Tudor Court (4) - The Boleyn Inheritance by Philippa Gregory
Now to part 4 of the series: The Boleyn inheritance (In German Das Erbe der Königin, in French L'héritage Boleyn). I read it in German where it contained 592 pages. Originally published 2006.
Catherine is heart broken. Why doesn't anybody realise how important it is that a beautiful girl like her goes to court? Is it too much to ask to be happy? Why is everyone so cruel? In the meantime, her mistress-to-be in on her way from Cleves to England, where her new fortune waits for her: A crown, a king – and death, if she appears frivolous in any way. But Anne intends to be a good wife and great queen. By her side is Jane Boleyn, who knows but won't tell the other Anne's story, but is haunted by it in every waking minute. When the great families begin their game of intrigue again, Anne has to deal with a bored husband, Jane with her past and Catherine with an old, gross man, who wants to feel young but can not give her what she wants most: Love.
This book has three perspectives.
Anne of Cleves is a determined person who is good to the core and has her very own reasons to marry the murderer of 3 wives – since she believes Catherine of Aragon and Jane Seymore wouldn't have died if he had been more loving to them. She wants to bring peace and prosperity to the country, be a good wife and a good mother to her stepchildren. She's the only one who really stands up against the king without manipulating him, and she's so very courageous to do so. I wonder what would have happened if she really had a chance to rule the country. But, unfortunately, she did not recognise the king when he kissed her and reacted... well, not very happy. Additionally, her fear of being “too French”, meaning too much like Anne Boleyn, bores Henry. But I like Anne( of Cleves)'s ending. She finally got what she always wanted, even though her way towards it was hard. By the way, her brother is a bastard.
Anne's example shows how far Henry's madness has progressed. Seriously, this so absurd it would be funny, if it hadn't happened. First of all, the king's changing religion and how hard it is for the people to adapt to the change – and what they have to pay if they make a mistake. And second, the prayers he wants. God, I laughed so hard... what an ass, seriously. I'd be sorry for him, if he wouldn't be so unlikeable. And it was really funny when you saw how he reacted towards his new “sister” when she wore a different headdress. Ass.
Catherine Howard is stupid, naïve and spoiled. But she's not a bad person and has not deserved her fate. Even though she is so superficial, you can not help but like her.
Jane, on the other hand... it was kind of hard to figure her out. I couldn't believe it was THE Jane from The other Boleyn girl (Die Schwester der Königin), because why would she be important like that? But she is, she's the one who makes the queens rise or fall. She was maid to five queens and ruined three. You have to manage that. She deserved her ending, and even though it was pitiful, what she did in order to survive, but it was, in a way, deserved. Especially since she worked on the fact that the king would stay true to his laws, even though she was the one who profited before when he didn't. It was also very fascinating to understand why she did what she did in the previous book. And how much she lies to herself to justify it. She's a twisted, twisted woman.
Okay, as you can see, the different characters are drawn up in a fascinating way. You bond with them, even with Jane, and you tensely await the outcome of the book. The way the society behaves and changes, as well as the relationship between the queen(s) and her/their stepchildren is interesting, the decline of Henry VIII almost funny – and very realistic.
In brief:
I give it stars for ideas, content, character and style.
Prequel: