I didn't really take to this interpretation of Anne Boleyn. I think though that she is a really difficult character to pull off effectively so this was perhaps not surprising that Alison Weir didn't manage this with any particular panache. I also have always felt that Anne Boleyn seemed a very attached mother given that she wanted to breastfeed etc so this didn't really capture that. I am coming round to Alison Weir as a writer of historical fiction but this volume was not her strongest work. I will keep my review private to this website and will not post on my public blog since it was not more positive.

The Tudor's and Anne Boleyn have always fascinated me. For as long as I can remember I've been intrigued by Anne and felt, somewhat unreasonably, angry at her treatment. I new with Weir this story would be well told and I was totally right.

TRIGGER WARNING: sexual assault, miscarriage. I probably missed some others but these are big two.

I've been "ooh"ing and "ahh"ing over this title for quite some time. I ever had an eProof of this YEARS ago, but I wasn't as well read in historical fiction back then and, after a chapter or two, I put it down and went "This isn't for me"

Fast forward till now and I keep looking at the Six Tudor Queens series and going "I really should try again", and I had a spare Audible credit to use before I cancel my account with them (for now). Then the news broke that Channel 5 in the UK were doing a three part thriller based on Anne Boleyn's last few months starring Jodie Turner-Smith in the title role, which causes a bit of controversy as Jodie is a black actor playing a white historical figure. (Here's the link to the trailer, if you're curious)

Now, I am very intrigued and excited to watch this three-parter so I went "Sod it!" and bought the audiobook, planning to listen to it before the show aired. Just so I have some of the key information straight in my head.

Now, we all know Anne Boleyn and a little of her story. She is the woman who Henry VIII divorced Katherine of Aragon and broke England from the Vatican for and, in many adaptions (ranging from HBO's THE TUDORS to Wolf Hall, we are told she was a temptress, desperate and hunger for power and no-one will stand in her way, or a woman who fell in love with the wrong man. We never got the same version of her and even historians have different interpretations.

So having Alison Weir, a public historian who has written many non-fiction novels and now fiction (many set in or around the time of the Tudors), tell each of Henry VIII"s wives for their point of view will make fascinating and gripping reading, right?

... well...

Maybe I went in with my hopes too high. Maybe I just didn't click with Alison's writing style. Maybe I didn't get on with the reader of the audiobook, Anna Bentinck, and her pacing (for most of the audiobook, I did have the audiobook at 1.5x speed). Or maybe I just didn't like how Anna and Henry were written. Flawed, yes (I think we all admit we like reading characters who are flawed [aren't we all?]) but Henry was written in a way where I had no sympathy towards him. He acted like a child either on the verge or having a tantrum, and Anna was either a victim of powerful men and circumstances or can be quite manipulative, who went into the marriage not loving Henry but wanting the title of Queen. In fact, all characters in this book were written in an unlikable fashion, which has made many readers question if the author even liked Anne Boleyn.

There were details in here that I went "Is that artistic licence or is this true?". An example is when Anne's sister, Mary Boleyn, said that she was raped. First by King Francis I of France then by Henry VIII. Now, quick Wiki search says that she was Henry VIII's mistress for a short time and that maybe she did have a sexual affair with King Francis (though most historians have questioned this by saying this could be hugely exaggerated). But the idea that both men, as well as Mary and Anne's own brother, George Boleyn, are all rapists (with Henry VIII rumoured to have fathered one or both of Mary's children) deeply troubling. Now, I'm not saying they were all could have been (men did treated women very differently back then) and all three have the reputation of being womanisers and having countless affairs, but to have all three labelled as rapists didn't sit well with me.

Plus, the allegation that George Boleyn poisoned and caused the death of Katherine of Aragon. Now, according to modern historians, it's believed that Katherine of Aragon died of cancer (sometime the doctors of the time didn't understand) but rumours circled saying that Katherine was poisoned due to a black growth on her heart. An unfounded rumour circled at the time and for many years afterwards that Gregory di Casale, a diplomat representing Henry VIII of England to the Papacy in the 1530s, poisoned Katherine so to have this book say that George confessed to Anne that he poisoned Katherine and went to his execution believing he did raises huge alarm bells with me.

While I completely get that this is fiction and there is a certain level of artistic licence, we must remember that this is historical fiction and must have a foot in history and the facts.

Now, I do have two more books in this series on my Kindle (eProofs given by the Publisher in exchange for honest review) - Katheryn Howard, The Tainted Queen & Katharine Parr: The Sixth Wife - and while I do plan to read them (not audiobook them, I wonder if reading them will effect my enjoyment), I will go in with lower expectations.

No one really knows why Anne Boleyn is their favourite of Henry the VIII wives but sure as eggs is eggs most will pick her out of the 6. I would be one of those people for the exact reason that I mentioned. However, recently I started reading Alison Weir's Six Tudor Queen series and now I couldn't say who my favourite is.
Weir has very cleverly told the story of the most infamous Tudor king and his wives by creating a believable fictional narrative that is gorgeously wrapped in truth. She has taken real events and information from archived documents to make the Tudor court come alive.
Anne Boleyn is the one that was accused of stealing Henry the VIII from Katherine of Aragon, committing treason and then getting beheaded. She really did have a fascinating life. As Weir tells the story from each queen's perspective you become more sympathetic to each one.
The final part of this series is released in May and I can honestly say that it is engaging, enjoyable and educational.
A great historical story that comes to life.
Six Tudor Queens - Anne Boleyn: A King's Obsession by Alison Weir is available now.
For more information regarding Alison Weir (@AlisonWeirBooks) please visit www.alisonweir.org.uk.
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Nobody can write historical fiction as well as Alison Weir. The detailed research of the period, and the way she brings her characters to life with all facets of their lives and personalities is absolutely fantastic. She breathes life into these people from history that we are so far removed from, but makes them prone to the same sins and insecurities that we can all recognise. Remarkable.

I love Alison Weir's novels, especially her Six Tudor Queens series. I was anticipating the Anne Boleyn novel and happy to say it lived up to my expectations. Alison Weir crafts phenomenal characters and her writing is brilliant. Would recommend!

While I did find this a much more palatable read than the first book in the series, I was still left incredibly frustrated by some of Weir's choices in her depiction of the women surrounding Henry. The narrative is much more streamlined in this second instalment, primarily because the timescale discussed is much shorter, which I really appreciated. Nevertheless, there was a lot of repetition in some sections that really caused the narrative to lag. Towards the end of the novel, the way in which Anne is portrayed became increasingly problematic and there were certain beats that just didn't ring true in comparison to the Anne that had been created throughout the first half of the novel. Overall, I enjoyed this one much more than the first book, but there is still a way to go to make these novels truly compelling historical fiction.
I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

In this unforgettable second volume, Weir takes us back to 1512 to start the ill-fated tale of Anne Boleyn: Henry VIII’s second, bewitching wife. Who at just 11-years-old was sent by her opportunistic father, Thomas Boleyn, a minor but ambitious English lord, to serve at the royal court of the Netherlands. There, and later in the French court, Anne thrives: absorbing progressive ideas, learning the art of courtly love and adopting the French fashion. So when in 1522 Anne makes her debut at the English court, to serve upon Queen Katherine, wife of Henry VIII, she causes quite a stir and inadvertently catches the eye of the King; and when the King commands it is not a game!

I really sympathised with Anne as she finds her hopes of a love match with Henry Percy dashed and instead finds herself hounded by the King to become his mistress. She desperately spurns his advances – after seeing how he pursued and discarded her sister, Mary – but Henry will not take no for an answer. In fact her rejection only intensifies Henry’s pursuit, and finally with an aging Queen Katherine and no male heir, Henry proposes marriage. Though she feels no real affection for him, the opportunity to elevate the Boleyn family and to take revenge on her enemies, is too great for her to resist.

I have always admired Anne for standing strong and for her part in the religious reforms, including Bibles in English. However, in this novel, Weir also shows a side to Anne I didn’t like. As the years drag by waiting for Henry’s divorce to be finalised, she becomes bitter, spiteful and cruel – pushing Henry to ever harsher treatment of her kind, former mistress Katherine, their innocent child Mary and their supporters. Once married things do not improve either, as Anne finds herself under immense pressure after failing to produce the longed-for son and her feisty, independent attributes Henry formerly admired rail him in a wife.

Ultimately though, Weir had me on the verge of tears again as Anne bravely met her violent and, I feel, unjust end. In bringing this emotional-rollercoaster of a story alive, Weir has kept closely to historical records, but taken some dramatic licence to flesh out minor characters and fill in any gaps. As in the previous book, Weir’s research and imagination meld seamlessly to create a completely believable tale – and perhaps a more balanced portrayal of Anne. So through her eyes it really feels like you are there in the lost Tudor world of splendour, power, ambition, courtly love and danger; as well as gaining a glimpse of the enlightened Dutch court and the glamorous French court too.

Overall, I thought Anne Boleyn, A King’s Obsession was a powerful, gripping tale of an intelligent and ambitious woman, who was the victim of a restrictive and dangerous time. While Weir didn’t make me like Anne as much as Katherine, the one person who is really coming out of this series looking bad is Henry! I can’t wait to read volume three: Jane Seymour, The Haunted Queen next.

A stunning installment of the Six Tudor Queens series. I found myself enthralled by Anne's character and mind, and I found myself learning more about the time period too.

This is historical fiction done well. Everyone knows the story of Anne Boleyn and Henry VIII and his "Great Matter" which led to the divide from the Catholic church, but this book really gives you a feeling for Anne the person. It is well-researched and while there is necessarily a fair bit of dramatic licence, that just adds to the pleasure of the story. It is a long book, but Anne waited a long time to be queen and you really get the feeling of how trying it must have been, both for her and for the whole country. I really don't know how she managed to keep the king interested that long, she really was quite a woman!

I am a huge fan of historical fiction particularly fiction set during the Tudor period. This book follows and Anne Boleyn and is told from her perspective. In this book, Alison Weir portrays Anne Boleyn in a bit of a different way to other novels. In this novel, we see that Anne is not romantically interested in Henry and instead just longs to be queen. We also get to see the influence that she had over the king and the changes that she helps to bring about. I have never read anything by Alison Weir before this but I will definitely be reading more from her in the future as I really enjoyed this book.

This story also shows a younger Anne when she was at the French court and we see the jealousy that she has for her sister. I enjoyed this part of the story as it is something that is not very often covered in books.

I really enjoyed reading Weir's portrayal of Anne and I am looking forward to reading more from her in the future

Anne is one of my figures from history - the ones which absolutely fascinate me and this book was a thoroughly enjoyable take on Anne and her impressive ascent and tragic downfall. Weir wears her learning lightly but you feel it all the same as you read her books. You feel like she treats these women as real people, rather than as accessories to Henry himself and that really comes across. I enjoyed the depth of her understanding of the period much more than many of her rivals writing History-lite and am very keen to see what she does with Jane who was, after all, a very different character to portray. I found this a fascinating read with plenty to interest me, even though I've read many books on Anne already. There's something here for both serious history fans as well as those who've enjoyed TV history and want to explore these characters in a bit more depth. Well done Alison Weir! Five stars and I'm looking forward to number 3

Alison Weir seems to capture the period like no other writer today, a wonderful story of such a tragic figure.

A copy of this novel was given in exchange for an honest review.

Okay so I’ve never picked up Phillipa Gregory book in my life even though I have all twelve of her books on my shelves, but I think Alison Weir can give me my fix of Tudor historical fiction novels.

Where do I start with this book? It was enormously long, it took me several weeks to finish, but I enjoyed almost every minute of it. Weir’s writing had a way of magically transporting me 500 years back in time. My experience of reading this novel has implanted scenes in my mind as clear as memory – the views from Hever Castle, the hustle and bustle of Margaret of Austria’s court, every turn of the page was a new experience.

I thought I knew a lot about the Tudors prior to reading this book, but how I was wrong. There was so much to learn, and the facts made this novel all the more interesting. This is Weir, an acclaimed historian, weaving together the facts of Anne Boleyn’s life with a bit of imagination to deliver a novel that’s thrilling from start through until finish.

The only bit that was frustrating as a reader was the length of the novel allocated to Anne Boleyn’s wait for Catherine of Aragon’s and Henry’s marriage to be dissolved. But I think this is a great reflection on how frustrated Anne Boleyn probably felt. I also wasn’t sure about Henry’s characterisation at first, but it was interesting to see the renowned monarch in a different portrayal to that which I had initially imagined.

I would definitely recommend this detail-packed novel to others interested in historical fiction, and I can’t wait to read the prequel Katherine of Aragon: The True Queen.

This is the second novel in Alison Weir’s new series telling the stories of the six wives of Henry VIII. I read the first book last year – on Katherine of Aragon – and enjoyed it; now, as you would expect, it’s the turn of the second wife, Anne Boleyn.

Like the first novel, this is a straightforward account of Anne’s life, beginning with her early years and taking us right through to her beheading in 1536. Whether you only have a basic knowledge of Anne’s story or whether you’ve read about her many times before, you can expect to learn at least something new from this book as it’s very long, very detailed and very thorough, leaving little out. As with the Katherine of Aragon book, I question whether it was really necessary to include such a lot of detail, but I did enjoy the book overall so won’t complain about that too much!

I found the opening chapters of the book particularly interesting because this section covered the part of Anne’s life with which I was least familiar – her time spent in the Netherlands at the court of Margaret of Austria, and in France serving first Henry VIII’s sister Mary Tudor, then Queen Claude, wife of the French king Francis I. Her experiences at these courts had an important influence on Anne’s life and character; she was able to observe the rule of these three very different women, she was exposed to new ideas and literature – including the works of women writers such as Christine de Pizan – and she began to develop her interest in religious reform.

Once Anne returns to England and catches the eye of Henry VIII, I felt I was on much more familiar ground. Perhaps for this reason I found the middle section of the novel tediously repetitive as Henry attempts to have his marriage to Katherine annulled, leaving him free to marry Anne. Of course, Alison Weir is only following historical fact here: the King’s Great Matter, as it became known, did go on for years and must have been very frustrating, to say the least, for Anne and for Henry – but it doesn’t make for exciting reading.

While this is very much Anne Boleyn’s own story, all of the other historical figures of the period are here, from statesmen such as Cardinal Wolsey and Thomas Cromwell to Anne’s brother and sister, George and Mary. You may or not may be happy with the way these characters and others are depicted, depending on your own interpretation of events and on where your sympathies lie. When it comes to Anne, though, I think Weir has done a good job of making her feel convincingly human – not a heroine and not a villain, just a flawed and complex woman who loves the idea of being queen more than she loves the king himself.

As I’ve said, Alison Weir does stick closely to historical fact for most of the novel and I had no problems with the accuracy, although I accept that I am not an expert on Tudor history by any means – I read a lot of it, but not as much as some readers! She does take some liberties in imagining Anne’s feelings for Henry Norris – one of the men implicated in her trial – but with a lack of primary sources allowing us to access Anne’s own thoughts, how can we know how she really felt? There is also a scene in which Anne meets Leonardo da Vinci which I didn’t believe would be true, but in her notes at the end of the book Weir explains why she thinks it could have happened, while confirming that there is no real evidence for it.

The final chapters of the book describe Anne’s downfall and even though I knew what would happen to Anne, it was still sad to watch her story move towards its inevitable end. I found the closing scene slightly bizarre, but Alison Weir does talk about that in her author’s note! We also see the increasing prominence of Jane Seymour in the king’s life – Jane will be the subject of the third Tudor Queens book and I’m already looking forward to seeing how she will be portrayed.

Historial fiction is one of my favourite subjects especially the Tudor and Stuart eras.
The subject of Anne Boleyn has been covered many times, most recently by Hilary Mantel in her Wolfhall books, and I was expecting the same old tired retelling of the same tales but this was a slightly different and thoroughly enjoyable retelling of the doomed Queen.
The politics and religious struggles can be complicated in some instances but this made the tale even more dramatic.

A really enjoyable read.

As a young girl of twelve Anne Boleyn is sent to the court of Margaret the Regent of the Netherlands to serve and to learn. There she becomes the consummate woman of court - flirtatious but honourable. Her ambitious father manages to get her appointed to the court of the new Queen of France but after his death the queen returns to England in disgrace and Anne is lucky to get a place in the English royal household. There she sees her sister become mistress to the king but when Henry tries to seduce Anne she resists. his obsession with Anne means huge upheaval for the country and a war for its religious soul.

Alison Weir has an ambitious project ongoing to write fictionalised biographies of the six most famous wives in history. In this, the second volume, she turns her attentions to the notorious Anne Boleyn. As Weir acknowledges the first hand accounts and biographical materials for Anne are limited, most are from witnesses hostile to her. This means that she has to imagine dialogue and motivation far more than with other subjects. However Weir is first and foremost a historian and that shines through in this novel - the attention to detail is superb and the use of the sources, interwoven into the narrative, is subtle but adds a veneer of authenticity to this excellent account.

This is not the story of Anne Boleyn which I expected. Cleverly, Weir doesn't give us the obvious - Anne as seductress or Anne as pawn in parental plan - but a highly original view of a much written-about woman. Once again, her knowledge of her subject and meticulous research has led her to a highly original, if fictional, version of events. There is overlap with Katherine's story, of course, and what has been particularly interesting for me has been the fluctuating character of Henry himself. The courtly lover, the tyrannical husband, the statesman and the would-be head of a dynasty are all there but, at the heart of it all is a man afraid that he will never have a son to inherit the kingdom he rules. Like me with running Anne, according to Weir, didn't set out to become a queen - but when she did accept this as her role (had queen-ness thrust upon her as it were) she tried to do the best she could. I am now looking forward to the Jane Seymour novel - I think Weir may even make her interesting for me...

Six Tudor Queens II: Anne Boleyn - a King's Obsession by Alison Weir

From her early years on the continent as a maid of honour to Regent Margaret of Austria and then to Queen Mary of France, Anne Boleyn was determined to retain her independence and reputation. Anne grew up witnessing the behaviour of lords and even kings to women at court, including women of the highest rank. Rape and assault were far from unknown and, later on, when Anne is a maid of honour in England to Queen Katherine of Aragon, she sees the way that Henry VIII pursues and captures her sister Mary, almost right under the eyes of his wife. Anne Boleyn will not be used in the same way.

The story of Anne Boleyn is a familiar one but Anne Boleyn: A King’s Obsession is a novel I have been longing to read since reading and thoroughly enjoying Katherine of Aragon, the True Queen, the first novel in Alison Weir’s Six Tudor Queens series. That marvellous novel breathed new life into the ultimately tragic tale of this woman who refused to be beaten even when her daughter was taken from her and all she had left was her faith. Anne Boleyn is a less sympathetic figure to many, including me, and I did wonder how Alison Weir could make me engage with her. I needn’t have worried. I was riveted from the very beginning when we meet a young girl who manages to be both modern and belonging to her own time. Anne is presented as a wonderful observer of life, a witness to grandeur and intimacy, and increasingly she becomes a player in the world she has dissected.

Anne is fiercely intelligent and not a little intimidating. She is a contrast to her sister Mary, to the other Mary (Henry VIII’s sister and Queen of France) and to Queen Katherine. Katherine is bound to retain our sympathies, especially if you’ve read the previous novel. And it’s pitiable watching Katherine try to be such a good friend and patron to this young girl so newly returned from the French court. We all know what’s going to happen. Anne is friend to few.

Henry VIII looms over the novel as you’d expect and his character transforms through the novel from a young man in love to one bored and prepared to kill. It’s a compelling portrait and, at times, as Anne dangles the king on the end of a leash, it’s almost possible to feel sorry for him. But we’ve seen what he can do. Anne’s sister Mary Boleyn is a constant reminder of that. But while Henry changes through the book so too does Anne and what makes it so interesting is that she knows it. She is transformed by power and later by fear. She is aware of it and she hates it. She hates what she becomes. And it’s both painful and irresistible to read.

I love the way in which Alison Weir writes. She presents a great deal of historical detail and background while preserving the drama of the story and finding new ways in which to tell it. The Tudor court was full of incredible personalities and they’re all richly painted here, including Anne’s brother George, his wife Jane and their grand uncle the Duke of Norfolk. But it’s Anne and Henry who dominate the book, sweeping away anyone in their path.

We all know how Anne Boleyn’s story ended and those pages here tore my heart out. At times, this is an emotional novel and it pays to remind yourself when reading it that, although this is a work of fiction, these were real people. Anne has to adapt constantly and you can certainly understand why even if it makes her difficult to warm to. I was hoping to find a different approach to Anne in this novel and that’s what I found. Likewise, it provides an original perspective on the role of women in the Tudor and French courts. I also loved the novel’s size. Its substantial length allows the reader to wallow in this incredible story.

As this series continues it will be fascinating watching Henry’s progression towards his monstrous destiny as he discards his wives, and others, by the wayside. I can’t wait for the novel on Jane Seymour – to watch her emerge from the shadow of her more famous predecessor, Anne Boleyn.

Other review
Six Tudor Queens I: Katherine of Aragon, the True Queen

Just like her first book on Katherine of Aragon this is fictional biography at its most straight forward, written in an uncomplicated style. It is a long and detailed story told from Anne Boleyn’s point of view following her life from when she was eleven up to her execution in 1536.

Mainly I think because I didn’t know much about it before I really enjoyed the first part of the book detailing Anne’s time at the court of the Archduchess Margaret, Regent of the Netherlands, then at the French court where she served Mary Tudor (Henry VIII’s sister) and then she was transferred to the household of Queen Claude, the wife of François I. Anne became proficient in French, and accomplished in the art of pleasing, and witty, flirtatious conversation.

She also learnt from the Archduchess how a woman could rule, and about the ‘New Learning’, that is the texts of ancient Greece and Rome that had been recently discovered. She learnt from Erasmus about the corruption within the Church and she had access to the Archduchess’ library, where she found books written by Christine de Pizan, who had enlightened views on women’s education. The Archduchess encouraged her to show that women were just as capable as men, so that men would admire women for their courage, character and intellect and not just their beauty.

I’m much more familiar with the rest of her life story. As Alison Weir acknowledges in her author’s note in some ways Anne Boleyn is unknowable, we do not have ‘a wealth of her letters’ to get an insight into her inner thoughts and much of the material we do have comes from a hostile source, the Imperial ambassador, Eustache Chapuys. In writing this novel she has tried to reconcile conflicting views of her and I think she has succeeded, portraying her as a flawed and human character. Anne was ambitious and in her early years she had the example of the Archduchess Margaret who introduced her to ideas questioning the traditional ideas about women.

Alison Weir has kept closely to the historical record, although taking ‘occasional minor liberties’ and ‘modernising the language in places to make the context clearer. Some quotes have been taken out of context or put in the mouths of others’. And the scenes between Anne and Leonardo da Vinci are imaginary (much to my disappointment).

Perhaps it is because she kept closely to the records that the period when Henry was pursuing Anne is described at great length, whilst attempting to end his marriage to Katherine. I found it increasingly tedious to keep reading about how Anne left the court and went to Hever Castle, her parents’ home, then returned to court and then went back to her parents, etc, etc.

Overall, I enjoyed this book, but it is too long and in places very pedestrian and flat. At times it is a bit like reading chick-lit, for example as Mary Boleyn describes how Henry raped her and later as Henry complains to Anne that he has not ‘bedded with a woman in years’, looking at her with ‘anguish and longing in his eyes.’ He comes across as a weak character, truly obsessed with Anne but his passion soon cooled after their marriage when she failed to produce a male heir. And Anne is portrayed as a complex, intelligent woman but obsessed with her ambition for the power that came with being queen.