A big thank you to Alison Weir, Ballantine Books, and Netgalley for the free copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review. 

Weir is the Queen of British historical fiction. I've read many of her books through the years and enjoyed them all. Color me surprised that she has a new series! I dove right in.

Relying heavily on contemporary resources Weir weaves a magnificent tale of an independent feminist caught in a web of power and deceit. Reared in the courts of Burgundy and France, Anne learns to appreciate the significance of a ruling woman. She also explores reforms in religion. She's brought home in her late teens to be a lady-in-waiting for the queen of England, Katherine of Aragon, where she meets Henry VIII, a man who in no way impresses her no matter how forcefully he flatters her. 

Anne's family includes many ambitious members. Soon she sees the advantages of being a celibate mistress of the king. Gifts and grants flow her way, but because of her experiences in the foreign courts she holds her virtue as the ultimate prize, which causes her to be most alluring. She has numerous admirers but none as dominating as the Great Hal. As we all know this all eventually leads to the great schism of the Church of England, the first beheading of a queen consort, and the continuation of Henry's wrathful rule. 

Weir admits to playing with history a bit to assist the flow of the story. There are a few bits that conflict with what I've always believed about Anne's tale that I'm not certain come from this interpretation or if they are actually new facts coming to light. We don't have much documentation saved regarding Anne's personality or point-of-view. Weir presents a valid argument here. It's easy to believe from Weir's evidence that Anne eventually caved in to the pressure and sought out the crown and the possibility of being the mother the the heir to the throne. I agree there was no love in her heart for the king. He was a means to an end. Sadly, he was her end. 

Bravo, Weir, on a painstakingly put-together work. Anne's spirit lived again in your words.

This review is based on ARC received from NetGalley.  

Anne Boleyn is probably the most controversial and most-written about wife of Henry VIII, so I was prepared to get through this book without finding anything new. However, this was a fresh take on Queen Anne and the author made sure to support/refute common misconceptions of her reign.

Having read Philippa Gregory's The Other Boleyn Girl, I was surprised by the stark difference in the narrative and the characters themselves. OBG readers end up sympathising with Mary, but she is a completely different person in this book, and so is Anne. A headstrong feminist and religious reformer, Anne is easy to like. Even her supposed "witchcraft" and manipulations are toned down, and you do tend to feel sorry that such an educated, impressive woman was subject to Henry's whims, especially when she still tries to remain honest and principled amidst the chaos of the Tudor court. Halfway through the book, Anne turns paranoid, and borderline whiny, which, though understandable, is historically questionable considering other biographical accounts of her life. 

Overall, this book makes Anne more of a real person. She's isn't the manipulative witch as she is made out to be in some literature. Nor is she a completely blameless character caught up amidst Henry VIII's personality disorder. Alison Weir, as per her usual style, keeps you hooked until the end with fast-paced narratives and the perfect blend of fact and fiction.

A solid addition to the plethora of Anne Boleyn novels. I appreciate Weir's novels because of the great amount of research that has gone into them. I particularly liked that the novel begins well before her relationship with the King begins, and so we see the strong female rules who would shape Anne's views regarding church reform and feminism. The story drags in the middle during the six year courtship and divorce proceedings, though this feels intentional. Anne is also dragging and impatient, and the reader is forced along with her. I was also impressed that Weir did not shy away from attempting to describe Anne's ultimate demise. Without giving away details, though surely no spoiler alerts are necessary for such a well-known historical character who was beheaded hundreds of years ago, I'll just say that the descriptions were vivid, moving, and memorable. Overall, Anne is portrayed as a strong, ambitious, and deeply flawed woman. Though her private thoughts are lost to history, most of what is suggested here is entirely plausible. As always, the lengthy authors note at the end was also much appreciated.

Historian Alison Weir traces Anne’s journey to the block, from her childhood spent in European royal households through her courtship with and marriage to King Henry VIII, and her painful downfall in this novelization of true events.

I’ve been a longtime fan of Weir’s historical works, particularly her Six Wives of Henry VIII.  Though this new novel is a piece of historical fiction, Weir’s depiction of Anne’s childhood years in Europe begins in matter-of-fact prose as if she were composing a work of straight history.  I think Weir hits her narrative stride in the latter parts of the book, where we get swept up in the careening games of love and power that Anne enters – at first tentatively – upon her return to the English court.  In that vein, Weir’s portrayal of Anne and Henry’s relationship as less of a love match, at least on Anne’s part.  This is not a romance, but rather a story of a woman taken up by a king who was driven by unreciprocated amorous and sexual obsession, as Weir’s title suggests.  Indeed, Weir emphasizes particularly in her exploration of Mary Boleyn and some of the Continental queens themes of sexual violence and domination that kings exercised upon unwilling female subjects, laying bare uneven sexual power dynamics and the deeply sad consequences they produced.  These explorations bolster Anne’s reluctance to enter into a relationship with Henry, further supported by Weir’s depiction of Anne’s dedication to Katherine of Aragon, Henry’s first wife whom the King eventually will put aside for Anne.  However, following her sudden epiphany that the crown is within her grasp, Anne begins to yearn for power as much as Henry yearns for her, ultimately reciprocating his attentions and setting down a path that will ultimately prove fatal.

As their relationship progresses from flirtation to affair, and the couple’s plans to marry unfold, Weir successfully conveys the agonizingly long wait for a dispensation from Rome to annul the King’s first marriage, emphasizing how drawn out the process was before thoughts of church reformation began to bubble up.  Finally, when Henry breaks from Rome and plans for the marriage are fulfilled, I felt fascinated to witness Anne’s euphoria in her early queenship, especially knowing what fate has in store for her.  It’s almost like reading a howdunnit as opposed to a whodunnit.  We know the end, but it’s remarkable how Anne gets there.  In this respect, Weir is adroit at capturing Anne’s mounting fear and paranoia, reflected in a more stream-of-consciousness narrative style, as the Queen loses Henry’s favor after the delivery of a princess instead of a hoped-for male heir, and a series of miscarriages and marital fights that strain the royal couple’s relationship.  In that style, we keenly feel how quickly Anne’s downfall comes to pass in the latter two parts of the book, as opposed to the former parts’ emphasis on protraction, delay, and uncertainty.  Weir deftly conveys the swiftness of the fall, and the agony and increasing frenzy following Anne’s arrest and imprisonment, especially when those around her leave her in the dark as to the important details of her case.  And she successfully conveys how Anne’s trial was a travesty of justice.  The ending, capturing Anne’s final days, was tragic in the epic sense of the word – we see a woman literally lose everything she had worked towards, piece by piece, the result not only (in part) of her own hubris, but also the machinations of political forces far greater than herself.  It is an undoing on a massive and complete scale.  The final pages of Weir’s book which depict the morning of her execution up to the blow of the sword are truly haunting – they may even be viscerally upsetting to some readers (as it was for me).

For all the book’s strengths, there were some aspects that I found less enthralling.  From the elevation of Anne’s potential romance with Henry Norris – one of the men convicted of adultery with the queen and executed just days before Anne – to her brother George’s involvement in an improbable and sensationalized murder plot, there were some elements of the story that felt like too much of a stretch.  These plot points eliminate some of the poignancy of actual, historical events, and work against the idea of futility and arbitrariness of the divorces and deaths that marked this portion of Henry’s reign.  Yet, Weir’s authorial note at the end of the book make clear her motivations for some instances of artistic license, and convey the depth of her research.

All things considered, Weir’s book was hard to put down, and I’d recommend it to anyone curious about Anne Boleyn, a fascinating and sometimes mysterious character who played an integral part in a captivating and dramatic portion of English history.

First Line: Her skin was rather sallow, Anne thought as she studied herself in the silver mirror, and she had too many moles, but at least her face was a fashionable oval.

Summary: Anne Boleyn, the second wife of Henry VIII, spent her early years in the courts of Burgundy and France.  She learned from duchesses and queens on how to be a lady but it is a king that truly changes her life.  When the King Henry VIII notices her and wants her to be his mistress Anne decides that she is not going to be used like other women of her time.  She tries to discourage the king but to no avail.  But when Henry proposes marriage to her, even though he is already married, she sets her sights on the ultimate power.  After years of legal and religious battles she finally is crowned queen but it turns out to not be all that was promised.

Highlights: The descriptions are very detailed.  I could feel the frustration with the Great Matter as much as Anne and Henry.  Anne is a smart and passionate woman who knows what she wants and is willing to do whatever she can to achieve it.  There is so much in this novel about a woman that very little is known.  The author takes you all the way back to Anne's childhood which most books do not do.

Lowlights: I have read many books about Anne Boleyn.  And a book that is written by a historian like Alison Weir, I was expecting more.  There were things that I did not agree with in her descriptions of Anne such as the sixth finger.  Plus she makes Anne seem more like a child at times when she was a powerful woman with strong beliefs.

FYI: Some of this is written for a more dramatic and fictional account than most historians have been able to back up.  Great for a fun and interesting book about the life of Anne Boleyn, the unfortunate second wife of Henry VIII.

This is the second installment in Ms. Weir's Six Tudor Queens series, featuring King Henry VIII's second wife, Anne Boleyn. The book can be read as a standalone. The book title refers to a King's Obsession, but that wasn't the only obsession portrayed in the book. Anne herself also developed some unexpected and rather unhealthy obsessions. This was the first book I read that told the story of Anne's evolution from just pursuing Henry to get her hands on the throne as queen to ultimately falling in love with him in the unique way that Ms. Weir did. She also focused on the lack of a sisterly bond between Anne and her sister Mary. Being a fan of historical fiction, I actually have a handful of Ms. Weir's books on my Kindle that I had yet to crack open, so this was my first introduction to this author. I thought she did a good job of balancing the romance, politics, and historical background in telling the story. It was apparent to me that she did her research. The pace was a little inconsistent, but nothing too surprising considering the attention to historical detail. Overall, good story about an infamous important historical figure from the Tudor era.

Alison Weir is a new favorite. I am loving this series. In Anne Boleyn, A King's Obsession, she is able to weave together an amazing account of Anne's life. I love the detail and the way it is written. Weir is able to tell the story and make the reader feel as if they are there. The novel grips you from the beginning and holds your attention until you are done. This is a must read for everyone. I look forward to her next book in the series.

If you're as passionate about the story of King Henry Tudor and his Six Wives as I am, reading strictly historical accounts can get repetitive and a bit boring. I have been collecting and reading books over the decades on this subject, many of which are by the same esteemed author who wrote this book. While works of historical fiction take poetic license with some details, they can often open up a whole new way to enjoy history. This was the case when I read a book called "The Secret Diary of Anne Boleyn" by Robin Maxwell, and also "The Boleyn Inheritance" by famed British author Phillipa Gregory. This same method is employed here with this series of novels on each of Henry Tudor's Six Wives. I have only had the privilege to read this one on second wife Anne Boleyn, who just happens to be my favorite Tudor Queen to read about. I admire first wife Queen Katherine of Aragon the most, but find Anne far more interesting, beguiling and intriguing. Her story inspires so many emotions, from hating her, to a grudging respect for her nerve, to pitying her for her miscarriages and her probable trumped up charges that led to her execution.

Reading this book renewed my passion for experiencing one of the most dramatic and tragic moments in British history. Anne narrates the story and as a reader you can get inside her feelings, perceptions, motives...and even her bedroom. This was a most enchanting, engaging and fresh way to enjoy this history anew. What was most riveting was Anne's experience of her own beheading. My heart was in my mouth as I read it...tears welling up and the rest of the world had gone away. I was so wrapped up in this Tudor history after reading this book that it led me to purchase Alison Weir's first book in this series about Queen Katherine of Aragon. I can't wait to read it and experience this history through Katherine's point of view. The first two Tudor Wives are the only books out in this series at the moment, but I will definitely delve into all of them after such an enjoyable experience reading Anne Boleyn's.

Anne Boleyn: A King's Obsession is a fictional telling of Anne Boleyn's life that reads (to me) like a biography from her point of view.  It details her life from 1512 to her death in 1536. 
Anne Boleyn: A King's Obsession is as captivating and fascinating as her life was. As this is my first Alison Weir novel I have nothing to compare it to and will be rectifying that oversight in the near future.  
I wholly recommend this book to anyone that is interested in Tudor history.

No better source than the author herself can perfectly describe the content of this historical novel and the story of Anne Boleyn: “I have tried to reconcile conflicting views of her, and to portray her as a flawed but very human heroine, a woman of great ambition, idealism and courage who found herself in an increasingly frightening situation.” I believe that Alison Weir successfully achieved this goal.

This second book in the Six Tudor Queens series is an insightful study of Anne Boleyn, the young girl who would see the path she could take and eventually become the Queen of England. Ms. Weir’s historical depiction of Henry VIII’s court provides an educational background, and her depiction of Henry’s second wife fits with my previous knowledge of Anne Boleyn. As there is little in Boleyn’s own words that has survived, the character traits Ms. Weir has wrapped around Anne seem appropriate. 

The “Author’s Note” at the end of the book should not be skipped. Ms. Weir describes how the novel came together, identifying the issues that might arise in this sort of undertaking. Where evidence is lacking and there are scant clues to indicate what happened, the author informs us of the times when she interpreted facts or statements and inserted what she thinks happened in the book. This balance of being both an author and a good historian at the same time is delicate, especially since an author has more leeway to stretch truth into fiction. However, I feel Ms. Weir has performed admirably, adding only items that could be supported by what we do know to be factual.

Those readers who haven’t read the first book need not worry. Even though Katherine of Aragon is mentioned in this book, she is treated as a minor character as the focus is on Anne Boleyn. It will not matter if you read about Henry’s second wife before returning to the first. 

Ms. Weir paints Anne Boleyn with fairness, exposing both her good and bad qualities. Her ruthless ambition and sometimes reckless behavior might be damaging character traits, or may be viewed as merely a reflection of the times she lived in. Highly recommended. Five stars.

Noted historian Alison Weir returns to her fiction series based on Henry VIII's wives in Book 2--Anne Boleyn: A King's Obsession. (Book 1 in the series, Katherine of Aragon: The True Queen, was previously reviewed here.)

Anne Boleyn: A King's Obsession front cover (Ballantine Books/Random House)

THE PLOT: Obviously, this is a very light summary of a pretty big story! The novel starts with eleven-year-old Anne Boleyn preparing to go to the court at Burgundy where she will serve the Regent Margaret. Under Margaret's tutelage, Anne learns that the world doesn't only have to be ruled by men; women can be intelligent and hold power, too. Eventually, Anne travels to the court of France, serving the former English Princess Mary who is now Queen of France. After the king's death, Anne's sister Mary is violated by the new French king and leaves court. Anne believes she herself will never love any man.

In England, Anne falls in love with Henry Percy, but their betrothal is nixed by Cardinal Wolsey. Mary is once again assaulted, this time by the English king. She reluctantly becomes his mistress and bears him a child. Anne hates King Henry for his treatment of her sister, but then he becomes smitten with Anne. He pursues her despite Anne's exasperated protests that she will never love him, especially since he is already married. Henry decides this means Anne will love him if he divorces his Queen, Katherine of Aragon. She hasn't been able to bear him a living son anyway, so it makes sense to have the marriage annulled.

Anne realizes this gives her a real opportunity to be queen, and she grabs it, despite her newfound love for one of Henry's men, Henry Norris. But the years drag by without the divorce taking place. Anne amuses herself by causing the downfall of Cardinal Wolsey at her family's request. Finally, Henry breaks from the Catholic Church in order to marry Anne. But when she, too, fails to bear a prince, her days are numbered.

MY TWO CENTS: First thing: this is a work of historical FICTION. If you want facts, you'll have to read some biographies. I can recommend three by Alison Weir: The Six Wives of Henry VIII, The Lady in the Tower: The Fall of Anne Boleyn, and Mary Boleyn, the Mistress of Kings.

So what sets this novel apart from everything else you've already read about Anne Boleyn? First, I loved the setup of young Anne in the court of Burgundy. This gives some insight into Anne's forward thinking ideas about women in power. Second, the idea that her sister Mary was raped, twice, is a different take on "the great whore." It also feeds into Anne's ideas that men cannot be trusted, and especially Henry.

What really sets this apart, though, is Anne's love for Henry Norris! Historians will recognize the name as one of the king's men who was executed with Anne, but history mostly calls his "love" of her courtly love...i.e., the kind of playful flirting that was common at this time, with no real meaning behind it. Weir recasts theirs as a great unfulfilled love, first because Norris is already betrothed and then married when Anne meets him, and then later because when given the opportunity, Anne deliberately chooses her pursuit of the crown over her love of Norris. It's clear in this version that ambition leads to Anne's ultimate downfall.

I don't know that I've ever read a version of this story where Anne was plainly dismissive of Henry's suit of her due to her disgust for him. This Anne never sees Henry as attractive, even when he is a young man. Later, after his violation of her sister, she has a loathing of him that he simply does not take seriously, no matter how much she tries to convince him that she's not interested. It's not until she realizes she could be queen that she begins to encourage him. This is a very interesting, different take on the Anne history paints as deliberately leading Henry on so that he would divorce Katherine.

Another twist is with Anne's brother George. He was executed with Anne on a charge of incest, but this version gives an alternate view on the speech he gave before his execution, stating some degree of guilt.

Finally, do keep in mind that, like the first book, this novel is set entirely from Anne's point of view. History buffs will probably fill in the gaps of what's going on behind the scenes, but there are things the reader isn't privy to because Anne isn't.

COVER NOTES: I love this cover! The color is beautiful, but also a bit melancholy. Unlike Katherine's cover, you don't see Anne's face full-on, which adds to her aura of mystery. (History says Anne was more captivating than physically beautiful, but it would be difficult to capture that on a cover.) I also love that the style matches the Katherine cover. Series books should all match! Always! Please, PLEASE don't switch design midway through the series. I hate that. I want a matching set, please.

BOTTOM LINE: A good read, and offers a few twists on this well-known story. I'm eagerly awaiting the next book, which will cover one of Henry's most overlooked queens, and yet the only one to give him a legitimate living son.

TEACUP RATING: Four out of five teacups.

ON SALE DATE: Available May 16, 2017, in hardcover and eformats.

NEXT UP IN THE SERIES: According to the introductory video on Weir's Six Tudor Queens website, the next novel will explore how "there's some more to Jane Seymour than meets the eye." Expect Weir's fictional Jane to be a defender of Catholicism and Princess Mary. Check out this video and more at www.sixtudorqueens.co.uk.

Note: Review is based on an ARC provided by the publisher via Netgalley and Amazon Vine in exchange for an honest review.

A great historical fiction take on the story of Anne Boleyn and her relationship with Henry VIII.

After greatly enjoying The Lady Elizabeth, I was eager to read Anne Boleyn, A King's Obsession and I was not disappointed. It is not a good thing to be the queen, especially when your king is Henry VIII. I was fascinated by Weir's portrayal of Anne as a multi-faceted, deeply complex person, rather than just a screaming harpy. I was drawn to her story, and even wished that things could have been otherwise for Anne, although I knew what would happen to her. It was an amazing book and I look forward to reading Weir's other historical fiction novels.

Book received from Net Galley.

I have been a fan of this author's non-fiction books for years, but I wasn't sure about her switch to historical fiction.  Sometimes, though an author excellent in one genre, trying to write in another doesn't go so well.  So I was pleasantly surprised that I enjoyed this book so much.  She did really well in combining the fictional elements with the historical to flesh out the part of Queen Anne Boleyn's life that we don't know much about, especially her childhood.  It made her a bit more human, rather than just a part of history, for me.  I cannot wait to read the rest of the books in this series.

Nowadays there is/has been so many books about Henry the 8th's wives. I have read a few of them. I will continue to read them. What is it that draws us to the sad story of Henry's ill-fated Queens?!

If you do not know, Anne is the second wife of Henry the 8th and she had to supplant a married Katherine of Aragon to grab the Queen's title. Henry's Great Matter, aka, having a son to carry the line, drives him to divorce his wife, excommunicate with Rome, and marry Anne. It is painful to read the long wait for Henry and Anne to be able to marry, Katherine's non acceptance of it, and Anne's distrust and wishes for the deaths of many people. Many were founded concerns! However, Anne's intellect assisted her in gaining a regal position, transforming a country's religious and gender views, and succinctly speaking to her innocence once she is doomed to death.

This is a historical fiction book but it was nice to read a few new twists to Anne's story. Weir's Author's Notes are a wonderful insight how she theorizes on some of these differences which was interesting to read. I did some quick research after reading the book and I don't think I agree with her on these possible theories but that is just my opinion. 

Reading the first book in the Six Tudor Queens series, Katherine of Aragon: The True Queen is not a prerequisite. I will be going back to read Katherine of Aragon #1, and continue the rest of the series as they are published.

The second in Weir's historical fiction series about the wives of Henry VIII.  Like the first book, I thought this one was too long for its own good at times.  However, I enjoyed the depictions of Anne's early years in European courts as that's a period often glossed over in favor of her involvement with Henry and her downfall.  I also appreciated Weir's characterization of Anne not as a cunning temptress, but rather as a woman trapped in a world in which power, duty, and social mores mattered more than love and personal happiness.  I'm undecided on ("spoiler alert" even though it's history) the portrayal of Anne's very final moments -- although I'm aware of (and fascinated by) the medical implications of beheading, the final passage just didn't sit right with me.

This was the first book I have read of Allison Weir.  I have always been fascinated with stories about the wives of Henry VIII .   So the title captured my attention.  Most of the books I have read about Anne Boleyn start with her being courted by the king.  This one took the reader back to her childhood and gave a glimpse of the mind of a young Anne Boleyn.  This read as both a novel and nonfiction.  While I learned some interesting facts about Anne, this book moved a little slow for me . 
 It is obvious that an extensive amount of research was spent on writing this book..  I appreciate the attention to detail.   While this definitely won’t be a favorite, Alison Weir’s writing style has my attention and I will definitely be reading more of her books.  I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

As much as I love historical fiction, this happens to be the first novel by Alison Weir that I have ever read. I thoroughly enjoyed it and am now a fan!  She writes English historical fiction and in this tome, she explores the life of Anne Boleyn, the second wife of Henry VIII.  As the title says, this is the second installment in her Six Tudor Queens series.  She follows Anne’s life from a young child until she “loses” her head over the king. 

Ms. Weir tells the story in the first person by Anne.   This brought Anne to life for me.  I felt like she was talking directly to me and I could understand her transformation.  She morphs from a young naïve girl, pursued relentlessly by the king to a conniving queen who lets no one stand in her way.  She insures her family and children benefit from her rise.  You feel her bewilderment as the king and the few friends that she has, turn against her and she forfeits her life.  Because you glimpse both sides of the woman, the author is unbiased in 
her presentation of Anne. 

This book was filled with history but was entertaining and kept you turning pages.  I will definitely be reading more books by this author.  Although the only thing that would be disturbing to young readers is the end, I would recommend this for teen to adult readers.  Even if you don’t have a huge interest in English history, give this story a try, it is very entertaining and worth reading. 

I requested and reviewed this book for NetGalley.

Better than the first book in the series on Katherine of Aragon, but this one moved just as slowly. Alison Weir details Anne's life beginning with her visit to the court of Margaret of Austria as a minor. She develops a strong sense of independence here that places her in direct contrast to obedient Katherine later on.

Weir presents Anne as an ambitious woman who never wanted the affections of Henry VIII, but longed for the powerful status of Queen. This is an interesting theory, and one which I think she argues well. Weir admits in her afterword that we don't know much about Anne because few contemporary documents exist, and most surviving records come from a hostile source, Eustace Chapuys.

My main gripe is that there was a lot of explaining in this novel. Henry often details to Anne the legal implications of his actions, like indicting Wolsey for praemunire, or what happens to those accused of treason. In many instances, it doesn't sound convincing. Many areas of this book feel like a nonfiction account with some dialogue thrown in...while other areas are so impassioned, I thought I was reading the transcript for a Lifetime movie.

While Weir's writing style grates on me, I'll keep reading her novels because I do think she continues to bring a unique perspective on the Tudors and what they may have thought or said.