Estelle Paranque’s book Thorns, Lust, and Glory, the Betrayal of Anne Boleyn focuses on how the rise of Henry VIII’s most famous queen had a surprise set of players helping along; The French and their king, Francis I. Paranque begins with Anne’s youth abroad in Europe and the events she would have been apart of or witnessed even if history did not directly name her there.

Francis I first encounters the young Anne as she becomes a maid in waiting to his wife Claude. While there are no sources that show any direct interactions with the king, this is where Anne’s fondness for the French begins. Paranque weaves a story of how because of how the French in many ways assisted Anne to ascending to the crown she would take and sadly hold onto for just a few years.

My biggest concern with this book is that it didn’t feel like it was focused on Anne, more so on the political players of the day. If you are looking for a book that focuses strictly on the famous queen, you may want to look elsewhere. However, that said, I would recommend this to anyone interested in a Tudor history, politics as well as anyone looking for a different perspective on the meteoric rise of Anne Boleyn.

Thank you to NetGalley and Hachette Books for the Advanced Reader Copy!

I love finding authors I never have read whom wrote subjects I'm obsessed with. Great book for those familiar or unfamiliar with Tudor history.

Thank you to Netgalley and Hachette Books for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my review. All opinions are my own.

This book taught me a lot about Anne Boleyn that I wasn't aware of before and, overall, I enjoyed it. Throughout the book, I felt very immersed in the time period and places the figures were in because of Estelle Paranque's descriptive and detailed writing. It's very apparent this book has been well researched through the amount of detail, quotes, and correspondence incorporated throughout the book.

I read Paranque's other book about Catherine de Medici and Elizabeth I last year and enjoyed that one as well. My personal recommendation is to read this book first before Blood Fire & Gold because, chronologically, this book is set earlier and lays the foundation for the events that happen in Blood Fire & Gold. I think, if you read this book before her other book, it will enhance your enjoyment and understanding.

The only times I had been introduced to the story of Anne Boleyn was briefly in High School and through the musical, SIX. I loved how this book completely changed my perspective on Anne and expanded her beyond mistress and more into the image of a political figure and an influence on the affairs in Europe.

All that being said, I do have some criticisms of this book. These criticisms do not impact my view of the author as I can't imagine how hard it was to find credible sources to create this book already:

- I felt that the reader didn't get as close to Anne as they did to Elizabeth and Catherine in her previous book. I think that distance felt larger because of the lack of direct sources and quotes from her (like I said above, though, I understand that might not be possible to find). The gap between the reader and Anne felt larger when the reader was constantly reminded that Anne "was there" or "witnessed" and event. This caused the book to feel more centered around Henry, Francis, and Charles since we were mainly reading from the perspective of their ambassadors or the Kings themselves.

- Another thing is that I feel we didn't get a lot of information on the development or even the beginning of Henry and Anne's relationship. It felt like a bit of a time jump from being in the vicinity of one other to trying to get Henry divorced and all the politics happening there.

Overall, I enjoyed my time reading this book and would recommend it to anyone who is interested in History but also someone who is curious about trying to get into more historical non-fiction. I am looking forward to seeing what this author will be writing about next!

This review will be posted on my Goodreads. Link below.

An interesting retelling of the story of Anne Boleyn with more engagement on the French view of Henry VIII’s Great Matter than most nonfiction writers usually have. A great read for anyone who likes the Tudors History..

This is a must read for all Anne Boleyn fans.

I’ve read many biographies in Anne Boleyn, including Eric Ives The Life and Death of Anne Boleyn. This is a great addition and I’d say a great companion to Ives.
Estelle Paranque paints a vivid picture, and there is a lot of information throughout. The writing doesn’t feel academic at all, but the information is presented in a professional and organized manner. The Author adds a much needed feminine lens to Anne Boleyns biography, without making the reader feel like she’s purposefully inserting a pro Boleyn bias, which doesn’t rear its head. Paranque puts Anne on display, flaws and all.

At times, I felt like I was there with Anne. The writing is that immersive. It’s loaded with facts, but not the standard textbook style that will make you fall asleep at your desk. Anne was once a person; complex and oftentimes her circumstances were out of her control. Which allows the reader to sit and think about how she must have felt going from modest lady in waiting, to Queen. There is tension, and towards the end, I think even Anne’s harsher critics would have difficulty not feeling for the ill fated second wife of Henry VIII.

Thank you @hachettebooks and @netgalley for the eARC of Thorns, Lust, and Glory: The Betrayal of Anne Boleyn by Estelle Paranque in exchange for an honest review.

📖📖 Book Review 📖📖 Two years ago, I told my daughter I would buy her tickets to see Six the Musical if she did a report on the wives on Henry VIII. Five months later, we stayed the night at Anne Boelyn’s childhood home, Hever Castle, and did a fun deep dive into Tudor history around London. Anne Boelyn is a fascinating figure in history who is often misunderstood and misrepresented. Estelle Paranque set out to write a relatable account of Anne Boelyn’s life and she certainly achieved this goal, writing a beautiful and captivating book that provides a new opportunity to get to know Henry’s second wife. While this book is indeed a biography, it reads as a novel that invites the reader to enjoy her history in a truly immersive storytelling experience. Even those who are familiar with Anne Boleyn and her fascinating life will learn a plethora of new information from this masterfully written biography.

Review is posted on Goodreads and will be on instagram ahead of the publication date!