This book is going to svoight in a box of books.

Received this great WISHLIST book today in a RABCK box of books that lovemylife was offering, thanks so much I look foward to reading it and passing it on.

An interesting story about 3 women in the court of Henry VIII, Anne of Cleves(the 4th wife), Katherine Howard(the 5th wife), and the sister in law of Anne Boleyn-Jane Rochford. The story is told from each woman's point of view in alternating chapters. I have read alot about this period in history and knew the basic story of Katherine Howard and Anne of Cleves but did not know anything really about Jane Rochford except that she was married to George Boleyn(Anne's Brother). She is not shown in a favorable light but she was determine to save her own skin and was willing to do anything that her family asked her including ratting out her husband and sister-in-law leading them to their deaths.

Anne of Cleves was lucky to survive marriage to Henry VIII and lived on eggshells through out his life even after their divorce.

When the King is God(or so he thinks) and can do anything he likes no one is ever safe.

I felt it was a good read and it kept me involved till the end. Now ready for a new reader

This book will be heading out as a Bookring!






The Shipping Order:

minesayn-US-US Ship
heartthumper-US-Int Ship
dutch-book-Neth-EU Ship
kristykat-UK-EU Ship
Luanalara-Germany-Int Ship
bookstogive(home in US)


Please keep no longer than 1 month and be sure to journal the book when you receive it and again when you ship to the next person.

Released to the first person in line for the Bookring, enjoy!

Received via the mail from bookstogive...it's a book ring book about a subject in which I have been totally engrossed since first seeing the movie, "Anne of the Thousand Days," the love story of Anne Boleyn and Henry VIII. Any novel that touches on the lives of his wives and women has always been a draw for me. I can't wait to read it--thanks for sharing bookstogive!

This is a historical fiction told from the perspective of three women in the court of Henry VIII: Anne of Cleves, Jane Rochford (Jane Boleyn), and Katherine Howard. As I have always been intrigued by the history of the queens of Henry VIII (since seeing the movie, Anne of the Thousand Days, in my early teens), this was an intriguing read about a few women of whom I knew less about. Two of them were wives of the kind; the other was related to Anne Boleyn, another of his wives.

Thanks to bookstogive for the opportunity to read this novel--it truly is one of my favorite periods of history.

Heartthumper asked to be skipped (she already received a copy as a gift); therefore, sending off to the Netherlands!

Book has arrived today. This must be the quickest journey ever across the great ocean! I'm impressed!

Have finally finished it. I enjoyed it. Most of the characters have different sides to them. I wonder how much of this book is true.
I will send kirstykat a PM.

Sending off today to luanalara. Kirstykat wanted to skip as she was too busy to read this book.

Received the book today, thank you very much! At the moment I'm reading another bookring, but I'll read this book right after I've finished that one.

This was an interesting read, especially because I had just finished watching the 3rd and 4th season of "The Tudors", which deal with Anne of Cleves and Katherine Howard.

I liked reading Anne's parts the most - she seemed very rational to me and very kind, an interesting character. As far as I read she didn't have such a bad relationship with her mother, but this obviously was used for dramatic purposes. She really was lucky back then.

I also liked Katherine's PoV. She was very young and also vain, and I think she couldn't really understand what being Queen of England could mean for her (i. e. death if the king feels like it). Gregory obviously tried to give Katherine more depth as a character, and I liked the repeated use of "Now, what do I have?" at the beginning of her chapters as some kind of theme.

Jane was a bit difficult for me - I thought she was quite irritating, because she always tried to justify her behaviour (re. Anne Boleyn and her own husband George, whom she testified against), and then went on about how she could still see them walking through the gardens. Gregory said that she thought Jane was always a bit mad - could be, we don't know that much about her. She could've turned mad in the end, or she acted as if she was to escape execution. Jane definitely didn't have a son, so why Gregory felt that she had to add this to the story, I don't know.

Anyway, it was quite a good book and an easy read. Thanks for sharing, bookstogive!

Ray goes on:
1. Originalmulli (intl)
2. starflash (UK/EU preferred)
3. Icila (intl)

The book continues its journey and goes to Originalmulli, since she's got time to read it right now. :) Enjoy reading!

Received this a couple of days ago and and I'm up to page 60 of 600!!! I'll get through it as fast as I can, I love Philippa Gregory so I've been really looking forward to it. Thanks Luanalara and bookstogive for sharing this.

I always love Philippa Gregory, but while all her works that I've read are tragic and poignant because the women in history are such pawns, I found this one genuinely upsetting! Poor Katherine, towards the end I was almost skim reading it, wanting to get the inevitable over with!

In some ways I found it a bit drawn-out and repetitive, not as fast-moving as some others, but I think that actually that adds to the tension and the feeling of claustrophobia within the crazed and paranoid court. I thought Jane was really interesting, the way she deludes herself and what really happened only gradually becomes clear.

A fabulous informative read.

On its way across the country to starflash.

Received today, thank you. Half way through another ring at the moment, will get to this as soon as I can. I have next week off work while I have a new boiler fitted so I should be able to get a run at this book then.

28.8.11-starting this today

Finihed this lunchbreak 14.9.11

I was a little frustrated by the short chapter lenghts but on the whole I thought this very readable. I enjoyed Wolf Hall much more though. PMing for address now

I

The book is safe at home. Thank you starflash.

I'm just finished with it and entirely in research of family tree and other Tudor history. I already had read the Constant Princess and I found the Other Boleyn Girl, in french, at my town library.
Thanks a lot for sharing.

On its way back to Originalmulli

Received - thank you very much Icila! I been wanting to read this again now that I know a lot more about Jane Rochford. And I have absolutely no memory of the Anne of Cleves part, so I can't wait to read that again.