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The Secret Diary of Anne Boleyn
When the young Queen Elizabeth I is entrusted with Anne Boleyn's secret diary, she discovers a great deal about the much-maligned mother she never knew. And on learning the truth about her lascivious and despotic father, Henry VIII, she vows never to relinquish control to any man. But this avowal doesn't prevent Elizabeth from pursuing a torrid love affair with her horsemaster, Robin Dudley -- described with near-shocking candor -- as too are Anne's graphic trysts with a very persistent and lustful Henry.
274 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 24, 1997
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10475 people want to read
About the author
Robin Maxwell
28 books393 followersRobin Maxwell began writing novels about the historical figures she had been obsessing about since graduating from Tufts University with a degree in Occupational Therapy. Her first novel, "The Secret Diary of Anne Boleyn," now in its 24th printing, won two YA awards and has been translated into fourteen languages. "The Wild Irish" - an epic tale of Ireland's rebel queen, Grace O'Malley - closed out her Elizabethan Quartet, and is now in development for a television series. "Signora Da Vinci" and "Jane: The Woman Who loved Tarzan" are tales of the remarkable women behind two of the world's most beloved wildmen - Maestro Leonardo and Lord Greystoke. She has jumped genres again with "ATLANTOS," now a #1 Amazon Bestseller. Robin lives with her husband of thirty-five years, Max Thomas, at High Desert Eden, a wildlife sanctuary in the Mojave Desert.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 508 reviews
May 11, 2018
Each time I read a book about Anne Boleyn I can't help loving her even more for the courage of her heart and her vivid spirit. She was a feminist in a period of time when women considered to be the property of their fathers and their husbands afterwards. She was fearless, determined, charming, ambitious, political astute, highly intelligent and intellectually driven.
This book proves that once again. It is a story of Anne told through the diary entries and being read by her daughter Elizabeth, the Queen of England. A very interesting perspective.
I highly recommend it for those who are interested in the life of this Great Woman.
This book proves that once again. It is a story of Anne told through the diary entries and being read by her daughter Elizabeth, the Queen of England. A very interesting perspective.
I highly recommend it for those who are interested in the life of this Great Woman.
November 16, 2017
As an avid reader of Tudor biographies with a particular fascination for Queen Anne Boleyn, I approached this historical fiction novel with some skepticism. I was pleasantly surprised and impressed! Not only was it factually accurate, but the best read on Anne Boleyn I've had. This novel is premised on the idea that Anne Boleyn kept a diary from the inception of her romance with King Henry VIII up until the day before her execution. This diary was discreetly given to Anne's daughter Queen Elizabeth I shortly after her coronation. Most of the book is comprised of the chronological diary excerpts, which I ravenously devoured. Robin Maxwell captured the language pattern of these Medieval times so magnificently. As I read Anne Boleyn's heartfelt thoughts it was a most intimate and poignant experience. I fought back tears reading Anne's tender words for the daughter she would never live to see grow up. This fictional but authentically presented diary gives the reader a personal and unique forum to experience this royal tragedy.
December 17, 2023
♬ All the king's horses and all the king's men
Couldn't put me back together again ♬
February 27, 2008
I loved this book and would recommend it above the Other Boleyn Girl. In fact having read this book and at least one or two others about Anne Boleyn, all of which portrayed her as a woman who wanted to take control over her life instead of being having her entire life run by men and brought about her own downfall not just because she wanted too much power but because she wanted more power than a woman was supposed to want, I had trouble getting into the Other Boleyn Girl, which to me made Anne seem too flat and too simplistic. I find this version of Anne much more rich and developed and I also really liked the fact that this book ties in Elizabeth and makes you feel like you are reading along with the young queen as she finds out the truth about her mother after being told so many horrible stories about her.
June 27, 2019
Excellent depiction of the rise and fall of Anne Boleyn as told through diary form which was an interesting take on the oft-told story of Henry VIII’s second wife.
I especially liked that it also features a young Queen Elizabeth who is wrestling with her own desires and political fortunes.
As always, I find this era fascinating and having read several different versions, I believe this one adds some emotional depth to Boleyn’s story.
I especially liked that it also features a young Queen Elizabeth who is wrestling with her own desires and political fortunes.
As always, I find this era fascinating and having read several different versions, I believe this one adds some emotional depth to Boleyn’s story.
June 8, 2017
How can a book that is 'ripped from the pages of a history book' set almost 500 years ago be this awesome? I don't know but it has me looking for the 10 star button.
This book begins early in the reign of Queen Elizabeth (I). When she learns of a diary of her mother's and is given it. The book juxtaposes the reality of Elizabeth and her struggles as a Queen with the words of Anne Boleyn starting before she returns to England and ending with her death on the Tower green.
Even though we the reader know exactly what is going to happen to poor Anne and poor Elizabeth there is still a great sense of intrigue and what is going to happen next.
This book begins early in the reign of Queen Elizabeth (I). When she learns of a diary of her mother's and is given it. The book juxtaposes the reality of Elizabeth and her struggles as a Queen with the words of Anne Boleyn starting before she returns to England and ending with her death on the Tower green.
Even though we the reader know exactly what is going to happen to poor Anne and poor Elizabeth there is still a great sense of intrigue and what is going to happen next.
October 3, 2017
3.5 stars
Reading this book was like mashing the Movie Elizabeth with the Showtime series "The Tudors"!
Queen Elizabeth I is given her Mother's diary. She is intrigued as she really did not know her Mother. As she begins reading the journal she is given a glimpse into the life of her Mother, her Mother's relatives and also showed her a part of her father she did not know. The Diary chronicles the time before Anne was married to Henry VIII and up until the day of her execution.
This is a book that blends history with fiction. I didn't feel as if I learned anything new but it was an entertaining read about court life, relationships, secrets, and historical events. Even though I knew what was going to happen and have read about Anne Boleyn in various books, this was an entertaining tale A fast read. This is the type of book that one can read on a lazy Sunday afternoon or on a plane. It's not too earth shattering, does not require much thought, and is interesting.
Reading this book was like mashing the Movie Elizabeth with the Showtime series "The Tudors"!
Queen Elizabeth I is given her Mother's diary. She is intrigued as she really did not know her Mother. As she begins reading the journal she is given a glimpse into the life of her Mother, her Mother's relatives and also showed her a part of her father she did not know. The Diary chronicles the time before Anne was married to Henry VIII and up until the day of her execution.
This is a book that blends history with fiction. I didn't feel as if I learned anything new but it was an entertaining read about court life, relationships, secrets, and historical events. Even though I knew what was going to happen and have read about Anne Boleyn in various books, this was an entertaining tale A fast read. This is the type of book that one can read on a lazy Sunday afternoon or on a plane. It's not too earth shattering, does not require much thought, and is interesting.
May 26, 2013
I heard a lot about the book before reluctantly reading it; its page number was so small (I typically enjoy longer novels) and I'm not such a fan of stories told in the form of diaries, and so it was a long time before The Secret Diary of Anne Boleyn found its way to my read-list. I decided to read it for a school project since it was the only Anne Boleyn related book on the list, and after the first few pages I was simply pulled in. Maxwell's book is brilliant; I've always known that the lives of the mother daughter duo, Anne and Elizabeth, had many similarities, and in a lot of ways Elizabeth reflected her martyred mother despite their too-short time together, but everything between them is magnified and brought together to form two breathtaking intersecting stories full of twists, irony and parallels. Neither of them had easy lives and the difficulties Anne experienced and how she went about solving these problems translate perfectly into her daughter's life making for guidance and counsel that guides her most.
What I absolutely adored about this novel was how there was the perfect amount of each side of the story, so that neither made the other fall flat. Anne is an alluring, bold, and headstrong girl, witty, daring and the perfect alchemy of 'chaste lady' and seductive, fun-loving minx; Henry falls instantly and deeply in love with the woman strong enough to be his partner, beautiful enough to be his lover, and despite her warming affections toward him, Anne knows that to fall too passionately for an all-powerful king could be potentially dangerous, and whether he loves her or not she is at his mercy. Her adventurous ups and downs are mirrored by the story of Elizabeth, and the roles are entirely switched: Elizabeth is the twenty-five-year-old, all-powerful Queen of England, but it's a far from glamorous life. In love with her childhood playmate and teenage lover and friend, she aches with heartbreak at the knowledge that it would take the moving of the very Earth to have him her king; he is a married man far from beloved by her people, of a family line infamous for treachery toward the crown... and she is the Queen of England, sought by kings and princes of Europe's greatest powers. Every step she takes is met with harsh judgment and criticism and followed speedily by scandal. She learns quickly that to survive and thrive it will take not simply guidance from the council, but her own fallen mother.
Their tales collide and explode and it's simply masterful. I had no problems with any part of it. Maxwell's The Secret Diary of Anne Boleyn is an emotional powerhouse, and it's neither of their stories told like you've ever seen them before. Their characters grow, mature, discover the truth and shape their own destinies as one and it's absolutely breathtaking. I'll always see Anne Boleyn in Elizabeth Tudor's greatest decisions which transformed her into Gloriana, and it's because of this book, unquestionably one of the greatest Anne Boleyn related novels ever written, and one I am begging all Tudor-enthusiasts or simply one looking for a good book, to read. The Secret Diary of Anne Boleyn is timeless magic; you're heartless if you don't shed a tear.
What I absolutely adored about this novel was how there was the perfect amount of each side of the story, so that neither made the other fall flat. Anne is an alluring, bold, and headstrong girl, witty, daring and the perfect alchemy of 'chaste lady' and seductive, fun-loving minx; Henry falls instantly and deeply in love with the woman strong enough to be his partner, beautiful enough to be his lover, and despite her warming affections toward him, Anne knows that to fall too passionately for an all-powerful king could be potentially dangerous, and whether he loves her or not she is at his mercy. Her adventurous ups and downs are mirrored by the story of Elizabeth, and the roles are entirely switched: Elizabeth is the twenty-five-year-old, all-powerful Queen of England, but it's a far from glamorous life. In love with her childhood playmate and teenage lover and friend, she aches with heartbreak at the knowledge that it would take the moving of the very Earth to have him her king; he is a married man far from beloved by her people, of a family line infamous for treachery toward the crown... and she is the Queen of England, sought by kings and princes of Europe's greatest powers. Every step she takes is met with harsh judgment and criticism and followed speedily by scandal. She learns quickly that to survive and thrive it will take not simply guidance from the council, but her own fallen mother.
Their tales collide and explode and it's simply masterful. I had no problems with any part of it. Maxwell's The Secret Diary of Anne Boleyn is an emotional powerhouse, and it's neither of their stories told like you've ever seen them before. Their characters grow, mature, discover the truth and shape their own destinies as one and it's absolutely breathtaking. I'll always see Anne Boleyn in Elizabeth Tudor's greatest decisions which transformed her into Gloriana, and it's because of this book, unquestionably one of the greatest Anne Boleyn related novels ever written, and one I am begging all Tudor-enthusiasts or simply one looking for a good book, to read. The Secret Diary of Anne Boleyn is timeless magic; you're heartless if you don't shed a tear.
April 29, 2022
This is a 1997 offering of the life of Anne Boleyn from the time she came to court to her death. The author spent 12 years researching and writing the book. Maxwell uses a primarily epistolary format to tell Anne's story though a secret diary. This diary is given to the newly crowned Elizabeth I in accordance with Anne's wishes. Thus, we get Elizabeth's discovery of her mother's thoughts and life interspersed with the diary entries. Anne will always be a fascinating figure for me as she goes from pawn to Queen and how she grows into herself and is able to use her intellect along with feminine wiles to take as much control as is possible of her life during the times for a woman. Unfortunately, people would not or could not accept all the changes wrought by this woman and was reviled by most- both commoners who loved Queen Katherine and those in court who were driven by power dynamics.
I found the presentation engaging, interesting and fairly light eschewing any serious discussion of Anne's growth in the protestant reformation and how that impacted King and country. I really liked how reading the diary impacted Elizabeth. A worthwhile addition to the many novels about the infamous Anne Boleyn.
I found the presentation engaging, interesting and fairly light eschewing any serious discussion of Anne's growth in the protestant reformation and how that impacted King and country. I really liked how reading the diary impacted Elizabeth. A worthwhile addition to the many novels about the infamous Anne Boleyn.
June 18, 2012
So disappointed.
I enjoy historical fiction, and the addition of a little romance is usually the icing on the cake.
USUALLY.
Though this book was listed as historical fiction at my library, it's the rankest Harelquinny, bad fan-fiction drivel, full of purple prose, silly coyness, and ridiculous sex at ridiculous times.
Folks, this is just BAD. And it's really too bad, because the adventures, sexual and otherwise, of the Tudor family en toto are rife with ideas for the imaginative writer who is willing to do the historical work to set them on a strong foundation.
This is not that novel, despite the claim that the author spent twelve years in research. The dialogue is silly, even allowing for updates in language for the modern reader. Period detail is scanty. The history is there for anyone who went through high school, but the author has a distressing way of jamming it all together in broad passages that try to give the whole background (high school level) in a lump.
If you want slightly tawdry Tudor history written in a superior fashion, Phillippa Gregory's "The Other Boleyn Girl" is far superior.
I enjoy historical fiction, and the addition of a little romance is usually the icing on the cake.
USUALLY.
Though this book was listed as historical fiction at my library, it's the rankest Harelquinny, bad fan-fiction drivel, full of purple prose, silly coyness, and ridiculous sex at ridiculous times.
Folks, this is just BAD. And it's really too bad, because the adventures, sexual and otherwise, of the Tudor family en toto are rife with ideas for the imaginative writer who is willing to do the historical work to set them on a strong foundation.
This is not that novel, despite the claim that the author spent twelve years in research. The dialogue is silly, even allowing for updates in language for the modern reader. Period detail is scanty. The history is there for anyone who went through high school, but the author has a distressing way of jamming it all together in broad passages that try to give the whole background (high school level) in a lump.
If you want slightly tawdry Tudor history written in a superior fashion, Phillippa Gregory's "The Other Boleyn Girl" is far superior.
June 29, 2023
I loved this book a lot!
March 25, 2021
Mr. Quimby, father of the delightful Ramona Quimby, once remarked that “a diary was sure to be more interesting than faucet washers” and yes, this was.
Enjoyed the diary part, even though I knew how it would end for the first English Queen Anne, this was well imagined and jives with what little i know of these finest-of-propagandists, the Tudors. The premise, that young Queen Elizabeth #1 is gifted her mother’s secret diary by an ancient servant of the latter. It serves to let E1 know her own happiness and success would lay in never marrying, (why voluntarily give one’s power away?), men could not be trusted, and that her Mum, now headless, loved her.
Mum Anne’s power, her imagined bit of autonomy - albeit always the one hunted - was in being unavailable. Once married, she loses all worth, and is further weakened by her small peptides - the insanity that takes over when one becomes a mother.
Unfortunately, the few pages devoted to Elizabeth are irritatingly full of descriptions doubting the veracity of Prince William’s recent declaration that the Royal Fam is “very much not racist”...they just really, deeply prefer that part of the egg:
Between the pages of 2-25 (the Elizabeth parts) we find these sadly melanin and iron-deficient descriptions of Lizzy:
“her long white fingers”
“her pearl white...breasts”
“face as pale as a Yorkshire rose”
“thin alabaster skin, adding potency to her claim to the English throne”
“incandescently pale girl”
“her ivory fingers”
“the Queen’s pale face”
Liz again from 66-78:
“fair”
“the pale-faced woman”
“white-fingered”
And between 91-100, about Liz, we learn:
“whalebone white hand”
“her pale, luminescent beauty”
“pale golden girl”
Then more of Anne’s diary until we are assured (God Save the Queen!) on 260 of Elizabeth’s “pale, tender skin”. It’s good that she powdered her face ghostly white as she aged, you know, just in case.
Thankfully, the majority of the pages are Anne's diary, which was quite engaging. As Anne begins to see the authentic monster, her eventual baby daddy, during his pursuit of her:
Henry - clearly obsessed with the Anne he cannot “have” - doesn’t seem to care a whit for the thousands dying in an epidemic of sweating sickness in 1528:
Anne notes: “I...feel some bitterness with his cheerful mood...How he thinks of this [his divorce from Katherine] I do not know, when such woeful pestilence rules our souls. I do sometimes fear the King is bloodless, strange and cold.”
Years later, when Henry is reportedly impotent on his long awaited first try with Anne, she notes:
“.. I believe in that black moment of failing, a monstrous thing was born within the King that no future potent joining ...can erase”
Clearly women, fantasized, are never found quite so in Real Life.
Anne is harshly, sadly in my opinion, self-abrogating after the unforgivable sin of birthing a daughter. Too bad it took so many years to show that the sperm donor is the one who decides the gender of any conception in humans. Anne “arrogantly” wants to live with her baby girl, Henry rages NO! and she begs, whimpers, kneels for forgiveness:
“I am ashamed to be brought so low, but I will not endanger Elizabeth with my arrogance.”
Brought low by...Ah, Motherhood...I am brought to mind of parasites that take over our brains, or livers, settling in with comfort - to feed, grow and completely take over; our previous wishes, strengths and hard fought ecological wisdom. That is all made squash-rot by the small peptides “motherhood” floods us with.
“A child is born of your body and you are helpless to do other than love it whether it be male or female, docile or a shrieking horror, beautiful or monstrously deformed….Anne, it seemed to Elizabeth, had...grovelled more pitifully...than any mother was wont to do for a daughter.”
And we all know that groveling pitifully is love.
Anne reflecting on her own cruel father, who was happy to benefit from her, and just as happy to discard her to the grave when it was to his gain. He was furious that she chose to:
“...bestride the reckless stallion that was her own life, (to) ride headlong into glory and disaster.”
I hear the Horse metaphor loudly:
How many years do we, daughters, spend attempting to “break” ourselves, to saddle up our reckless stallion? Trying to convince ourselves that what we are told we want, is really what we want?
The great freedom fighter and martyred prophet Stephan Biko taught us: “The most powerful weapon in the hands of the oppressor is the mind of the oppressed.” How convenient that we enslave ourselves. “Break” ourselves. Insert our own mouth bits and smilingly hand over the reins.
“For men love what they cannot have, and hate that which they cannot control.”
In the last pages of the diary Anne tells Elizabeth: “Let no man be your master...hold apart from all men a piece of your spirit.”
Fine advice.
Enjoyed the diary part, even though I knew how it would end for the first English Queen Anne, this was well imagined and jives with what little i know of these finest-of-propagandists, the Tudors. The premise, that young Queen Elizabeth #1 is gifted her mother’s secret diary by an ancient servant of the latter. It serves to let E1 know her own happiness and success would lay in never marrying, (why voluntarily give one’s power away?), men could not be trusted, and that her Mum, now headless, loved her.
Mum Anne’s power, her imagined bit of autonomy - albeit always the one hunted - was in being unavailable. Once married, she loses all worth, and is further weakened by her small peptides - the insanity that takes over when one becomes a mother.
Unfortunately, the few pages devoted to Elizabeth are irritatingly full of descriptions doubting the veracity of Prince William’s recent declaration that the Royal Fam is “very much not racist”...they just really, deeply prefer that part of the egg:
Between the pages of 2-25 (the Elizabeth parts) we find these sadly melanin and iron-deficient descriptions of Lizzy:
“her long white fingers”
“her pearl white...breasts”
“face as pale as a Yorkshire rose”
“thin alabaster skin, adding potency to her claim to the English throne”
“incandescently pale girl”
“her ivory fingers”
“the Queen’s pale face”
Liz again from 66-78:
“fair”
“the pale-faced woman”
“white-fingered”
And between 91-100, about Liz, we learn:
“whalebone white hand”
“her pale, luminescent beauty”
“pale golden girl”
Then more of Anne’s diary until we are assured (God Save the Queen!) on 260 of Elizabeth’s “pale, tender skin”. It’s good that she powdered her face ghostly white as she aged, you know, just in case.
Thankfully, the majority of the pages are Anne's diary, which was quite engaging. As Anne begins to see the authentic monster, her eventual baby daddy, during his pursuit of her:
Henry - clearly obsessed with the Anne he cannot “have” - doesn’t seem to care a whit for the thousands dying in an epidemic of sweating sickness in 1528:
Anne notes: “I...feel some bitterness with his cheerful mood...How he thinks of this [his divorce from Katherine] I do not know, when such woeful pestilence rules our souls. I do sometimes fear the King is bloodless, strange and cold.”
Years later, when Henry is reportedly impotent on his long awaited first try with Anne, she notes:
“.. I believe in that black moment of failing, a monstrous thing was born within the King that no future potent joining ...can erase”
Clearly women, fantasized, are never found quite so in Real Life.
Anne is harshly, sadly in my opinion, self-abrogating after the unforgivable sin of birthing a daughter. Too bad it took so many years to show that the sperm donor is the one who decides the gender of any conception in humans. Anne “arrogantly” wants to live with her baby girl, Henry rages NO! and she begs, whimpers, kneels for forgiveness:
“I am ashamed to be brought so low, but I will not endanger Elizabeth with my arrogance.”
Brought low by...Ah, Motherhood...I am brought to mind of parasites that take over our brains, or livers, settling in with comfort - to feed, grow and completely take over; our previous wishes, strengths and hard fought ecological wisdom. That is all made squash-rot by the small peptides “motherhood” floods us with.
“A child is born of your body and you are helpless to do other than love it whether it be male or female, docile or a shrieking horror, beautiful or monstrously deformed….Anne, it seemed to Elizabeth, had...grovelled more pitifully...than any mother was wont to do for a daughter.”
And we all know that groveling pitifully is love.
Anne reflecting on her own cruel father, who was happy to benefit from her, and just as happy to discard her to the grave when it was to his gain. He was furious that she chose to:
“...bestride the reckless stallion that was her own life, (to) ride headlong into glory and disaster.”
I hear the Horse metaphor loudly:
How many years do we, daughters, spend attempting to “break” ourselves, to saddle up our reckless stallion? Trying to convince ourselves that what we are told we want, is really what we want?
The great freedom fighter and martyred prophet Stephan Biko taught us: “The most powerful weapon in the hands of the oppressor is the mind of the oppressed.” How convenient that we enslave ourselves. “Break” ourselves. Insert our own mouth bits and smilingly hand over the reins.
“For men love what they cannot have, and hate that which they cannot control.”
In the last pages of the diary Anne tells Elizabeth: “Let no man be your master...hold apart from all men a piece of your spirit.”
Fine advice.
May 5, 2017
Knjiga u kojoj je priča Anne Boleyn drugačija od drugih, povijesna fikcija i rekonstrukcija tragičnog života i smrti Anne, sjajan roman, slikovito oživljena krvava Engleska iz vladavine Tudorovih. Kraljica Elizabeta 1. na poklon dobija tajni dnevnik Anne, druge od šest supruga njezina oca Henrika VIII., ona otkriva mnogo toga o majci koju nikad nije upoznala.
Iz dnevnika Anne saznajemo ono što nismo mogli iz drugih priča, uvijek je prikazana očima drugih, onako kako su je oni vidjeli. Ovdje saznajemo da ju je Henrik ljubio, ali njegova je ljubav za nju bila zamka. Bijeg joj je bio jedina nada u spas. Henrik ju je želio bezumno, bezobzirno. A kad kralj zaželi neku ženu, jedini je moguć odgovor: "Da, gospodaru." Osim ako se žena, poput Anne, ne nametne kao veliki izazov. Pokazala se kao kraljeva najteže uhvatljiva lovina, vodeći ga i budeći u njemu vatrenu žudnju za sobom. Ali izmicala mu je iz godine u godinu dok nije bio gotovo izbezumljen od potjere i neuspjeha. No mora se imati na umu da je Anna cijelo to vrijeme bila i ostala lovina. Plijen. Mogla je samo bježati ili se predati njegovoj ljubavi, koja, kao što je duboko u duši oduvijek znala znala, znači smrt.
Iz dnevnika Anne saznajemo ono što nismo mogli iz drugih priča, uvijek je prikazana očima drugih, onako kako su je oni vidjeli. Ovdje saznajemo da ju je Henrik ljubio, ali njegova je ljubav za nju bila zamka. Bijeg joj je bio jedina nada u spas. Henrik ju je želio bezumno, bezobzirno. A kad kralj zaželi neku ženu, jedini je moguć odgovor: "Da, gospodaru." Osim ako se žena, poput Anne, ne nametne kao veliki izazov. Pokazala se kao kraljeva najteže uhvatljiva lovina, vodeći ga i budeći u njemu vatrenu žudnju za sobom. Ali izmicala mu je iz godine u godinu dok nije bio gotovo izbezumljen od potjere i neuspjeha. No mora se imati na umu da je Anna cijelo to vrijeme bila i ostala lovina. Plijen. Mogla je samo bježati ili se predati njegovoj ljubavi, koja, kao što je duboko u duši oduvijek znala znala, znači smrt.
August 31, 2022
I felt that the book stayed close enough to the facts while providing an interesting backup of the possible emotions and motivations behind the real story we all know. A favorite, for sure. Full review coming soon on my blog: https://poetryofreading.blogspot.com
April 10, 2018
2018 Reading Challenge: novel based on a real person
This was a different approach
Queen Elizabeth is given a diary written by her mother and it takes her forever to read it
I mean really? It's not like she's going to get upset
This was a different approach
Queen Elizabeth is given a diary written by her mother and it takes her forever to read it
I mean really? It's not like she's going to get upset
Read
April 24, 2018Blech. I've read books about Elizabeth I since I was in 5th grade. Hands down my favorite historical figure. I hated the little I read of this book. First off, it starts with her having sex with Robin Dudley, then makes a lame claim that she didn't have periods so she couldn't get pregnant. This has no factual basis at all, and chances are very high she was, indeed, the Virgin Queen. People watched her all the time, so she couldn't just escape for a little adult fun with Robin like this books claims. Furthermore, she always looked down on women who gave into their passions at the detriment of their positions. She's disgusted with her cousin, Mary Stuart, for marrying unwisely. She'd never just sleep around when it would hurt her claim to the throne and the legitimacy of her rule. Besides, how was she supposed to hide any pregnancy? No, I doubt she had lovers, and if she did it would have been when she couldn't get pregnant. But even then, how was she going to hide what she was doing? People were paying off her servants to tell them info about her, and there's no way such a brilliant leader wasn't aware of this. Also, Robin once tried to order her servants around, and she famously blew up at him, telling him, "I will have here but one mistress and no master". And people still think they were lovers...
Then there's Anne. Since I've always like Elizabeth, I've read a lot about Anne as well. Right away it perpetuates the myth that Anne Boleyn had six fingers. She didn't. Her body's been examined, and no. Her body was described as 5'3'' with long fingers. Nothing else. (Besides, Henry was superstitious. He'd never marry a woman like that.)
Also, she didn't trick Henry into marrying her--judging from Henry's letters to her, and the fact she wouldn't reply to them, it seems like she never wanted his advances. But you can't say, "Thanks, but no thanks," to the King. To portray her as some conniving little home-wrecker floozy chick is both overestimating her (highly doubt she was quite that ambitious), and underestimating her (she was actually very religious, and it's unlikely she'd seduce the King one minute, then go to church the next).
Wouldn't recommend this at all. If you're really interested in either one of these ladies (and hey, who wouldn't be?) just google and look for a reputable site. There are tons out there.
And don't think that The Other Boleyn Girl or that type of novel will work better. Those make Anne out as a kidnapper in addition to everything else.
Oh, and the worst part is people think they're learning from this book. Right...
Then there's Anne. Since I've always like Elizabeth, I've read a lot about Anne as well. Right away it perpetuates the myth that Anne Boleyn had six fingers. She didn't. Her body's been examined, and no. Her body was described as 5'3'' with long fingers. Nothing else. (Besides, Henry was superstitious. He'd never marry a woman like that.)
Also, she didn't trick Henry into marrying her--judging from Henry's letters to her, and the fact she wouldn't reply to them, it seems like she never wanted his advances. But you can't say, "Thanks, but no thanks," to the King. To portray her as some conniving little home-wrecker floozy chick is both overestimating her (highly doubt she was quite that ambitious), and underestimating her (she was actually very religious, and it's unlikely she'd seduce the King one minute, then go to church the next).
Wouldn't recommend this at all. If you're really interested in either one of these ladies (and hey, who wouldn't be?) just google and look for a reputable site. There are tons out there.
And don't think that The Other Boleyn Girl or that type of novel will work better. Those make Anne out as a kidnapper in addition to everything else.
Oh, and the worst part is people think they're learning from this book. Right...
July 25, 2011
2004- This was my first reading of one of Robin Maxwell's books, and I must say it won't be my last. I already can't wait to read the next two! However, I'm getting ahead of myself. This novel moves back and forth in time from Queen Elizabeth in the present, to her mother, Anne Boleyns', life in the past. Elizabeth is presented with a diary that Anne kept, which chronicles her life right up to very end. Apparently, it was Anne's wish that eventually Elizabeth would read her writings. Elizabeth finds any time she can to sit down and get a glimpse into her mother's life. It's also an escape for her, for in the present she is advised to marry quickly and stop her relationship with Robin Dudley, which is deemed inappropriate. Elizabeth gets to know the parents she never really knew, and uses lessons her mother learned in her current affairs. The writing is detailed, and brings you into both women's lives. And the author never makes the mistake of confusing the reader by not clearly separating the two stories. A recommendation for historical fiction fans.
January 24, 2009
This was very interesting. Of course, I've read several books about the Tudors, and obviously, since it's based on fact, you pretty much know what happens.
I liked that this book had a little twist. Elizabeth is given her mother, Anne's diary. So through that, you live mostly in Anne's world, but the book also has some insight into Elizabeth's life. That made this book a little step up from your average book about Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn's relationship.
If you like historical fiction, you'll probably like this!
I liked that this book had a little twist. Elizabeth is given her mother, Anne's diary. So through that, you live mostly in Anne's world, but the book also has some insight into Elizabeth's life. That made this book a little step up from your average book about Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn's relationship.
If you like historical fiction, you'll probably like this!
April 22, 2024
Το ξανά διάβασα για απειριοστή φορά, ύστερα από πολλά χρόνια, κάθε φορά η ίδια αίσθηση ευχαρίστησης κι ικανοποίησης από το διπλό τρόπο γραφής αφήγηση από την μεριά της Ελισάβετ κι ημερολόγιο από την μεριά της Άννας.
Τα στοιχεία που χαρακτηρίζουν το βιβλίο είναι η ίντριγκα που κυριαρχεί στην αυλή, τα πολιτικά παιχνίδια και το γυναικείο κουράγιο.
Αξίζει να διαβαστεί και γιατί όχι παραπάνω από μία φορά.
Τα στοιχεία που χαρακτηρίζουν το βιβλίο είναι η ίντριγκα που κυριαρχεί στην αυλή, τα πολιτικά παιχνίδια και το γυναικείο κουράγιο.
Αξίζει να διαβαστεί και γιατί όχι παραπάνω από μία φορά.
November 6, 2012
What I really liked about this book, at some points it was Queen Elizabeth talking in the present time of her life until one day she was handed her mother's secret diary and then it would switch back and forth from Elizabeth's day to when she would pick up the diary and transport to Anne's life. I hope I explained that well enough. I thoroughly enjoyed this book
March 18, 2008
I loved it. I know there are many versions of her diary and story, and I hope to read them all, however, this one was wonderful.
January 23, 2013
What I didn't like: This book started out a little slow for me and in parts a little dry. I think this was somewhat me and not used to reading something actually written in the time period it took place. This was not a bad thing as the author did such a good job of portraying Anne and writing as she would have written the journal that you felt like you were reading a true journal by Anne Boleyn.
What I liked: I loved the subject of this book. Anne Boleyn is one of my favorite historical figures to read and learn more about. There are many things I did like and will touch on them in the whole review.
Overall Impression: I enjoyed this book. The way Robin Maxwell brought together the memory of Anne to Elizabeth was very good. I also enjoyed the way that it switched back and forth between Elizabeth and Anne. There were many times I felt sorry for Elizabeth in her life and after reading this book I felt sorry for Anne as well. To me it seems she was actually a lonely person. This book actually taught me a few things I had not realized before which to me was a plus. I looked everywhere to find this version of the book because for one the cover appealed to me (yes I do pick some of my books by covers) and I wanted the extra things at the end of the book. The author's notes at the end of the book added a lot for me and made me want to look for more books by this author to learn more. I liked how she told how she came to write the book. Also the discussion questions at the end were nice even if you don't have anyone to share your answers with. If you are wanting to read a good book about Anne Boleyn this would be for you. I actually have two more books on my shelf by this author and can't wait to get to them. 4 Stars for me.
What I liked: I loved the subject of this book. Anne Boleyn is one of my favorite historical figures to read and learn more about. There are many things I did like and will touch on them in the whole review.
Overall Impression: I enjoyed this book. The way Robin Maxwell brought together the memory of Anne to Elizabeth was very good. I also enjoyed the way that it switched back and forth between Elizabeth and Anne. There were many times I felt sorry for Elizabeth in her life and after reading this book I felt sorry for Anne as well. To me it seems she was actually a lonely person. This book actually taught me a few things I had not realized before which to me was a plus. I looked everywhere to find this version of the book because for one the cover appealed to me (yes I do pick some of my books by covers) and I wanted the extra things at the end of the book. The author's notes at the end of the book added a lot for me and made me want to look for more books by this author to learn more. I liked how she told how she came to write the book. Also the discussion questions at the end were nice even if you don't have anyone to share your answers with. If you are wanting to read a good book about Anne Boleyn this would be for you. I actually have two more books on my shelf by this author and can't wait to get to them. 4 Stars for me.
October 4, 2008
I picked up this book because I needed something fast and brainless. I didn't want to think, I didn't want to be depressed (I just finished Bret Easton Ellis- enough depression for awhile), and I thought Tudor England would be fun for a minute. No. Not fun. Poorly written, tedious, and I've read this book- or a version of it- before. Only whichever version I've read before was done better. I didn't have the energy to put this book out of my sight and start another, but I should have.
The only profound insight I gained from this book (if you can call it that) is that we are obsessed with English scandals. Why? Diana is the latest Anne, or something like that. I can't stretch the metaphor too far, because I mean the "royal we," as evidenced by how little I care about this book- I don't care much about Diana and her love for royalty, either. Maxwell tries to make some profound feminist points through Queen Elizabeth and her mother Anne, "Tomorrow I die because I lusted not for flesh, but to comand my own destiny. This is not a womanly act, I know, but I have oft thought that in this way my spirit is much the same as a man's." But I've heard it before, and much more eloquently. Please, save your head: don't read this book.
The only profound insight I gained from this book (if you can call it that) is that we are obsessed with English scandals. Why? Diana is the latest Anne, or something like that. I can't stretch the metaphor too far, because I mean the "royal we," as evidenced by how little I care about this book- I don't care much about Diana and her love for royalty, either. Maxwell tries to make some profound feminist points through Queen Elizabeth and her mother Anne, "Tomorrow I die because I lusted not for flesh, but to comand my own destiny. This is not a womanly act, I know, but I have oft thought that in this way my spirit is much the same as a man's." But I've heard it before, and much more eloquently. Please, save your head: don't read this book.
December 1, 2015
Ugh. Seriously, I am done trying to give Robin Maxwell a chance. The topics are delightful but the writing style and the actual storylines are that of a young adult's imagineering mind. Not for the intelligent.
Skip!!!
Skip!!!
July 28, 2015
Elizabeth I, only daughter of Anne Boleyn was left an orphan at the age of three. With the unfortunate luck of having no knowledge about her mother and having to live under the shadows of her father, King Henry VII, Elizabeth unexpectedly grew to become Queen of England. Through her journey of being queen, Elizabeth stumbles upon her mothers secret diary, a couple of her mother's old friends, and an old friend which becomes her new lover. With these encounters, Elizabeth gains important skills along the way about men and the unreliability to people. She also learns the inside truth of her mother's and father's terrible life. Due to the lexile of 1120L, the explicit content, and amount of challenging words and phrases, this intriguing book is best suited for the ages of twelve and eighteen. The secret Diary of Anne Boleyn provides many exciting life lessons. Socially this book teaches readers that relying on others is never the best option. Through reading her mothers diary, Elizabeth learns that in order to truly accomplish any of her goals she must not rely on others and their knowledge. Elizabeth learned that her knowledge and strength is the only thing she should rely on to be most successful. Educationally, the reader is informed about a large amount of our worlds past life. Through reading this book, the readers will learn about the great changes in economics, social beliefs, and culture. The readers will learn this as they read all about Elizabeth's challenges. As i read the story, i think the author was trying to accomplish to get readers to feel the negative and positive consequences and effects of our decisions.In my opinion the author's main theme was to inform the readers that despite all the obstacles and challenges you encounter in your life, with determination you will be successful.Despite all the obstacles Anne Boleyn encountered, she became queen and mother of a beautiful child. This book has a numerous amount of lessons to be learned from. A lesson to be learned from this book is that the only thing needed to accomplish success is self determination. There are may examples throughout the book that state this. For example, Anne Boleyn was once a simple girl with the dreams of a lovely marriage. With determination of overcoming every obstacle thrown at her, she enslaved king Henry with love and gave him a lovely daughter. Another example would be Elizabeth herself. Elizabeth left orphan to live under the shadows of her father was never expected to be queen, with the positive attitude it was told she kept, she became one of the most successful queens. The last example i would have to use, is Anne Boleyn's family. Even through a wicked way, with determination Anne's family brought itself to a higher position. In my opinion the most enjoyable part about this book would have to be reading Anne Boleyn's diary. Her diary truly involves great mystery and lesson that yet apply to this day. Boleyn's diary is not only full of love, hope and peace but its full of violence, despair, and regrets. Honestly i loved reading Anne's diary because it was not what i expected of it. I expected a sweet loving story but instead i received a tragic and unwishable story full of regrets and despair with a small touch of love added. I had expected a sweet story about how successful Anne and Henry were but instead i ended up reading a tragic story of how quickly their 'love' ended. I have to say that i disliked Dudley the most! I hated his character and knew he was taking advantage of queen Elizabeth's power and love for him.It was never stated that he did take advantage of Elizabeth but as i read about his family record for taking power, i knew he had it through his veins as well.
January 22, 2013
I liked this book more than I had expected. It’s a novel, a fictionalized account of what might have happened if Anne Boleyn had written a diary. Of course the author made assumptions that cannot be verified as fact--that’s what happens with historical fiction. What mattered to me was that these assumptions not clash with what is actually known about Anne, those around her, and the setting in which she lived. The events in her story must agree with those from history sufficiently for me to suspend disbelief enough to enjoy the book.
I have more than a casual interest in Tudor history and found that the author was remarkably accurate in relating the known events that occurred during Anne’s life. This made the fiction mostly plausible for me. The novel is a sympathetic portrait of Anne Boleyn, told from her perspective, showing a woman living in the “man’s world” with all the struggles and tragedies this entailed. I recognized a number of quotes from Anne, Henry, and others that have been documented by historians and placed in this fictional context. This gave necessary credibility to the tale as it unfolded. Of course I knew the ending, but I still cared.
Robin Maxwell wove her story of Anne with that of her daughter Elizabeth, newly come to the throne as a young and passionate woman. For me that was one of the most effective aspects of this novel. It is the story of two women, living in an age where they were considered mere chattel, having virtually no rights or control over their lives. Neither was suited to their prescribed female roles in that society, and both struggled mightily against its constraints. The mother was destroyed while the daughter prevailed to become one of England’s greatest rulers. This novel attempts to explain how this might have come about.
I found the other reviews interesting. People seemed to love this book or hate it. I agree that there were problems with the story--elements that seem improbable knowing what we do from history. But there was a lot this author got right as well. I’ll not give it 5 stars because I did notice the occasional implausible details and they disrupted the narrative for me a bit. However, from my perspective this novel deserves 4 stars for what the author got right and for this unusual portrait she gave me of Anne, Elizabeth, and the Tudor era. Besides, it was fun!
I have more than a casual interest in Tudor history and found that the author was remarkably accurate in relating the known events that occurred during Anne’s life. This made the fiction mostly plausible for me. The novel is a sympathetic portrait of Anne Boleyn, told from her perspective, showing a woman living in the “man’s world” with all the struggles and tragedies this entailed. I recognized a number of quotes from Anne, Henry, and others that have been documented by historians and placed in this fictional context. This gave necessary credibility to the tale as it unfolded. Of course I knew the ending, but I still cared.
Robin Maxwell wove her story of Anne with that of her daughter Elizabeth, newly come to the throne as a young and passionate woman. For me that was one of the most effective aspects of this novel. It is the story of two women, living in an age where they were considered mere chattel, having virtually no rights or control over their lives. Neither was suited to their prescribed female roles in that society, and both struggled mightily against its constraints. The mother was destroyed while the daughter prevailed to become one of England’s greatest rulers. This novel attempts to explain how this might have come about.
I found the other reviews interesting. People seemed to love this book or hate it. I agree that there were problems with the story--elements that seem improbable knowing what we do from history. But there was a lot this author got right as well. I’ll not give it 5 stars because I did notice the occasional implausible details and they disrupted the narrative for me a bit. However, from my perspective this novel deserves 4 stars for what the author got right and for this unusual portrait she gave me of Anne, Elizabeth, and the Tudor era. Besides, it was fun!
August 9, 2014
Large portions of The Secret Diary of Anne Boleyn center around the fictional diary entries of Queen Anne Boleyn, second wife to King Henry VIII. Beginning around the time of Anne’s entry into the English court as a Lady in Waiting to Queen Katherine of Aragon in 1522, the diary entries chronicle Henry’s pursuit of Anne, the ascension of Anne to the throne, the birth of the future Queen Elizabeth I, and ultimately ending with Anne’s last night in the Tower of London before her execution on May 19, 1536. Framing Anne’s diary entries is the story of her daughter, Elizabeth, struggling to cope with the demands of being a new monarch, arguing with her councilors about the matter of whether or not to contract a foreign marriage, and deciphering fact from fiction as she learns about the mother she never knew through the diary brought to her by Lady Sommerville, one of the last ladies to see Anne alive in the Tower.
I enjoyed reading this book for a number of reasons. The diary format made it easy to pick up and put down at neat intervals. This is useful for me since I tend to get interrupted a lot when I’m trying to read. That, and I hate putting down my book in the middle of a scene. *grin* Also, the language used in the diary entries seemed to suck me right into the world of the magnificent Tudor court. It brought Anne to life in a way that was so intense and realistic that there were times I almost forgot this was a fictional diary. Finally, I liked how Ms. Maxwell used the content of Anne’s diary entries to reflect lessons Elizabeth needed to learn in her own time. From across time, Anne implores her daughter never to let a man rule her life, to become master of her own destiny, and to recognize her own own worth and power as a woman in a male-dominated society.
Anne Boleyn is a polarizing character from history (with good reason). She is either loved or reviled for her part in bringing about the Protestant Reformation to England and convincing King Henry to divorce Katherine of Aragon and proclaim himself Head of the Church of England. The Secret Diary of Anne Boleyn paints Anne in a favorable light, though not entirely innocent of the machinations of her ambitious family. While this book is not entirely historically accurate, it is an enjoyable read for any lover of Tudor England.
I enjoyed reading this book for a number of reasons. The diary format made it easy to pick up and put down at neat intervals. This is useful for me since I tend to get interrupted a lot when I’m trying to read. That, and I hate putting down my book in the middle of a scene. *grin* Also, the language used in the diary entries seemed to suck me right into the world of the magnificent Tudor court. It brought Anne to life in a way that was so intense and realistic that there were times I almost forgot this was a fictional diary. Finally, I liked how Ms. Maxwell used the content of Anne’s diary entries to reflect lessons Elizabeth needed to learn in her own time. From across time, Anne implores her daughter never to let a man rule her life, to become master of her own destiny, and to recognize her own own worth and power as a woman in a male-dominated society.
Anne Boleyn is a polarizing character from history (with good reason). She is either loved or reviled for her part in bringing about the Protestant Reformation to England and convincing King Henry to divorce Katherine of Aragon and proclaim himself Head of the Church of England. The Secret Diary of Anne Boleyn paints Anne in a favorable light, though not entirely innocent of the machinations of her ambitious family. While this book is not entirely historically accurate, it is an enjoyable read for any lover of Tudor England.
September 16, 2009
Elizabeth I is queen and in love with Robin Dudley when she receives a diary written by her mother, Anne Boleyn. Anne Boleyn changed the course of English history.
After returning home from being in the French court Anne is seen by King Henry VIII. Her sister is already the king's mistress and Anne has no wishes to be another of his mistresses. She aims higher. She 'holds' out with granting the king any sexual favours and thus starts a six year engagement.
The pope refuses to dissolve the king's marriage to Catherine of Aragon. The king declares himself head of the Church in England and dissolves his marriage himself. Upon marriage to Henry, Anne bears him a daughter and not the promised son. Their relationship sours and finally Anne is beheaded.
The book explores: the politics surrounding Anne's marriage to King Henry, each of the machinations the king must go through in order to wed Anne, the schemes of Anne and her father, Anne's relationship with her brother George and her father. This book also shows how woman were chattels only to be used as pawns in the game of power.
Elizabeth after reading this story realizes the love her mother had for her and learns from her mother's mistakes in trusting any man.
After returning home from being in the French court Anne is seen by King Henry VIII. Her sister is already the king's mistress and Anne has no wishes to be another of his mistresses. She aims higher. She 'holds' out with granting the king any sexual favours and thus starts a six year engagement.
The pope refuses to dissolve the king's marriage to Catherine of Aragon. The king declares himself head of the Church in England and dissolves his marriage himself. Upon marriage to Henry, Anne bears him a daughter and not the promised son. Their relationship sours and finally Anne is beheaded.
The book explores: the politics surrounding Anne's marriage to King Henry, each of the machinations the king must go through in order to wed Anne, the schemes of Anne and her father, Anne's relationship with her brother George and her father. This book also shows how woman were chattels only to be used as pawns in the game of power.
Elizabeth after reading this story realizes the love her mother had for her and learns from her mother's mistakes in trusting any man.
May 19, 2009
WOW! This was a fantastic book. The "sequel" to "Mademoiselle Boleyn", it starts off with new Queen Elizabeth being handed her mother's secret diary, that she left with a confidante. As Elizabeth reads the diary, she realizes all the things she ever heard about her mother are false. Her mother wasn't a cold, heartless whore who deserved her beheading. And more shocking of all, her mother truly loved her.
This news rocks Elizabeth's world, and leads to the shocking decision to never marry, and end the Tudor bloodline.
While this book was fiction, of course, I could actually see Elizabeth making that decision because of something like this. What we do know, is that Elizabeth did decide not to marry, and remain The Virgin Queen. No one really knows for sure why she made that decision. So this book's solution to it is brilliant to me, and I could see it being true. After reading about her mother's doomed life once a man got rid of his wife to wed her, why wouldn't she run away when her true love does the same thing?
Once again, this book was fantastic. I highly recommend it to anyone who has become as much of a Tudor-freak as I am.
This news rocks Elizabeth's world, and leads to the shocking decision to never marry, and end the Tudor bloodline.
While this book was fiction, of course, I could actually see Elizabeth making that decision because of something like this. What we do know, is that Elizabeth did decide not to marry, and remain The Virgin Queen. No one really knows for sure why she made that decision. So this book's solution to it is brilliant to me, and I could see it being true. After reading about her mother's doomed life once a man got rid of his wife to wed her, why wouldn't she run away when her true love does the same thing?
Once again, this book was fantastic. I highly recommend it to anyone who has become as much of a Tudor-freak as I am.
May 2, 2008
Please see my detailed review at Amazon.com
Grace's "Boleyn Diary" Review
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This one took a little while to get going, but once it did - wowee. I love these sorts of premises for novels (hidden diaries, newly-unearthed). In Maxwell's hands, it was handled in a very interesting fashion and I'm so glad I stuck with it past the first few dry pages.
Please click that the review was helpful to you at Amazon so that my rating continues to climb! Thanks!
This one took a little while to get going, but once it did - wowee. I love these sorts of premises for novels (hidden diaries, newly-unearthed). In Maxwell's hands, it was handled in a very interesting fashion and I'm so glad I stuck with it past the first few dry pages.
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