By Kaia Ryden on March 27 2025

The other day, I was walking my dog around my neighborhood when I came across a Little Free Library. Curious, I took a peek inside to see if anything would catch my eye. My eyes landed on “The Other Boleyn Girl”, a historical fiction novel written by Phillipa Gregory, who is an English historical novelist, best known for her works “The Other Boleyn Girl,” “The White Queen,” and “The Red Queen,” among others. I have always been fascinated by history and what things were like in different parts of the world, so I picked it up right away.

This book is set in Tudor England (1520s-1530s), during King Henry VIII’s reign. The main character is Mary Boleyn, one of the three famous Boleyn children, which include Mary, Anne, and their brother, George. At the beginning of the story, Mary, the main character, is already married to her first husband, William Carey.

As the book progresses, it shows the rise and fall of the Boleyn family, following the romantic endeavors of the famous sisters. To spare the details, there is an abundance of drama in this book. If you love drama but prefer a slow, detailed story and plotline, this book is for you.

I like that the book brings attention to the lesser-known Boleyn sister, Mary. I think that most people have heard of Anne Boleyn. She was the second queen consort to King Henry VIII but was later accused of adultery and sentenced to death by beheading. I feel that not as many people have heard of Mary or her story, as she played an important role in creating the image of the Boleyn family we have today.

There is a lot of intrigue and history in this novel, and it was such a fun read! If you are into historical fiction, or interested in English history, I would recommend this book. It is a bit of a long read, coming in at 672 pages, but if you are ready to sit for a while and dig deep into a book, it is a great choice.

If you aren’t much of a reader, there is also a movie by the same name you can watch! It’s available on Amazon Prime and Apple TV, as well as on YouTube. It stars Scarlett Johannson and Natalie Portman, along with cameos from other famous actors.