The timeline of The Boelyn Inheritance follows that of The Other Boelyn Girl; Anne and George Boelyn have both lost their heads (literally) to Henry VIII....who is now poised to take yet another wife. The seemingly naive Anne of Cleves--who with her German accent and odd (to English eyes) manner of dress manages to alienate the aging, ill king in their very first meeting. It is, however, a political and strategic union (as most of them are)....but the king has taken an immediate dislike to his betrothed (caused of course by their unfortunate first encounter) and seeks reasons to break the marital contract. Meanwhile, a member of the Queen's court has caught the King's wayward eye; the very, very, very young and dim-witted Katherine Howard.
In a tale told from three different perspectives--Anne of Cleves, Katherine Howard, and Jane Boelyn (the widow of George and sister-in-law of Anne) all detail their experiences with an increasingly paranoid king...living in denial as to his health and sex appeal, and surrounding himself with a royal court who are committed to reinforcing his delusions. And in a time where it has become increasingly dangerous to be a love interest of Henry VIII, Anne of Cleves proves that she may be even a might more clever than the original Anne. Chock full of scandal, betrayal, and deceit, The Boelyn Inheritance is a force to be reckoned with.



DYB

I enjoyed this sequel to The Other Boleyn Girl. Told from the perspective of three different women, it picks up after Anne Boleyn has been beheaded and tells the tale of Henry's successive wives. Full of intrigue and suspense as well as beautiful and mostly accurate descriptions of the place and time.

The Boleyn Inheritance continues where The Other Boleyn Girl left off. Henry is once again looking for a wife and this time he looks to Cleves. Anne's arrival to the English court follows intrigue, passion and more romantic drama as the perpetually fickle Henry falls for yet another lady in waiting to yet another queen. For those who enjoyed The Other Boleyn Girl, this is a welcome addition but not necessarily as fast-paced. There is a lot of introspective repetition i.e. characters thinking out loud the same thoughts over and over again. Jane Boleyn's character touches the reader, as does that of Katherine Howard. Jane leaves a slimy, deceptive impression on you in the previous book but in this one, PG deliberately makes you confused in what you feel for her.
The book is very well written and the characters are extremely strong in their impact. The story is obviously based on actual history with a few stretches. Towards the middle of the book, I felt... disgusted. Why? Well I felt disgusted with Henry VIII once again. It is amazing, the number of people he sent to the block and stake just because they did not agree with him. The helplessness of his people, family and his tyrannical rule almost put a fear over the reader. Every tale entwined in Henry's life starts with a castle and ends with the execution block. I think this disgust is PG's success in writing a very good book. I will now turn to something lighter, like fantasy!

This book is worth every dedicated minute of reading.

Its historically accurate, and if youve studied, or like anything about Tudor England or the Boleyns, this is a great insight and should be added your treasure trove!

A wonderful, WONDERFUL read!

It is told from the propectives of Anne of Cleves,(Wife #4 of Henry VIII) Jane Boleyn (Georges' Wife) and Katherine Howard (Wife #5). Which in the beginning I thought would be kinda confusing and chaotic to try and keep up with 3 storytellers, but DONT let that be a deturant. It flows, and each chapter is refreshing to have a different voice.

Get it and Read IT!

Great and human writing showing this time in history. I read it again and again.

Thoroughly enjoyed this and all of her books which I have read already...planning for several more!

This book can be considered a sequel to Gregory's book The Other Boleyn Girl. This book though tells a slightly different story.

This book centers on three women who have to deal with the aftermath of Anne Boleyn and Jane Seymour.

Jane Boleyn was the wife of George Boleyn and the sister in law of Anne Boleyn. Her testimony helped convict both of them leading to their deaths. When Henry VIII decides to marry Anne of Cleves Jane comes back to court to help.

Anne wants to get out under the thumb of her mother and brother and so is very excited when she is to become Queen of England. However the relationship between Anne and Henry is tumultuous and only six months after their marriage they are divorced and she becomes Henry's beloved sister.

Katherine Howard is the cousin of Anne Boleyn. She lived with her step-grandmother until her uncle says that he wants her to serve Anne of Cleves. Soon she catches the heart of Henry and several days after the divorce she is the new Queen of England. There is only one problem, she does not love Henry. Soon Katherine catches the eye of Thomas Culpeper and Jane Boleyn must help them to keep their relationship a secret from King and court, which ends with both Jane and Katherine beheaded for treason.


A very interesting look at history.

I have to admit that as much as I enjoyed "The Other Boleyn Girl," I liked "The Boleyn Inheritance" a great deal more. First and foremost, we are treated to a story about three women from English history that have been for the most part relegated to footnotes and back-burners, with the sole exception being Katherine Howard, who has received a more substantial amount of attention lately; however Anne of Cleves, Henry's fourth and most obscure (though not uninteresting) wife whose marriage to the king was a very short-lived 7 months and Lady Jane Rochford (sister-in-law to Anne Boleyn and wife to her brother, George Boleyn) whose false accusations were considered the catalyst for their fall from grace and, ultimately, execution are sometimes played off as minor historical figures in a time and place that never lacked for larger than life personalities. The novel is narrated by all three of the aforementioned women and we see how their lives, though, woven in many respects, were very separate and their narration tells us as much. While serving as a lady to the king's new protestant German wife, Anne of Cleves, Katherine Howard catches the eye of the aging king whose lust and sense of romance are rekindled by her calculated flirtations and feigned innocence. As a willing pawn for her ambitious family, headed by her ruthless uncle, the Duke of Norfolk, she has little idea of the price she will pay for a childhood indiscretion that surfaces soon after being crowned queen of England. Lady Jane Rochford named Queen Katherine's lady-in-waiting, quickly becomes her greatest confidant, a role that will ultimately lead to her downfall, as court secrets and accusations of betrayal surface and she's named a conspirator in the queen's affairs. Throughout all this, Anne, who thought she'd gained relative safety when Henry annuls their marriage, declares her his sister and grants her various properties, among them the Boleyn ancestral home, Hever Castle, soon realizes the precariousness of her position when the king's fickle and suspicious nature rears its ugly head and her quiet existence is threatened with fear of imprisonment and, perhaps, even death. Just like with her earlier novels, Philippa Gregory's storytelling is both succinct (no padding here) and first rate, with every character given ample attention, which keeps the story moving along at a breathless clip. The narrative never wanes and the climactic exchange between Lady Jane Rochford and the Duke of Norfolk is alone worth the price of admission, as it were. The ferociousness of the encounter is such that it will not soon be forgotten. By far, my favorite PG novel, so I highly recommend it.

Be warned, those who enjoyed the juicy romanticism of The Other Boleyn Girl may be disappointed here. But the facts of the story have a little less debauchery as history writes...

The author was daring as she split her tale between several women's voices... and in the end wove them back together again. (I listened to this novel on my iPod, and this gave the story a better cohesion.)

Lade Jane Rochford, Anne Boelyn's sister in law, whose husband went to the scaffold for incest with Queen Anne is the narrator.

QUEEN- Anne of Cleves is a well drawn character.
QUEEN- "Kitty" Howard is given a flippant air.

and the Duke of Norfolk attempting the regain standing after the Howard girls' spiraling defeat.

This novel gave meaning to many elements we could not understand looking back centuries later. It touched on the political structure and strings being pulled in Europe. It touched on the influence of the church and a wave of reform crashing through Europe.

It spoke clearly of the tyrant Henry had become, touching on those whose livelihoods depended upon the moody man. The perspective on a monarchy, vassals and power within a court... these are the HIGHLIGHTS of this novel. Not the juicy (historical licensed) affairs and torrid romances in Henry's youth. In truth, the tone of the court had changed. Henry's focus, although always self serving, had changed. Be ready for the divergence.

So this is not The Other Boleyn Girl. But the story told is a solid, entertaining one. And when you are writing about history, it is also well known the outcome. This is a fluffy, entertaining historical novel.

Turned out to be a pretty good book. It was a little confusing at the start since there are 3 characters points of view, but once you get to know the characters it gets really good.

I found all three main characters to be absurdly naive at the beginning, which was annoying and distracting. However, as events unfolded, the characters became much more realistic and, consequently, I was able to get into the book a lot more. It turned out to be a great read!

Gregory provides a fresh angle to the "done to death" story of Henry VIII and his wives. Historically accurate, suspenseful, and insightful character development make this book a pleasure to read. I was lucky enough to listen to it on CD where three marvelous actresses read the parts of the two queens and Jane Boelyn. While sometimes it's wonderful to curl up with a book--the CD performances made the story come alive.

This book definetly demonstrates the trials and tribulations that woman in medieval England had to face. This book basically picks up where The Other Boleyn Girl left off, with the exception of pretty much skipping Henry's marriage to Jane Seymour. My only complaint is that Philippa skipped that queen.. In beginning of this story, she has died in child birth. Anne of Cleves, I cannot say enough about her character and her silent charm. This queen struck a chord deep within myself. I felt for her and admired the way she overcame both a domineering brother and King Henry and his court. Katherine Howard, frivolous stupid child that meets a tragic ending for following her heart. This book goes back and forth between the viewpoints of these two queens and the one always observing it all, Jane the traitor. Some of you will remember her from The Other Boleyn Girl. I personally enjoyed the back and forth narration, my mother, however did not. Truly something to consider when contemplating the purchase of this book.

You know it's fiction but it's believable and could have happened. The author does a good job spinning this tale based on history. Some of the thoughts and belief seem a little modern but overall a good read. I would recommend it.

The Boleyn Inheritance is a perfect follow up to The Other Boleyn Girl. Philippa Gregory takes you back in history in such a rich and wonderful way that I have been recomending this book already to anyone I meet who loves either history or just reading a great author. Now I'm reading The Queen's Fool and again I'm messmerized. She is definantly an author whos work I plan to continue reading for a long time. I highly recomend this book and all her work.

The Boleyn Inheritance was the continuation of The Other Boleyn Girl. I like the TOBG, and so this book was a great add-on to that story. I enjoy reading about that time period and Philippa Gregory is by far my favorite author to read. So, I definately reccommend this book..but if you want the full effect and haven't read The Other Boleyn Girl..i reccommend buying them both!

The Boleyn Inheritance was an excellent read. This book was one of my favorites in the series. It is written in a narrative-type format by 3 different women. This format kept me very interested. It made the differences and similarities between the 3 women really stand out because you could view events from 3 different sets of eyes.

This is the second book I have read by Philippa Gregory. When I finished the first book, The Other Boleyn..., I immediately went to Amazon and purchased this book. Although it is basically fiction, the way Gregory intertwines fact, when the courts moved about England, and fiction, any dialog, is wonderful. If you have any interest in the wives of Henry VIII, I highly recommend this book, and possibly any other she writes!

What more can one say? Great historical information. Felt like I was really there. Wow, being royalty in those days wasn't exactly an advantage!

KF Zuzulo is the author of A Genie in the House of Saud: Zubis Rises (A Genie in the House of Saud)
It's almost as dead Anne Boleyn curses Henry to perceive his marital lot as intolerable, no matter who he was married to. He really was a churlish cur; and, in this version of the tale, he's not even attractive anymore. However, if you liked The Other Boleyn Girl, you'll really enjoy this extension on the story of courtly intrigue and the scheming necessary for survival. You can't blame the chaste Anne of Cleaves for being a pushover, or Jane Boleyn for being a twit, or Katherine for being a silly simp. They were just being the women they were -- the intrigue lies in how that interacts with Henry's reprehensible personality.
Gregory conveys all the glamour and pageantry of courtly life in a way that makes you feel you've studied the era -- plus you get all the juicy gossip and scandal. Not as sexy as The Other Boleyn Girl, but definitely worth reading.

While not as excellent as The Other Boleyn Girl, The Boleyn Inheritance is a darn great read! It has intrigue, romance, murder, lust, betrayal, suspense, humor, irony....I read this 500 page book in 5 days, it kept me reading late at night. (Not something I do often with a toddler who wears me out during the day!) There wasn't a boring page through the entire thing- the 3 main characters Queen Anne, Queen Katherine and Jane Boleyn are not to be forgotten. Each are intriguing in their own way and their stories pull you in. Even if you aren't very familiar with this period in time, like myself, you can still enjoy this book because the author does a good job at setting the background, filling in information and giving you tidbits of knowledge. The author's attention to detail is superb. Gregory does it again!!

I feel as though this book was written as a sort of afterthought. All the other books in this "series" are based on a single woman, which offers increased involvement in the story. Meanwhile this book lacks the same plot development and time spent on the characters, as there are two wives who share the book along with at least two other major characters. This book could definitely be written more satisfyingly as two individual novels.

You definitely don't want to read these books out of chronological order; you just won't get the same richness out of them. Gregory's phenomenal skills with character development is lost without the background from each previous book.

For reference, the order to read these books is:
The Constant Princess
The Other Boleyn Girl
The Boleyn Inheritance
The Queen's Fool
The Virgin's Lover

Although I didn't like this novel as much as I liked her Wideacre series and The Other Boleyn Girl it was still a great read. I really like how she split the book among three characters, but told the same sequence of events from their point of views. I didn't want to give it a five, however, because I felt that the book was a bit hurried and glossed over a lot of events and character development. The book could/should have been longer, but it was a great read nonetheless.

Nicely written follow-up to The Other Boleyn Girl. Interesting insight into the lives of relatively unknown women. The narrative style of all three women's stories added another dimension to their personalities. Very enjoyable and left me wanting more.

I really enjoyed reading this book. Its got the essentials: romance, drama, murder and mystery. It kept me at the edge of my seat. I recommend to read this just after The Other Boleyn Girl (its like the second part of that book).

I have read the Boleyn books by Philippa Gregory and found this one to be just as interesting as The Other Boleyn Sister and The Constant Princess (which I love). This one focuses on three different women, two queens and one woman who waited on both of them. The characters are all different from one another and makes for a great juicy story. I am not familiar with these women during the later years of Henry's life, so I am not reading this to get an accurate sense of the history piece. I read this for entertainment and perhaps get my curiousity piqued, which it did.

I think of all the characters in this book, Anne is my favorite. She is the only wife to have survive Henry's wrath (besides Katherine Parr, who just merely survived Henry's death). She was raised in a strict Protestant home by a strict mother and a loving father. Her brother arranged for her to marry Henry, and their marriage really was made for political reasons. In spite of Henry's aversion to her, he treated her well, even though she ended her life alone without children ten years after he had died. She used her head throughout the tumultous reign of Henry and the reader can sense the fear, hopes and sadness of this woman.

The next person is Kitty Howard, a young pawn in the Duke of Norfolk's hands as he greedily schemes for power to put the next Howard/Boleyn child on the throne. Kitty in this book is a vain and not very smart woman, more concerned with getting "presents" and being surrounded by handsome men, beautiful things and laughter. She really is a child and it is hard not to feel sympathy for this character because she is young and silly and a very weak pawn in the game of chess her uncle was playing with the future of England at sake.

And Lady Jane. I wish I had the copy of The Other Boleyn Sister on hand so I could go back and refer to it again. I have to think that this woman is the most deluded character of this book. She betrayed her husband and her sister-in-law out of jealousy. She watched them die and she managed to escape from death by the graces of her uncle, the same Duke of Norfolk. Sent to court to help Anne of Cleve, she also betrayed her by saying that the queen's marriage was not valid since she was precontracted before. (To Anne's credit, she didn't deny it even though it meant a lonely life for her without a spouse or children. However, in comparison to the other queens, it was worth it.) Lady Jane then tries to lure Kitty down the path of destruction by arranging Kitty to meet with Thomas, her lover in hopes that Kitty will get pregnant and that child will be the future king of England, thus restoring the Boleyn/Howard lineage to royalty. Lady Jane really is a pathetic character who is also repulsive.

I am currently watching that popular Showtime series, "The Tudors" and this book is fueling my interest in the Tudor family again. It isn't hard to imagine Henry getting older, fatter and more insane. It is a fascinating look into the royals of that time ... but it is also sad to realize, that things have not really changed all that much since then.

This is an excellent read and a wonderful insight to two queens that I know nothing about. It is an excellent insight to human nature as a novelist can provide. This is a wonderful rainy day book. If you like historical fiction, you will like this one. The stories are interwoven and easily followable. It is just a fanastic book!

I loved this book. It was one of those books where you can't wait to get home from work, change clothes, kick off your shoes and curl up on the sofa and continue reading.

Very interesting and superbly written. I loved the way the book went back and forth between characters....it kept me incredibly interested, I hated to see it end.

If you're a new fan, such as myself, to anything Tudor, I ultimately recommend this book. You'll learn a lot.

I absolutely loved this book. It's a great book to read right after reading The Other Boleyn Girl. It answers so many questions you have about what happened after that book. I tell all my friends about it and let them borrow this book. They love it, too.

I like reading historical fiction because it gives the facts and creates a story around it. It's normally easy to read in the sense it's not dry like most regular history books. This book started off well, and when I wasn't reading about Lady Jane Rochford, the book was easy to read and enjoyable. The chapters that were in Lady Jane Rochford's voice, however, were so off base it was impossible to read. The writer made Lady Rochford sound innocent and nice, rather than the vindictive and malicious woman she was. It would have been easier to read if she hadn't been portrayed as pure as she had been portrayed. She may not have been as malicious as some people believe, but she wasn't guiltless when you consider her testimony sent her husband and his sister to their deaths.

Henry VIII, especially the many intrigues surrounding politics and religion during his reign, not to mention his six wives, has always fascinated me. There is so much material that can be covered during and after his time as king of England that hundreds of books, novels and quite a few films and television series (including the latest on Showtime, The Tudors) have been created. And why not? His life was like a giant real-life soap opera. I read Philippa Gregory's The Other Boleyn Girl years ago, and I hadn't read any of her books centered on the Tudor dynasty ever since. The Wideacre trilogy was a great read (except for the third and last book), but I hadn't picked anything of hers ever since, and that was about two or three years ago. I recently picked up The Boleyn Inheritance, not knowing what to expect. This is one of the best historical novels set against Henry's reign I have read in a long time.

Katherine of Aragon dies a lonely and undignified death after Henry divorces her, Anne Boleyn is beheaded for supposedly committing adultery, and Jane Seymour passes away shortly after giving birth to a son. Now it is time for Henry to take another wife. With France and Spain plotting against England, an alliance with the Cleves is necessary. And so, here enters Anne of Cleves. After enduring a power-hungry, abusive brother, Anne sees her marriage to King Henry as a ticket way out of her insufferable life at home. She imagines King Henry as he once was -- handsome and charming to the ladies. Instead, she gets an aging, overweight, angry bear of a man who rejects her after she publically humiliates him. He wants a divorce; she wants to remain the queen of England. Yet she knows what would happen to her if she dares to defy the man who has sent three women to an early grave. Her only option is to return back home to her abusive brother, ruined. But she can't let that happen. What will she do? Meanwhile, it appears that one of her ladies-in-waiting has gotten the king's attention. Katherine Howard is young, beautiful and flirty. She is also wise and sensual beyond her fourteen years. She loves to attract the attention of young men and think she is simply humoring a piggy-eyed old man when she flirts with the king. So imagine her life as King Henry's wife. This is all seen through the eyes of Jane Boleyn, Lady Richford. She is back in court after she made the testimony that destroyed both her late husband George and her sister-in-law. Now, under the Duke of Norfolk's demand, she must spy on Anne and Katherine. It appears that Anne Boleyn has left a legacy of tragedy and betrayal not only to her family, but also to all of England.

This is a riveting read. Historians/anglophiles will probably find that this novel isn't very innovating. I for one thought it was fascinating. It's beautifully written, the first-person POV from all three protagonists are clear and well put-together. You never get them confused. Jane Boleyn is the most interesting one of the three. A woman whose testimony sent her husband and sister-in-law to the block, she wasn't likable at all in The Other Boleyn Girl, but it was never clear to me (at least not in the real-life events) whether she'd done it from her free will or if she'd been forced to make the testimony. This novel implies that she had indeed been persuaded into making that choice. As for Gregory's characterization, I appreciate the fact that Katherine Howard is depicted as naïve and flighty in this novel. She is what I imagine most fourteen-year-old are like, vain and silly, which makes it especially jarring for me to know that Henry would marry a child. Then again, what could be expected from someone such as he? And also, they married them young in those times. It's like they were forced to go from children to adults at once. Out of all of his wives, with the exception of Katherine of Aragon, I think that Katherine Howard's demise is the saddest. I could understand why she'd want to be with men her own age and not with one old enough to be her father or even her grandfather. Philippa Gregory humanizes these three women in more ways than one. I enjoyed The Boleyn Inheritance and I look forward to reading Gregory's other books set in the Tudor era. I've already got The Constant Princess lined up.

Absolutely enjoyed this book. Picked it out at the library just to read something different. Fell in love with it! "The Other Boleyn Girl" movie came out while I was reading this book. I read "The Other Boleyn Girl" and enjoyed it even more! I am currently reading "The Constant Princess". I read the trilogy backwards, but it didn't make a difference! I recommend Philippa Gregory to EVERYONE! You WILL NOT regret purchasing this book! GO FOR IT!

Can Philippa Gregory write a dull book? She certainly proves herself more than capable of stealing all your free time with this novel.

Historical Romance is focused on female readers. As a male I have, however, enjoyed this genre. Philippa Gregory's latest book concerns itself with the lives of two women who had the great misfortue to be wed to the 300 pound tyrant known as Henry VIII. Jane Boleyn the sister-in-law of Anne Boleyn is also spolighted. Henry reigned from 1509 until his death in 1547. The story is told in short chapters in which the reader is addressed by the three women who share their stories.
1. Anne of Cleves-She is the German princess who was wed to Henry in January, 1540. The wedding was a political one in which the Protestant Anne would link Cleves with England in case of an attack by France or Spain, Anne had a miserable life being ruled by a harsh mother and a cruel brother. She was only married for six months before Henry had it declared that she had previously been in an earlier relationship; this meant she was no longer a virgin when she came to his commodious bed. The marriage was probably not intimate. Anne was allowed to keep her head. She lived out her sad life on a distant estate; she died ten years after Henry. She did live in fear that the evil king would implicate her in a plot against the throne. This did not happen. Anne was kind, smart and religious. She impresses the reader as the best of the three women whose tales are told by Gregory.
2. Katherine "Kit" Howard was a 15 year old girl when she was forced to wed 48 year old Henry. She was used as a pawn by the Howard family to ultimately seize power once Henry was dead and Kit produced a male heir.
Katherine had affairs with Francis Denham and Thomas Culpepper. Both of these men would be executed by Henry. She was fatuous, flirty and comes across as a naive young girl who died tragically upon the block on February 13, 1542. Gregory's writing about young Katherine practicing her death by borrowing the execution block is the best part of the novel.
3. Jane Boleyn is a despicable character. She was the sister in law of the beheaded second wife of Henry the infamous Anne Boleyn. She testified that her husband and Anne's brother George had engaged in incest. Anne and George were duly executed. In this novel, Jane schemes to keep her properties. Her fate would not be happy as she spied on both Anne of Cleves and Katherine Howard.
Towering above all these women is the towering figure Henry VIII. At the time of the novel he is grossly obese, suffering from a running wound on his bad leg and is an oversexed monster of self indulgence.
This book was better than I thought it would be. Gregory can hold the reader's interest but some of her other books are livelier and better.

If you liked "The Other Boleyn Girl" then this is definitely worth a read. Continuing the theme of how women in this period were used as pawns in the rise (and fall) of men, Gregory fleshes out two of the lesser known of Henry's wives -- Anne of Cleves and Kathryn Howard. Perhaps most interesting though is the perspective and fate of Lady Jane Rochford, who escaped the beheading of her husband and sister-in-law and is "rewarded" for her skill in navigating Henry VIII's court. Interesting perspective on Henry's later years, illness and apparent madness.

In general, for a whole researched, but fictionalized perspective on Henry and his wives, I prefer Margaret George's "Autobiography of Henry VIII." It is interesting that she and Gregory have both done extensive research, but have reached somewhat different conclusions about several characters. I'm not sure exactly who to trust without going to the more scholarly sources myself, but Gregory's portrayal is certainly compelling and a bit "sexier."

In general a very enjoyable read, and you may even learn a thing or two!

Some of her books are brilliant. Some are not. This is not!

This was a really good read. The three-person narrative was a little difficult to read at first but after a few pages it was really intriguing.

I picked this up at a store without any former knowledge of the Boleyn series or Philippa Gregory. I didn't even realize it was historical fiction until I began reading it, so that was quite an exciting surprise. ^^

It's really an enjoyable read, but the writing can be a bit dull sometimes because the characters can be simple, predictable, and irritating. I did like the Anne of Cleves character and I was fascinated in the historical story of Katherine although I didn't like her character in the book.

It's the first time I've ever read about King Henry VIII in depth. I'm quite interested in him and his wives now. This book is good for that reason, and it's an entertaining read although I think it could have been done much better.

I believe this is my fifth Philippa Gregory book and, while (to me) it is not nearly as good as The Other Boleyn Girl, it's an entertaining read nonetheless. The Boleyn Inheritance is told from the alternating first person perspectives of Anne of Cleves, Katherine Howard and Jane Boleyn, each short chapter jumping between these three lesser known females who inhabited Henry VIII's court. I enjoyed Gregory's exploration of sweet and simple Anne of Cleves (Henry's fourth wife), dimwitted and self -absorbed Katherine Howard (Henry's fifth wife) and scheming yet tormented Jane Boleyn (lady in waiting to Anne and Katherine as well as sister-in-law to Anne Boleyn). Anyone who enjoys historical fictional, particularly involving Henry VIII and his wives, will likely enjoy this book ... but just do not expect to enjoy it as much as The Other Boleyn Girl.

I was a little wary about diving into the Boleyn Inheritance after the great gong-show that was The Constant Princess (tedious, unbelievable, and with every indication of being "phoned-in"). But I love Anne of Cleves - she's easily my favorite of Henry's wives, so when I saw she was one of the narrators, I took the plunge and picked up Inheritance.

Well, I devoured it. I loved The Other Boleyn Girl (once I made my peace with Anne's characterization), but The Boleyn Inheritance edges out as my favorite of Gregory's Tudor novels. The three-narrator device is very well handled (although a few of Anne of Cleves's sections do come across as "filler"). Jane Boleyn's talent for self-deception made her as controversial and intriguing character as Gregory's Anne Boleyn, and despite being convinced I'd dislike her, I really felt for her by the end.

But my favorite characterization by far was Katherine Howard. I don't think I've ever seen a self-absorbed teenage girl's voice portrayed so convincing. Her narration has an almost stream-of-consciousness tone as she bounces around from one half-baked idea to the next. It's by turns hilarious and quite sad, especially as she faces her execution.

One wish: a second edition with about half of the examples of the phrase "Boleyn inheritance" taken out. Each of the three leads gets her own "inheritance." We get it. And it's a lot cleverer if the reader isn't beaten over the head with it.

I devoured "The Other Boleyn Girl" and was so looking forward to "The Boleyn Inheritance" only to be severely disappointed. The three person narrative was awkwardly executed and yes, Ms. Gregory would have done well to give us a rich portrait of one of the ladies. I found her voice of Anne of Cleaves the most interesting and wished that Gregory had written it entirely from her view. Jane Boleyn's narrative and some of the dialogue exchanges between her and the Duke read like a bad over the top Spanish TV novella. The most annoying part was the endless repetition of Jane's remorse over the events that happened in "The Other Boleyn Girl." Much of the book felt like filler, as if the reader was getting banged over the head with the same emotion(I get it already!). I felt like I was reading some V.C. Andrews ghost writer. I wasn't interested in revisting Jane's remorse over and over and I also felt that people that hadn't read "The Other Boleyn Girl" would miss some of the references. A book should stand on its own with or with out having read the previous.

Another complaint is the liberties she has taken with the history. In both books she often makes many characters younger than they should be. Kitty was 19 at the time of her marriage. And many liberties where taken with the Henry-in-disguise meeting Anne, another event that was repeated and mulled over so many times it was incredible.

It seems like this book was rushed and the characters and events not fully developed. If you edited out all the repetition this book should have been about 200 pages tops.

I don't recommend it. However "The Other Boleyn Girl" is brilliant.

The Boleyn Inheritance gave me an unexpected passion for Anne of Cleves. Little is known about her and I found this book to be a great history lesson. (Wouldn't it be nice to have learned history this way in school? If so, I would have been a history major for sure.) I very much enjoyed her strength and even though I knew she wouldn't end up on the block, I found myself nervous for her all the same.

Katherine Howard was another poor little girl caught in the web of her family's plot for position. Phillipa Gregory portrayed her as a self-centered, yet naive girl who I wanted to rescue.

Jane Boleyn is portrayed as a woman without a soul and always carrying out her family's wishes no matter what the cost. But even at her end, I wished her better.

I feel P.G. did another excellent job bringing the 16th century to life. Although this book is historical fiction, it's altogether possible that the stories of these three women's lives could actually hold some truth.

A really good history lesson once again.

Detailed, informative yet engrossing listening. On an editing note, however,I do wish, that the narrators could take a little more trouble with pronouncing quite well known place names and dynasty names ... some annoying errors were made and when there is more than one reader and they give differing pronunciations it shouts 'lack of care in editing'.

While it certainly shouldn't be taken as gospel, Gregory's novel provides some very interesting insight into a dangerous era in English history, where the people were subject to the whims of a once golden prince who had descended to the ranks of any petty tyrant. This book ought to be required reading for those who insist that the past was a kinder, gentler place and that violence is peculiar to modern society. Henry VIII is just one proof that those who stand in the way of a despot are liable to pay with their very lives.

The book is told from shifting perspectives, which makes it all the more interesting and rounded. Perhaps the most intriguing character is that of Lady Jane Rochford, the same woman whose testimony assured that her husband, George, and his sister, the infamous Anne Boleyn, were beheaded. Gregory makes quite a villain of Lady Jane but her portrayal is also that of a woman determined to see to her own well-being and life, whatever the consequences and whatever the price. Gregory makes the argument here that, while Lady Jane may not have been entirely in her right mind, she was also subject to the whims of the Duke of Norfolk, whose endless schemes ensured that no one was sacred, that two nieces could be used as pawns in his endless struggle for power and position. Though Lady Jane isn't exactly a sympathetic character, the duke almost makes he look like a kitten. As a pair, these two can't help but send a chill up the reader's spine.

A second perspective is that of Anne of Cleves. Eager to escape her boorish brother, Anne arrives in England eager to prove herself a good queen and to do what she can to better the nation. Unfortunately for her, she unknowingly insults one of the most vain kings in history and is thus blown about by the storms of his anger for the rest of her life. I found Anne to be perhaps the most well drawn and appealing of the three. She is a woman doing her best to survive on her wits alone and she cannot depend on any man to offer her protection. Though her ambassador does try his best to help her, it is ultimately Gregory's Anne who survives through sheer cleverness and a canny attention to the changes of the world around her. She was the only one of Henry's wives to meet a good end and Gregory does an excellent job of arguing that this is due to her intelligence.

The third perspective is that of Katherine "Kitty" Howard, an empty-headed teen who is shallow but also pitiable. Kitty is a notorious flirt who thinks of nothing beyond counting her possessions and making every man she meets fall in love with her. This is not to say that she is a strictly unlikable character for I found it hard not to feel sorry for her when her uncle uses her to catch the eye of a vain and foolish king, who thinks himself her equal in looks and youth. When Kitty's past comes to light, the king quickly grows disenchanted with her and the poor young woman will pay the ultimate cost for the follies of youth.

The portrayal of the lives of these three women is so extraordinarily vivid that it is downright visceral at times. Gregory really breathes life into the past and shows that it was every bit as dramatic and suspenseful as anything the modern soap opera can cook up. What is truly disturbing about the book is the way in which women are used by men--and by the Duke of Norfolk and Henry VIII in particular. It must be distasteful and frightening for any modern woman to reflect on the treatment of women in those times. The king had the power to make any wild accusations against a woman who had displeased him and she was powerless to defend herself in any manner. Gregory does a wonderful job of showing how these women cope with that power--Kitty, who tries to go along with orders; Lady Jane, who tries to profit from them; and Anne, who uses her brains to protect herself from them. It's a truly chilling and harrowing read.

I bought the audio book for a road trip that I made recently. It is a great novel and it has put me into a craze with her books. I plan to read each of them!

After reading the Other Bolyn Girl I didn't want to stop reading about these characters. What a great follow up.

After reading The Other Boleyn Girl and The Queen's Fool, I decided to take a break from Ms. Gregory's books but I picked this up to skim through it and 3 days later I had read it from cover to cover. She does very well in giving different "voices" to each of the women she portrays, and crafts a good story, advancing the plot while switching point of views.

Great book! It's amazing when you actually realize that this is based on King Henry VIII's kingdom. I loved each character and how they related to each other. I am addicted to Phillippa Gregory's writing!

I could hardly put this book down. If only our history books had been written like this I would have really enjoyed history instead of hating it.

As far as the contents of the book, I am unable to say anything better than those before me have already said.

However, I would like to mention the audio version. This is one of the 1st audio books that actually had different people speak the different parts, and it was great. Each character is represented by a person who matches that personality "to the T."

I found the story so compelling, and with the various voices almost got swept away to the rooms in court. For anyone who listens to audio books, I would recommend it highly.

The book was a compelling historical read, but the characters did not grasp me like the Mary and Anne Bolyen from the previous novel. I feel that the jumpiness that came from the switching of point of view made it hard for me to relate to anyone character. I realize that Gregory is just playing with history, but the events depicted seemed disjointed with the factual events she included, especially in the end of the novel. I feel that this book was just okay when compared to other books of hers that I have read.