As she searched back over the span of years to where it all began, her mind always seized upon that golden day at Hever when she first knew there could be uncertainty, yes, and even fear and pain. They were all so young then - she but eight years, George a year older, so baby Anne was five years that summer. The July day spent itself in gold and green caresses for the tiny knot garden, and yew lined lanes, and grassy swards at Hever. But the reverie of that warmth and beauty always paled beneath the darker recesses of memory. Indeed, that was the first day she knew she was to be sent away and used, and that it would make her dear mother most unhappy.

I have enjoyed this book quite a lot. I sped through it, it read easily and was more then interesting enough. I learned a great deal about Tudor England, a period that is starting to interest me more and more after reading this book (in addition to Sansoms 'Sovereign'). Sometimes the romantic part of the novel was a little too prominent, but it didn't bother me much. ( )

What a lovely little tale of the Boleyn family! There are comparisons to Philippa Gregory’s The Other Boleyn Girl, as the concept behind the two books is the same – the Boleyn story from Mary’s side. I liked this one infinitely more than the Gregory story, and I’m so glad I took the time to read it.

The book starts out when Mary is about 12, not long before she is sent to live in the French court to serve Mary Tudor as the Queen of France while she is married to King Louis. We get to see Mary as she grows from a naive youngster into a beautiful young woman who is soon catching the eye of many members of the court. In the background, we get to see Anne’s story as well, starting out with her somewhat worship of her older sister and through her exciting, and ultimately tragic life.

To read the rest of my review, please visit:
http://www.dorolerium.com/?p=2713 ( )

This historical novel has the "any resemblance to actual persons etc. is purely coincidental" statement on the copyright details, so it doesn't ever pretend to be anything other than fiction. I found it curiously tedious from the start, which doesn't really seem possible considering the period and people we encounter and follow in the course of the story, and only pushed myself to finish it to see if it was tedious until the end. And it was. I do think Mary Boleyn makes an interesting character in historical fiction, because she's so much in shadow of her sister and ambitious family, but this novel totally failed to make her (or any other character for that matter) interesting. ( )

I have been reading a lot of books by Karen Harper recently and I have to admit to thoroughly enjoying each and every one. What a gifted author she is! "The Last Boleyn" was originally titled "Passion's Reign" and I am not at all sure that I would have chosen to read it with that title. I have that ingrained aversion to lusty title's that shelving Harlequin novels in a book store left me with !

"The Last Boleyn" is the tale of Mary Tudor - five years a mistress to Henry VIII before Anne; faithful wife and mother after Henry. Although I had perhaps heard this before I had not registered the fact that the family name had, in fact, been 'Bullen' prior to Anne's Franophile-ization of her family name to the more readily familiar 'Boleyn'. Mary Bullen inherited her mother's more delicate blonde coloring - heritage of her lofty Howard lineage. I have always been of the impression that 'father' Boleyn was a power hungry, ladder climbing syncophant in the court of Henry VIII....a man who would pander his female children to his best advantage. Nothing I have read over the years has really change that opinion - even taking the vagaries of that time period into account.

Mary was sent to the French court at an early age - as lady-in-waiting to Henry's sister Mary during her short lived marriage to the aging French King. Upon the King's death Mary remains at the French Court attendant upon Mary and beguiled by the new French King Francois I. Anne Boleyn joins Mary at the French court for a time until Mary returns to England as a teenager - and becomes an integral part of the Court of Henry VIII. The book chronicles Mary's marriage to the cold, calculating William Carey - a husband who accepts the King's advances towards Mary as a way to accrue fame and fortune for himself. During her marriage to William Carey Mary has son and, although she always claimed that he was William Carey's son - there has always been speculation that her son was, in fact, the progeny of Henry VIII .Mary is, ultimately, drawn to the jaded courtier William Stafford - a man whom she will ultimately marry in secret after the death of William Carey.

The odd thing about Mary Boleyn's story is that she was always derided by her family for not asking Henry for more - for not expecting more from him as his mistress. Anne was the rapacious sister . Oddly enough though it is Mary, and not Anne, who ultimately lives to a goodly age and retires from Courtlife with both her head and her happiness intact - thank largely, I am led to believe thanks to the love of Will Staford.

In contrast, this novel with that of Phillipa Gregory's book "The Other Boleyn Girl" - which is also narrated from Mary's point of view. I enjoyed both of these book tremendously, but I think that in some ways I prefer Karen Harper's work. I think that Ms. Harper follows the history very closely and she also managed to keep me turning the pages of this book late into the night. Best bet - read both books because I think that the story of Mary Boleyn is truly a very good one ! ( )