Helpful Score: 7
Understand a few things: this is not history. It's not even very good historical fiction as there are errors in descriptions and names of characters in the book. They are minor, but annoying, as basic research would have caught the inaccuracies.
In this story, Harper explores Mary Boleyn (referred to throughout the book as "Golden Mary") and her relationships with the King of France, King Henry VIII, her husband Will Carey, and with William Stafford. There is a lot of wiggle room in the Mary Boleyn story, since there are just enough records to act as a skeleton, but not enough that we know for certain what all of the players in the drama thought or felt.
This could've been just an amusing romp if Harper's writing style didn't veer into the realm of romance novels. There are full breasts everywhere, and in one scene Mary twines her arms around Henry VIII's "bull neck". More annoyingly, William Stafford is nicknamed "Staff" (a Freudian slip if there ever was one, as Staff is the upright-mucho-virile-romance-novel-take-charge-all-knowing-male guy in the book). Also, "Staff" constantly refers to Mary as "lass" and is amused when she shows a temper.
Harper has her female characters arching their graceful necks several times (once, for no apparent reason, towards a window). Out of sheer curiosity, I tried to emulate the neck-arching. The doctor tells me that with a neck brace, ice, and anti-inflammatory medications, I should make a full recovery.
If you want a bon-bon to enjoy while sipping hot cocoa on a winter afternoon, this isn't a bad one. But the inaccuracies, slips, and writing style may have you laughing uproariously and at inappropriate moments.
In this story, Harper explores Mary Boleyn (referred to throughout the book as "Golden Mary") and her relationships with the King of France, King Henry VIII, her husband Will Carey, and with William Stafford. There is a lot of wiggle room in the Mary Boleyn story, since there are just enough records to act as a skeleton, but not enough that we know for certain what all of the players in the drama thought or felt.
This could've been just an amusing romp if Harper's writing style didn't veer into the realm of romance novels. There are full breasts everywhere, and in one scene Mary twines her arms around Henry VIII's "bull neck". More annoyingly, William Stafford is nicknamed "Staff" (a Freudian slip if there ever was one, as Staff is the upright-mucho-virile-romance-novel-take-charge-all-knowing-male guy in the book). Also, "Staff" constantly refers to Mary as "lass" and is amused when she shows a temper.
Harper has her female characters arching their graceful necks several times (once, for no apparent reason, towards a window). Out of sheer curiosity, I tried to emulate the neck-arching. The doctor tells me that with a neck brace, ice, and anti-inflammatory medications, I should make a full recovery.
If you want a bon-bon to enjoy while sipping hot cocoa on a winter afternoon, this isn't a bad one. But the inaccuracies, slips, and writing style may have you laughing uproariously and at inappropriate moments.
Back to all reviews by this member
Back to all reviews of this book
Back to Book Reviews
Back to Book Details
Back to all reviews of this book
Back to Book Reviews
Back to Book Details
