Anne Boleyn & Elizabeth I The mother and daughter who forever changed British history

Review by Booklist Review

Elizabeth I became queen because of her father, but she remains memorable because of her mother. Professor, historian, and author Borman (Crown & Sceptre, 2021) first deftly depicts the disastrous rise and fall of Anne Boleyn in the affections of both that capricious king, Henry VIII, and the English people. Though their lives intersected for less than three years, Anne bequeathed to her daughter a love of languages and scholarship, a fierce sense of self-preservation, and a keen appreciation of fashion. Schooled by her siblings, stepmothers, and Anne's abbreviated life, Elizabeth learned shrewdness, leadership, and the value of public image centuries ahead of her time. Anne and Elizabeth blazed new trails in queenship, taking new power and influence, and forever altering the roles of women in government and religion. Accessible while academic, Borman's extensively researched work dispels the notion that Elizabeth was ashamed of her mother and enhances our appreciation of England's most extraordinary--and prolifically written-about--queen, examining the life of Queen Elizabeth I through the lens of her mother's life, death, and legacy.

From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.

---

Review by Publisher's Weekly Review

In this rewarding study, historian Borman (The Private Lives of the Tudors) showcases Anne Boleyn's lasting influence on her daughter Elizabeth I. Though Anne was executed by Henry VIII before Elizabeth turned three years old, Borman contends that mother and daughter shared an unbreakable bond. She highlights the myriad ways Elizabeth sought to reclaim her mother's reputation, despite her father's extreme attempts to erase Anne from history. Examples include the incorporation of symbols associated with Anne (honeysuckle, falcons) in portraits and other objects commissioned for Elizabeth, and her elevation of loyal Boleyn relatives, particularly the Carey and Norris families. Borman also notes that Marguerite of Navarre's "radical religious ideas" influenced Anne and Elizabeth, and that both women used fashion to further their political goals. Anne introduced glamorous French styles into the English court and protectively clothed her toddler in royal purple, while Elizabeth dressed modestly to shield herself from rivals, before revealing her own love of sumptuous clothing once safely enthroned. Even Elizabeth's famous virginal theme began with Anne, who surrounded herself with tapestries depicting St. Ursula and the 11,000 virgins in the weeks before giving birth to Elizabeth. Beautifully envisioned and full of insight, this is a must-read for Tudor history buffs. (June)

(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved

---

Review by Library Journal Review

Tudor expert Borman (The Private Lives of the Tudors; Henry VIII and the Men Who Made Him) has several jobs, including Joint Chief Curator of England's Historic Royal Palaces and Chief Executive of the Heritage Education Trust. In this book, she focuses on historical royals Anne Boleyn and her daughter Elizabeth I. The author bases her research on sources such as Tudor court pronouncements and letters written during both women's lives. The book covers the genealogy of the Boleyn and Howard (Catherine Howard was Anne's first cousin) families and their influence, plus Henry's infatuation and pursuit of Boleyn, the events leading up to Henry VIII's divorce from Queen Catherine, Elizabeth's birth, and Anne's downfall and execution. Henry VIII married his third wife just 11 days after Boleyn's execution. Elizabeth had several stepmothers and two siblings, Mary and Edward, both of whom became monarchs. Elizabeth I became a legendary queen, reigning from 1558 to 1603. The book describes the relationship between Elizabeth and the ill-fated Mary Queen of Scots, as well as her rivalry with her cousin Lettice Knollys. VERDICT Highly recommended for readers interested in British history, royalty, and the Tudor era.--Lucy Heckman

(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

---

Review by Kirkus Book Review

A new look at the Tudors from the prolific author of Crown & Sceptre and The Private Lives of the Tudors. Borman, the joint chief curator of England's Historic Royal Palaces, delves deeply into two of the most influential women of the era. Anne Boleyn may have been a minor historical figure compared to her daughter, but the author delivers an insightful portrait. Spirited and cultured from many years in France, she fascinated Henry VIII, who was bored after 15 years with his first wife, Catherine, and frustrated by the lack of a male heir. As king, he had little difficulty acquiring mistresses, so her refusal to go to bed with him increased his ardor, and he married her. Her first child, Elizabeth, wasn't male, several miscarriages followed, and "the qualities that had made Anne so alluring as a mistress--her…passionate nature, her obstinacy and outspokenness--had quickly become irksome in a wife." Attracted by the more placid Jane Seymour, Henry had Anne beheaded in 1536. Royal children were raised by an army of attendants; their parents lived elsewhere, so readers should take with a grain of salt Borman's statement that Anne was a major influence in her daughter's life. Elizabeth spent her first 14 years dealing with her father's frightening mood swings and then another decade under two half siblings (Edward VI and Mary) who were no improvement. When she assumed the throne in 1558, she could learn from three predecessors, and historians agree that perhaps her most important decision was to treat them as bad examples. Borman's detailed biography of Anne gives a minor role to politics and European affairs because she exerted little influence. Although Elizabeth I was a powerful world figure, the author gives her the same treatment, concentrating on her private life, family quarrels, and life at court. Readers will learn more about her wardrobe than the ongoing Reformation. Very personal lives of two famous Elizabethans. Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

---