The Other Boleyn Girl by Philippa Gregory

“Everyone knew that he was courting me, everyone knew that I would consent when I was ordered to do so. The only person who did not know this was the king. He thought that the pace of the courtship was determined by his desire.” – Chapter 2, pg. 35

“Oh what a tragedy queen! You can smile when your heart is breaking because you are a woman, and a courtier, and a Howard. That’s three reasons for being the most deceitful creature on God’s green earth.”
– Chapter 4, pg. 98

“If there had been money on it I think I would be getting out my purse. You Boleyns only lose when there is nothing to gain by winning.” – Chapter 5, pg. 125

“We are making a new order. A new world. There is talk of the end of the authority of the Pope, the map of France and Spain is being redrawn. Everything is changing, and here we are, at the very front of the change. But you cannot refuse me. The world’s not changed that much yet. Men still rule.” – Chapter 11, pg. 191

“He was the father of my children and yet he would have no interest in them until they were old enough for him to use as counters in the game of inheritance. He had been my lover for years and yet it had been my task to make sure that he never knew me. As he lay on me, I felt as lonely as if I were the ship which bore my name, out all alone at sea.” – Chapter 13, pg. 211

“‘I have to be queen,’ was all she said. ‘And you have to help me. You know that’s how it is, Mary. Only a fool rails against the way the dice fall.’ ‘They’re weighted dice when I play with you,’ I said.” – Chapter 21, pg. 313

So those were some of my favorite book quotes from The Other Boleyn Girl by Philippa Gregory.

I must be a plot junkie. Even if a book is written badly, I just have to know what happens next. Had I paid any attention in history class, I doubt I would have been turning pages like paper is going out of style (damn you, Kindle).

But since I had no clue what would happen to Anne Boleyn (much less Mary), I found myself nervously fretting over whether this pregnancy would finally result in a boy for the throne. Don’t get me wrong: the character development is terrible. Zero sympathy for either of the Boleyn girls (and pretty much everyone else in the story). My biggest problem with the book was the repetitiveness of it all: spring, summer, fall, winter. I understand seasons repeat, but that doesn’t mean Gregory’s writing must do the same (and by same, I mean 661 pages of same). The most interesting stuff was the witchcraft and incest. Too bad that didn’t make an appearance until page… what? 660?