The Other Boleyn Girl

If you have seen the movie The Other Boleyn Girl with Scarlett Johansen and Natalie Portman then you need to do yourself a great service and pick up the book. If you have read the book The Other Boleyn Girl by Phillipa Gregory then do yourself a great service and do not watch the movie. The book is amazing and the movie is just too short to cover any of the really good courtships and family relationships.

The Other Boleyn Girl by Phillipa Gregory is the amazing story of Mary Boleyn, sister of Anne. The book follows the two girls and their brother George through the beginning of the reign of Henry VIII. Mary is the more innocent of the two girls possibly due to nature and Anne is much wittier possibly due to nurture. The book is great for anyone who has had a sister, had their heart broken, wanted fame, manipulated people, lived a life they wish they could escape or lived a life they wished to climb up from.

One of the most intriguing parts of The Other Boleyn Girl is that though the story is told through the mindset of Mary you do not loose any of Anne's thoughts or motivations. Anne Boleyn is the mother of Elizabeth and the first wife to loose her head from Henry VIII as we all know from eighth grade history class. When you see Mary watch Anne and vice versa you can see not only what they are doing or their motivations but you can see how it affects someone on a sisterly level.

Another beautiful side to the book The Other Boleyn Girl that you do not get from the movie is the hardship of love that goes with being at court. Mary has many loves that come in her life that you get to read about when opening the pages and you do not get to see those stories played out in the movie. Anne has a great love that you do not get to see in the movie that is possibly the key factor in making her the way that she is. George has quite a complex relationship with his wife, people at court and Anne that is not fully flushed out in the movie.

Ok, watch The Other Boleyn Girl for the cinematic features, the costuming, the rivalry between Scarlett and Natalie. Read the book for the juicy details and page turning drama that will have you going through 735 pages in a week.