The Last Boleyn by Karen Harper

The Last Boleyn Reviews

• 
  Belinda

  - English hardcover - Thanks Betty for the read - 🌷🌷🌷
• 
  Hannah

  Honestly, I wasn't sure what to expect with this book, but I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed it. The comparisions of it to Phillipa Gregory's The Other Boleyn Girl made me leary, as TOBG was frankly boring and lacking in historic context, IMO. This book was much better in terms of writing and in storyline, although both novels suffer from an excess of purple prose and "bodice-ripper-itis". A serious student of Tudor-era history might take exception to the historical inaccuracies, but if you merely want an interesting, fictional account of Mary Boleyn in particular, and the Boleyn family in general, then this is the book to read.
  
  Harper's novel spans 2 decades, and covers Mary Boleyn's life from a young girl living at Hever Castle, to the day that her sister, Anne, is executed by Henry VIII. Mary, as history tells us, was the Boleyn that shared the bed of 2 powerful kings and paved the way for the power-mad Boleyn family's rise to fame and fortune. Little is known of Mary, apart from the fact that she didn't seem to be as ambitious or savvy in court ways as her sister. However, in the end, she excelled in the one way her sister did not: Mary gave birth to 4 children, 2 of them sons.
  
  
• 
  ale ‧ ₊˚୨ ♡ ୧ ₊˚

  your current lover of english history (and a huge fan of the boleyn family) is here, bitches
• 
  Mandy Moody

  I would have preferred to give this book 3.5 stars, but since 1/2 stars aren't allowed, I'll round up :)
  The Last Boleyn was originally published in 1983 (as Passions Reign) but, as a lot of historical fiction has been lately, it was recently re-released under a new title. I have to credit the success of Philippa Gregory's The Other Boleyn Girl with prompting many of those re-releases, especially this novel.
  The Last Boleyn tells the story of Mary Boleyn, Anne's sister - just as The Other Boleyn Girl professes to. However, this book actually sticks to Mary's story.
  Historically there is some debate about when Mary and Anne were born and who was the elder daughter. In Harpers book Mary is the oldest and was born in 1504. The book follows her life from 1512, when she is 8, home at Hever, until the deaths of Anne and George in 1536 - ending at Hever, also.
  
  The author draws a comparisson between court life and the game of chess early in the book, and returns to it often. Women in general, and Mary in particular, are used as pawns in this game - devices and distractions for gaining favor, power and posessions.
  Throughout Mary's life she is used by her family and her country, placed strategically to be used as mistress by Kings in order to secure position. As she matures, she begins to rebel against this. Eventually, she follows her heart to marry the man that she loves.
  
  I think Mary's story is very intriguing, because it's such a mystery! Every high school student learns of Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn, but no mention is made of Mary. Yet logically, she must have been a very politically important member of the family - especially since she was the only Boleyn heir not to be convicted of treason and killed. The fact that King Henry continued to favor her (discretly) with the education of her children and also the monies from the same of her childhood home also support her being an important part of history. Then, of course, there is the question of whether her 2 children (Henry and Catherine Carey) were fathered by him. Harper leaves the paternity of Henry open to interpretation, but clearly believes that Catherine was not his daughter. Philippa Gregory believes that both children WERE Tudors.
  Fascinating story, no matter what.
  Well told by Harper - Historically pretty accurate, and also fun to read.
  As other reviewers have said, it's a great companion book to The Other Boleyn Girl - it provides a bit more history and another viewpoint of the Boleyns. I enjoyed it.
• 
  Jennie

  The Last Boleyn: A Novel, by Karen Harper, is the story of Mary Boleyn (Bullen), Anne Boleyn's older sister. Much like The Other Boleyn Girl, by Philippa Gregory, this story describes Mary's life as a pawn in elaborate French and English court intrigue. Mary, through her father's political ambitions, is placed in a position where she is pressured to be the mistress of both Francis I and Henry VIII at different times in her life. She is married to William Carey, who is also thoroughly embroiled in court politics, and eventually falls for William Stafford, one of the king's right-hand men. In the story, she watches as Henry puts her aside for her younger sister Anne, and struggles to assert her own independence in a time where that was simply unheard of.
  
  What I liked about this book is that it wasn't depressing. A lot of historical novels, particularly those centering around women, end up with everyone dead and/or brokenhearted. This version of Mary Boleyn's story has her grow from an eight year old child to a thirty-something woman who is able to negotiate her place in the world, long after she was passed around as a sexual pawn and married off. This is not to say that Mary is one of those ridiculously strong, assertive heroines that would be completely out of place in the early 16th century. Instead, Mary is, in my humble opinion, a very realistic person: she has her own mind and desires, but she is also indelibly marked by her training at court. She can be silly and weak and frustrating at times, and she can be independent and bold at others. Mary's character often submits to the men in her life, because that is simply what women did in that era - but that makes the times where she tells everyone to shove off more impressive. I found myself wanting her to find her happiness.
  
  I thought this book did a great job of telling the Boleyn story without focusing on Anne, although the portrayal of Anne was pretty good - she was that classic neglected little sister who overcompensated, and it became the death of her. I also liked the portrayal of Henry VIII, as Harper was able to subtly negotiate his transformation from hearty young man on top of the world, to panicked king focused on dynastic succession at any cost. All in all, I thought the characters were well done, the story was well-told, and if there were any glaring historical inaccuracies, I was too caught up in the book to notice.
  
  I definitely recommend this book.
  
• 
  Liz

  Great story on Queen Ann’s sister who was also mistress of King Henry viii for several years before he married Ann. There’s more information now than 20+ years ago on Mary Boleyn. She is a very interesting historical figure. I wish there was more known about her.
  
  3 stars because - the dates! Maybe that’s all that was known when it was released...for whichever reason they were a bit off.
• 
  Anna

  The Last Boleyn was first published 18 years before
  The Other Boleyn Girl. Both books are about Mary Boleyn, sister of Anne, but whereas TOBG is exciting and dramatic and veers somewhat away from the truth, The Last Boleyn is softer and subtler and seems to be a truer story.
  
  Mary was effectively pimped out to the French and English kings by her ruthlessly ambitious father, until her uses ran out and her sister took over. The only good and constant thing in her life was William Stafford. Ahhh Staff, so strong, supportive, loving and lusty *big sigh* This book focuses on the sercet and gorgeous love story between Mary and Staff, whilst all the plottings, ambitions and disasters of others weave around them.
  
  The story is entirely from Mary's point of view, so the big names of Henry VIII, Katherine of Aragon, and Anne, Thomas and George Boleyn only appear as and when Mary sees them. This does not in any way lesson the full impact of the Boleyn's heady rise and drastic fall though - it actually makes it more moving as we see Mary's family implode through her eyes.
  
  A very good book, both as a swoony and sizzling love story (mmmmm Staff!!), and as an infamous time in history told from a different angle.
• 
  Marie Z Johansen

  I have been reading a lot of books by Karen Harper recently and I have to admit to thoroughly enjoying each and every one. What a gifted author she is! "The Last Boleyn" was originally titled "Passion's Reign" and I am not at all sure that I would have chosen to read it with that title. I have that ingrained aversion to lusty title's that shelving Harlequin novels in a book store left me with !
  
  "The Last Boleyn" is the tale of Mary Tudor - five years a mistress to Henry VIII before Anne; faithful wife and mother after Henry. Although I had perhaps heard this before I had not registered the fact that the family name had, in fact, been 'Bullen' prior to Anne's Franophile-ization of her family name to the more readily familiar 'Boleyn'. Mary Bullen inherited her mother's more delicate blonde coloring - heritage of her lofty Howard lineage. I have always been of the impression that 'father' Boleyn was a power hungry, ladder climbing syncophant in the court of Henry VIII....a man who would pander his female children to his best advantage. Nothing I have read over the years has really change that opinion - even taking the vagaries of that time period into account.
  
  Mary was sent to the French court at an early age - as lady-in-waiting to Henry's sister Mary during her short lived marriage to the aging French King. Upon the King's death Mary remains at the French Court attendant upon Mary and beguiled by the new French King Francois I. Anne Boleyn joins Mary at the French court for a time until Mary returns to England as a teenager - and becomes an integral part of the Court of Henry VIII. The book chronicles Mary's marriage to the cold, calculating William Carey - a husband who accepts the King's advances towards Mary as a way to accrue fame and fortune for himself. During her marriage to William Carey Mary has son and, although she always claimed that he was William Carey's son - there has always been speculation that her son was, in fact, the progeny of Henry VIII .Mary is, ultimately, drawn to the jaded courtier William Stafford - a man whom she will ultimately marry in secret after the death of William Carey.
  
  The odd thing about Mary Boleyn's story is that she was always derided by her family for not asking Henry for more - for not expecting more from him as his mistress. Anne was the rapacious sister . Oddly enough though it is Mary, and not Anne, who ultimately lives to a goodly age and retires from Courtlife with both her head and her happiness intact - thank largely, I am led to believe thanks to the love of Will Staford.
  
  In contrast, this novel with that of Phillipa Gregory's book "The Other Boleyn Girl" - which is also narrated from Mary's point of view. I enjoyed both of these book tremendously, but I think that in some ways I prefer Karen Harper's work. I think that Ms. Harper follows the history very closely and she also managed to keep me turning the pages of this book late into the night. Best bet - read both books because I think that the story of Mary Boleyn is truly a very good one !
  
  
• 
  Michelle(Chelle) aka Nightshade - Cake Whisperer

  I have lost track of the number of times that I have read this book. I remember the first time I was 15 years old and I am still in possession of my original hard copy version of this book (30 years later)when it was released as
  . The story never grows old for me and was one of my first Historical Fiction books and definitely the first Karen Harper book I ever read. This prompted me to buy and read pretty much every book she wrote back in the early to mid 1980's. I still have all of those in their original hard copy versions as well.
  
  This book also began a lifelong love of all things English and especially having to do with the English Aristocracy and royal families of the times. Tudor England is one of my favorite time periods but thanks to Karen Harper I also love the Medieval time period of the Plantagenets, The period of the Stuart Kings and even when she branched into Scottish history.
  
  There have been quite a few books about Mary Bullen/Boleyn over the years. Most of them deal more about her sister Anne(obviously) with poor Mary seen as a somewhat dimwitted beauty and just a side character. While I loved The Other Boleyn Girl, The Last Boleyn or as I will always remember it Passion's Reign will always be my favorite retelling of the story of Mary. I know a vast majority of it is fictionalized but that is actually why I love it so much.
  
  I love the idea of Mary as not being just a beautiful, empty headed slut. I like the idea that instead she was a too trusting, naive daughter doing as her father and kings were instructing her. I love the idea that she may have known "Staff" for many years and built up a romantic love that after everything she was forced to do and accept for the best interests of her family, she was finally able to be happy.
  
  As for Staff himself. When I was younger, I wanted every boyfriend in my life to be just like Staff. Strong, smart, handsome, sweet and protective. Needless to say, I was disappointed a whole heck of a lot as a teenager. LOL.
  
  I was sucked into the whole world surrounding this time period from the first time I opened to page one of this book and even though I have read it repeatedly over the years it still has the same effect on me. Even after all these years.
• 
  Alex

  I LOVED this book. This is what The Other Boleyn Girl (called TOBG for the rest of this post) should have been - if it had been written with any semblance of historical reality.
  
  It's no secret that I am fascinated by Anne Boleyn, and can't read enough about her. But until now, Mary Boleyn has always bored me to tears. The English Mare who seems brainless and naive, I could have cared less about her story. And when I read TOBG, I ended up hating her even more just because Philippa Gregory painted her in this innocent light and emerged her as the perfect Boleyn.
  
  But then I decided to give this book a chance, and it did what no other book has ever been able to do - it made me sympathize with Mary. Not even just sympathize, I now totally admire her. I loved the sexual tension between her and William Stafford, and ached for her when her husband, Will Carey, made his distaste for her clear. I loved the relationship between her and Anne; and I loved the scene with Anne handing Mary jewels and other trinkets to pass down to Elizabeth someday, and asking her to set Elizabeth straight with the inevitable rumors that would surround Anne. (I don't know if this scene has any historical merit to it, but I loved it nonetheless.)
  
  I sped straight through this book, hardly wanting to put it down. My only complaint would be that it covered something like 20 years, so several years might pass between chapters, and you had to hear about major events as an afterthought. But it was extremely well-written and I highly, HIGHLY enjoyed it.
  
• 
  Paula

  I learned from this book that a woman can become a mistress of two kings, wife to two men, and still not realize that she is no innocent.
  
  I approached this book as if the characters were merely familiar, not actual true beings. As such, it was enjoyable for awhile, then there were parts that made the reading bearable, but by the end I was ready for the whole thing to be done.
  
  The chapters start with a date, and thank god for that, as I had a hard time keeping up with when the book was set. I also got tired of reading the word 'wench' and about how the women constantly had to smooth their hair and dress after a brief encounter with a man. The book was obsessed with sex, and missed some wonderful opportunities to address issues of the times, such as religious changes, political currents, etc. Instead, those were matters to briefly fill the pages before the next tryst.
  
  As for historical accuracy, I am not sure the author knew more than beyond who was whom during this time. I could not get over the fact that King Henry VIII apparently tried to seduce Mary's newly married mother when the king was roughly 10 years old. Perhaps I could have gotten one it if it was mentioned once, but the point was repeatedly resurrected by the author.
  
  Pleasant enough writing style, but perhaps a bit more adherence to the facts, and a bit less sex would have made it more enjoyable.
  
  
• 
  Meghan

  I really loved this book. I have been interested in the Boleyn's story for a few years and although there are many book on Anne, there are very few on her sister, Mary, of course, because she was not as important. This book changes that. It shows how truely important Mary was in the fate of her family. Like the Other Boleyn Girl this book is about Mary, told from her point of view, but The Last Boleyn is so much more historically accurate and, I have to say, I enjoyed it much more. Any lover of The Other Boleyn Girl should read this. There is hardley a comparison.
• 
  Kylie Cheung

  An entertaining story that came at least a decade before the infamous "The Other Boleyn Girl", yet unfortunately, it is as void of historical accuracy as Philippa Gregory's. Mary is practically a fictional character, innocent, naive and romantic, while her sister, Anne, is selfish and reckless, and depicted as something like a bimbo with only good looks and sexual prowess. Anne's characterization is uncharacteristically dry -- she isn't the charismatic, intelligent, and religious queen historical record shows.
  
  This is obviously a work of fiction, and yet it is strongly UNrecommended to history buffs who would cringe at its unforgivable allusions. To list a few:
  
  -Mary Boleyn is sent to the Netherlands to study under Archduchess Margaret: not Anne. Anne was heavily influenced by the Archduchess and her education there, so this is actually pretty important.
  -In 1522, Mary is shown as having King Henry's son. However, Henry may not even have been the father of her children, as she was married to Henry Carey and no one even knows how long her affair with the king lasted; the children she allegedly had by the king were, first, a DAUGHTER born in 1524, and a son in 1526.
  -This isn't exactly 'major', but Mary Boleyn is depicted as close to Queen Mary of France (Henry VIII's sister), who Harper describes as having raven hair. Mary (Rose) Tudor was famous for having auburn/red hair like her brother! This just irritated me a lot.
  -Most unforgivable of all -- Henry VIII warns (or hints, actually) Mary of her sister's impending fall, tells her to leave court, and essentially says that he made a mistake and should have married Mary. In a single word: no. This made me cringe. For one thing, Mary was not at court at this time, anyway; she wasn't one of her sister's ladies and was living in the country with her husband. For another, Henry was in love with Jane Seymour. That he ever even loved Mary is dubious.
  
  To conclude, I don't recommend this novel at all -- and it's not just because of glaring historical mistakes which are typical in fiction. The problem is that its characters are cliche, its plot is cliche... It's like a fairy tale, and we all know life and love at Henry VIII's court were NOT.
• 
  Emily Cullen

  I really enjoyed this book, it is I think above all else a beautiful love story. I really enjoyed the portrayal of William Stafford. Even though he met Mary a lot earlier than he probably actually would have done, I found I could easily forgive this liberty as it made the love story so wonderful.
  
  The few things that stopped me giving this book 5 stars - Harper giving Anne Boleyn 6 fingers...I have very little patience for authors that do this, we know she didn't have 6 fingers and it doesn't add anything to the story line and always just makes me impatient! Also Mary giving birth to Henry before Catherine..I could understand this if there was a good reason for it but I don't see that there was - it didn't add anything to the story to reverse the birth order in my opinion. And finally the birth of Staff and Marys first child being a boy - inaccurate and I didn't like that change, I wished Harper had just gone with the truth.
  
  However in the scheme of things these are just small annoyances (which you always get with fiction about history because no one ever writes it EXACTLY how you would like it!). This is one of my favourite books covering the rise and fall of Anne Boleyn. Mary herself is such an interesting character - she was the mistress of two kings, sister of the infamous Anne, married without the permission of the king and her family, and somehow came out alive. This book is a little bit lighter on the political happenings of the time than others (even TOBG), probably because it is always focused on Mary, but it is a wonderful read. If you enjoyed The Other Boleyn Girl, you will definitely enjoy this.
• 
  Orsolya

  Shockingly, I read Harper's "The Last Boleyn" before I read the famous "The Other Boleyn Girl" by Philippa Gregory now even more famous due to the acting of Natalie Portman. What does all this mean? That is was my first insight into the world of the Boleyns and a nice side-step into the thoughts and feelings of Mary versus the over-abundance of Anne text available.
  
  Most people tend to forget that Mary (the older sister) had a rendevous with Henry VIII before Anne was pushed by her father and uncle, the Duke of Norfolk into Henry's bed. She discreetly curtailed court and lived the remainder of her life in the country with her nicely matched husband and there, she sort of blended into the background of both Henry's court and of Tudor history. In The Last Boleyn, Harper brings her world to life in an easy-to-understand and entertaining way. There were some historical errors with dates but historical fiction autohors tend to play with these a little to keep the story going (or we would be reading 600 page books regularly).
  
  After reading this book, I grew to love Mary and instantly thought of Anne as merely a "slut" so perhaps it resulted in some anti-Anne bias but this didn't last because I have since read tons of Anne literature.
  
  A great book by a great author. Worth a read!
• 
  Tanzanite

  Passion's Reign is the original title of Karen Harper's 2006 book The Last Boleyn. Published in 1983 and marketed as a romance novel, Passion's Reign tells the story of Mary Boleyn. Unlike the more famous The Other Boleyn Girl by Philippa Gregory, Harper does not allow Anne to take over the story and remains focused on Mary (of course Anne is in the book though). For the most part, it seems to stick fairly close to historical facts with the major exception of the romantic plotline which has Mary and William Stafford (Staff) meeting much sooner than they probably really did. I was OK with that - I felt so sorry for Mary that it was nice to see her having something to make her life a little happier. Staff is quite the 80's romance hunk! 3.5 stars
• 
  Samantha

  I loved this book, I enjoyed this one as a seperate version of the story and I didnt feel like I was constantly comparing it to the other boleyn girl. I agree with some reviews that I like this one better. This one gives you more of the back ground story to the Boleyn family and their lives prior to Henry the Eighth and his court. For me the love story between William and Mary Stafford will stand the test of time because history shows us to my mind that what ever the events surrounding them they were always a love match. I was heartbroken to learn from my research that Mary only survived seven years following the execution of her brother and sister it seems such a short time to sepend with your true love but life expectancy was so short in those days and she was 44/45.
• 
  Sarah

  This book starts slowly but the plot really thickens after the first 1/3. It is well written and historically accurate (as historical fiction goes). Well worth the 600 page read.
• 
  Winterrose527

  Very torn about this rating. I really enjoyed reading this book, but those who are claiming it is 'so much more' historically accurate than TOBG is interesting because in many ways, to me, the history while it may be more correct by way of dates, etc. is absolutely incidental in this. Apart from one at the end - which is incorrect to my knowledge, though I'll put that down to the fact that this was written decades ago and the scholarship might have just advanced in that time - we don't actually see that many historical things happen in real time, most are told as afterthoughts in significant time jumps.
  
  What I liked about this book is the nuance with which it wrote Mary's character, the sort of messiness of loving and falling out of loving someone whether it be romantic or familial.
  
  The central love story with her second husband William Stafford was much more enjoyable to read in the this than in TOBG, though I'm not sure how accurate it is that actually doesn't matter. While for Mary he was serving at various times as a much-needed reality check, a safe harbor, a teasing friend, he also in other ways was serving as a stand in for the audience. He has the foresight to know how all of the messes she finds herself in will end up and tries to shake her at times the way an audience screams at a girl in a horror movie not to go into a basement. While that certainly isn't wholly believable at times, their long build was very fun to read, and I loved his interactions with her family.
  
  Surprisingly, one of my favorite side dynamics was him and Anne. There was something about it that rang very true from a in many ways brother-in-law perspective. He showed great loyalty to her in certain moments, but equally would occasionally almost visibly roll his eyes in a hilarious way. I think so often portrayals of Anne either glorify her or demonize her, but in seeing him be like 'omfg she's going to pester me for info ughhhhh hide me', was so amazing because it felt SO true to life and actually really humanized her in a great way.
  
  Speaking of Anne, though this definitely showed her as the pursuer in many ways, I think this was a much more nuanced portrayal of her than TOBG, where she becomes almost a central villain. For instance in the other book, adopting Henry is a very sinister thing, whereas this interpretation leaves a little more wiggle room, and is actually in many ways a blessing (apart from the fact that it means Mary's circumstances are vastly reduced) to keep him further from their father's grip. But Anne, who is often shown in some way shape or form as very in control sexually, is seen in this as almost an innocent in that regard. She has a desire for power, definitely, but not so much for sex with Henry or anyone else. She does some truly heinous things in this, one in particular, so it is not an absolution of her character in any way, but you feel much more sympathy for her in this I think.
  
  One caveat I would give is that this does seem very accurate in regards to the age that Mary was when being aggressively pursued by these men, and that is very upsetting to read. We see her being objectified and groomed from at least the age of ten - sometimes by her own father. While there is a lot of sex alluded to, there are no graphic scenes, but even still my stomach turned for about the first third of the book.
  
  
• 
  Blair Bancroft

  Hard to find praises that haven't already been said about his book, so I'll simply say what stood out for me. I have always been fascinated by this period of history but knew only vaguely about Anne Boleyn's older sister Mary. Ms Harper has made Mary the central character in a marvelously historically accurate portrayal of the period, beginning when Mary's fathers ambitions send her to the French court at age eight, an act that begins his use of his children to climb to favor with the Tudors and ending when two of his three children are beheaded at the Tower.
  
  Mary, the only child left alive has been pimped by her father, first to the French king and then to Henry VIII. Only after decades of what we'd call abuse is she able to marry for love and somehow survive the tragedy that sweeps away her family. Ms Harper's interpretation of these dramatic events is so realistic one would swear she must be a time traveler. I heartily recommend this book to all those who love history, particularly the lusty history of Tudor England.
• 
  Jo Besser

  I honestly would give it closer to two and a half stars.
  
  I didn't hate the book, but I didn't love it.
  
  I think it was too wordy when it didn't need to be. I'm probably one of the few people that doesn't really need a paragraph or more describing clothing or locations. I would rather fill in ideas for myself than be told by the author what I should be thinking.
  
  The story however was interesting. It was interesting to read a book that revolved around Mary Boleyn and not Anne. I think that's why I kept reading. It was fascinating read.
• 
  Jasmine

  This book was full of historical inaccuracies to the point that it became difficult to read and infuriating. The story felt incredibly choppy and the characters weren't believable. Despite being based on real people they lacked any depth or consistency. I honestly think I am done with this author. I have read two of her books now and they just do not impress me.
• 
  Hillary

  I loved this book because there was so many things that I did not knew about mary and anne boyorn. they sure led a very different life from one another but they still loved each other in the end . i thought the author did very good job making sure to keep with the facts and yet make a good story out the book . i will be reading more books by her in the future . this one of the better books that i have readed about the boyons . i love reading about king henry the eight wives and their lives they lived when they were married to him .
• 
  Sarah Bryson

  Harper’s book provides a fictional tale of the life of Mary Boleyn, sister to the more famous Anne Boleyn, second wife of Henry VIII. The book starts off with Mary as a little eight year old girl about to be sent off to Europe and then traces her life throughout her time at the French Court, as Henry VIII’s mistress, her marriage to William Carey and then her love affair with William Stafford. The novel ends shortly after Anne and George Boleyn’s executions and provides an insight into Mary’s thoughts of these tragic days.
  
  Despite being beautifully written, with lavish detail and settings, if the reader is looking for an accurate representation of Mary Boleyn’s life then they will not find it within this book. Although Harper has made many references to various aspects of Mary’s life these are unfortunately not accurate.
  
  On the opening page of her book set on July 16th 1512, Harper paints Mary Boleyn as a beautiful little eight year old girl, her brother George a nine year old boy and Anne Boleyn her baby sister at only five years of age. Historical resources tell us that this aging of the Boleyn siblings is in fact not true. Most historians believe that Mary Boleyn was the older sister, born in approximately 1500, her sister Anne came in 1501 and their brother several years later. In reality at the opening of the book Mary would have been about twelve years of age and not the mere eight years she was written as. Four years may be quite a difference in age but with research indicating the age of the Boleyn siblings it is curious as to why Harper changed their ages and order of birth.
  
  Within the first chapter Harper also has Mary Boleyn being sent off to the court of Margarite of Austria to further her education. Once again historical records tell us that it was actually Anne and not Mary that went to the Austrian court. Harper does not go into detail of this time and it is a wonder why she would change which Boleyn daughter went to Austria when it is not referred to further in the book.
  
  Another interesting point within Harper’s book is that she writes that Mary Boleyn met William Stafford (her future second husband) in 1518 and that he was a man who served her father. Historically the real Mary Boleyn did not meet Stafford until several years later. It can be understood why Harper would make this change as Stafford appears on and off throughout fictional Mary’s life, sometimes taunting her, sometimes teasing her but always offering her advice and loving her from a far. It seems that Harper made this change so that a love affair could be built up between Mary and Stafford to show that they have been in love for many years and that despite all that was happening Stafford loved Mary deeply and would wait for her. In reality there is no mention in records of Stafford serving Mary’s father Thomas Boleyn. He was a gentleman usher to King Henry VIII so it may have been when Mary returned to Court in 1520 that she met Stafford, or sometime after that. However by setting her meeting with Stafford during her time at the French Court Harper is able to provide the reader with a true love affair between Mary Boleyn and William Stafford that spanned over two decades.
  
  During Mary Boleyn’s time in France Harper created an interesting scene of a child madly in love with the French King, in all his majesty and glory. Yet when reality came and Mary was used for nothing more than her beautiful body, passed around from Francois to his friends as the King so wished. Mary was nothing but a pawn, used and passed on, not desired for her mind or her intelligence or her personality but for the pleasures her body provided. Harper shows how Mary’s world was shattered and yet in her position as a simple maid to the Queen she was helpless and there was nothing she could do to save herself. She could not say no to a King, nor could she defy her father who approved of his daughter being used like this. She had to grin and bear the whispers behind her back from the courtiers who bed her and the other ladies in waiting that she mingled with daily. The emotions that Harper portrayed are captivating and she beautifully encompasses the horrid and repressing situation that Mary found herself in.
  
  After her time at the French Court Mary Boleyn returned to England and was married to courtier William Carey, a gentleman of the privy chamber and relative of King Henry VIII. Harper states that the wedding was on August 18th 1520 at Great Saint Helen’s, Bishopsgate however historical records of the time state that the wedding was on February 4th 1520 in the Chapel Royal at Greenwich. It is small details such as this that are surprising as there is simply no need to change the date by six months as an accurate wedding date would still suit the story perfectly well.
  Harper also writes an intricate relationship between William Stafford and Mary’s first husband William Carey. The two are apparently close friends who have known each other for some time and as Mary and Stafford’s relationship develops there is some unspoken rivalry between the two men over Mary’s affections. This is an interesting plot device to create some drama and tension throughout the story however there are no records to state that William Stafford and William Carey ever knew each other let alone were close friends.
  
  During her time at the English Court Mary Boleyn become the mistress to the flamboyant King Henry VIII. The scenes between Henry and Mary are written with striking detail and provide the reader with an insight as to what the relationship between the two may have been like. Unfortunately Henry VIII was very discrete with his mistresses and there are no documents or tales of what his relationship with Mary Boleyn was truly like. Harper imagines this relationship and provides emotion and gives it life, allowing the reader to experience various events that may have happened behind closed doors.
  
  In April 1522 Harper has Mary Boleyn giving birth to a son named Henry and since the child was born during Mary’s time as mistress to Henry VIII it is hinted that perhaps the child may in fact be the King’s. During this time Mary was also married to her husband and sleeping with him and Harper is able to create a wonderful mix of confusion and interest as to who the real father may be. Unfortunately it is not known who the father of Mary Boleyn’s children was and that is one mystery that still has people talking today. There is one small issue with this however as Mary Boleyn’s first child was not a boy but in fact a daughter named Catherine. She was not born in 1522 but in 1524, however the timing of this birth would not suit the timeline of the story, nor would having a daughter born since it was so important that Mary give her husband (or the King) a son.
  Tragically William Carey died on June 22nd 1528, however Harper once more changes this date to have his death on the 26th/27th. Again there is simply no need to change this date nor does a change of date serve any purpose or alter the story line.
  
  At the end of the book Mary finds her happy ending with the love of her life William Stafford who has weathered many storms to be with the woman of his dreams. The happy couple give birth to a son named Andrew. Historically it is known that Mary was pregnant in 1534 when she was banished from court by her sister for marrying below her station in life and not seeking her sister, Queen Anne Boleyn’s, permission to marry. However there are no records of a child being born or living to adulthood and thus it is assumed that the pregnancy either ended in miscarriage or stillbirth or that the child died young.
  
  In the author’s notes Karen Harper states that “Several minor characters in this novel such as servants are necessarily fictional; however, the major characters and places are as authentically drawn as on-site visits, history, maps and records will allow” (p. 576). Yet despite these supposedly authentic records there are multiple mistakes regarding Mary Boleyn, of which there is recorded evidence of the actual facts. It is understandable in a fictional novel that some dates, places and events may be changed to suit the book, especially in Mary Boleyn’s life as there are large portions of time in Mary’s life that we simply do not know what happened. However, those events that have been recorded, such as her marriage to William Carey in February 1520, William Carey’s death, the birth of her children or the information surrounding her own birth, need not be changed in order to suit the novel.
  
  At the end of the book Harper provides the reader with a ‘Reading Group Guide’. This guide is a series of questions which allows the reader to ponder the events that happened to Mary throughout her life and take time to reflect and think further on their meaning and importance. This is an interesting little addition to the book and one which encourages the reader to think further, not only into Mary Boleyn’s life but also into the world of the Tudors.
  
  Overall Karen Harper’s book on Mary Boleyn is beautifully written. Her style of writing is extremely descriptive and she manages to capture the stunning scenes and locations in which Mary finds herself. She also describes in detail the clothing that the characters wear which adds an extra element of detail to the story and allows the reader to gain an understanding of what clothing of the early Tudor period was like. However it is a shame that Harper provides the reader with many inaccuracies of Mary Boleyn’s life and leaves the reader with details about Mary that are simply not accurate. There are records which detail and document events in Mary’s life and it is surprising as to why Harper did not use these as reference when writing her book. After reading many other reviews of Harper’s book it was disappointing to learn that many people actually believed much of what they read about Mary’s life. It is my aim to bring the real Mary Boleyn to life and I feel as though this book does not give the reader a true representation of Mary.
  
  However at the end of the day it must be remembered that this is a fictional novel. Dates, times, events and even recorded events can be changed to suit the ebb and flow of the book. And while it is fictional the book is beautifully written and it is still wonderful to see that one has been written about Mary Boleyn, giving a voice and life to the often overlooked Boleyn Sibling.
  
  
• 
  Natalie

  This was a solid novel. Some of the history is a bit off, including the date of Anne's arrest and imprisonment, but I think the author has stayed relatively faithful to the truth in her telling. This novel is truly Mary's story, and highlights her search for her own life outside of what the Boleyn ambition would want for her.
• 
  Denise

  Nearly everyone remembers the story of Anne Boleyn and her fall from power in the court of Henry VIII. But not many know of her older sister, Mary. In the courts of 16th century rulers intrigue, plots, greed, lust and all types of machinations existed in abundance. The story compares it to a chess game with all the important (and some non-important) people conniving to be near the power-base surrounding the King.
  
  Who you knew and who owed you favors helped noble families to rise in wealth and importance. Daughters were used as pawns (and even sex slaves) to gain important court positions for family members. And this is the story of Mary Bullen and her greedy, power-hungry father, Thomas Bullen.
  
  First she's sent as an eight year old child to be raised in the French court and be "polished" in courtly manners and fine arts. As she matures she is noticed by the King and eventually becomes his mistress. With time her grasping father sees an opportunity to gain political leverage and brings Mary home to England. She is introduced to King Henry VIII and the story is repeated as she becomes his mistress for five years. The king hides any potential "accidents" (i.e. pregnancies) that may occur during this time by forcing Mary to wed a favored courtier. Children born during this time will be given the husband's name and will inherit his estate regardless of who they may end up resembling. Neat and tidy and always to procure titles, wealth and lands. But the shame and horror are born by the women of the families...the daughters, wives, and mothers.
  
  An excellent story that deals with the "seedy" side of history but in this particular situation, the heroine walks away with the man who truly loves and respects her...regardless of her past!
• 
  Brigid

  I have not had much good experience with historical fiction lately, so I was not very excited about this book given my interest in the Tudors and Boleyns in particular. However, I liked this book more than I expected, though it was still quite flawed. Harper makes some strange changes to the facts that I struggle to understand, since they did not add to the story. She also had many problems with the timeline of the story, both real and imagined, including a pregnancy that lasted 12 months! My biggest complaints nearly always surrounded Anne. The author invented much that isn't supported by history, though the characterization she formed is not my take but completely possible. Overall, I found Harper's style engaging, and she evoked some lovely images. She writes wonderful dialogue, and she can create a romantic story without crossing the line into embarrassing bodice-ripping. Mary emerged as a fully fleshed woman who is neither perfect nor unsympathetic. I do question her love for Stafford, who did not emerge as a very likable guy, but overall the historical figures given life by Harper were believable and engaging.
• 
  Kim

  One of the better renditions of the reign of Henry VIII, told by perhaps one of the most sympathetic individuals in the entire situation. Mary Boleyn's voice in this book was absolutely fascinating. Here's a woman who was the older sister of one of the most complex and remarkable women of the sixteenth century, and yet was, in so many ways, by far the wiser of the two.
  
  I absolutely loved the story. My only quibble: yet again, there are more mentions of Anne supposedly bearing marks of the Devil (moles and the sixth finger). Probably one of my biggest pet peeves for this era's fiction. That aside, though, this was an amazing story that had me hooked from start to finish.
  
  I felt for Mary as she learned so many lessons the hard way (her 'relationship' with Francis was particularly heart-breaking, as was her near-constant longing for her father's love), and yet learning them enabled her to not be caught up in the fall of the Boleyn faction in 1536.
  
  Personally, I'd love to give this one four-and-a-half stars, but alas, I can't.
• 
  Gin Hunt

  EXCELLENT READ!
  
  Couldn't put it down! This book Austin and entertained in every way-from the history to the excitement to the love stories. From the first page the characters in this book are real and so convincing that I lost quickly lost myself in the story. I became so involved in this book and it's people that I realized I must read everything this author has created. She manages to bring the story so much tho life than even after the last page I continue to think about all that I read. Bravo. I highly recommend this book-it is one ilk cherish and re-read over the years. :)
  
  HIGHLY RECOMMEND!!! :D