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    The Boleyn Inheritance
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    The Boleyn Inheritance
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    The Boleyn Inheritance
    Audiobook17 hours

    The Boleyn Inheritance

    Written by Philippa Gregory

    Narrated by Pippa Bennett-Warner, Georgia Maguire and Cathleen McCarron

    4/5

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    About this audiobook

    *A stunning new unabridged recording, available on audio download*

    From the bestselling author of The Other Boleyn Girl, Philippa Gregory, comes a wonderfully atmospheric evocation of the court of Henry VIII and his final queens.

    1539. Anne of Cleves wins the dangerous prize of becoming Henry VIII’s fourth wife. From the start, Anne’s royal blood, education and fierce intelligence count for nothing as the king pursues young Katherine Howard.

    Katherine is a pawn in the political manoeuvres of her ambitious family; unprepared for the dangers that await, she steps into their trap. At her side is kinswoman Jane Boleyn, who has served – and betrayed – one queen already: her sister-in-law Anne, who died on Henry’s scaffold. Will Jane betray a second queen to the headsman?

    As the three women’s fates entwine in the most volatile court in Europe, each must survive an increasingly tyrannical, murderous king.

    With an exclusive afterword written and read by Philippa Gregory, exploring the inspiration behind The Boleyn Inheritance.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherHarperCollins
    Release dateAug 9, 2018
    ISBN9780008304041
    Author

    Philippa Gregory

    Philippa Gregory is an internationally renowned author of historical novels. She holds a PhD in eighteenth-century literature from the University of Edinburgh. Works that have been adapted for television include A Respectable Trade, The Other Boleyn Girl and The Queen's Fool. The Other Boleyn Girl is now a major film, starring Scarlett Johansson, Natalie Portman and Eric Bana. Philippa Gregory lives in the North of England with her family.

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    Reviews for The Boleyn Inheritance

    4/5

    131 ratings95 reviews

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    • 4/5
      An interesting title, actually, once you finally come to understand what it means. I would have liked to have known ahead of time that it is the story of the two wives of King Henry VIII before his very last wife who actually survived (probably because King Henry himself died before he could have her killed). Namely, Anne of Cleaves and Katherine Howard (I'm not sure if spelled right since I listened on audio).

      I enjoyed the author's portrayal of Katherine Howard the best. At least, she was the most entertaining one. While she certainly had her faults... for all of them she did not deserve the end she got. Sad. I don't much like King Henry.

      And yes, I'm a bit addicted to Tudor England right now.
    • 3/5
      Historical fiction around Anne of Cleves & Katherine Howard - 4th & 5th wifes of Henry VIII. Good light reading.Read mar 2007
    • 5/5
      Loved it! I'm a bit obsessed with King Henry and his many wives, and this book is about Lady Jane Boleyn, Anne Boleyn's sister-in-law - the one who helped send both her husband and her sister-in-law to their deaths. Philippa Gregory is a gifted writer whose books I really enjoy. Who doesn't love a big fat book?
    • 4/5
      A follow up to the Other Boleyn Girl. We see Anne of Cleves and Kitty Howard's rise and descent from the throne. Most of the story is from the point of view of Jane Boleyn - the sister-in-law that sent George and Anne to be beheaded.
    • 3/5
      It actually took a lot longer than I thought to finish this book. At first it was because I waited until I got a copy of "The Other Boleyn Girl" and finished that. And I'm glad I did. Although I think that anyone can read this novel, and still be drawn in, reading the first book about Mary and Anne Boleyn helped pave the way for some of these characters in this book. Despite how long I took to finish i (cause I read it in sections every night), I loved it. I like the way Gregory brings history and fiction together. Not all that she writes is perhaps historically correct, but it does stick close to it with a creative and romantic twist. Thinking of choosing another of her novels to read next.
    • 4/5
      Typical Phillipa Gregory fun read. I especially liked the way the chapters were told from the first person of three women: Jane Rochford (widow of George Boleyn) whose testimony sent her husband and sister-in-law, Anne to their deaths. Anne of Cleaves, the only wife of Henry VIII to survive the marriage, and Katherine Howard, fifteen, foolish, and married to the obese, mad Henry.Basically the story stays very true to history, but of course the narratives are all imagined. Just a good fun read.
    • 5/5
      Another absorbing installment from the Tudors, telling of Anne of Cleves & here brief time as Queen & Katherine Howard. I wasn't sure if I would enjoy the style it was written in to start with, with each chapter being told either from Katherine, Anne or Jane Boleyn's view. Jane Boleyn was such a terrible woman having hands in the deaths of her fellow Kinsmen & ultimatley her own. This is a great historic novel based loosely on the true historic facts.
    • 3/5
      While I liked The Other Boleyn Girl more than I liked this novel, I did still enjoy it. There's something about Philippa Gregory's writing...both novels I've read by her took me a while to get into, but once I did, the stories lingered in my head after I stopped reading. I've heard that Gregory has plenty of historical inaccuracies in her works; I can't comment on that, but as a fiction novel, it was good. Recommended, but I suggest one reads The Other Boleyn Girl first, as The Boleyn Inheritance follows it chronologically.
    • 3/5
      The narration of this novel was interesting. Gregory took three women and tried to create distinct voices for each woman and use them to relay the action around them to the reader. At times this approach to narration worked and other times it was hard to see the difference between the characters. They all have their quirks which is the defining marker of their voice. Towards the end of the book each time we read Katherine she would begin her chapter by listing the things she had, which would help to identify the character (without the chapter heading of course) but there were times when the voice of Anne and Katherine is not that different (early on when they both found themselves in love). The subject matter of the book is very interesting and what drew me to the book in the first place. Gregory really made me feel for the characters. There were times in the novel when I actually felt bad for Lady Rochford. Although it was not quite as riveting as The “Other Boleyn Girl” it is worth the read.
    • 4/5
      I loved this book! I adore historical fiction and Philippa Gregory is just so good at what she does. She researches her subjects very well and then fleshes out these historical women as charming, engaging, and flawed creatures - each struggling to exist in long ago periods of time. This is the first Gregory novel I've read, but she's found yet another life-long fan in me, that's for sure.
    • 5/5
      The Boleyn Inheritance was my second Philippa Gregory book and I enjoyed it even more than the first (The Other Boleyn Girl). I loved seeing how things panned out, depending on which side of the fence the narrator was on, and I really felt like I knew the characters and their motivation by the end. The end just came too soon for me. I'd have liked it to carry on and on, especially Anne's part.

      Anne's and Katherine's chapters were more entertaining than Jane's but that's probably because Jane's chapters/thoughts/narration were primarily about her own self inflicted torment and delusions over her husband's and Anne Boleyn's betrayal. Her narrative had a definite air of madness about it as the story progressed. By the end she was a broken woman and I don't doubt she was as mad as box of frogs. I don't pity her though.....well, not much anyway.

      I love that I feel I know these women a little better now (albeit in a fictional way) and will look out for other fictional works which cover the Tudors.

      King Henry was vividly repulsive in the pages, to the point where I swear I could smell the supporating wound on his leg every time I opened the pages. At best he was delusional, at worst he was a maniac and I wonder how anyone could bear to be around him.

      All in all it's a great read, I just hope I can find a worthy bedtime read to replace it, now it's finished. That's the worst part of a good book.....it's over too soon.
    • 4/5
      This book had quite a different tone than The Other Boleyn Girl but it worked just as well. I enjoyed this glimpse into the surmised lives of 2 more of Henry's wives and to see Jane Boleyn from her own point-of-view.
    • 5/5
      I really enjoyed this book. I thought it was gripping - a true page turner. I would have inhaled it if I had the time to sit down and read it in big chunks - but as it was - over and over I picked it up reading bits when I could squeeze them in.I was surprised at how much I enjoyed this novel given how underwhelmed I was by The Other Boleyn Girl. I had low expectations for this one - especially given the lack of buzz surrounding it. When I got to the author's note at the end of the book - I realized why I might have liked it so much better - in the note she talk's about the lack of documentation around some of the main characters in this novel. I think that gave her greater freedom to fictionalize and also - since I was a history major and know some of this stuff - gave me more freedom to enjoy the stories free from all the history I read in college. On a stylistic note, I am a huge fan of her rotating point of view in this story - but even more so of her consistently very short chapters (a few pages at most). For me, this device made it a really easy book to pick up in my short widows of free time. So to sum up - I thought it was great - my heart actually pounded a few times while I was reading it - and although I may be in the minority - I thought it was a much superior novel to the one that preceded it.
    • 5/5
      Loved this. I listened to it on audio, and this is one of those cases where the audio production really enhances the story. A different actress was used for each woman, and they all did a phenomenal job. You could hear Anne’s hope, and then her fear. You could hear Katherine’s greed and sly naivety. And the disdain that pours from Jane is palpable. I was familiar with Anne and Katherine’s story, but not so much with Jane, and she was really the glue that holds this story together. She fancies herself her uncle’s equal when it comes to navigating the politics of court, but realizes way too late that she is as much of a pawn as young Katherine was. Katherine isn’t a particularly likeable girl, but it’s hard not to feel sorry for her, since she didn’t have the intelligence to realize what was happening to her. She really was just a child. My favorite here was Anne, who really shines by the story’s end. Delivering the story through the points of view of only these ladies really sells it. This was my first Philippa Gregory, and it definitely won’t be my last.
    • 4/5
      I did not expect to like this book; I thought it was going to be all fluff and steamy romance. I found it to be intriguing, and to be a fictional look into England's Tudor past...
    • 4/5
      Phillipa Gregory does it again with this novel. The Boleyn Inheritance is a striking tale of the least known wives of Henry the VIII, Anne of Cleves and Katherine Howard. We also meet Jane Boleyn known mostly in history only for her part in seeing her husband George and her sister-in-law Anne go to the scaffolding. We follow the tale from Cleves when Anne is being selected, right on up to the scaffolding and eventually the Kings death, and the whole book will hold you spell bound.I could hardly set this one down, and yet at parts I had to. It is so descriptive and so heart breaking you will cry for the way these women are terribly caught up in this court. Henry VIII truly was a mad man bent on his own whims, his own desires and no one ever dared tell him no, for if they did they could, and would end up dead. Watch as the body counts of those sent to the scaffold tally higher, for small crimes like simply loving a girl. And those who are the true masterminds of the plots get away from the axe man like a slippery snake in the grass.You will shake your head at how stupid and frivolous young Katherine is as a Queen. And yet you will feel utterly horrified for her in the end she was really only a child of 16 years who could not possibly know right from wrong when she only ever did was she was told. I believe in the end the only one I did not feel sorry for was Jane Boleyn, to me she made her own bed. Through pure jealousy, ambition and self preservation, in the end she got what was coming. Though preferably no one should have died because of the whims of a selfish King, who thought he was a god. If you haven’t read this book yet, do. You will be emotionally grabbed and riveted to each and every page.
    • 3/5
      Good read if you like this era in history
    • 4/5
      This book is the latest in Philippa Gregory's series, and focuses on the lives of Henry's fourth and fifth wives Anne of Cleves and Katherine Howard, and George Boleyn's widow, Jane, who has served all his wives so far. This is done more in a diary format - the POV changes between the three characters in (usually) 3-4 page long thoughts and telling of events. This can be confusing at first, and it took me a while to get into the story. This covers the period of Anne's entrance into England, to Katherine Howard and Jane Boleyn's execution. These two Queens are the ones least known about, and Philippa chose to look at those two to try and give a new perspective on them, and perhaps change people's opinions of them both.I thought it was incredibly interesting to read, and enlightening. I just wish more of it could have been based in facts (though obviously, lack of records made that impossible). It's also interesting to see how Henry changes - from the sweet but slightly selfish and hedonistic boy portrayed in 'the Constant Princess' to the tyrant in this book, who can declare a marriage void and give his ex-wife the title of sister, and have no one call it madness.Overall I would definitely recommend this one, I really enjoyed it and liked the change in writing style. Again, not quite as good as 'The Other Boleyn Girl' but still a very enjoyable book.
    • 4/5
      Another great book by Philippa Gregory. I loved the way this book looked at multiple sides to the story and different character's viewpoints. I would recommend this series to many!
    • 5/5
      This is a must for lovers of reading anything and everything Tudor. A fascinating look at two of Henry's little known queens, Anne of Cleves and Katherine Howard. This book might be difficult to get into at first if you have no prior knowledge of Henry VIII and his wives, but it's worth sticking with it. I loved the way the author told the story from the viewpoint of Anne, Katherine and Jane Boleyn (who was married to George Bolyen, the first Anne's brother). The characters were brilliantly portrayed and came alive before my eyes. Anne, just trying to stay alive in a court riddled with intrigue, Jane scheming with her uncle to put another Howard on the throne, and Katherine (LOL) the not too bright but very beautiful 15 year old who just wanted to look pretty and have pretty things and be admired by handsome men. There were times I was laughing out loud at Kitty's comments, and the chapters that repeatedly started with another accounting of "what do I have now?", as she counted her jewels and clothes. Through these three women we see Anne and Kitty caught up in something they are helpless to stop, Henry's lusting after young Kitty and his determination to put Anne aside at any cost to have Kitty. Most fascinating of all is the way Henry is portrayed through all three women, and he is terrifying indeed. An absolute ruler, with complete power over all around him and mad as a hatter. And wonderful to see that of all of them, Anne was able to come through the terror unscathed and a free, independent woman. Highly highly recommended.
    • 3/5
      i liked this, though not as much as The Other Boleyn Girl. there were some really good passages about the madness of King Henry, and maybe a little more psycological insight to some of the characters. i can't wait to get to the Tudor period of England with my kids in school, the history plain rocks.
    • 3/5
      My first Philippa Gregory novel was "The Other Boleyn Girl," and I became a fast fan. I was really looking forward to "The Boleyn Inheritance," and while it was a good read, I wish Gregory had stuck with a single main character telling the story rather than the somewhat dizzying three-character perspective. That said, I understand why she made the decision and enjoyed the new perspectives - so many authors dismiss Anne of Cleves terribly easily and it was enjoyable to hear a different perspective.
    • 4/5
      The follow-up to 'The Other Boleyn Girl.' Focuses on Jane (Parker) Boleyn, one of the side characters of the previous novel (although a very influential one), the wife of George Boleyn, and her influence on Henry VIII's doomed fifth wife, Katherine Howard. Although I didn't enjoy this one as much as 'The Other Boleyn Girl,' I did find this to be more poignant, especially with regards to Katherine.
    • 5/5
      Not since the first Phillipa Gregory novel I read, The Other Boleyn, have I been this connected with a novel. The stories of Henry VIII's fourth and fifth wives is weaved through three individual perspectives. The book was hard to put down and you empathized with all of the characters.
    • 2/5
      While this book picks up just a bit after The Other Boleyn Girl leaves off, it doesn't manage to carry over the engrossing storytelling.Whether this is due to a fatigue with the genre/period/family or whether this is due to a lesser quality product is hard to say. I have read 5 other books by this author.Gregory presents the story of Henry VIII's fourth and fifth wives from the perspective of these two wives and the sister in law of his second wife in alternating chapters.As always, I found Gregory's work interesting for her take on the internal life of historical characters but I tired of her characters' narration midway through the book. Enough so that I skipped to the final chapters to see where Gregory was taking us.At this point, I'm not feeling like I'll be reading a 7th book by Ms Gregory . . .
    • 5/5
      In 1539 an obese, foul-smelling King Henry holds England hostage to his arbitrary will. After her husband and his sister Anne Boleyn (Henry's third wife) lose their heads, 30-year-old Jane Boleyn returns to advise Anne of Cleves (Henry's fourth wife). Freed from her brother's oppression, 24-year-old Anne wants to be a good wife and queen but soon discovers she's traded one tyrant for another. And when the queen's stunning 15-year-old attendant Katherine Howard enters the royal palace, her comely charms turn England's crowned head and give his aging ego a youthful boost.
    • 3/5
      Not one of my favorites from Gregory. The book alternates between 3 characters. The stories are not chronological, so time periods overlap. I found myself interested in only 1 story line and constantly waiting to read those sections. While the book did not intrigue me, the audiobook was splendid. The 3 characters are played by different actors with distinct beautiful voices. If your in the market for a good read, choose another Gregory novel like The Other Boleyn Girl. However, if you're into audiobooks, try this one out.
    • 5/5
      GREAT sequel! I love learning about the Tudor family. Gregory has a way with words and she sucks you into the world in which she writes about. I LOVED this book, but I think I liked The Other Boleyn Girl more.
    • 4/5
      This book follows King Henry VIII's fourth and fifth wives and their fates. It was told from the perspective of three different women, and every chapter switched perspective.
    • 4/5
      Alternating 3 female points of view, the book tells the story of wives 4 and 5 of Henry VIII, who had left his glorious manhood behind is now fat and pain addled and mad. Written well and flowing quickly, I finished it in a day, but enjoyed it. I've always liked Anne of Cleeves and liked the way she was represented here, and Katherine Howard's youth and charm were also displayed very sympathetically.