I will preface this by saying that I have read just about every book that I have come across about Anne Boleyn, so I may be a bit jaded. This book struck me as somewhat dull and "over-narrated." Sometimes the author conveys a real depth of feeling, and shows a fine turn of phrase. Too often though, she tells rather than shows, and clogs the narrative stream with comments on the nature of men and women, the times, etc.:

"For bliss is still below the horizon, Luther's light burns more than a little smoky and threatens extinction, and in spite of his well-aimed ink-dish (typical of much) the Devil with his supporters the World and the Flesh is still active. The Riddle of the Sphinx is answerable but not by the formulas of any century whether Luther's or another's."

The book takes a dim view of Anne, but unlike so many authors, manages to make her alluring, so that one can both see why Henry was attracted to her, and how the attraction broke down under strain. Being published in the 1930's, the book reflects earlier scholarly views of Anne: Sir Thomas Boleyn has a second wife who is Anne's stepmother. The "Semmonet" who helped her learn French was thought to be her maid or governess, Simonette; but is now thought to be Symmonet, a member of Margaret of Austria's household. The book quotes actual contemporary documents, modernized for ease of reading. ( )