I really enjoyed this book. It brought to life the exhaustion Anne Boleyn endured while trying to catch her king. The atmosphere at the court felt almost claustrophobic and Gregory is good at portraying that. Anne Boleyn was ambitious but I think she was pretty much pushed into that. I found both her and Henry VIII to be extremely annoying and not very likeable. I've always known about his many wives, but I've never thought about what it might have actually been like to be one of them. Poor Katherine of Aragon... She was really mistreated... This book has intrigued me to the point that I have found some nonfiction that I'm going to be reading soon.

This book was given to me by my friend in Costa Rica. Now it's going to Colorado, because I know someone who has it on her wish list! Did somebody say wish???

OHMYWORD! I was so excited when I saw your last name on the return address on my package! I couldn't wait to open it, but I had to (wait), as I got home late, we have company from out of town, and dinner wasn't fixing itself!

Anyway, what a lovely RABCK! Thanks so much, Amy! I have wanted to read this book for sooooooo long, and the worst was when a copy actually came through my hands, but I had to send it on unread. Thank you lots and lots and lots! *MWAH* I feel spoiled. Thanks :)

wow! What a book! I love reading books like this, but I also start to wonder "what really happened and what's made up?" It's all very intriguing. I even did a bit of research last night on Anne and Mary. I think I may look up Jane Seymour, too :)

This book gets under your skin and you can't put it down. I think I started it just a day or two ago, but I found myself sneaking in a page or two every time I had a free second, and last night I stayed up way too late, just to finish *one more page*!

It is amazing how our impression of the court and what is probably more likely to have happened are different. Of course the gowns and the music playing, and the reading in French and only beautiful women are to be expected. But I never really thought about how the courtiers in general are specifically there to keep the King (and maybe the Queen) entertained. What a concept. "What's your job?" "To make the King smile." hmmmm

This is an amazing novel. It's full of intrigue, history, geography, matters of state, religion, and romance in abundance. It also has heartbreak and machinations that would make a soap opera look tame! It's completely engrossing, and you start viewing the people around you as fellow courtiers. Ok, maybe that's a slight exaggeration, but still . . .

I couldn't help feeling sorry for Mary, but Anne, not at all. I thought it was a brilliant choice of the author to have the story told in Mary's voice. But probably the one I felt most sorry for was George. Whether this account of him is true or not (it is based on a thesis of Retha M. Warnicke), this telling of it sure makes you feel for him.

The descriptions of the court, the clothes, the flirting, etc., were all so engrossing that it's really hard to put down. And I don't say that about a lot of books :)

Thanks so much for sharing this, Amy! I really enjoyed it. And now it's headed across the pond to fulfill another wishlist wish!

Received this today. THANK YOU Antof9!!

This was a good read, but I'm afraid I'm not as enthusiastic about as the other journalers. I just had such a difficult time really investing in any of the characters (except for Mary, well after she had been cast off), that I was turning pages, just waiting for heads to roll. Literally. I do appreciate receiving it, though.