Anne Boleyn, A King's Obsession (Six Tudor Queens) Hardcover – Large Print, June 21, 2017

Having read many historical novels about Anne Boleyn, I was not expecting to learn anything new from this one; I purchased it because I am a fan of Alison Weir's writing. However, I was wrong. This novel is written from Anne's perspective, and delves into her motivations for her actions toward others and the choices she made. It helps the reader see more clearly the quandaries Anne was often placed in my her family, by Henry VIII, and by the general attitude toward women at that time. Although we all know what happened to Anne at the end, some of the details of the execution scene as written by Ms. Weir caught me by surprise as I had never before considered how the method of execution affected the victim in the final moments. I greatly admire the extent of Ms. Weir's research and her attention to detail, which makes even the fictional parts of her novels seem rational and real.

I started to read this book on my flight to London. My 4rd day in London I toured the Tower and had tears in my eyes, because this book made the events that happened in Anne's time so real. I was transported to the 16th Century by the words in this story. If you like historical fiction this is a must read. If you don't like historical fiction... well, you will now.

I found that I was unable to finish reading this book. The author clearly does not find anything redeemable in her subject and therefore creates a character who represents the stereotypical "other" woman, thus she presents us with a one dimensional portrait without any depth of character.

Fabulous, so well written and interesting.Weir breaks it down into each year, and although I have been reading novels about Anne Boleyn for almost 45 years, I still learned so much!I understood all the history, politics, behavior and religious aspects much better.The whole gradual shift of originally very much believing and feeling he needed to ask permission from Rome for the divorce - to eventually casting the Pope off so he could have all the money and power for himself. And all the concerns about who might go to war with England if Henry took action with the divorce or with his newly created brutal laws, or his increasingly worsening treatment of Queen Katherine, or Princess Mary.Anne was the one responsible for everyone in England to be able to read the bible in English. That is HUGE. She really was a major contributor to to reformation in that way, and very well intended wanting the money from the monasteries to continue to go to education and to helping the people -- rather than just into Henry's depleted coffers.Cromwell of course toadied to Henry and did zero to help Anne with this goal, and indeed it created a dangerous schism for power between them at a time when hers was weakening because she had not been able to bear Henry a living son.I also think Weir was correct is much of what she wrote about how Henry was just very ordinary looking if you took the trappings of wealth off of him, and he didn't have the aura of fame that comes with Kingship. Everyone else has always praised him as so good looking, but I agree with Weir, that's probably just some literal posterior kissing when flattery could get you everything at court.The book also made what happened with her sister Mary very interesting, as it makes her out not only NOT a slut or loose woman, but someone who was naive, and completely taken advantage of.What has always puzzled me is that the nobles were so utterly power mad and fearful of Henry that they never said to themselves that if Anne didn't have sexual relations with Henry for six long years -- how completely unlikely it ever was that she would have ever cheated on him!This was not a woman who was interested in sex, and she held out for a king! She would never have lowered herself to sleep with someone of lesser rank.Henry who I personally believe was a lousy selfish lover with a small member to boot (making a woman happy wasn't seen as important at that time - and indeed a woman being innovative or taking initiative was considered immoral behavior by Henry).I think Henry did have impotence problems sometimes at his age and with his weight , drinking and health problems (the infected leg).However, he but was potent enough during their 3 year marriage to still manage to impregnate Anne at least 4 separate times.He just wanted to get rid of her, and manufactured a total lie that was so shameful that the public who love drama and gossip were willing to ignorantly believe him - and he would look like the wronged victim. It was disgusting and she tried valiantly to defend herself, but there was no hope.Anne had so gradually and frequently encouraged Henry to be cold hearted to his friends/advisors and the people he loved, (Wolsey, Queen Katherine, Princess Mary, Fisher, More, etc.) that eventually that now massive brutal coldness got turned on her.Karma in action, sadly enough.I did read somewhere recently that the reason for the delay in Anne's execution was that favor was rising in public opinion about her, because there were enough people who could figure out that the charges were ridiculous, and this concerned Henry with regard to his image. Pretty different to be exposed as a deliberate monster of an innocent 33 year old woman instead of a cuckolded husband!Henry and Cromwell were afraid she would make a public statement on the scaffold skillfully, wittily, incisively criticizing him and exposing what a sham the adultery charges really were, and how it was all about trying to get a son from jane Seymour now.They didn't want all the foreign dignitaries to make historical notes of this to take back to their masters all over Europe.Instead, Cromwell over that 36 hour or so delay denied entrance invitations (? who would be allowed to be admitted) to many, and made sure the crowd was quite small indeed who was allowed to witness the execution.Weir disputed this, believing maybe a thousand people attended, but I don't think so....The one thing where I believe Anne triumphed over Henry despite his cutting her head off, is that her daughter Elizabeth - not the son he so craved and was increasingly fanatic for his whole life about needing to have for the succession - was the greatest ruler England has ever known.It was a fabulous fabulous book, as was her earlier book about Katherine, and I am thrilled she is doing this series about each of Henry's six wives! She really makes them come alive and does it so well, with a new and very believable insight.THANK YOU ALSION WEIR!

I loved this book! It tells the well-known story of Anne Boleyn in a new way. The author also made a point of having Anne point out the holes in the case against her. The book was well researched and the things that had to be fabricated were still feasible for the time. I found myself hoping for a different ending for Anne, even though I knew what the conclusion would be. The only thing I did not like about this book was the mention of older brothers. I did some research about their existence and learned that while there are graves that are thought to have possibly been other Boleyn children, there is absolutely no other mention of them in history. So if there were other sons they almost definitely did not live to adulthood. Their characters do not play a big role in this book, so I don't think their inclusion was necessary. But overall I loved this book. The ending was heartfelt and up until the last minute, the author made me feel Anne's hope for a pardon. The last paragraph was unlike anything I have ever read in historical fiction. (SPOILER ALERT)There have been scientific studies about brain activity after the severing of the spinal cord. The way the author told the moments after the beheading from Anne's point of view, the moments of agony, the urges to wipe her face, it was heartbreaking but real. Everyone always thinks that beheading was a fast and painless way to go. But the reality is that there is pain, and moments of confusion, despair maybe before everything goes black. While it is a more merciful death than the alternatives of burning or being hung drawn and quartered, it most definitely was not painless and instant.I am now reading Alison Weir's previous book in her Tudor Queen series, Katherine of Aragon; The True Queen.

I have read many of Allison Weir's historical novels, and I must say I was somewhat disappointed with this book. It seemed to attempt to show Ann Boleyn in a more positive light, but vacillated between "likable" Ann and "spiteful" Ann. Also some of the dialogued did not appear to be relevant to that time period. Not one of Ms. Weir's best books.

This is the second novel in Alison Weir's series on the six wives of Henry the Eighth, and it is every bit as good and as detailed as the earlier work on Henry's first marriage to Katherine of Aragon. This is the tale of the woman who supplanted her in Henry's affections and, more importantly, the one he looked to for the nursery full of legitimate sons that he so desperately needed. Anne Boleyn catches his eye, and that of many at court, on her return from a long sabbatical in Burgundy in the service of the Regent Margaret, and also at the French Court serving first Queen Mary (Henry's sister) and then Queen Claude wife to the rampant Francois the First. She has acquired a polish, style and sophistication that few at the English court possess.Along with her skills as a courtier, Anne has also acquired a deep suspicion of male morality, particularly at the French court, where she is reunited with her sister Mary, who becomes a victim of Francois' lust and where she sees a level of licentiousness that is at odds with her own personality and preferences. She has also been influenced by the radical forms of thought which are challenging established Roman Catholic orthodoxy. All of which has formed her as a free thinker and a woman who wishes to marry for love.Her story in the factual sense has been examined inside and out for many years and in many formats: this book cleverly takes the known facts of her reluctant acceptance of Henry's attentions, and builds a fine fiction around them. She makes no secret of her unshakeable refusal to be a mistress who is used by Henry and cast aside. She has seen this happen to her own sister and putting her own personal romantic inclinations aside, decides that if she must be with Henry, then it will be as his wife and Queen.Alison Weir's book charts the long, frustrating courtship, the religious upheavals which result from Papal and political delaying tactics in the matter of Henry's divorce from Katherine, and the toll that this takes on Anne physically and mentally. Men whom the King loves and trusts are sacrificed in the tortuous Great Matter: the price paid is very high indeed. The turbulent path to her eventual coronation offers Anne little time for rest and happiness and fosters increasing impatience with those around her, even those who are on her side and love her. A daughter is born, but those elusive sons are lost in the traumas of miscarriage or premature birth: the King's eye begins to rove once again.This is a chunky book, and an excellent read which can be read as a standalone, although I would recommend reading the series from the beginning to get the full sense of context and character development. First class

Beautifully written, my favourite fiction book about her I have read and I have read dozens. Many of the little facts I have read in the historical books on the subject, such as by E. Ives, were slipped in almost seamlessly. But I do worry that modern psychological preoccupations have been imposed. Maybe that's right, but I suspect not. Every generation has written the story from their perspective from the 1800's onwards. And when you re-read them from the current perspective it is obvious how affected by their own time the story has become. I worry that this may have a similar echo when we look back.

Fresh from the courts of Burgundy and France, Anne Boleyn drawn attention at the English court. When the King seeks her, his is a command that is never a game. Anne seeks the crown at any price, including changing England in the most dramatic of ways. Weir uses this spectacular novel to show us how Anne Boleyn, the second of Henry VIII's wives lived. 'Anne Boleyn' is the second in the Six Tudor Queens series, a series shaping up to be my absolute favourite in historical fiction. Having read so many novels on Anne Boleyn and Henry VIII I admit that I was not looking forward to this as much but I should have been. Weir really gets inside Anne's head, or what we believe to be her thoughts, and brings her to life in a really sympathetic yet realistic way. For me a shining aspect of this novel is that Weir is able to make Anne Boleyn into a sympathetic character and to portray her through her own eyes, having read the novel on Katherine of Aragon I can see why it may have been difficult to portray Anne Boleyn in a positive way.We start this when Anne is eleven and follow through to her death and it was really something special to read a novel that allows you to follow a historical character through the majority of their life and see them as they make life-changing decisions. I have to say I loved how Anne Boleyn was portrayed in this novel, she is shown as forward thinking but flawed and feisty, I know I have said it but I do feel this was a balanced novel on her life and one that makes historical sense. As always with Weir's novels, I did not feel that anything was sensationalised for nothing and the choices made in telling this story are probable, ensuring this feels like a credible historical fiction read. I absolutely loved this novel and devoured it in no time at all. Prepare to be swept away to the life of Anne Boleyn and you will adore every page of this novel. I cannot wait for the next instalment!

I have to say this book is well worth a read. I love Alison Weir and this book was true to her style. As a result of reading the first two books in the series I have more sympathy for Anne Boleyn and Catherine of Aragon but in different ways. Anne is sometimes portrayed as in love with Henry but in this book she does not want the kings advances and thus indured many years of battling courtiers and family on occasion. Her final moments were also detailed to such as extent that I felt emotional as it described what beheading would have felt like for Anne based on medical research. As for Catherine it seemed as though her marriage to the king was perfect and yet the shock of the annulment and being separated from her daughter led to poor health. I couldn't put this or the previous book down despite having read loads of tudor books previously. Just perfect and can't wait for the next one.

Another absolutely amazing book written by Alison Weir. I love her portrayal of Anne Boleyn, pretty much what she has written about her is how I suspect Anne’s character to be. It’s beautifully written in that from the start you are whisked straight into Anne’s world and it feels like you are watching all the events unfold.One the the things that really stood out is where Alison writes of Anne’s thoughts and feelings on Henry’s interest/ obsession with her. That from the start of it Anne generally had no interest in the king and didn’t want all this attention after seeing how her sister and other women have been treated not just by Henry but Francois in France. It certainly makes sense that Anne didn’t really have much of a choice the way Henry was being very persistent and in the end, came to enjoy the attention and look at it as a way of rising in power to achieve the almighty prize of being Queen of England and help bring about a reform from the Church in Rome.I also like how she mentions Anne generally caring for the poor and their well being and would do a lot of charitable things for them such as make them clothes. But also her views that all people should be able to read the bible and it being translated in English for all to enjoy. It shouldn’t just be dictated to them by people in higher authority.The way Alison writes Anne’s finally moments was very well done and was quite emotional to read. Such a tragic end for a rather incredible lady. I do wonder if Henry generally believed the charges made against her or whether he just wanted her gone but he couldn’t go through the embarrassment of another divorce.An absolutely brilliant book. I could honestly gone on talking about it for ages haha.