As of right now, I am in complete love with a book called The Other Boleyn Girl, by Philippa Gregory. And yes, it is a movie, and a phenomenal one at that. There are so many reasons why I am so head over heals in love with this novel.
First, the way the author writes. I know this sounds silly, but the thing that makes or breaks a book for me is the style of writing. I like descriptions- very, very long descriptions- and I like to get a picture in my head so vivid that it could have happened right before my eyes. This book does that, and, oh, so much more. The vocabulary is chosen so carefully, and there are so many sentences that give me the warm feeling inside; the kind that you just want to read over and over. It's brilliant.
Second, I don't know why this is, but I have always found historical Europe interesting, especially when it comes to kings and queens. I love the thought of royalty and how different everything was. How everything was so rich and regal. And the way they spoke, God, I wish people spoke like that nowadays. All of the witty wordplay; you could rise up higher than one would have thought possible if you had unfathomable verbal wit. Also, the clothing. No matter how much they stress how uncomfortable the stomachers, etc. were, I still wish that people still dressed like that. It was beautiful. People put so much pride into how they looked, the richness of the gowns, the size of the petticoats. It was all so beautiful.
Third, I relate so much to Anne Boleyn. The ambition, the hunger for winning, the insane rants and the tantrums that come all to often. I feel like I'm her, reincarnated or something, haha. No, but really, it's strange how close I feel to her personality... Most people probably relate more to Mary, considering she is the protagonist, and Anne is somewhat of an antagonist, but I can't help my connections. I just don't feel as
relatable towards Mary. To each her own, I suppose.
Lastly... To be honest, I don't know what to write. There is some unspoken, unwritten
thing about this book that makes me want to read, and read, and read, forever. I just can't put my finger on it, maybe it's nothing tangible, but I cannot put this book down once I've started it.
I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys stories of lust, ambition, historical "fiction", sorrows, and extreme drama. It really is a tear jerker in some parts; actually, it's the only book that I've actually cried (bawled, rather) while I was reading it. (And, oh, it was such a hassle to read through tears, but so satisfying as well. It's a hard job to read your way into tears.) If you're not a reader, watch the movie. This story is so beyond brilliant, and I know it's based upon a true story, but the way this author rights it... Priceless.
xxxMadelyn
