Finished 21st December 2009
3.5/5
This was my introduction to Philippa Gregory (unlike the rest of the world who got it from The Other Boleyn Girl). I really enjoy the Tudor period in history and this is a great fictionalized version of that period. Gregory flips between characters and subplots flawlessly and creates a beautiful portrait of Tudor England.
This book was a great escapist read. The story was rich and colorful. The characters flawlessly designed and described. It was a book that I looked forward to picking up each night. She is definitely on my list of favorite "for fun" authors. She's the kind of storyteller that you can just really love. I'll be picking up all of her other novels. If you love historical fiction (and don't mind a tinge of romance mixed with politics and deviousness) then you'll really enjoy this book.