An interesting retelling of the story of Anne Boleyn with more engagement on the French view of Henry VIII’s Great Matter than most nonfiction writers usually have. A great read for anyone who likes the Tudors History..

This is a must read for all Anne Boleyn fans.

I’ve read many biographies in Anne Boleyn, including Eric Ives The Life and Death of Anne Boleyn. This is a great addition and I’d say a great companion to Ives.
Estelle Paranque paints a vivid picture, and there is a lot of information throughout. The writing doesn’t feel academic at all, but the information is presented in a professional and organized manner. The Author adds a much needed feminine lens to Anne Boleyns biography, without making the reader feel like she’s purposefully inserting a pro Boleyn bias, which doesn’t rear its head. Paranque puts Anne on display, flaws and all.

At times, I felt like I was there with Anne. The writing is that immersive. It’s loaded with facts, but not the standard textbook style that will make you fall asleep at your desk. Anne was once a person; complex and oftentimes her circumstances were out of her control. Which allows the reader to sit and think about how she must have felt going from modest lady in waiting, to Queen. There is tension, and towards the end, I think even Anne’s harsher critics would have difficulty not feeling for the ill fated second wife of Henry VIII.

Thank you @hachettebooks and @netgalley for the eARC of Thorns, Lust, and Glory: The Betrayal of Anne Boleyn by Estelle Paranque in exchange for an honest review.

📖📖 Book Review 📖📖 Two years ago, I told my daughter I would buy her tickets to see Six the Musical if she did a report on the wives on Henry VIII. Five months later, we stayed the night at Anne Boelyn’s childhood home, Hever Castle, and did a fun deep dive into Tudor history around London. Anne Boelyn is a fascinating figure in history who is often misunderstood and misrepresented. Estelle Paranque set out to write a relatable account of Anne Boelyn’s life and she certainly achieved this goal, writing a beautiful and captivating book that provides a new opportunity to get to know Henry’s second wife. While this book is indeed a biography, it reads as a novel that invites the reader to enjoy her history in a truly immersive storytelling experience. Even those who are familiar with Anne Boleyn and her fascinating life will learn a plethora of new information from this masterfully written biography.

Review is posted on Goodreads and will be on instagram ahead of the publication date!