The Other Boleyn Girl
Philippa Gregory · 2001
Historical fiction as love story and tragedy. Mary Boleyn's love for a king who destroys everyone around him, including her sister. Gregory writes Tudor court intrigue with addictive momentum; the love triangle between Henry, Anne, and Mary is as claustrophobic and terrifying as the period deserves.
The case against
History gets bent until it confesses. Gregory treats the prosecution's wildest charges against Anne, incest included, as essentially true, rearranges the sisters' birth order to suit, and renders Anne a cartoon villainess. The court intrigue repeats its cycle (pregnancy, miscarriage, panic) until momentum becomes monotony. Addictive, certainly; just don't mistake it for the record.
Romance · the Pro canon
The case for it and the rest of the canon open with Pro.
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