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The Boleyn Trilogy #3
The Boleyn Reckoning
A choice to forever change the course of history.
While English soldiers prepare for the threat of invasion, William Tudor struggles with his own personal battles: he still longs for his childhood friend. But Minuette has married William’s trusted advisor, Dominic, in secret – an act of betrayal that puts both their lives in danger.
Meanwhile, with war on the horizon, Princess Elizabeth must decide where her duty really lies: with her brother or her country…
Perfect for fans of Philippa Gregory and Alison Weir, The Boleyn Reckoning concludes the trilogy of the Tudor king who never was: Henry IX.
While English soldiers prepare for the threat of invasion, William Tudor struggles with his own personal battles: he still longs for his childhood friend. But Minuette has married William’s trusted advisor, Dominic, in secret – an act of betrayal that puts both their lives in danger.
Meanwhile, with war on the horizon, Princess Elizabeth must decide where her duty really lies: with her brother or her country…
Perfect for fans of Philippa Gregory and Alison Weir, The Boleyn Reckoning concludes the trilogy of the Tudor king who never was: Henry IX.
416 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2014
101 people are currently reading
2328 people want to read
About the author
Laura Andersen
117 books599 followersLaura Andersen has one husband, four children, and a college degree in English that she puts to non-profitable use by reading everything she can lay her hands on. Books, shoes, and travel are her fiscal downfalls, which she justifies because all three ‘take you places.’ She loves the ocean (but not sand), forests (but not camping), good food (but not cooking), and shopping (there is no downside.) She lives in Massachusetts with her family.
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August 6, 2014
Well. I just wrote a long ass rant about this book but accidentally closed the window. So I'll just say that Minuette is mind numblingly stupid and everything is her fault and leave it at that.
October 8, 2014
So I don't usually leave reviews on this site, but I just have to get my feelings out about this book because I'm so unbelievably ANGRY. The concept was so good and drew me in immediately but the final book left a bad taste in my mouth. Maybe I'm a little too angry about this book to write a coherent list of all I disliked about this book but there's no time like the present, so:
MAJOR SPOILERS
My biggest issue with this trilogy has always been the flatness of Minuette and Dominic. I hate the term Mary-Sue, but it seems all too fitting for the both of them. They're both highly desirable and well-off and Dom's a better fighter than William and better with self-control and Minuette's prettier than Elizabeth and can manipulate and play court games as well as Anne Boleyn herself and Henry and Anne approved of them both whole-heartedly and they both forgave William despite everything he'd put them through because they're just oh-so-kind-hearted and it's all just way too much. Minuette's only real flaw is thinking with her heart rather than her head, which is one of those cop-out flaws like being "too nice". The reason I stuck it out this long despite the fact that these two seem to take center stage instead of the Tudor siblings I was promised was to see how it would all play out. Obviously Minuette and Dominic would end up happily together because they're oh-so-precious, but I was interested to see how the relationship between the two of them and William could be mended and make for interesting character development for the three of them (desperately needed character development in Minuette and Dominic's case).
But no, instead the author took the easier route of vilifying William to an unbelievable point as a way to absolve Minuette and Dominic of their wrong-doings. She tried WAY too hard to turn him into some evil corrupt king after showing us a loyal, caring, if somewhat egotistical and temperamental, young man who placed his friends and his sister above all and truly cared about the safety of England. Needless to say it wasn't a believable transition at all, grieving king or no.
I know because of the premise that William had to die. The entire point of the series was Anne Boleyn giving Henry a son and Elizabeth becoming the Queen she was meant to be anyway. But it didn't have to be like that. That didn't need to turn him into some twisted caricature of who the first two books established him to be to make Elizabeth queen.
Speaking of taking the easy way out, I will say this for the series. A constant fear of mine because of all the pandering to Minuette and Dominic was that the author would kill William before he had the chance to know about them and they would ride off into the sunset happy as clams, that would have completely destroyed this series for me. I was also pleasantly surprised that Minuette's daughter was obviously William's. At the very least those two things didn't quite pan out exactly how they would have hoped.
Everything else, though? Everything else eventually turned out in their favor and it's SO incredibly annoying. There was a brief moment where I had hope that I'd actually LIKE the ending of this series, when we were led to believe Dominic actually HAD died, but then it was ripped away by something that, surprise surprise, didn't make ANY sense at all.
The ONLY reason I didn't flat out give this one star is because of the fact that the first book and a half were decent enough, and because I found the portrayal of Elizabeth to be wonderful and true to history. Another point of anger I had with the book is that she didn't get the ending she deserved with her crown AND Robert, however that's less to do with the book/writing itself and more to do with the fact that I WISH it would have happened. A related issue that DOES have to do with the writing is the obvious glossing over of Elizabeth's feeling on Robert's execution. It seems not even the READER gets to know what's in Elizabeth's mind *eyeroll*
So basically I've never been more disappointing and unfulfilled with any ending to any trilogy I've EVER read. This is my Mockingjay.
MAJOR SPOILERS
My biggest issue with this trilogy has always been the flatness of Minuette and Dominic. I hate the term Mary-Sue, but it seems all too fitting for the both of them. They're both highly desirable and well-off and Dom's a better fighter than William and better with self-control and Minuette's prettier than Elizabeth and can manipulate and play court games as well as Anne Boleyn herself and Henry and Anne approved of them both whole-heartedly and they both forgave William despite everything he'd put them through because they're just oh-so-kind-hearted and it's all just way too much. Minuette's only real flaw is thinking with her heart rather than her head, which is one of those cop-out flaws like being "too nice". The reason I stuck it out this long despite the fact that these two seem to take center stage instead of the Tudor siblings I was promised was to see how it would all play out. Obviously Minuette and Dominic would end up happily together because they're oh-so-precious, but I was interested to see how the relationship between the two of them and William could be mended and make for interesting character development for the three of them (desperately needed character development in Minuette and Dominic's case).
But no, instead the author took the easier route of vilifying William to an unbelievable point as a way to absolve Minuette and Dominic of their wrong-doings. She tried WAY too hard to turn him into some evil corrupt king after showing us a loyal, caring, if somewhat egotistical and temperamental, young man who placed his friends and his sister above all and truly cared about the safety of England. Needless to say it wasn't a believable transition at all, grieving king or no.
I know because of the premise that William had to die. The entire point of the series was Anne Boleyn giving Henry a son and Elizabeth becoming the Queen she was meant to be anyway. But it didn't have to be like that. That didn't need to turn him into some twisted caricature of who the first two books established him to be to make Elizabeth queen.
Speaking of taking the easy way out, I will say this for the series. A constant fear of mine because of all the pandering to Minuette and Dominic was that the author would kill William before he had the chance to know about them and they would ride off into the sunset happy as clams, that would have completely destroyed this series for me. I was also pleasantly surprised that Minuette's daughter was obviously William's. At the very least those two things didn't quite pan out exactly how they would have hoped.
Everything else, though? Everything else eventually turned out in their favor and it's SO incredibly annoying. There was a brief moment where I had hope that I'd actually LIKE the ending of this series, when we were led to believe Dominic actually HAD died, but then it was ripped away by something that, surprise surprise, didn't make ANY sense at all.
The ONLY reason I didn't flat out give this one star is because of the fact that the first book and a half were decent enough, and because I found the portrayal of Elizabeth to be wonderful and true to history. Another point of anger I had with the book is that she didn't get the ending she deserved with her crown AND Robert, however that's less to do with the book/writing itself and more to do with the fact that I WISH it would have happened. A related issue that DOES have to do with the writing is the obvious glossing over of Elizabeth's feeling on Robert's execution. It seems not even the READER gets to know what's in Elizabeth's mind *eyeroll*
So basically I've never been more disappointing and unfulfilled with any ending to any trilogy I've EVER read. This is my Mockingjay.
January 29, 2025
This is the best of the three. More arguments, more confrontations, more honesty, more twists coming to the fore, etc. everything came to a messy close.
July 22, 2014
This is a hard book to review, since revealing any plot points would be terribly spoilerish, especially for those who haven't yet read the first two books. If you have read book two, you know there's a secret marriage towards the end, and quite of a lot of the events in this book are centered around that secret and the consequences when it is revealed. Talk about stuff hitting the fan...
Lots of surprises and twists and turns in Andersen's alternative Tudor world. Loved it.
Kindle copy obtained via library loan.
Lots of surprises and twists and turns in Andersen's alternative Tudor world. Loved it.
Kindle copy obtained via library loan.
June 1, 2016
It’s always a little sad to come upon the end of a series you have enjoyed and yet I’m glad to have finally finished Laura Andersen’s The Boleyn Trilogy with the final book, The Boleyn Reckoning. Knowing how the story has to end considering how the actual history of this time period played out didn’t take away from the interest in this book. I was quite intrigued to see how Andersen plays out her ‘what if’ scenario.
As with the previous two books of the series (The Boleyn King, The Boleyn Deceit), Andersen did a wonderful job of writing a book that combined drama, romance, and deceit within a royal court that never existed. Throughout the series, I was always impressed how Andersen managed to balance both the personal and political tribulations of William, Elizabeth, Dominic and Minuette. While you get the personal conflicts between these 4 friends, which provided the majority of the story’s heart, emotion and drive, you never forget that all of this involves royalty and all the political machinations that go along with it. I loved Andersen’s ability to be consistent in maintaining the political intrigue that was born in the first book. There were references made to events that occurred in previous book illustrating the ongoing effects it created that are being paid off in this book. Those events (e.g. the Papist conspiracy to de-legitimize William’s birth and therefore right to the throne, attempt on Minuette’s life) weren’t written in for drama’s sake, but had a purpose and consequences that will affect the foursome in some way. Furthermore, Andersen created some very legitimate and credible scenarios that felt as if they could have taken place if a Boleyn king actually had existed. While I’m not an expert of the political minefield of that time period, the fact that she created that feel of a minefield, in all of her books including this one, showed the thought and creativity that went into the story. It could’ve been so easy to gloss over this aspect and only focus on the personal conflicts between William and company. Having the political and tactical machinations occurring at the same time gives the story depth and added drama that otherwise would’ve been missing if they weren’t included.
With this third book, personal resolutions have come which were born from the previous two books. In my review of The Boleyn Deceit I mentioned how William, Elizabeth, Dominic and Minuette started changing from the people we were introduced to in The Boleyn King. This third book brings it full circle and really shows us how previous actions have consequences which in turn drives a wedge between these previously close 4 friends along with changing each person in turn. You see William’s dangerous transformation to charismatic King to one who has become erratic and hardened making for a volatile ruler that is reminiscent of his father Henry VIII. Elizabeth being torn and navigating between her love for her brother and what is best for England. Then there is Dominic and Minuette, having to come to terms with the fallout of marrying in secret and the burden they have to carry which tests not only their love for each other, but their love for William, Dominic’s honor and loyalty and Minuette’s integrity and determination. The journey to their eventual outcome was very compelling because in their own way, they are very sympathetic and tragic figures with no clear villain or hero. You know it’s not going to end well and it’s all a matter of finding out how things get resolved to an ending that we are familiar with: the crowning of Queen Elizabeth.
Grant it, a good deal of time has passed since I’ve read the first two books of the series before finally picking up this third installment which may have lessened my enthusiasm for the last book. But that is not to say that Andersen didn’t write a well-written, dramatic, intelligent and engaging story that provided a great ending to this enjoyable series. Throughout all the books, Andersen has been consistent with telling a layered story full of secrets, drama, romance and political intrigue with charismatic characters that you come to care for. While it’s often said that the third installment of a series never lives up to its predecessors, The Boleyn Reckoning was just as compelling as the previous two and is an ending that is fit for a king...or in this case, a queen.
*Received copy from Goodreads First Reads Giveaway
As with the previous two books of the series (The Boleyn King, The Boleyn Deceit), Andersen did a wonderful job of writing a book that combined drama, romance, and deceit within a royal court that never existed. Throughout the series, I was always impressed how Andersen managed to balance both the personal and political tribulations of William, Elizabeth, Dominic and Minuette. While you get the personal conflicts between these 4 friends, which provided the majority of the story’s heart, emotion and drive, you never forget that all of this involves royalty and all the political machinations that go along with it. I loved Andersen’s ability to be consistent in maintaining the political intrigue that was born in the first book. There were references made to events that occurred in previous book illustrating the ongoing effects it created that are being paid off in this book. Those events (e.g. the Papist conspiracy to de-legitimize William’s birth and therefore right to the throne, attempt on Minuette’s life) weren’t written in for drama’s sake, but had a purpose and consequences that will affect the foursome in some way. Furthermore, Andersen created some very legitimate and credible scenarios that felt as if they could have taken place if a Boleyn king actually had existed. While I’m not an expert of the political minefield of that time period, the fact that she created that feel of a minefield, in all of her books including this one, showed the thought and creativity that went into the story. It could’ve been so easy to gloss over this aspect and only focus on the personal conflicts between William and company. Having the political and tactical machinations occurring at the same time gives the story depth and added drama that otherwise would’ve been missing if they weren’t included.
With this third book, personal resolutions have come which were born from the previous two books. In my review of The Boleyn Deceit I mentioned how William, Elizabeth, Dominic and Minuette started changing from the people we were introduced to in The Boleyn King. This third book brings it full circle and really shows us how previous actions have consequences which in turn drives a wedge between these previously close 4 friends along with changing each person in turn. You see William’s dangerous transformation to charismatic King to one who has become erratic and hardened making for a volatile ruler that is reminiscent of his father Henry VIII. Elizabeth being torn and navigating between her love for her brother and what is best for England. Then there is Dominic and Minuette, having to come to terms with the fallout of marrying in secret and the burden they have to carry which tests not only their love for each other, but their love for William, Dominic’s honor and loyalty and Minuette’s integrity and determination. The journey to their eventual outcome was very compelling because in their own way, they are very sympathetic and tragic figures with no clear villain or hero. You know it’s not going to end well and it’s all a matter of finding out how things get resolved to an ending that we are familiar with: the crowning of Queen Elizabeth.
Grant it, a good deal of time has passed since I’ve read the first two books of the series before finally picking up this third installment which may have lessened my enthusiasm for the last book. But that is not to say that Andersen didn’t write a well-written, dramatic, intelligent and engaging story that provided a great ending to this enjoyable series. Throughout all the books, Andersen has been consistent with telling a layered story full of secrets, drama, romance and political intrigue with charismatic characters that you come to care for. While it’s often said that the third installment of a series never lives up to its predecessors, The Boleyn Reckoning was just as compelling as the previous two and is an ending that is fit for a king...or in this case, a queen.
*Received copy from Goodreads First Reads Giveaway
August 27, 2016
Okay.
Deep Breath.
Okay.
I've had a little while to compose myself, and I thought sleeping on it would make the jumble of thoughts in my head make sense. But I won't up just as jumbled and happy and sad and emotional as I fell asleep. I knew going into The Boleyn Reckoning that my heart was going to get crushed. There were too many possible ways for things to go wrong and only a few ways for things to go right. I thought I was prepared. I don't think I've ever been so wrong.
Dominic and Minuette are married. William doesn't know; he still believes he's betrothed to Minuette, despite her commoner birth. William has just survived the smallpox, but it's left him physically and emotionally scarred. Elizabeth is feeling the tensions rise along the Catholic and Protestant division in England and she knows there's only so much time before something snaps.
I continue to love Minuette, although her character undergoes a major transformation in this novel. She is used to be the lighthearted one of the group, the one that provides happiness to everyone else. Her happiness comes second to her friends. She'd do whatever necessary to make the lives of her friends easier. In the past, this only meant being there and providing light. In this novel, it means burying pieces of herself, making her nearly unrecognizable to her friends. She becomes hardened by life, and even though pieces of the old Minuette are there, she's forever changed by the events of the novel.
Dominic is still one of my favorite characters. He's loyal, even to the end. His one act of disloyalty is marrying Minuette, but I can hardly fault him for doing what his heart wanted him to do. Loyalty to Minuette won out over loyalty to William in that moment. Yet, through the rest of the novel, he remains focused on supporting William and being the friend William needs.
William. Oh, William. Being King has changed him, and not for the better. The power and paranoia has gone to his head. He gets rid of every threat, whether it is necessary or not. He is more vengeful than in the past. But he's also hurting. The three friends he thought he could count on forever-Minuette, Dominic, and Elizabeth-have betrayed his trust in different ways. He feels isolated and alone, without the support he depended on to rule fairly.
Elizabeth really finds her power in this novel. She's always been a strong woman, but she has to take even more control in this novel. She has to decide which she loves more, her brother or her country. She's forced to take actions that go against William, but will serve the country better. But through it all, she wants to remain friends with Minuette, As Minuette rises higher and higher within the court, it's clear Elizabeth is mourning the loss of a friend. They are still around each other, but Minuette has become protective of herself, and that ends up blocking Elizabeth from being close.
The plot of the novel had me tense. I actually snapped at people when they tried to talk to me. I had to know what was going to happen. Tensions were so high and William had become so mad with power that I was almost afraid to but the novel down. I was anxious and I cried. I had to set the book down and take some deep breaths. I even screamed into a pillow at one point. I was on edge up until the last pages. And I loved it.
I am going to miss Minuette, Dominic, Elizabeth, and William more than I can put into words. This is the first alternate history series that I wish had been more true than not. I was so invested in these characters that it's hurting a little to say goodbye right now. This is a series that is a definite must read for anyone who loves history, but also likes to ask What if? I loved this series and can't wait to read more from Andersen.
Deep Breath.
Okay.
I've had a little while to compose myself, and I thought sleeping on it would make the jumble of thoughts in my head make sense. But I won't up just as jumbled and happy and sad and emotional as I fell asleep. I knew going into The Boleyn Reckoning that my heart was going to get crushed. There were too many possible ways for things to go wrong and only a few ways for things to go right. I thought I was prepared. I don't think I've ever been so wrong.
Dominic and Minuette are married. William doesn't know; he still believes he's betrothed to Minuette, despite her commoner birth. William has just survived the smallpox, but it's left him physically and emotionally scarred. Elizabeth is feeling the tensions rise along the Catholic and Protestant division in England and she knows there's only so much time before something snaps.
I continue to love Minuette, although her character undergoes a major transformation in this novel. She is used to be the lighthearted one of the group, the one that provides happiness to everyone else. Her happiness comes second to her friends. She'd do whatever necessary to make the lives of her friends easier. In the past, this only meant being there and providing light. In this novel, it means burying pieces of herself, making her nearly unrecognizable to her friends. She becomes hardened by life, and even though pieces of the old Minuette are there, she's forever changed by the events of the novel.
Dominic is still one of my favorite characters. He's loyal, even to the end. His one act of disloyalty is marrying Minuette, but I can hardly fault him for doing what his heart wanted him to do. Loyalty to Minuette won out over loyalty to William in that moment. Yet, through the rest of the novel, he remains focused on supporting William and being the friend William needs.
William. Oh, William. Being King has changed him, and not for the better. The power and paranoia has gone to his head. He gets rid of every threat, whether it is necessary or not. He is more vengeful than in the past. But he's also hurting. The three friends he thought he could count on forever-Minuette, Dominic, and Elizabeth-have betrayed his trust in different ways. He feels isolated and alone, without the support he depended on to rule fairly.
Elizabeth really finds her power in this novel. She's always been a strong woman, but she has to take even more control in this novel. She has to decide which she loves more, her brother or her country. She's forced to take actions that go against William, but will serve the country better. But through it all, she wants to remain friends with Minuette, As Minuette rises higher and higher within the court, it's clear Elizabeth is mourning the loss of a friend. They are still around each other, but Minuette has become protective of herself, and that ends up blocking Elizabeth from being close.
The plot of the novel had me tense. I actually snapped at people when they tried to talk to me. I had to know what was going to happen. Tensions were so high and William had become so mad with power that I was almost afraid to but the novel down. I was anxious and I cried. I had to set the book down and take some deep breaths. I even screamed into a pillow at one point. I was on edge up until the last pages. And I loved it.
I am going to miss Minuette, Dominic, Elizabeth, and William more than I can put into words. This is the first alternate history series that I wish had been more true than not. I was so invested in these characters that it's hurting a little to say goodbye right now. This is a series that is a definite must read for anyone who loves history, but also likes to ask What if? I loved this series and can't wait to read more from Andersen.
March 20, 2015
Laura Andersen Talks About THE BOLEYN RECKONING & Giveaway (Win one out of five copies US Only).
Review also posted at Young Adult Hollywood.
I started this series knowing how some of the things will end but that still didn’t give me any free passes not to cry. I’ve read The Boleyn Reckoning last March and I can still perfectly remember every single thing that I felt while reading this book. It certainly involved ugly sobbing and thrashing till 3AM. I think I will always have this heavy feeling on my stomach and chest that will never go away every time I think of this book. It’s sorrow having to say goodbye to one of my favorite trilogies and to these dear characters. I couldn’t get enough of that to the point I’ve read it more than 2 times. I am morbid, I need to remind myself every once in a while that masterpieces like this exist.
There are plenty of reasons why The Boleyn Trilogy is one of my favorite book series ever and why YOU SHOULD READ IT. I am not lying through my teeth when I tell you this is absolutely the most brilliant Historical Fiction – Alternate History books out there.
The Boleyn Reckoning quickly follows up where the previous book left off: Minuette and Dominic have to face the consequences of their secret marriage. As England prepares themselves for the threat of invasion, William finally discovers the truth. It’s an act of betrayal that will put Dominic and Minuette’s lives in danger. William’s need for vengeance might push England to the brink of civil war like it was always written in the stars. Elizabeth must choose her brother, or her country?
Sometimes when you read an Alternate History book, it just doesn’t fit with your taste and expectation. It flops. The great thing about Laura Andersen is she has this wonderful gift: she perfectly throws the readers into History that somewhat already happened and she’ll wiggle her fingers TA-DA! creating an even more perfect fiction than reality. Her books are always written so vividly and with supplemental details that really brought the whole plot to life. The Boleyn Reckoning is well paced, all of the characters are interesting and well developed.
In fear of spoiling the book to everyone, I’ll keep this review neat and short.
As much as I hate to say goodbye to this trilogy, The Boleyn Reckoning is engrossing, unflinchingly brutal. It will take you at the edge of your seat. It ended neatly and bittersweet.
Review also posted at Young Adult Hollywood.
I started this series knowing how some of the things will end but that still didn’t give me any free passes not to cry. I’ve read The Boleyn Reckoning last March and I can still perfectly remember every single thing that I felt while reading this book. It certainly involved ugly sobbing and thrashing till 3AM. I think I will always have this heavy feeling on my stomach and chest that will never go away every time I think of this book. It’s sorrow having to say goodbye to one of my favorite trilogies and to these dear characters. I couldn’t get enough of that to the point I’ve read it more than 2 times. I am morbid, I need to remind myself every once in a while that masterpieces like this exist.
There are plenty of reasons why The Boleyn Trilogy is one of my favorite book series ever and why YOU SHOULD READ IT. I am not lying through my teeth when I tell you this is absolutely the most brilliant Historical Fiction – Alternate History books out there.
The Boleyn Reckoning quickly follows up where the previous book left off: Minuette and Dominic have to face the consequences of their secret marriage. As England prepares themselves for the threat of invasion, William finally discovers the truth. It’s an act of betrayal that will put Dominic and Minuette’s lives in danger. William’s need for vengeance might push England to the brink of civil war like it was always written in the stars. Elizabeth must choose her brother, or her country?
Sometimes when you read an Alternate History book, it just doesn’t fit with your taste and expectation. It flops. The great thing about Laura Andersen is she has this wonderful gift: she perfectly throws the readers into History that somewhat already happened and she’ll wiggle her fingers TA-DA! creating an even more perfect fiction than reality. Her books are always written so vividly and with supplemental details that really brought the whole plot to life. The Boleyn Reckoning is well paced, all of the characters are interesting and well developed.
In fear of spoiling the book to everyone, I’ll keep this review neat and short.
As much as I hate to say goodbye to this trilogy, The Boleyn Reckoning is engrossing, unflinchingly brutal. It will take you at the edge of your seat. It ended neatly and bittersweet.
August 28, 2023
All the stars & tears and now I need to collect myself and come up with a coherent review.
The Boleyn Reckoning is the third (and sadly, final) book of The Boleyn Trilogy series and to say I was excited when I heard this was up on Netgalley would be a HUGE understatement. The second I got my approval, it was moved up on my list because I NEEDED (yes, needed) to know what happened to Minuette, Dom, William and Elizabeth.
BE WARNED: There will be spoilers below. If you haven’t read books one, two, or three - stop here, go read them all and then come back.
This series is absolutely one of my favorite Historical Fiction series and I am sad that it is complete but in the same vein, I am happy with the way that Andersen wrapped this up. If you enjoy books with great characters, romance, and the historical pieces mixed in, you might just want to check this one out. It will be on my Favorites shelf for a long time and I will be encouraging everyone I know to check this one out.
Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for the review copy!
The Boleyn Reckoning is the third (and sadly, final) book of The Boleyn Trilogy series and to say I was excited when I heard this was up on Netgalley would be a HUGE understatement. The second I got my approval, it was moved up on my list because I NEEDED (yes, needed) to know what happened to Minuette, Dom, William and Elizabeth.
BE WARNED: There will be spoilers below. If you haven’t read books one, two, or three - stop here, go read them all and then come back.
This series is absolutely one of my favorite Historical Fiction series and I am sad that it is complete but in the same vein, I am happy with the way that Andersen wrapped this up. If you enjoy books with great characters, romance, and the historical pieces mixed in, you might just want to check this one out. It will be on my Favorites shelf for a long time and I will be encouraging everyone I know to check this one out.
Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for the review copy!
August 11, 2016
I've given this a B+ at AAR, but I've decided to round up to 5 stars, because feels closer to a 5 star book than a 4 star one.
I've written separate reviews of both The Boleyn King and The Boleyn Deceit - but as this is the first of the three books I've reviewed for All About Romance, I begin the review with a brief overview of the earlier books.
As a long-time reader of historical fiction, I didn’t think a book which explored an “alternative” historical time-line would be my cup of tea. So I approached the first book in Laura Andersen’s Boleyn Trilogy a little apprehensively, but determined to keep an open mind. I was very quickly sucked into the story, became invested in the characters – both fictional and non-fictional – and was impressed by the author’s excellent grasp of the history of the period.
It’s one thing to write a “history” in which your characters are completely your own invention, but it’s quite another to write one in which the fictional blends seamlessly with the factual, while also retaining a sense of authenticity and without rewriting history completely. But Ms Andersen manages to do – and not do – all those things at the same time as she has penned a compelling story full of political intrigue and romance.
(On a side note – the publishers proudly trumpet that these books will appeal to fans of Alison Weir and Philippa Gregory. Please don’t let yourself be put off reading these books because of those comparisons – I dislike the work of both of those authors, while I enjoy Ms. Andersen’s very much!)
The trilogy takes as its premise a most intriguing “what if?” – suppose Anne Boleyn had given Henry VIII a son who had lived to succeed his father? The fall-out from that idea is very interesting: There would have been no Edward VI, no Bloody Mary, perhaps even no Virgin Queen, and extrapolating further, possibly no Stuarts, no Civil War… the possibilities are endless. But from the outset, the author stated her intent for the trilogy to see Elizabeth ascend the throne in 1558, which is probably just as well, because thinking about all those possible ramifications is enough to make one’s head ache!
Here is the summary of books 1&2 - click on the link at the bottom if you want to skip to the review of book 3.
In The Boleyn Reckoning, William has survived his illness, but has emerged from it a changed man. He is quieter and less active, but that doesn’t mean that he is any more considered in his actions. Like his father, he is intelligent, shrewd, and an expert manipulator, but also like his father, he is blinded by his desire for a woman and makes poor decisions for England because of it. Refusing the French marriage, he determines to marry Elizabeth to Philip of Spain in order to cement an alliance there instead. But Spain does not want this, and proceeds to ally with France.
Dominic and MInuette are struggling under the weight of secrecy and guilt. Each time Will indicates his trust in him, Dominic feels it like a knife to the gut, and Minuette is exhausted by the continual need for pretence. Will looks to her for comfort and understanding and as someone to lean on, and she is finding it increasingly difficult to be that person. With William planning a Christmas wedding, all opportunities to confess the truth about their marriage have passed them by, and time is running out. There is only one option – they must leave England.
But their plans are thwarted – and amid a Catholic rebellion led by Will’s half-sister Mary, the loss of Calais and the constant threat of invasion by the French, what is, in his mind, the deepest of all betrayals by the two people he has depended upon the most unbalances William and sets him on a path of vengeance and tyranny. No longer restrained by Dominic’s sage advice or consoled by Minuette’s soothing presence, he turns his attention to revenge rather than to the protection of his country.
Behind the scenes, Elizabeth waits and listens, and watching her come into her own is one of the highlights of the book. Elizabeth loves her brother very much, and hates the disastrous course he is pursuing, but without the steadying influences of Dominic and Minuette, he has gone so far beyond reach that she can do nothing but bide her time.
Something I enjoyed very much about all three books was the complexity of the plotting and the development of all the different lines of intrigue. In Reckoning all this reaches a fever pitch and it’s fraught with tension, right from the first page. I had to take regular breaks while reading because I was so tied up in knots! All the principal characters have to make difficult and unpalatable decisions; Elizabeth hates the idea that she must work against her brother, and Minuette and Dominic know there is no way they will escape Will’s wrath – and he exacts a truly horrible revenge upon them which broke my heart into little pieces.
But I think the real tragedy of the book was the story of potential wasted. Will begins the trilogy as a beacon of hope – young, handsome, and intelligent, he has the makings of an exceptional ruler, but ends up following a similar path to his father and allowing his own desires to come before England’s best interests. And the thing is that no matter how much I found myself disliking him for his actions, I couldn’t help feeling desperately sorry for him, too, as he became crueller and harder and more isolated from those remaining few with his best interests at heart.
It’s difficult to say much about the plot without giving too much away; I’ll just say that it’s satisfyingly complex, and anyone familiar with the period will recognise those moments where Ms. Andersen has very skilfully overlaid her own take upon actual historical events. When I finished the book I felt as though I’d been wrung through the emotional mangle, but the author ties up all her threads adeptly and brings the trilogy to a satisfying conclusion. The ending is bitter-sweet, but fits the tone of the story completely – romance might always need a happy ending, but history doesn’t quite work that way.
I’m going to end by recommending all three books most highly. I’m giving The Boleyn Reckoning a B+ (which is in keeping with my ratings for the others), but wouldn’t advise reading it before the earlier books or unless you are familiar with them and/or the history of the period.
I've written separate reviews of both The Boleyn King and The Boleyn Deceit - but as this is the first of the three books I've reviewed for All About Romance, I begin the review with a brief overview of the earlier books.
As a long-time reader of historical fiction, I didn’t think a book which explored an “alternative” historical time-line would be my cup of tea. So I approached the first book in Laura Andersen’s Boleyn Trilogy a little apprehensively, but determined to keep an open mind. I was very quickly sucked into the story, became invested in the characters – both fictional and non-fictional – and was impressed by the author’s excellent grasp of the history of the period.
It’s one thing to write a “history” in which your characters are completely your own invention, but it’s quite another to write one in which the fictional blends seamlessly with the factual, while also retaining a sense of authenticity and without rewriting history completely. But Ms Andersen manages to do – and not do – all those things at the same time as she has penned a compelling story full of political intrigue and romance.
(On a side note – the publishers proudly trumpet that these books will appeal to fans of Alison Weir and Philippa Gregory. Please don’t let yourself be put off reading these books because of those comparisons – I dislike the work of both of those authors, while I enjoy Ms. Andersen’s very much!)
The trilogy takes as its premise a most intriguing “what if?” – suppose Anne Boleyn had given Henry VIII a son who had lived to succeed his father? The fall-out from that idea is very interesting: There would have been no Edward VI, no Bloody Mary, perhaps even no Virgin Queen, and extrapolating further, possibly no Stuarts, no Civil War… the possibilities are endless. But from the outset, the author stated her intent for the trilogy to see Elizabeth ascend the throne in 1558, which is probably just as well, because thinking about all those possible ramifications is enough to make one’s head ache!
Here is the summary of books 1&2 - click on the link at the bottom if you want to skip to the review of book 3.
In The Boleyn Reckoning, William has survived his illness, but has emerged from it a changed man. He is quieter and less active, but that doesn’t mean that he is any more considered in his actions. Like his father, he is intelligent, shrewd, and an expert manipulator, but also like his father, he is blinded by his desire for a woman and makes poor decisions for England because of it. Refusing the French marriage, he determines to marry Elizabeth to Philip of Spain in order to cement an alliance there instead. But Spain does not want this, and proceeds to ally with France.
Dominic and MInuette are struggling under the weight of secrecy and guilt. Each time Will indicates his trust in him, Dominic feels it like a knife to the gut, and Minuette is exhausted by the continual need for pretence. Will looks to her for comfort and understanding and as someone to lean on, and she is finding it increasingly difficult to be that person. With William planning a Christmas wedding, all opportunities to confess the truth about their marriage have passed them by, and time is running out. There is only one option – they must leave England.
But their plans are thwarted – and amid a Catholic rebellion led by Will’s half-sister Mary, the loss of Calais and the constant threat of invasion by the French, what is, in his mind, the deepest of all betrayals by the two people he has depended upon the most unbalances William and sets him on a path of vengeance and tyranny. No longer restrained by Dominic’s sage advice or consoled by Minuette’s soothing presence, he turns his attention to revenge rather than to the protection of his country.
Behind the scenes, Elizabeth waits and listens, and watching her come into her own is one of the highlights of the book. Elizabeth loves her brother very much, and hates the disastrous course he is pursuing, but without the steadying influences of Dominic and Minuette, he has gone so far beyond reach that she can do nothing but bide her time.
Something I enjoyed very much about all three books was the complexity of the plotting and the development of all the different lines of intrigue. In Reckoning all this reaches a fever pitch and it’s fraught with tension, right from the first page. I had to take regular breaks while reading because I was so tied up in knots! All the principal characters have to make difficult and unpalatable decisions; Elizabeth hates the idea that she must work against her brother, and Minuette and Dominic know there is no way they will escape Will’s wrath – and he exacts a truly horrible revenge upon them which broke my heart into little pieces.
But I think the real tragedy of the book was the story of potential wasted. Will begins the trilogy as a beacon of hope – young, handsome, and intelligent, he has the makings of an exceptional ruler, but ends up following a similar path to his father and allowing his own desires to come before England’s best interests. And the thing is that no matter how much I found myself disliking him for his actions, I couldn’t help feeling desperately sorry for him, too, as he became crueller and harder and more isolated from those remaining few with his best interests at heart.
It’s difficult to say much about the plot without giving too much away; I’ll just say that it’s satisfyingly complex, and anyone familiar with the period will recognise those moments where Ms. Andersen has very skilfully overlaid her own take upon actual historical events. When I finished the book I felt as though I’d been wrung through the emotional mangle, but the author ties up all her threads adeptly and brings the trilogy to a satisfying conclusion. The ending is bitter-sweet, but fits the tone of the story completely – romance might always need a happy ending, but history doesn’t quite work that way.
I’m going to end by recommending all three books most highly. I’m giving The Boleyn Reckoning a B+ (which is in keeping with my ratings for the others), but wouldn’t advise reading it before the earlier books or unless you are familiar with them and/or the history of the period.
September 20, 2019
After 42 pages of this book being torture and getting harder to put down as the story went on until the last 4-5 chapters or so and up until the very last page, my heart now feels like it's been torn out of me and shattered into a gazilion, bazillion, million pieces. And as much as I love Tudor history, I surprisingly and absolutely LOVED this alternate historical fiction that answered one of MANY, MANY, MANY mysterious historical questions, "What if Anne Boleyn gave birth to the son Henry had desperately wanted?" and Laura Andersen did an AMAZING job with a story of that fictional son and his reign up to Elizabeth reigning England.
So I wanted to save my personal opinion on this fictional boy king of Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn. And I have to say, as a fictional Monarch, I'm impressed. Especially how he started out in the story in THE BOLEYN KING. Henry IX or William as he's known to his kingdom and court, started out like any other young new Monarch and having that one friend whom he could rely on to tell him anything he wanted to hear that others were afraid to tell their King but to also give open advice as well. His friend Dominic Courtenay was such a friend and also the young girl who had shared the same birthday as William, Genevieve Wyatt aka Minuette. But then things begin to happen, Dominic goes and does something behind his friends back and soon he's fearing for his life and wondering what's going to happen to his friend the King if he ever found out.
But one thing I did like about William's story is yes he started out running the country pretty well, taking advice when needed, until he slowly starts to let the power of the crown and position start to 'corrupt' his mind so he's to the point of making irrational decisions, losing his temper easily just as Henry VIII was known to have, and slowly begins to lose trust in some of his closest of friends and advisors. Which includes his own sister and later Queen of England, Elizabeth. And soon William basically loses it and becomes rash in his decision making and lets a kind of love he thinks he has for someone blinds him and causes jealousy later on and up to the end of his reign.
I guess overall, as a trilogy and staying true to the era, the way things in the Tudor court worked, the customs of the court and courtiers, the secret conspiracies, the way the French sucked at keeping oaths and treaties haha and many other things was completely spot on and I just loved these books so much. But to find out there's another trilogy to these but with Elizabeth's reign, I'm wanting to read and buy these one day and finish her story. I ended up really enjoying and liking Laura Andersen's imagination and writing style. And being sucked into the TV series, The Tudors recently and already loving and knowing Tudor history, I have to say I would HIGHLY HIGHLY recommend this trilogy. It was clever, fun, torture, keeps you guessing and keeps you at the edge of your seat and hard to put down. I'm saddened now it's all over for Dominic and Minuette and a little bit of Elizabeth, despite her getting her own trilogy, but I'll still miss these characters.
so if you're looking for a good trilogy or historical fiction of some kind, then you'll like these even though they're alternate historical stories. They were so good and well written that I feel like they could have almost have been actual characters, stories, and that it could've actually happened. Never have I been this impressed with a historical fiction Tudor story since I'm EXTREMELY picky with these stories and this one NAILED IT!! *heart eyes*
So I wanted to save my personal opinion on this fictional boy king of Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn. And I have to say, as a fictional Monarch, I'm impressed. Especially how he started out in the story in THE BOLEYN KING. Henry IX or William as he's known to his kingdom and court, started out like any other young new Monarch and having that one friend whom he could rely on to tell him anything he wanted to hear that others were afraid to tell their King but to also give open advice as well. His friend Dominic Courtenay was such a friend and also the young girl who had shared the same birthday as William, Genevieve Wyatt aka Minuette. But then things begin to happen, Dominic goes and does something behind his friends back and soon he's fearing for his life and wondering what's going to happen to his friend the King if he ever found out.
But one thing I did like about William's story is yes he started out running the country pretty well, taking advice when needed, until he slowly starts to let the power of the crown and position start to 'corrupt' his mind so he's to the point of making irrational decisions, losing his temper easily just as Henry VIII was known to have, and slowly begins to lose trust in some of his closest of friends and advisors. Which includes his own sister and later Queen of England, Elizabeth. And soon William basically loses it and becomes rash in his decision making and lets a kind of love he thinks he has for someone blinds him and causes jealousy later on and up to the end of his reign.
I guess overall, as a trilogy and staying true to the era, the way things in the Tudor court worked, the customs of the court and courtiers, the secret conspiracies, the way the French sucked at keeping oaths and treaties haha and many other things was completely spot on and I just loved these books so much. But to find out there's another trilogy to these but with Elizabeth's reign, I'm wanting to read and buy these one day and finish her story. I ended up really enjoying and liking Laura Andersen's imagination and writing style. And being sucked into the TV series, The Tudors recently and already loving and knowing Tudor history, I have to say I would HIGHLY HIGHLY recommend this trilogy. It was clever, fun, torture, keeps you guessing and keeps you at the edge of your seat and hard to put down. I'm saddened now it's all over for Dominic and Minuette and a little bit of Elizabeth, despite her getting her own trilogy, but I'll still miss these characters.
so if you're looking for a good trilogy or historical fiction of some kind, then you'll like these even though they're alternate historical stories. They were so good and well written that I feel like they could have almost have been actual characters, stories, and that it could've actually happened. Never have I been this impressed with a historical fiction Tudor story since I'm EXTREMELY picky with these stories and this one NAILED IT!! *heart eyes*
December 28, 2017
*Spoilers*
WILLIAM DESERVED BETTER.
How did he turn from such a nice person who loved his friends and family into a rapist, torture loving, vengeful, idiotic monster?? AND BECAUSE OF MINUETTE WHO IS THE BIGGEST MARY SUE F ALL TIME??
Dominic was annoying as hell and him even thinking about rebelling against the throne was so out of character for me. He was built up as a noble character who hated being judged for his ancestor's past actions but THOUGHT about repeating them just for his love interest?? Also, when we were told that he was killed, I was HAPPY. I didn't really like Dominic as a character but that wasn't what made me happy that he died. I thought that FINALLY - we have a character that has paid for their actions, someone has had real consequences for their stupidity. But no, it was a fake out and Dominic gets a happy ending. Great.
Minuette is the worst person ever. She plays with William the whole book and it's for no reason. No, she doesn't have to come out and say "I secretly married your best friend behind your back" but she could tell him that she doesn't feel the same way and keep her distance from him. She didn't have to sit basically on his lap the whole book and try to MANIPULATE him through his sexual attraction to her. She didn't have to accept his lavish gifts or wear the purple dress he sent her that basically told everyone that she was going to be his queen. She just did it because she felt like it. None of her actions had consequences either - she got the man she wanted, a kid and a really good life while William got NOTHING. Why? Why does anyone like her?? And she gets a happy ending too. Wow.
William was a great character from the beginning and I thought the whole idea around Henry VIII having a son with Anne Boleyn and him inheriting the throne was very, very interesting. But it was so WASTED. It started off really well with the intrigue and politics around William's regency and the people who surrounding him. George Boleyn was a very interesting character for the first two books but like everybody else, he became an idiot in the third book and dies randomly? William was a great guy and didn't show any signs of being a 'tyrant' - not until the author needs it to be a plot device in the final book so that two other characters can get a happy ending. William was completely destroyed by the last book and then was killed off screen, finally forgiving Dominic and Minuette for what they did. WHY??? They betrayed William at every turn. There was no need for them to get married, absolutely no need and there was definitely no need for either of them to string William along for that long. It was just dumb and I wished that he had killed Dominic and Minuette.
Elizabeth was one of the better characters. She was smart, politically savvy, kind, commanding and yet still vulnerable at times (especially when it came to Robert Dudley who WAS RUINED IN THE LAST BOOK AND KILLED OFF??!). I liked Elizabeth the best of out of all the main characters and thought she was the most true to life. My only problems with her were:
- I really wanted her to chose her loyalty to her brother over her 'loyalty' to Minuette. The book builds up a tension between the two leading female characters and I wanted this to be explored further but it wasn't. In the end, Elizabeth chose to help Minuette MORE THAN ONCE and defied her own, full blooded brother for what? Someone who used and betrayed the only family member she has left. Okay??
- Her reaction on finding out that her brother was dead and that she was queen. Um. No. The whole trilogy builds up the idea that the four of them (William, Elizabeth, Dominic and Minuette) are VERY CLOSE. Elizabeth and William have a great relationship until the final book (obviously). Yet, when she finds out that her only living sibling, her full blooded brother who she grew up with and loved - she says "This is the Lord's doing and it is marvellous in our eyes" - Okay. I totally get what the author was trying to do because the REAL Elizabeth I did speak those words on finding out that she was now queen. But that situation was completely different. Elizabeth I only became queen in reality after her elder sister had died and that matters because:
- Mary was not her full blooded sibling and they didn't really grow up together, not in the traditional sense. (At one point Mary was one of Elizabeth's attendants). They were not close.
- Mary hated Elizabeth's mother and thus was not that fond of Elizabeth. She saw her as a bastard where Mary was true born.
- Mary treated Elizabeth very badly when she was queen - having her locked in the tower, interrogated and made her fear for her life. They were not normal loving siblings - Mary was very close to having Elizabeth executed but lacked enough evidence to make it lawful.
- Elizabeth was a staunch Protestant but Mary was a insanely devoted Catholic. She burned Protestants at the stake for their beliefs and this would not have sat well with Elizabeth at all.
Once Mary was dead - it meant no more fear that she would be killed or persecuted for her beliefs. Elizabeth was free for the first time in her life and now had control of it too (as well as her country). Elizabeth saying this after the death of William makes no sense and it comes across as cold and heartless - not as a girl who has just been granted freedom. She was supposed to love her brother and all we got was that and "My brother is dead, she thought. And John Dee was right". UM OKAY?
Elizabeth also had the best side characters.
Walsingham was A DELIGHT. I loved the way he came across in this book and how it teased his future service to Elizabeth I (something I am obsessed with). For a man of little words, he was written very well.
Robert Dudley was also amazing (until this book) and I really liked how he was characterised and how he interacted with Elizabeth. He was written very well and I loved seeing inside his head and reading his thoughts on certain situations and about how he felt towards Elizabeth. He had very good humour too which wasn't overused or cheesy.
John Dee was very minor but he was also written well and was very intriguing. I think he worked ell with the other men in Elizabeth's life and I love how she used each of them for their talents, taking their individual abilities into account.
I also thought that it was very brave of the author to execute Mary (who would have become Mary I). I wasn't expecting it at all and it was one of the only things she did that was contrary to history (apart from the obvious, which was making William be born and writing the other four wives and Edward VI out of existence). I was sceptical of her doing anything else outside of the normal timeline of history especially when Jane Boleyn & George Boleyn still both ended up dead. But this really threw me and I liked it. I just wish that it had a little more build up over the books and there was more hesitation from William. I mean, she was still his sister and a child of Henry VIII who was in the line of succession (this book makes Elizabeth come before Mary but even so, she would still be third in line). It just seemed to happen very quickly which added to the shock factor but took away from the realism of it. If you take the real situation of Elizabeth I being very reluctant to execute Mary, Queen of Scots even when she had actual evidence that Mary was trying to kill and her and take her throne. It is hard for someone of royal blood to kill another person of royal blood but that wasn't really explored at all so it cheapened the whole thing for me.
All in all, this was not a very good book. I think it suffers very heavily from last book in a series/trilogy syndrome. The story was good through the series right up until it needed to be close up and it failed to do that to satisfaction (as many books do, e.g. Hunger Games trilogy). The end was weak and I really wish that Minutte and Dominic would have died - or at least one of them. It was too happy even when it shouldn't be. Elizabeth got the throne, Minuette and Dominic got their child and each other, and William got forgotten. Hated it.
WILLIAM DESERVED BETTER.
How did he turn from such a nice person who loved his friends and family into a rapist, torture loving, vengeful, idiotic monster?? AND BECAUSE OF MINUETTE WHO IS THE BIGGEST MARY SUE F ALL TIME??
Dominic was annoying as hell and him even thinking about rebelling against the throne was so out of character for me. He was built up as a noble character who hated being judged for his ancestor's past actions but THOUGHT about repeating them just for his love interest?? Also, when we were told that he was killed, I was HAPPY. I didn't really like Dominic as a character but that wasn't what made me happy that he died. I thought that FINALLY - we have a character that has paid for their actions, someone has had real consequences for their stupidity. But no, it was a fake out and Dominic gets a happy ending. Great.
Minuette is the worst person ever. She plays with William the whole book and it's for no reason. No, she doesn't have to come out and say "I secretly married your best friend behind your back" but she could tell him that she doesn't feel the same way and keep her distance from him. She didn't have to sit basically on his lap the whole book and try to MANIPULATE him through his sexual attraction to her. She didn't have to accept his lavish gifts or wear the purple dress he sent her that basically told everyone that she was going to be his queen. She just did it because she felt like it. None of her actions had consequences either - she got the man she wanted, a kid and a really good life while William got NOTHING. Why? Why does anyone like her?? And she gets a happy ending too. Wow.
William was a great character from the beginning and I thought the whole idea around Henry VIII having a son with Anne Boleyn and him inheriting the throne was very, very interesting. But it was so WASTED. It started off really well with the intrigue and politics around William's regency and the people who surrounding him. George Boleyn was a very interesting character for the first two books but like everybody else, he became an idiot in the third book and dies randomly? William was a great guy and didn't show any signs of being a 'tyrant' - not until the author needs it to be a plot device in the final book so that two other characters can get a happy ending. William was completely destroyed by the last book and then was killed off screen, finally forgiving Dominic and Minuette for what they did. WHY??? They betrayed William at every turn. There was no need for them to get married, absolutely no need and there was definitely no need for either of them to string William along for that long. It was just dumb and I wished that he had killed Dominic and Minuette.
Elizabeth was one of the better characters. She was smart, politically savvy, kind, commanding and yet still vulnerable at times (especially when it came to Robert Dudley who WAS RUINED IN THE LAST BOOK AND KILLED OFF??!). I liked Elizabeth the best of out of all the main characters and thought she was the most true to life. My only problems with her were:
- I really wanted her to chose her loyalty to her brother over her 'loyalty' to Minuette. The book builds up a tension between the two leading female characters and I wanted this to be explored further but it wasn't. In the end, Elizabeth chose to help Minuette MORE THAN ONCE and defied her own, full blooded brother for what? Someone who used and betrayed the only family member she has left. Okay??
- Her reaction on finding out that her brother was dead and that she was queen. Um. No. The whole trilogy builds up the idea that the four of them (William, Elizabeth, Dominic and Minuette) are VERY CLOSE. Elizabeth and William have a great relationship until the final book (obviously). Yet, when she finds out that her only living sibling, her full blooded brother who she grew up with and loved - she says "This is the Lord's doing and it is marvellous in our eyes" - Okay. I totally get what the author was trying to do because the REAL Elizabeth I did speak those words on finding out that she was now queen. But that situation was completely different. Elizabeth I only became queen in reality after her elder sister had died and that matters because:
- Mary was not her full blooded sibling and they didn't really grow up together, not in the traditional sense. (At one point Mary was one of Elizabeth's attendants). They were not close.
- Mary hated Elizabeth's mother and thus was not that fond of Elizabeth. She saw her as a bastard where Mary was true born.
- Mary treated Elizabeth very badly when she was queen - having her locked in the tower, interrogated and made her fear for her life. They were not normal loving siblings - Mary was very close to having Elizabeth executed but lacked enough evidence to make it lawful.
- Elizabeth was a staunch Protestant but Mary was a insanely devoted Catholic. She burned Protestants at the stake for their beliefs and this would not have sat well with Elizabeth at all.
Once Mary was dead - it meant no more fear that she would be killed or persecuted for her beliefs. Elizabeth was free for the first time in her life and now had control of it too (as well as her country). Elizabeth saying this after the death of William makes no sense and it comes across as cold and heartless - not as a girl who has just been granted freedom. She was supposed to love her brother and all we got was that and "My brother is dead, she thought. And John Dee was right". UM OKAY?
Elizabeth also had the best side characters.
Walsingham was A DELIGHT. I loved the way he came across in this book and how it teased his future service to Elizabeth I (something I am obsessed with). For a man of little words, he was written very well.
Robert Dudley was also amazing (until this book) and I really liked how he was characterised and how he interacted with Elizabeth. He was written very well and I loved seeing inside his head and reading his thoughts on certain situations and about how he felt towards Elizabeth. He had very good humour too which wasn't overused or cheesy.
John Dee was very minor but he was also written well and was very intriguing. I think he worked ell with the other men in Elizabeth's life and I love how she used each of them for their talents, taking their individual abilities into account.
I also thought that it was very brave of the author to execute Mary (who would have become Mary I). I wasn't expecting it at all and it was one of the only things she did that was contrary to history (apart from the obvious, which was making William be born and writing the other four wives and Edward VI out of existence). I was sceptical of her doing anything else outside of the normal timeline of history especially when Jane Boleyn & George Boleyn still both ended up dead. But this really threw me and I liked it. I just wish that it had a little more build up over the books and there was more hesitation from William. I mean, she was still his sister and a child of Henry VIII who was in the line of succession (this book makes Elizabeth come before Mary but even so, she would still be third in line). It just seemed to happen very quickly which added to the shock factor but took away from the realism of it. If you take the real situation of Elizabeth I being very reluctant to execute Mary, Queen of Scots even when she had actual evidence that Mary was trying to kill and her and take her throne. It is hard for someone of royal blood to kill another person of royal blood but that wasn't really explored at all so it cheapened the whole thing for me.
All in all, this was not a very good book. I think it suffers very heavily from last book in a series/trilogy syndrome. The story was good through the series right up until it needed to be close up and it failed to do that to satisfaction (as many books do, e.g. Hunger Games trilogy). The end was weak and I really wish that Minutte and Dominic would have died - or at least one of them. It was too happy even when it shouldn't be. Elizabeth got the throne, Minuette and Dominic got their child and each other, and William got forgotten. Hated it.
July 18, 2014
4.5 stars!
The Boleyn Reckoning was without a doubt one of my most anticipated releases of 2014, and believe me, it was worth the wait! This book easily rates as one of my best reads this year, and I highly recommend the entire trilogy. It is well crafted, thought provoking, and terrifically entertaining. I was thrilled to learn that Andersen already has a new book in the works, and I eagerly await it and all future releases from this very talented author. She has definitely earned a spot on my 'must read' list.
My full review can be found on the blog: Great Reads and Tea Leaves
The Boleyn Reckoning was without a doubt one of my most anticipated releases of 2014, and believe me, it was worth the wait! This book easily rates as one of my best reads this year, and I highly recommend the entire trilogy. It is well crafted, thought provoking, and terrifically entertaining. I was thrilled to learn that Andersen already has a new book in the works, and I eagerly await it and all future releases from this very talented author. She has definitely earned a spot on my 'must read' list.
My full review can be found on the blog: Great Reads and Tea Leaves
May 26, 2014
FANTASTIC!!! I'm so sad that it's over... this series is a MUST read for any Tudor fan!!! And what an ending... WOW I'm still recovering!!!
July 8, 2017
I loved this book so much that it took me along time to read because I did not want to end . I am so happy that it ended the way it did because it had a happy ending . but I i am not going to tell what the ending was because I want other people to be able to read the book without spoiling it for people . I will be reading more book by this author in the future . I cried when the book was over because was such a great book. This book keep me guessing throughout the whole book i never know what was going to happen next in the book . If I could I would give this book more than 5 star rating because that how much I love the book.
June 2, 2019
This book was an excellent end to the trilogy. Honestly I almost DNF the book after chapter 21 & had a whole 2 star review written in my head. Thankfully I finished the book, because my review is entirely different. It is so hard to write this without giving away spoilers! There is one fault I still have, instead of saying I hate what the author did to all the characters, I amend that to saying I hate what she did one character. The author alluded to the end of the trilogy in her note at the beginning of The Boleyn King but I didn't see it coming the way the books played out. My dislike for what the author did to one character let the other characters come to a better "end". I can't give more away without a "spoiler alert" at the beginning. This was by far the best book in the trilogy.
August 8, 2014
i'm so disappointed to be honest. i was more interested in anne's children than dominic and minuette but the whole book revolves around them and frankly: WHO CARES?
i was so excited for this book; i loved the first two but this one is just bad. i'm gonna give it three stars because i feel generous and i loved the first two (especially the first book — the boleyn king).
i knew william had to die, i knew it because the author wanted to make elizabeth queen so he just had to die. i understand that, what i don't understand is why she had to make william's death so anticlimactic. he died alone and not even elizabeth travelled to be with him. i understand their relationship was strained but hello??? your brother is dying!
ugh i don't understand.
and obviously minuette and dominic were the victims of a despot. i'm sorry but they're in the wrong (regardless of what william did to her — which was WRONG WRONG WRONG). they fall in love and what do they do? they marry in secret even if they KNOW that william wants to marry minuette. and about william, was it right to lead him like that? these were people with whom he grew up, they were his friends but somehow they didn't think to talk to him? they just went behind his back and marry.
whatever. overall it was a good series and should the author write again, i'll definitely check the book
i was so excited for this book; i loved the first two but this one is just bad. i'm gonna give it three stars because i feel generous and i loved the first two (especially the first book — the boleyn king).
i knew william had to die, i knew it because the author wanted to make elizabeth queen so he just had to die. i understand that, what i don't understand is why she had to make william's death so anticlimactic. he died alone and not even elizabeth travelled to be with him. i understand their relationship was strained but hello??? your brother is dying!
ugh i don't understand.
and obviously minuette and dominic were the victims of a despot. i'm sorry but they're in the wrong (regardless of what william did to her — which was WRONG WRONG WRONG). they fall in love and what do they do? they marry in secret even if they KNOW that william wants to marry minuette. and about william, was it right to lead him like that? these were people with whom he grew up, they were his friends but somehow they didn't think to talk to him? they just went behind his back and marry.
whatever. overall it was a good series and should the author write again, i'll definitely check the book
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 18, 2014
The good thing about staying up until roughly 2 am to finish this book is that nobody was around when the ugly crying started. All the feels. ALL THE FEELS. Brilliant ending to an amazing series. I need to be done with the Tudor era but this is an addiction I have no plans on ending anytime soon.
Full Review at...
Full Review at...
April 22, 2014
Make sure you don't have anything else to do when you start this last book the the Boleyn King series. If you enjoyed the first two books, you will squirm, cheer, cry, and love this one.
Characters do things under pressure that made me wish it could have ended a different way, but it is realistic to the time period. Thank you for a wonderful finish, Laura Andersen!
Characters do things under pressure that made me wish it could have ended a different way, but it is realistic to the time period. Thank you for a wonderful finish, Laura Andersen!
July 31, 2014
Now that's the way to end a trilogy! I am very familiar with the real Tudors and their courtiers, but with this alternative history I was on the edge of my seat. One thing to nitpick...Frances Brandon, Duchess of Suffolk, Jane Grey's mother would be the first cousin of Henry VIII's children, not their aunt. She was the child of Henry VIII's sister Mary.
February 26, 2016
FIRST THOUGHTS: What a decisive, well-planned ending to this series! I'm a little overwhelmed by all the feelings, good and bad, that this book brought me. But I really think it's worth reading, in spite of the pain and the anger and everything terrible that people need to go through to get there.
August 23, 2019
I think this was probably the best in the series, but I just finished the book and I have to get some feelings out.
I liked most of the characters (though they did dumb things sometimes), but fuuuuuuck Will in the last 200 pages. He turns into the worlds biggest asshole because Minuette is in love with Dominic and instead of being an adult, he decides to attempt to ruin everyone’s lives. I’m happy that he got shanked (hopefully by Elizabeth’s men?) and am excited to read The Virgin’s Daughter.
I liked most of the characters (though they did dumb things sometimes), but fuuuuuuck Will in the last 200 pages. He turns into the worlds biggest asshole because Minuette is in love with Dominic and instead of being an adult, he decides to attempt to ruin everyone’s lives. I’m happy that he got shanked (hopefully by Elizabeth’s men?) and am excited to read The Virgin’s Daughter.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 24, 2024
Le pongo 3 no más porque me puse 3 a los otros. Pero k mierda de historia jaja prometió bastante y hasta me hizo llorar en algún punto, pero esto es una trilogía que perfectamente podría haber sido un solo libro maravilloso. Todo se hace larguísimo y sin sentido. Siento que el único propósito de estos libros fue añadir info a mi data de goodreads. No recomiendo, la neta.
March 23, 2017
Oh, come *on*.
April 19, 2017
Wow, this was definitely the best book of the trilogy. It was way more messed up than I could have guessed from the tone of the first books. But I really enjoyed it. Laura Andersen didn't shy away from morbidity, pain, and despair at all in this conclusion and I'm left feeling pretty unsettled and sad.
August 8, 2014
What an incredible conclusion to one of the best trilogies that I have read in a long time !! Note to readers: you must read the first two books before reading this one; knowledge of the characters and presumptions is very much assumed. Besides, you're missing out if you don't read "The Boleyn King" and "The Boleyn Deceit."
Quick refresher... Anne Boleyn had a son (after the birth of Elizabeth) and therefore outlived Henry VIII. Henry IX, known as Will by his sisters and friends, is King of England. Laura Andersen doesn't pretend that her novel is anything but a story using historical figures. And that's WHY I love this trilogy as much as I do -- unlike the pretensions of "historical fiction" written by other authors which use the same mechanism of weaving a story out of whole cloth and claiming historical accuracy, this series unapologetically says "what if...?" and makes it work.
Interestingly, Ms. Andersen really makes history work for her characters. There are still the struggles between Catholics and Protestants. Familiar historical people like Phillip of Spain, Mary Tudor and Jane Gray make appearances. But the trilogy is about the King, the Princess of Wales (Elizabeth) and their two lifelong friends, Domenic Courtnay and Minuette Wyatt. The story is a love triangle. It is a story of loyalty. It is a story that, in many ways, makes more sense than what really happened. There is treason and subterfuge, friendship and heartbreak, loss and redemption. And, somehow, when finishing the final chapters, it all made perfect sense.
The writing is masterful. The descriptions of England and France are beautiful. The dialogue is well-written. But most importantly, the characters could have easily been their true historical counterparts (or people like them). The lack of pretense highlights the novel -- if an author isn't making up facts and pretending those facts are true, the story is just that: a TREMENDOUS story. Well done.
Quick refresher... Anne Boleyn had a son (after the birth of Elizabeth) and therefore outlived Henry VIII. Henry IX, known as Will by his sisters and friends, is King of England. Laura Andersen doesn't pretend that her novel is anything but a story using historical figures. And that's WHY I love this trilogy as much as I do -- unlike the pretensions of "historical fiction" written by other authors which use the same mechanism of weaving a story out of whole cloth and claiming historical accuracy, this series unapologetically says "what if...?" and makes it work.
Interestingly, Ms. Andersen really makes history work for her characters. There are still the struggles between Catholics and Protestants. Familiar historical people like Phillip of Spain, Mary Tudor and Jane Gray make appearances. But the trilogy is about the King, the Princess of Wales (Elizabeth) and their two lifelong friends, Domenic Courtnay and Minuette Wyatt. The story is a love triangle. It is a story of loyalty. It is a story that, in many ways, makes more sense than what really happened. There is treason and subterfuge, friendship and heartbreak, loss and redemption. And, somehow, when finishing the final chapters, it all made perfect sense.
The writing is masterful. The descriptions of England and France are beautiful. The dialogue is well-written. But most importantly, the characters could have easily been their true historical counterparts (or people like them). The lack of pretense highlights the novel -- if an author isn't making up facts and pretending those facts are true, the story is just that: a TREMENDOUS story. Well done.
February 22, 2015
I was disappointed with this final book in the trilogy. The first was good, the second was better, but unfortunately the third just fell flat on it's face. Where was the brilliantly written Elizabeth in this novel? Her character took a back seat and she wasn't portrayed anywhere near as politically astute as she was in the previous novels. Although the end result was what I had thought (and hoped) it would be for England's monarchy, the journey there wasn't as clever as it should have been to give the feeling of inevitability that I believe the author was going for.
This is not to say that the other part of the novel, the love triangle between William, Minuette and Dominic, was not entertaining enough to keep my attention--it was--but this was all that the novel became about, making it a much more simplistic novel than the first two. The only way the author did manage to stoke a fire in me and keep me turning the pages was the way in which I came to hate William. He became his father's son in all the ways that Henry VIII was bad for England, whereas Elizabeth was her father's daughter in all the good ways. William became a sordid, cruel man and my hatred for him stayed with me throughout the novel. I felt no sympathy, no remorse. I even came to dislike Minuette for her blind forgiveness of him. Nobody is that perfect.
All in all, I'm glad I read the trilogy but it's a shame it ended on such a low note in comparison to the high I felt after finishing the second. The author's character development is great and it's a shame she couldn't have continued this with Elizabeth. Maybe my hopes in how Elizabeth would ascend were too high; I wanted to feel a righteous sense of justification behind it. Perhaps I built myself up for disappointment.
This is not to say that the other part of the novel, the love triangle between William, Minuette and Dominic, was not entertaining enough to keep my attention--it was--but this was all that the novel became about, making it a much more simplistic novel than the first two. The only way the author did manage to stoke a fire in me and keep me turning the pages was the way in which I came to hate William. He became his father's son in all the ways that Henry VIII was bad for England, whereas Elizabeth was her father's daughter in all the good ways. William became a sordid, cruel man and my hatred for him stayed with me throughout the novel. I felt no sympathy, no remorse. I even came to dislike Minuette for her blind forgiveness of him. Nobody is that perfect.
All in all, I'm glad I read the trilogy but it's a shame it ended on such a low note in comparison to the high I felt after finishing the second. The author's character development is great and it's a shame she couldn't have continued this with Elizabeth. Maybe my hopes in how Elizabeth would ascend were too high; I wanted to feel a righteous sense of justification behind it. Perhaps I built myself up for disappointment.
July 21, 2014
When I first picked up this book, I was drawn to the title alone. I admit to being enamored by books about Ann Boleyn; so I admit even read the synopsis of what this book was about. I requested it without a second thought, and was unbelievably excited when I was approved to review The Boleyn Reckoning. This folly left me completely lost as I read the first chapter. I was eventually forced to go back and read the synopsis of the book. After reading this I discovered that The Boleyn Reckoning, is the third book in a series of books about, what would have happened if Ann Boleyn had succeeded in producing a male heir. Except for my initial confusing, which is of no fault of the author. I found The Boleyn Reckoning to be easy to follow; even though it is the third book in the series and I haven't read the first two. It's quite an intelligent piece of fiction, full of romance, betrayal, scheming, and honor. I cannot wait to read the first two books in the series and any additional books that are published in the future. If you like Tudor era books, you should give this series a try.
Originally Published: http://cozycornerandcafebookreviews.b...
Originally Published: http://cozycornerandcafebookreviews.b...
May 1, 2014
I really loved this series; I will definitely be wanting the paperbacks for my shelves.
Laura Andersen has pulled off something very difficult. She has basically written Tudor fanfiction - imagining Elizabeth I having grown up with her mother alive and kicking and a Tudor/Boleyn brother to take the throne after their father. Into this mix of alternate-universe historical figures she throws two original characters - Minuette and Dominic, both of whom constantly flirt with Mary Sue-ism but mercifully never quite get there.
All the tension and plotting and twisting that has grown over the past two books come to a head here. I particularly liked the portrayal of Mary Tudor, which seemed to ring quite true. What was most masterfully done was William's "descent", shall we say, hinted at in the last book and fully realised throughout the course of this one; he is most definitely his father's son. I had my heart in my mouth and tears in my eyes for the last 100 pages. What a ride.
Laura Andersen has pulled off something very difficult. She has basically written Tudor fanfiction - imagining Elizabeth I having grown up with her mother alive and kicking and a Tudor/Boleyn brother to take the throne after their father. Into this mix of alternate-universe historical figures she throws two original characters - Minuette and Dominic, both of whom constantly flirt with Mary Sue-ism but mercifully never quite get there.
All the tension and plotting and twisting that has grown over the past two books come to a head here. I particularly liked the portrayal of Mary Tudor, which seemed to ring quite true. What was most masterfully done was William's "descent", shall we say, hinted at in the last book and fully realised throughout the course of this one; he is most definitely his father's son. I had my heart in my mouth and tears in my eyes for the last 100 pages. What a ride.
June 11, 2025
This series remains at the top of my favorites even 10 years after I first read it! Now that I’m finished, I’m finding myself wishing it were longer or adapted for film in some way because I don’t want to be done! (Yes, I’m aware of the Virgin Queen series)
Small caveat to my 5-star rating for this one: There is some content in this book that was upsetting to me due to my own life experiences that definitely wouldn’t have even been on my radar 10 years ago. So, maybe a small CW would go a long way? Still a 5-star read for me, but I did not remember that plot point and felt a little off.
Long live the Holy Quartet!
Small caveat to my 5-star rating for this one: There is some content in this book that was upsetting to me due to my own life experiences that definitely wouldn’t have even been on my radar 10 years ago. So, maybe a small CW would go a long way? Still a 5-star read for me, but I did not remember that plot point and felt a little off.
Long live the Holy Quartet!
April 16, 2014
This book met & exceeds all my expections. I'm a fan of the series,but this novel is by farthe most exciting book in the series. Even if you havent read the previous 2 books, this book is a tale in its self. Full of love, lust & deceit this is a tale of the Tudor court at its best. Loved the premise of the story of a son of Henry VII & Anne surviving & reigning . This is a must-read for historical-fiction buffs or anyone looking for a wonderful story...Well-Done Laura, sorry to see this series end
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