my second Philippa Gregory book and I enjoyed it even more than the first (The Other Boleyn Girl). I loved seeing how things panned out, depending on which side of the fence the narrator was on, and I really felt like I knew the characters and their motivation by the end. The end just came too soon for me. I'd have liked it to carry on and on, especially Anne's part.
Anne's and Katherine's chapters were more entertaining than Jane's but that's probably because Jane's chapters/thoughts/narration were primarily about her own self inflicted torment and delusions over her husband's and Anne Boleyn's betrayal. Her narrative had a definite air of madness about it as the story progressed. By the end she was a broken woman and I don't doubt she was as mad as box of frogs. I don't pity her though.....well, not much anyway.
I love that I feel I know these women a little better now (albeit in a fictional way) and will look out for other fictional works which cover the Tudors.
King Henry was vividly repulsive in the pages, to the point where I swear I could smell the supporating wound on his leg every time I opened the pages. At best he was delusional, at worst he was a maniac and I wonder how anyone could bear to be around him.
All in all it's a great read, I just hope I can find a worthy bedtime read to replace it, now it's finished. That's the worst part of a good book.....it's over too soon. - Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5This was an amazing book! The detail that was in this book made me feel like I was actually there. I loved that there were three different viewpoints during the book. It gave a more precise explanation of what happened to Anne of Cleves, Katherine Howard, and Jane Boleyn. Katherine of Aragon is still my favorite queen, but I did like Anne of Cleves quite a bit. Katherine was just a young foolish girl and Jane Boleyn seemed to be a bit crazy from the loss of her sister-in-law and husband due to her testimony.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5It seems every time I pick up a Philippa Gregory book, I cannot put it down. Since reading The Constant Princess, I have been hooked on her books and find myself totally absorbed in her storytelling. The Boleyn Inheritance was no different. The story is set between 1539 and 1542 after Jane Seymour dies and King Henry VIII decides to marry once again. He marries a German princess, Anne of Cleves, but after a bad first encounter with her, he quickly begins to hate her. Once Anne is in England she finds herself alone and barely able to speak the language, with a husband who will not consummate the marriage and who dislikes her from the start. The story is told from the points of view of Queen Anne, Katherine Howard who is a lady in waiting, and Jane Boleyn, who is George Boleyn's widow. Jane's own testimony helped send her late husband and his infamous sister Anne Boleyn to the chopping block. I enjoyed this book very much. The Boleyn Inheritance has been the perfect read on a cold winters night. There was drama, romance and plenty of interesting characters to keep me hooked. I was completely hooked on the last few chapters and was up until late into the night reading. Philippa Gregory had me on the edge of my seat.
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Too much repetition and simple characters. On the other hand, I think we all form our ideas of historical characters, making historical fiction difficult to write. As for Jane Boleyn (nee Parker), I think she's on my family tree.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The court of King Henry VIII was a court ruled by fear and abject horror at the time that the German princess, Anne of Cleves arrived to become the fourth wife of the King. Having escaped living life under the thumb of her abusive brother and cold, domineering mother, Anne arrived in England, relieved but hopeful in her marriage to Henry, that she would have a much better life.Instead of the tall, majestic personage of King Henry VIII - an image which was continually fostered abroad - Anne of Cleves encountered a man for whom she could only feel intense pity and no small measure of revulsion. This was the infamous King Henry VIII - a man whose volatile temper was legendary at court and a man whom Anne of Cleves feared above all others. A King who would eventually come to despise her when she proved unable to conceive a son and heir. Anne of Cleves bore Henry's bitter recriminations, accusations and false witness with as much quiet grace as she could - finally agreeing to grant Henry a divorce.Katherine Howard was a woman in love - but certainly not with the diseased old man who made her his queen and bedded her night after night. In desperation, and to avoid the constant threat of the axe, Katherine Howard turns for help to Jane Rochford - otherwise known as Jane Boleyn - the Boleyn wife whose testimony sent her husband and sister-in-law to their deaths. In an effort to save their lives, a dangerous and treasonous plan is concocted, but to no avail. Throughout Europe, the name Jane Rochford is synonymous with malice, jealousy and twisted lust - however, her ultimate Boleyn inheritance was a fortune and a title, in exchange for her soul.I absolutely loved this book. I've always been fascinated by the reign of Henry VIII, and especially the lives of his six wives. The setting of The Boleyn Inheritance really highlighted for me the fear that Henry's subjects lived with constantly and how tyrannical Henry's rule had become. I give this book an A+! Philippa Gregory is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5I did not expect to like this book; I thought it was going to be all fluff and steamy romance. I found it to be intriguing, and to be a fictional look into England's Tudor past...
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Historical fiction around Anne of Cleves & Katherine Howard - 4th & 5th wifes of Henry VIII. Good light reading.Read mar 2007
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5An interesting title, actually, once you finally come to understand what it means. I would have liked to have known ahead of time that it is the story of the two wives of King Henry VIII before his very last wife who actually survived (probably because King Henry himself died before he could have her killed). Namely, Anne of Cleaves and Katherine Howard (I'm not sure if spelled right since I listened on audio).
I enjoyed the author's portrayal of Katherine Howard the best. At least, she was the most entertaining one. While she certainly had her faults... for all of them she did not deserve the end she got. Sad. I don't much like King Henry.
And yes, I'm a bit addicted to Tudor England right now. - Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Sequal of The Other Boleyn Girl - it was almost as good, and written in a very different style. While I love the ornate, descriptive writing of 18th and 19th century novelists, Gregory's easy ""adaption"" of 16th century English makes these novels easy to fly through - while still maintaining the historical relevence I so love. Highly recommed it to anyone who loved Boleyn Girl..
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5I have this love hate relationship with Philippa Gregory's books. In the beginning, I have such a hard time getting into them. There's something about her writing style that I find hard to read. But in the end the fiction she weaves around the strange truths sucks me in.
I found the fact that this was told from 4 points of view hard to follow at first. I was alwasy confused about who was speaking. As the characters grew, it became easier.
All and all, I didn't dislike the book, but I'm not going to start telling people to read it. - Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5I really enjoyed this book. Poor silly little Kitty. Jane is shown as one of those people who never takes responsibility for what a mess she made of her life.The author makes Anne`s brother into a horrible person who treats his sister Anne badly. The author`s reasoning is it explains Anne`s willingness to remain in England. Another explanation is Anne realizes Henry would never let here leave England. If she leaves he losescontrol. He could not stop her brother from declaring that the previous wherewithal had been properly ended and since the marriage to Henry was never concentrated Anne is free to marry again. Henry couldn't let her marry and have children with some one else.
- Rating: 2 out of 5 stars2/5This novel is part of a series about the wives of Henry the Eighth, and centers on two of the wives, Anne of Cleves and Katherine Howard. Also of prime importance is Jane Rochford, whose testimony helped to send her husband, George Boleyn, and sister-in-law, Anne Boleyn, to their deaths. This novel illustrates an interesting facet of English royalty ? the absolute rule of a monarch and the woe that envelopes those who displease the king. But this novel dragged on and on, with repetitive themes and dialogue. We understood that the king was older, decrepit, and smelled; no need to keep stating that fact. We know that some wives just wanted the luxuries and power that came with being queen. But others in the court wanted power, too, and secret dealings and underhandedness abounded. Not the best written tale, this novel would have benefited from some serious editing and rewriting of the dialogue. Long before this novel ended, I was wishing for the beheadings, just to get it over with.
- Rating: 2 out of 5 stars2/5Henry'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... and sister-in-law Anne Boleyn to their execution. 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. Gregory beautifully explains Anne of Cleves's decision to stay in England after her divorce, and offers contemporary descriptions of Lady Rochford's madness. While Gregory renders Lady Rochford with great emotion, and Anne of Cleves with sympathy, her most captivating portrayal is Katherine, the clever yet na?ve 16th-century adolescent counting her gowns and trinkets. Male characters are not nearly as endearing. Gregory's accounts of events are accurate enough to be persuasive, her characterizations modern enough to be convincing. 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.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Loved it! I'm a bit obsessed with King Henry and his many wives, and this book is about Lady Jane Boleyn, Anne Boleyn's sister-in-law - the one who helped send both her husband and her sister-in-law to their deaths. Philippa Gregory is a gifted writer whose books I really enjoy. Who doesn't love a big fat book?
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Wow. I am surprised that I was still very engrossed in this book even though I knew most of the outcome. That is a talent of this author.
I was most interested in the story of Anne van Cleve's because there is not much written about her (that I know of) and Philippa Gregory did not let me down. I was not sure what would happen to this woman so for me there was still suspense. Enjoyable read. Oh what an ass that Henry the VIII was. - Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5This book alternates between the voices of 3 interesting women: Henry VIII's 4th and 5th wives (Anne of Cleves & Katherine Howard) and Jane Boleyn, the lady-in-waiting who serves them (as well as Henry VIII's previous 3 wives). The book focuses on the differences between the women and their relationship to one another, as well as Henry VIII's decline into tyrannical madness. Of the 3 women, Anne of Cleves is definitely the most admirable. Occasionally Katherine Howard's chapters annoyed me, since of the 3 she was the most shallow and naive in some ways, but somehow managed to make perceptive insights. But I pitied her. Jane Boleyn was definitely the most complicated -- I did pity her, but in this book, she also shows a malicious and evil streak. And both Henry VIII and the Duke of Norfolk emerge as villains (who seem to go basically unpunished, especially the latter). And I loved how each woman consciously dealt with her Boleyn inheritance.
Ultimately, I think I sympathized with all 3 women -- as fascinated as I am with this period, I would not have wanted to live through this time! Although you could read this book without having first read The Other Boleyn Girl, I strongly recommend reading The other Boleyn Girl first. - Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5not as good as the other boleyn girl, but i enjoyed this one, actually i think mostly for the history. I wasn't thrilled with the was that phillipa gregory wrote some of the sections but oh well. I just skipped them :-)
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5A brilliant follow-up to book-turned-movie The Other Boleyn Girl also by Philippa Gregory
- Rating: 1 out of 5 stars1/5Compared to The Other Boleyn Girl (which is one of my favorites), this seemed as if it weren't even from the same author. The Boleyn Inheritance is pretty much the same three boring chapters over and over and over and over and over again. Not exaggerating. And King Henry is so disgusting at this point in his life that I wanted to puke every time she mentioned (over and over and over again) that he stank, he was fat, he wobbled, his breath smelled, his wound stank, he stank, he stank, he stank. I think she fell short here. I'd have to be thoroughly convinced before reading another of her books. Huge disappointment and waste of my time.
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5I listened to the audio version and it was quite a treat. 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). 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 book is broken up into sections, with each character relating events from her unique perspective. I love the way Gregory reminds us that Katherine Howard was no more than a teenager when she caught the eye of Henry VIII. Katherine is concerned about her gowns, flirting and having fun. Even after she is sentenced to death for treason, she believes that she will be forgiven and returned to court because she has apologized. Her young mind does not grasp the seriousness of her position. Anne of Cleves is steady and composed. She has become the first wife of the Tudor monarch to lose her title and keep her head. She remains cool and collected throughout, although she lives in constant fear of Henry's whims and his wrath. 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. Hers is the most complicated story. 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. You can't help but get caught up in the drama that unfolds. I enjoyed this book.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Philippa Gregory has written another good continuation to the Tudor Series. This book is about Ann of Cleves, Henrys fourth wife and Katherine Howard, Henrys fifth wife. Jane Boelyn rounds out the cast of characters and the book alternates between these ladies perspectives. An interesting view of the madness of the English Court during this timeframe.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5this was much better than the other boleyn girl!
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Just when we think we have heard the last of the Boleyns, after The Other Boleyn Girl (2002), Gregory resurrects the ill-fated family in the persona of Jane Boleyn, Lady Rochford. After her damning testimony results in the execution of both her husband and her sister-in-law, Anne Boleyn, Jane continues her ruthless scheming as she serves as lady-in-waiting to Anne of Cleves, Henry VIII's reviled Bavarian-born fourth wife, and naive, doomed [fifth] wife, Catherine Howard. Narrated in turn by this trio of intriguing women, this tale of court politics and treachery unfolds from three equally compelling points of view. Margaret Flanagan
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Gregory once again demonstrates her talent for breathing life and insight into the historical figures in the Tudor court.Providing the first-person narrative of the three lead chracters allows the reader to experience the lives of these women more realistically and to contemplate each of their circumstances from varying perspectives. It is also intersting to see the transformation of King Henry through the progression of the novels as he ages. The circumstances of England are also astonishing and become more vivid as viewed through the eyes of the three women with very different backgrounds who narrate this novel.The Boleyn Inheritance leaves me looking foward to the continuing Tudor saga in Gregory's novels.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Essentially a romance novel with a large dallop of historical creative license thrown into the mix but overall a easy read to pass the time. Philippa Gregory seems to have found a niche for herself and has stuck to this genre because the magical formula is finding enough historical trails to build a story and throw in a whole lot of imagination and scandal for good measure.