For those of you that haven't or couldn't attend book club lately, we'll be publishing the previous months' discussion questions here. I hope eventually to post discussion questions for all of the books we've covered since I took over a couple of years ago and beyond, all the way to the beginning over a decade and a half ago. It will take a while. Until then, we will be posting discussion questions on a weekly basis. Here are the questions from 2018 title, The Other Boleyn Girl. We hope these questions spark discussions of your own.
The Other Boleyn Girl
by Philippa Gregory
Summary:
Mary Boleyn catches the eye of Henry VIII when she comes to court as a girl of fourteen. Dazzled by the golden prince, Mary’s joy is cut short when she discovers that she is a pawn in the dynastic plots of her family. When the capricious king’s interest wanes, Mary is ordered to pass on her knowledge of how to please him to her friend and rival: her sister Anne.
Anne soon becomes irresistible to Henry, and Mary can do nothing but watch her sister’s rise. Anne stops at nothing to achieve her own ambition. From now on, Mary will be no more than the other Boleyn girl.
But beyond the court is a man who dares to challenge the power of her family to offer Mary a life of freedom and passion. If only she has the courage to break away – before the Boleyn enemies turn on her.
Discussion Questions
Why do you think Philippa Gregory chose Mary to narrate rather than Anne? Is she a trustworthy narrator? How might the story have been different if Anne had told it?
On page 29, Mary professes her love and admiration for Queen Katherine and feels she can't betray her. In what ways are her honorable ideals compromised as she embarks on her adulterous affair with the king
Which do you think is more important for Mary: love or social advancement? What about for Anne?
Man vs. Woman: Who really has the power and what do you think of their roles, both personal and familial? Sexual? Is this empowering or repressive?
There are numerous references to the worthlessness of a woman's education, at least when compared to her ability to marry and bear children. Are there other valuable qualities in women of this era? What are the most valuable qualities in men?
George's sexuality when he admits to his sisters that he favors men: How dangerous is it for him to admit that? Do you think Anne was right to react with anger about what his sexuality could do to their family?
Anne makes a play for the king after Mary gives birth. Do you think that move was ruthless and cold? Or was it just what she needed to do to help her family get ahead?
With all the pressures the queen faces, and all the insistence on being able to cater to the king's any whim and any mood at any time, who would even want the job? Does Anne see the downsides to being queen at all? Does she not care, or is she just naive?
George’s feelings for Sir Francis Weston are known by many members of the court to be more than friendly. William Stafford calls him a "sodomite" and says that George and Anne are basically enemies to Mary. Mary defends her brother and even Anne, saying they may be enemies but they're her kin. Do you think this kind of loyalty is admirable, or foolish?
Who is a better match for King Henry: Queen Katherine or Anne? Why?
Mary acknowledges her feelings for William Stafford and even flirts with him, seemingly growing stronger and more assertive than she once was. Has your opinion of Mary changed since the beginning of the novel?
How historically accurate do you think this book is? Did you get the sense Philippa Gregory took some major liberties or does it seem like this is pretty factual?
What's one question you'd like to ask the author?
Did you all feel like there was too much or too little detail?
Did Mary truly love the king – when she first began her affair with him? What about the king attracted Mary? How did that attraction change – and when?
How would you describe Anne and Mary’s relationship? In what ways were they the same? In what ways were they different?
How does Anne’s rein as Queen parallel that of Katharine’s? Did you feel sorry for Anne at all?
On page 85, Anne tells Mary, "I am happy for the family. I hardly ever think about you." Do you think she's telling the truth? Later, Anne says to her sister, "We'll always be nothing to our family" (page 310). Do you think she believes this, especially given her overwhelming desire to advance her own status?
Why does Mary say, "I felt like a parcel..." (page 60)? What happens later to make Mary think she's no longer a "pawn" of the family, but "at the very least, a castle, a player in the game" (page 173)?
On p. 59. Anne talked about the family’s strategy of using Mary to catch the king’s desire. Her Uncle Howard asked why Anne didn’t try for the king herself. She said, “I thought of it, but I’m a Howard. What matters most is that one of us catches the king. It hardly matters which one.” Do you think Anne meant what she said at the time? How did she change?
Share some of the characteristics that you like about historical fiction. For you, what aspect of The Other Boleyn Girl stands out the most? How does the book change your impressions of life in King Henry VIII's court? Looking at the letter on page 275, discuss the level of corruption in the court. Does it surprise you? Were you aware of Anne's dogged and exhausting pursuit of the king? Did the way Anne became queen shock you?
Consider the cutthroat social scheming in the Boleyn family. On page 303, George exclaims to Mary, "You cannot really want to be a nobody." Why is this such a revolutionary idea in Henry's court, and for the Boleyns in particular? What should the response have been to Mary's question to Anne (page 330) about the rewards of Anne's impending marriage to the king: "What is there for me?"
In the end, what prevents Mary from meeting the same fate as her brother and sister? Does Anne deserve her fate?
How are women’s rights and the concept of marriage different today?
Gregory changes historical facts to fit her narrative. For example, in real life, Mary Boleyn was not a sexually inexperienced young girl. In fact, she had been "educated" in the French court. How do you feel about Gregory changing details such as these?
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