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The Last Boleyn A Novel Karen Harper Books

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The Last Boleyn A Novel Karen Harper Books

Just annoying. I found too many historical inaccuracies in it to enjoy this novel. A romance novel format is (at the least) distracting when reading an historical novel.

I have no issue with embellishments in an historical novel, if the known historical facts are accurately portrayed. As others have pointed out, inaccurate references to the Duchess of Suffolk's daughter "Margaret;" genealogically, the Duchess' daughters were Frances and Eleanor; the Duchess of Suffolk, the "Tudor Rose" who shared Henry's coloring, was depicted as having dark black hair; reference to Katherine of Aragon as the Duchess of Wales (known as the Dowager Princess of Wales after the ‘divorce’); Anne Bassett (depicted prominently during Anne Boleyn’s time) was not at court until the reign of Jane Seymour. I found particularly irritating two other inaccuracies which were integral to Harper’s story line: 1) Anne Boleyn’s mother [ten years prior to 1512 when Henry was only 11-12] turned down Henry’s proposal to be his mistress and married Thomas Boleyn, thereby jeopardizing the family’s status at court. Really? 2) Harper’s lack of reference to Mary’s first-born (Catherine) until after the birth of her son (Henry), and then only in a casual reference from her father to Carey on page 238 “Baby Catherine, well indeed she is yours, for the King was obviously…” Was she banished from court during that entire pregnancy and delivery—no explanation.

Finally, “Staff” is portrayed as a romance novel hero and Mary as weak-kneed around him when she “comes to her senses” after playing her part as the mistress of two kings. Harper should have decided whether this was going to be an historical novel or a romance novel! I would not have purchased a romance novel and will not recommend this one.


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The Last Boleyn A Novel Karen Harper Books Reviews

Very difficult to read. The history itself is very interesting, however the writing and editing errors make it incredibly distracting. Historical fiction always takes some liberties but there are some FACTS also that need to be taken into consideration.
It was an interesting concept, however the writing really put me off. I did manage to read the entire book, but more out of stubbornness than enjoyment. I was also curious to see how correct the story was to proven historical fact, and found that there a few inconsistencies. I am assuming these inconsistencies were made to further the storyline, but if a story is interesting enough that shouldn't be needed.
. . . Mary Bullen (a name later to become Boleyn), the elder sister of Anne (later to become Queen) is first sent to the French court as a handmaid to Mary Tudor who had been wed to the elderly French king by her brother King Henry VIII (a Tudor) in order to tilt the power balance against the Spanish. Mary Boullaine (the French version of her name) grows up beautiful and becomes the unwilling mistress of the new French king Francois before she discovers that her father had planned and hoped for such ‘elevation’ when he had placed her in the French court. After Francois tires of her, she finds the same fate awaits her at the English court, as Henry falls for her. But Mary’s heart is reserved for another, more true, love. Author Harper has done her research, not on just the major historical persons and events, but also on dress, manners, cultural nuances. Interesting reading just for those things, but central emphasis is on Mary and the way her heart, her life, and her successive problems unfold like the petals of the rose her father presents her with in the first pages of the story. Pretty thorny for such a sweet fragrance.
This book was written in 1983, so I will give some grace to the fact that many of the negative stereotypes associated with Anne Boleyn exist in this novel. That she pursued Henry VIII, that she had six fingers, that she was heartless. BUT, the author didn't claim Anne was guilty of the things she was accused of, and that was pleasant. The stereotypes noted are my reference to the bias.

However, the story itself was very well written, added enough detail of surroundings and buildings to make you feel as you were there, but not too much to bog down the flow of the tale. The character of Mary was well developed and believable, and you couldn't help but love her. The politics and fear of the Tudor dynastic came to life in practical ways, and yet seemed fresh (for I live and breathe Tudor history!). I recommend this book!
The writing feels amateurish -- turgid and overblown with inappropriate adjectives, such as 'lumbering castle'. Research is shallow. I noted several inconsistencies from one page to the next in descriptions of the same scene, errors which would have been caught by careful editing. After 5 chapters, I was so discouraged I 'closed' the book on my , determined not to suffer through another word, and I refuse to re-read it now for the purpose of finding for this review the many mistakes that led me to wish it were easier to delete entirely.
The author has done enough research, supplemented with her vivid imagination, to pique ones interest in the time period. I've also read the Phillipa Gregory book on Mary, so have a little extra background on the character of Mary Boleyn, whom I find interesting and of course elusive. Harper's book depicted much more of Mary's time in the French court, where she was reputed to have been the mistress of King Francois. There was also more time spent on Mary and Anne's home at Hever Castle, enough that I am now eager to make it a day trip on my next visit to London.

My only criticism is that the writing style was that of a romance novel rather than one of historical fiction. There was too much of the "heaving bosom" type of prose that had me skimming large passages to get to the moving narrative.
Just annoying. I found too many historical inaccuracies in it to enjoy this novel. A romance novel format is (at the least) distracting when reading an historical novel.

I have no issue with embellishments in an historical novel, if the known historical facts are accurately portrayed. As others have pointed out, inaccurate references to the Duchess of Suffolk's daughter "Margaret;" genealogically, the Duchess' daughters were Frances and Eleanor; the Duchess of Suffolk, the "Tudor Rose" who shared Henry's coloring, was depicted as having dark black hair; reference to Katherine of Aragon as the Duchess of Wales (known as the Dowager Princess of Wales after the ‘divorce’); Anne Bassett (depicted prominently during Anne Boleyn’s time) was not at court until the reign of Jane Seymour. I found particularly irritating two other inaccuracies which were integral to Harper’s story line 1) Anne Boleyn’s mother [ten years prior to 1512 when Henry was only 11-12] turned down Henry’s proposal to be his mistress and married Thomas Boleyn, thereby jeopardizing the family’s status at court. Really? 2) Harper’s lack of reference to Mary’s first-born (Catherine) until after the birth of her son (Henry), and then only in a casual reference from her father to Carey on page 238 “Baby Catherine, well indeed she is yours, for the King was obviously…” Was she banished from court during that entire pregnancy and delivery—no explanation.

Finally, “Staff” is portrayed as a romance novel hero and Mary as weak-kneed around him when she “comes to her senses” after playing her part as the mistress of two kings. Harper should have decided whether this was going to be an historical novel or a romance novel! I would not have purchased a romance novel and will not recommend this one.