This book was incredibly interesting. I feel like I learned a lot even though I feel like this space in the book world can be pretty saturated. I loved it.

I always enjoying reading about the Anne Boleyn and particularly appreciate the work of John Guy, so this book was a real treat. While the content will be familiar to anyone with a prior knowledge of the topic, Guy manages to somehow keep it fresh and interesting. Well researched yet approachable by a general audience, I highly recommend this title to anyone who would like to learn more about Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn's relationship or who just wants to spend some more time with these historical figures.

An intriguing read that filled me in on much I didn't know about Anne Boleyn and her unfortunate choice of spouse. It was a collaborate effort, so provided the result of two heads on this subject and the end papers prove it! Anne was sassy and forthright, and for a while, Henry was into that, until he wasn't, and had ears to hear only what the nay-sayers were nay-saying.

I learned much about Anne's life, to wit:

* her ordinary destiny changing markedly after spending time in France (note to self: spend more time in France). It was after she'd been France'd that Henry paid her any mind - and when he did it was Significant;

* why falcons? (It's was a heraldry thing, and in her ancestry. When Henry booted her up to a marquis she chose the white falcon as her symbol, so Falcons all around was the hue and cry!); and

* how she changed English/Western culture from Catholic religious foundations to a Protestant track. . .and that came from Anne's influence on Henry. News to me! After Henry, it went back to Catholic, but because of her mother, when Elizabeth I gained the crown, she quickly showed her allegiance to her beheaded mother by dismantling all the fence mending her siblings had done during their short reigns with the Catholic establishments of the day.

Overall, it seems the biggest legacy Anne B gave the world was Elizabeth I.

Intriguing and well-worth the time reading.

*A sincere thank you to John Guy, Julia Fox, Harper, and NetGalley for an ARC to read and independently review.* #HuntingtheFalcon #NetGalley

I've read a number of biographies on Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn recently, and Hunting the Falcon has to be right up at the top. I love how historians John Guy and Julia Fox take the wide view of the relationship. It wasn't ever just about love, or even lust, it was always about power and politics- both on the small family scale and on the European scale.

Guy and Fox do an excellent job of describing Anne's life in Europe before coming to Katherine of Aragon's court and Henry's attention, and how what she learned there greatly influenced what she herself would do when she was queen. She modeled her court on Queen Claude, who she served in France, allowing both women and men into her court. This probably allowed her access to more information than she might otherwise have gotten, certainly made her feel more accessible to those who wanted to ask for favors and knew the Queen was the one to go to, and in the end, helped Cromwell exploit chinks in Anne's armor that led to her execution. We see what Anne did as queen for those around her, the changes she made and those she tried, but failed, to make.

But more than focusing on the power Anne wielded in England, Guy and Fox help the reader understand the ever-shifting power plays going on between England and France, the pope and Charles (Katherine of Aragon's nephew, Holy Roman Emperor, Hapsburg emperor, etc.). Who sided with who, when, where, and why changed regularly and Guy and Fox do the best job of explaining the players and their motivations (at any given time) that I've read yet. I think that was what impressed me the most in Hunting the Falcon. I always knew that Anne was pro-French, but here we get deeply into why sometimes it was to Henry's advantage to side with Francis and France, other times with Charles, who might support him against the pope, and who's wars in Europe would benefit him the most.

Whether you think you know all there is to know about Henry and Anne, or are looking for a good book to start your exploration of this explosive relationship, Hunting the Falcon is definitely a book I recommend!

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

I do not usually read Tudor histories. But John Guy and Julia Fox render this chaotic time in well researched, well written prose. It is refreshing to see complex, intelligent, flawed figures re-created so compellingly. Though Anne Boleyn is often portrayed in fiction and non-fiction as a victim or arch villain, Hunting the Falcon seeks to give the reader the portrait of an intelligent woman in an unprecedented situation, not wholly in control, and sometimes out of her depth. The historical backstories of the principal characters King Henry and Anne, as well as the other important characters, her family, his advisors, and European political and military maneuvers, make this relationship and its fallout all the more understandable.

I've never been much into Tudor history, and this book didn't change my mind, but was an interesting book about the history of the relationship between Henry and Anne, and how it affected the world around them. If you're into Tudor history, this is great! If you're not, it's still pretty good.

4 Stars

I've read an untold amount of biographies about The Tudors and specifically Queen Anne Boleyn over the last few decades. I personally wouldn't call this one "groundbreaking", but it is a very high quality biography on the subject with tons of detail and obviously well-researched. At almost 800 pages, it is a mammoth undertaking, although at 65% (post Anne Boleyn execution) there is an Epilogue, Acknowledgements, and multiple Appendix entries and notes expounding on various topics in the book. If you've never read about this topic and really want to dig into the subject, this would be an excellent choice.

Thank you to the publisher Harper who provided an advance reader copy via NetGalley.

I have read a number of books about the Tudors and in particular Henry and Anne. I’ve visited places they lived and thought about them for many hours at this point, and about how Anne’s life was ultimately triumphant thanks to her daughter Elizabeth.

So I was excited by the prospect of new archival information said to be unearthed in this book. This is a personal preference but I wish they were footnotes not endnotes because it is much easier to read the item along with the text rather than flipping back and forth (and honestly it is so cumbersome on the kindle it makes it impossible).

Anne Boleyn was savvy and this book argues she directed the break from the pope. The book sets up their histories and courtship with great detail, so it was interesting to see the fast downfall and also the money amounts in modern values.

Unfortunately Anne met her end thanks to an all powerful man child (and other men who just didn’t like her). She did a great deal for England in terms of its religion and also by giving birth to Queen Elizabeth. Anne brought what she learned from influential women leaders back to England. But it is ultimately a very sad story. She couldn’t give Henry a son and that was her end.

If you haven’t read any books about this era of the Tudors, this is a great place to start. Thank you NetGalley for the book!

Covering the entire tumultuous relationship of Anne Boleyn and Henry VIII, this book provides a wealth of research in a readable format. Do not be repelled by the length. A good portion of the book are appendices that include information about the resources used. I received a digital ARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley.

I've never been into Tudor history. Not for any particular reason--that era just never really interested me. However, as a Broadway fan, I'm relatively familiar with SIX, which is a musical about Henry VIII's wives. So, when this promised to reinterpret Anne Boleyn in a new light, I was intrigued.

Since I've not read much on the Tudors, please note that this is coming from someone who is pretty much unfamiliar with the history of the dynasty. (I know the basic key facts about Anne Boleyn.) This is a captivating and fascinating look at the relationship between Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn, especially the influence of the French court on Anne (anti-French sentiment likely had significant influence on public opinion of her), her intelligence, and the injustice she suffered.

This is co-authored, although it flows seamlessly. It's gossipy in a (good!) way, but asbsolutely rigorously researched. If you are interested in Henry VIII/Tudor history/Anne Boleyn, but are daunted by the hefty tomes written about them, try this one.

Many thanks to Harper and NetGalley for a digital review copy in exchange for an honest review.

I found this to be a fascinating insight into the wild relationship between Anne Boleyn and Henry VIII. I learned some new items while also revisiting the history I know and love. This was much more indepth to the relationship and how it changed the world around them rather than just the lovers.

I've read many books on the marriage of King Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn and this shot to the top of my favorites list. It's very well read and meticulously researched and offers a fresh perspective to a very old story.

This book reveals how much more involved Anne was in her own demise, how she was a skilled politician and conniving manipulator. Their relationship changed Europe and the world and the lives of so many in the court of King Henry VIII. The authors outline the impact of her choices and well as the Kings in an interesting and knowledgeable way.

An excellent read for history buffs or novices alike. Highly recommend.


Thank you, NetGalley, for the ARC. This is my honest and voluntary review.

Thank you NetGalley, John Guy and Julia Fox, and Harper for allowing me to read an advanced copy of Hunting the Falcon. I received an advanced reader copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

This one is written as a non-fiction book. A lot of books in this genre tend to be written as a list of fact after fact, which reads rather dry and can often get quite boring. Hunting the Falcon is nothing of the sort though. It was written with such care that it actually felt like a beating heart. It read so much more like a novel.

The research that went into this book is so well presented from start to finish. I will most certainly purchase this book for my shelf and reread it over and over. Well done.

An extremely well written book about the marriage of Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn. Extreme detail on almost every facet of their relationship before and after marriage..
Many books I have read about this couple make Anne to be a victim which at the end she was. I found her to be conniving and extremely hateful especially to those related in any way to Queen Katherine of Aragon and daughter Mary. Katherine and Mary were separated and never allowed to see or communicate with each other after the king's relationship with Anne.
I have to admit when I first started reading this book I wondered if the book was about Anne Boleyn but the book did pick up after a few chapters and became much more interesting.
Any one interested in the history of Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn and how their marriage changed Europe will want to read this book.

This fascinating book about Anne Boleyn and Henry VIII offers a fresh look at a familiar story. Dispelling myths, reinterpreting old evidence, and using newly uncovered artifacts, the book reveals Anne's impact on history as a skilled advocate and politician in her own right. It shows how events in the wider European world affected Anne's marriage and were affected by it. No matter how many books you've read about Anne Boleyn, this one will give you a new perspective.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.