Teen Book Review: The Other Boleyn Girl

The Other Boleyn Girl is one of Philippa Gregory’s best works. It is a historical fiction novel about Mary Boleyn (the narrator) and her family’s desperate attempt to raise both the Boleyn and the Howard names to riches and fame. They try to make their way to the Tudors (the royal family) by making Mary become his mistress in hopes that she can provide the son that Queen Katharine cannot give King Henry.

This novel gives the reader an inside look at the English court and the Tudor family. I was delighted by this book. The dramatic and historical take on this portion of history made me feel engaged in this book. Though it is somewhat lengthy (about four hundred pages), I felt a connection to this book. I had been reading it for so long that I felt married to this book. Oddly, I could have spent my whole life reading this book over and over again. Still, when I was done, I had to put it aside and remember the wonderfully scandalous events.

Obviously, I recommend this book to anyone who likes historical fiction but I also believe that there is another kind of reader who would enjoy it. This book is for
the girl who waits for the new Lisi Harrison book to come out or the new Gossip Girl book. I can come to this opinion because I am that kind of reader. I thrive on scandalous books that weave social hierarchy into the mix. This was one of my favorite books I have ever read and after a long marriage; I have to put it aside for another Phillipa Gregory novel. With hope it will be as good as the last.

-Reviewed by Larissa-Helen