I've long been fascinated by Anne Boleyn and reading her biography gave me a new appreciation of how important her existence actually was for the history of the English nation.

This biography was well written and very detailed. Some of the lists of presents and such could have been left out, in my opinion, but apart from that I really loved this.

In all honesty, I have read many books that centre around Anne Boleyn and Henry VIII and there are some that I've loved more than others. 
This one was definitely one of the more informative ones that I have read, and I really enjoyed the style of writing and delivery. 

There were a couple of points raised within the text that I wasn't sure about, and some that I questioned the accuracy of, but that didn't deter me from continuing. 
If you are interested in the sad history of Anne Boleyn, then this would be a great addition to your list of books to read. 

Thank you to NetGalley for my copy.

I didn’t realise at first that this was a reprint of a 1970’s book. As such it has all the evidence and prejudices of its time. I had previously read this book, as a historian, and didn’t enjoy it first time around. Several of the theories included are now out of date. It is well written but very much of its time, there have been much better books on Anne published since.

The first few chapters of this book had enough flowery prose/descriptions that I wasn't sure I was going to be able to keep reading it.  But somewhere along the way the writing style changed into a more head-on style and I got really into the book.  Everyone knows how the story will end, but in this case it is definitely the journey that keeps the reader going.  This book was carefully researched, providing plenty of details that enhanced your understanding and vision of the time period and the people, and while quotes from contemporary sources support the narrative, they are not so frequently used as to overpower it.  Here the reader gets to know Anne Boleyn, Henry VIII and those around them, as well as understand some of the politics that drove the actions and decisions we know today.

Overall well-written and highly readable for historians and the casual reader alike, this was an excellent biography of the doomed English Queen and the times she lived in.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

Thank you so much for net galley forget I need a chance to read this book. I have always been fascinated about the Tudor era, and especially Anne.  I found the book to be very easy to read, and  enjoyable!  I think anyone with interest in Anne, Will enjoy this book!!

I have read many books on the Tudors, both fiction and non-fiction, and this book was very easy to read.  Kept me entertained and read like a novel.  A definite for a new Tudor fan.

Really well researched, very well written, incredible detail.  I didn’t realize until after I’d finished that this is a republish of a book from the 70s.  It’s not flattering to anyone but does appear to take a realistic approach.  Very well done.

I received a copy from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

This was an interesting take on Anne Boleyn. Her life has been written about, romanticized, and torn to shreds by those who wished to bring her down. Mary Louise Bruce brings Anne to the front again, and in some ways, rehashing all of the information that has already been presented about her.

I was looking forward to gaining deeper insight into Anne Boleyn through this book, but nothing truly jumped out as new and exciting.  Nevertheless, it was a decent biographical work of this young woman who became the queen of England, losing her life at a young age.

Thank you NetGalley for the digital ARC. I normally dont read non-fiction books but since I am obsessed with everything Tudor I chose this book anyways. I am so glad i did! It read like fiction and I loved every page of it. I even learned a thing or two! A must read for any history buff!

Thoroughly enjoyed this account of Anne Boleyn. Bruce provides a detailed account with excerpts of letters between Anne, Henry and Wolsey. The narrative is almost conversational, making it a very easy and enjoyable read. 

Bruce doesn't note Anne's time at the court of Margaret of Austria and instead refers to Mary spending time there. 

The book is clearly the result of much research and covers the matter of Henry's Great Matter in much detail using George Cavendish's account of Wolsey as a fascinating source. Bruce conveys the tumultuous relationship between Anne and Wolsey which I found extremely interesting. 

The original edition was published in 1972  and has been credited in works of other biographies of Anne. 

If you are looking for an easy to read interpretation of Anne's life I would highly recommend this book.

We all know the story of Anne Boleyn. The woman who made a king fall for her. Divorce his first wife and lead to the break with the Catholic Church. I’ve ready many books on the woman and was hoping that this book would give be a new insight into the Woman. 
Marie Louise Bruce certainly did not disappoint. This book is well researched and written. I finished the book feeling I knew more about Anne as a person. Lots of historical research with segments of letters written by the lover. (Anne’s letters survived at the Vatican)
I discovered more of her character  and her family life. She was a very clever person. I certainly didn’t realise it took so many years for her to get her man. 
Take the time to enjoy this book. 
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this ARC

A very readable account of Anne Boleyn. I've been a 'fan' of Anne since high school and this book helps add to the 'drama' of Anne's brief life. From her plotting to marry a King to her demise, Marie Louise Bruce adds color to the life of Anne.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read and review this book.

There is a lot more to Anne Boleyn than just her getting beheaded, and this book does a great job of showing the breadth of her short life.

I loved this book for its multifaceted evocation of Anne Boleyn and Henry the eighth. Too often Boleyn is portrayed as a victim of Tudor patriarchy. Ms. Bruce"s Anne has heft, she is a girl/woman in the round and all the better for it.
If I have a quibble it is the treatment of Cromwell's religious life as merely a means to an end. (Read Diarmaid Muculloch's biography for a more sympathetic view)

I read this ARC for an honest review
All thoughts and opinions are mine

I love this period of history and devour anything I can find 
This is a great, fact packed retelling of Boleyn's life

I enjoyed it immensely

I was able to read this book thanks to NetGalley. I enjoy Tudor history a great deal and have always been fascinated in particular by Anne Boleyn. I loved this book. It seemed very factual but it was also well written snd very entertaining. It’s a must read for Tudor enthusiasts. Thanks again to NetGalley for the opportunity to review and read this book.

A really good biography on Henry viii second queen, full of interesting facts I do wish it had more about her time at the French Court

417 pages

4 stars

Ms. Bruce omitted adding a portion of Anne's education. Margaret of Austria, daughter of Maximillian I the Holy Roman Emperor, ruled Austria tutored Anne from the Spring of 1513 until October 1514. Only then did Anne go to France to serve Queen Mary. 

When Anne caught King Henry VIII's eye, the trouble began. It was to last for several – about seven – years. 

Anne and Cardinal Wolsey had a love-hate relationship going on. It seems to depend on the mercurial and immature Anne's mood. 

From her text, one may surmise that Anne may very well been her own worst enemy. I wondered that she might have been bi-polar. 

The common people hated Anne, especially the women. I did not know that Henry went to such extremes to suppress discontent. To deport so many people and search houses for weapons in order to protect Anne sounds extreme. This reader has to wonder just why he stayed with her. (Well, I can guess...)

There are many interesting little tidbits such as these littered throughout This is a very readable book that is written in an informal, conversational style. It is a well plotted and consistent telling of the life and times of Anne Boleyn. She seems so real. I could see her acting and speaking as though I were in the room with her. (It was not a pleasant experience.) Ms. Bruce also illustrates well the pagentery and color of the court life – as well as the smells...Thr information about the coronation of Anne was very interesting.

The distracted and deluded (to some degree – look what happened...), king, the whole drama with Wolsey, the “Great Matter” fiasco and Anne's greedy and grasping family are are told in brilliant color in this book. It'd wonderful stuff! Add to that the major part that Thomas Cromwell played in obtaining Henry's “divorce.” 

There are many conflicting theories on the downfall of Anne. Some lay the blame on Henry's doorstep, while others believe it was all Cromwell's doing. I agree with Ms. Bruce in  that Henry told Cromwell to get rid of Anne, and Cromwell did – by any means necessary. There is also a debate over whether Mark Smeaton was actually tortured. Was it physical or psychological? Did Anne commit adultery and treason? Even this is subject to a contentious disagreement among historians and scholars. Many points in this book are a matter of conjecture. 

This very well written telling about a short period in Anne Boleyn's life is interesting and food for thought. I enjoyed it very much. The work contains a bibliography and extensive notes. 

I want to thank NetGalley and Sapere Books for forwarding to me a copy of this great biography for me to read, enjoy and review.

I had no idea this book is a classic when it comes to literature about Anne Boleyn - the more you know.

As retellings of a historic person’s life goes, this was comprehensive and followed Anne’s life from childhood, to her education at the French court, her way into queen Catherine’s court and her love affair with King Henry VIII to her way to queendom and her fall from grace. I find Anne Boleyn to be a very smart woman who knew how to play the game perfectly – and I find it very sad she got the end that she got in the end. 

Nothing really to note – the book said what it promise in the synopsis. Did I learn something new from reading this book? Not really, but I enjoyed it all the same.

A detailed history  of Anne Boleyn, which chronicles her early days in France, her relationship with Henry, and the end result of it. The book refers to many sources and cannot be faulted as a history book. I recommend it highly.