THE BOLEYN INHERITANCE

TITLE: THE BOLEYN INHERITANCE
AUTHOR: PHILLIPA GREGORY
Pages: 726
Date: 28/03/2008
Grade: 4+
Details: Large Print
Library

This book is the sequel to "THE OTHER BOLEYN GIRL".
The story is told in turns by Jane Boleyn, Anne of Cleves, and Katherine Howard.
The story of Anne's marriage to Henry, doomed before it even took place, and his infatuation with Katherine Howard, younger then his daughter Mary, and his subsequent marriage to her, is well known. As is Katherine's fate, once she falls in love with young Thomas.
And this time, Jane Boleyn, who once again plays a central role in the lives of her queens, doesn't escape with her life. Only Anne is lucky enough to outlive Henry.
Whereas Julia Fox in her non-fiction book on Jane Boleyn paints her as a woman, trapped in a world ruled by power hungry men, ruled by a ruthless, spoiled and selfish king (if he wasn't plain mad), Gregory refers back to the verdict of her as established through the centuries. One that paints her as a bad and mad woman, out only to look after her own interests.
I've no idea where the truth lies, and don't think that anybody can be sure now. But I suspect that it lies probably somewhere between the two versions.