Anne Boleyn is an absolutely fascinating figure in English history...
The Blurb
Mistress. Queen. Reformer. Traitor. Icon.
This book is not like any others you might have read on Anne Boleyn. It is not a biography of the life of Henry VIII’s second wife and queen. What this book does is to examine Anne Boleyn through images and perceptions of her. Through documents, letters, images, propaganda, films, novels and historical biographies, this book explores Anne Boleyn through more than 500 years of history.
Explore how perceptions of her have changed and developed over time. Whether she is seen as a mistress, a queen, a mother, a reformer, a traitor, or a tragic heroine, Anne Boleyn continues to inspire so much exploration and even new discoveries today. See Anne through the eyes of people who knew her, loved her, hated her, and studied her.
In the present day, Anne Boleyn has quite a devoted scholarship, honed through perceptions built over the last half a millennium. Her life, reign, and tragic death at the hands of the man who tore England apart to be with her have made Anne Boleyn one of the most divisive and exciting figures in English history.
My Review
Before I even begin to review this book, I want to let you know that tomorrow the author of this fantastic book, Helene Harrison, will be here on the blog, talking about why we are still so fascinated by Anne Boleyn. Having read this book, I couldn't be more excited to hear from her.
Once in a while I read a book on my Kindle that I love so much that it makes me want to buy a physical copy to have on my bookshelves, that I can take down and dip into whenever I want to. This was one such book.
It begins with an excellent foreword by Dr. Owen Emmerson, who is a historian, author and Assistant Curator at the childhood home of Anne Boleyn at Hever Castle in Kent.
Published in July of this year, the book takes a slightly different path to many books in the Anne Boleyn canon. It is based on the author's Master's degree research, whereby she considered the different interpretations of Anne Boleyn through history by drawing on both historical sources and historiography. She uses both primary and secondary sources, as well as an array of articles, books and paintings. In addition, she looks at how Anne is presented on stage and screen and in fiction and non-fiction alike.
The book is divided into twelve chapters, and I think it is worth providing the title headings here in order to demonstrate the breadth of the interpretation through the sources.
Chapter 1 - Portraiture and Image
Chapter 2 - Anne as Mistress
Chapter 3 - Anne as Queen and Mother
Chapter 4 - Anne as Traitor
Chapter 5 - Anne Through Foreign Eyes
Chapter 6 - Anne as Reformer
Chapter 7 - Anne as Tragic Heroine
Chapter 8 - Anne on Stage
Chapter 9 - Anne on Film
Chapter 10 - Anne on the Small Screen
Chapter 11 - Anne on the Page
Chapter 12 - Historiography
This was an interesting and informative book to read, which has been written in a highly accessible and approachable manner. Ms Harrison has looked at Anne Boleyn with fresh eyes and considers how she has been interpreted through the centuries, from the plays of Shakespeare to the modern interpretation of Anne in the stage show, The Six. Whether the reader is a relative newcomer to Tudor history or an academic, I believe that there is something for everyone in this book.
For me, the sign of a good book, whether it is fiction or non-fiction, is when it makes me want to go away and learn more about the subject. Although I am a history graduate, I focused on modern history and only touched on the subject of the Tudors. Of course, I have read much about them since my studies were completed. However, this book has left me with a thirst to learn more, and I suspect that it will have a similar effect on many of its readers.
The author's research is extensive and included is a long bibliography which I will definitely be looking into for further reading. The book also has a selection of images which were interesting when viewed alongside the text.
I don't want to finish this review without telling you a personal story about Hever Castle. A couple of years ago, I celebrated a big birthday and arranged a whole family trip there - complete with husband, sons, their wives, grandchildren, and not forgetting the family dogs. Throughout the day, we visited all of it, from the castle to the coffee shop, taking it in turns to do the parts not suitable for dogs.
Hever Castle really worked its magic on my granddaughter that day, who was about nine at the time. Not only did she fall in love with the castle but also with history itself. I couldn't be more proud.
This is an intelligent book which is easy to read. I highly recommend it to lovers of history.
Book Details
ISBN: 978 1036105020
Publisher: Pen & Sword
Formats: e-book and hardback
No. of Pages: 296 (hardback)
Purchase Links
About the Author
Helene Harrison studied at the University of Northumbria in Newcastle, achieving both a BA and MA in History before going on to complete an MSc in Library Management. Her passion for Tudor history started when studying for A Levels and completing a module on Tudor rebellions. Her master’s dissertation focused on portrayals of Anne Boleyn through the centuries, from contemporary letters to modern TV and film adaptations. Now she writes two blogs, one Tudor history and one book-related, and works in the university library of her alma mater. In her spare time, she loves visiting royal palaces and snuggling up with a book or embroidery project. Her books are ‘Elizabethan Rebellions: Conspiracy, Intrigue and Treason’ (2023), ‘Tudor Executions: From Nobility to the Block’ (2024) and ‘The Many Faces of Anne Boleyn: Interpreting Image and Perception’ (2025), all published by Pen and Sword.
You can also find Helene at:
(ARC and media courtesy of the author)
(all opinions are my own)
(Bookshop.org affiliated)