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7:30 am
October 28, 2011
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I want to play “pick the fiction” game here, if anyone will join me. I noticed Boleyn said she’s re-reading TOBG and I’ve just finished Bring Up The Bodies. I’m wondering which one has more, or how similar they are. I read TOBG again last year but I’m going to need a hand.
Ok on Mary Boleyn
-TOBG
-Mary had a ship named after her by Henry
BUTB
-Mary Boleyn asked Thomas Cromwell to marry her in Calais
On Anne
TOBG
-Anne poisoned Fisher
-Anne wanted to kill Mary
-Anne slept with her brother to try and get an heir because Henry was impotent
BUTB
-Anne poisoned Fisher
-Anne wanted to poison Mary and Richmond
-Anne catches fire (or a fire near her) because “A Queen will burn”
-Anne slept with her brother and four other guys for fun
-The other guys thought it would be a good idea to brag about it in front of Cromwell
-Anne’s ladies wanted to tell Cromwell about her sleeping with four guys and her brother
George Boleyn
TOBG
-George is gay
_george hated his wife
BUTB
-George is gay
-George hated his wife
-George is also very stupid
-George cried at his trial
Jane Boleyn
TOBG
-Jane testified against George because she was jealous of him and Anne shutting her out all the time
BUTB
-Jane sidled up to Cromwell every fortnight to plant ideas in his head
-Jane testified against Anne and George because her father pushed her into the marriage
9:37 am
December 5, 2009
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Mary Boleyn
TOBG
A paragon of virtue
BUTB
A trollop
Anne Boleyn
TOBG
An unpleasant character with the lovability factor of diptheria
BUTB
Ditto
George Boleyn
TOBG
Dim but nice. Liked men
BUTB
Dim but nasty. Liked anything, with or without a tail
Thomas Boleyn
TOBG
Evil
BUTB
Ditto
Cromwell
TOBG
Was he in it?
BUTB
In it a bit too much for my liking!
Jane Boleyn
TOBG
Evil and a bit mad
BUTB
Ditto
Henry VIII
TOBG
Quite a decent chap who was used by the Boleyns
BUTB
Quite a silly chap who was used by Cromwell. Oh will that man never learn!
12:22 pm
October 28, 2011
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George Boleyn
BUTB, three strikes to get his head off. Wasn’t the old superstition three strikes and they were a saint? I only have a vague recollection from reading about poor old Mary Queen of Scots.
Oh Will Somers
TOBG
Will Somers
BUTB
Master Sexton. Maybe not Will Somers at all.
Cromwell
TOBG
In it somewhere?
BUTB
Bad caricature
12:35 pm
December 5, 2009
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TOBG
There’s a lot of glaring going on (Anne)
BUTB
There’s a lot of sneering and smirking going on (everyone who isn’t Cromwell)
BUTB
Who the hell is Ralf?
4:02 pm
October 28, 2011
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BUTB
Mark Smeaton fears the Christmas decorations.
The “Boleyns” sat outside the tent after Henry fell from his horse shrieking “Boleyn Boleyn” while Norfolk sped back after making Anne faint and started yammering “me me me me me”
But now I am just being bitchy.
Oh yeah
TOBG
Yes, Henry really was a nice guy. Poor old Henry
7:23 pm
February 24, 2010
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Seems as though PG and Mantel cooberrated with each other on these books. 
7:34 pm
December 5, 2009
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If Mark Smeaton was fightened of Christmas decorations do you think he was suffering form tinselitus?
Sharon, if PG and Mantel did cooberrate then the hymn sheet they were singing from was interrpreted slightly differently, although not by much.
7:39 pm
February 24, 2010
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Well they had to make them a little different. People would talk!
9:35 pm
January 3, 2012
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Olga said
BUTB
Mark Smeaton fears the Christmas decorations.The “Boleyns” sat outside the tent after Henry fell from his horse shrieking “Boleyn Boleyn” while Norfolk sped back after making Anne faint and started yammering “me me me me me”
But now I am just being bitchy.
Oh yeah
TOBG
Yes, Henry really was a nice guy. Poor old Henry
Olga perhaps Mark suffers from Tinselitus, well it’s his own fault should eat Christmas Tree decorations should he? LOL
Semper Fidelis, quod sum quod
11:55 pm
April 9, 2011
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Reading the comaprisons its almost like Mantel has re-written The Othe Boleyn Girl for the snooty high brow literature crowd.
Does George have a specific gay realtionship in BUTB like he does in TOBG or does he just do ay male who walks past him?
12:06 am
October 28, 2011
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Tinselitus 
That made my morning!
No in BUTB George bonks the stable boys and the horses too Bill. There’s no wistful moments wishing he could run off into the sunset with his boyfriend.
And yes, it’s just like reading a far more horrible version of TOBG but it’s not as well written. In my opinion, some people like that sort of writing of course.
12:07 pm
January 3, 2012
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Olga… It’s seems as if poor old George has once again got the rough end of the Pineapple in BUTB book.
I wonder why SWMNBN chose to portray George as a sex crazed Homosexual? and it seems as if in BUTB he’s been portrayed the same way…
I’ve not read the book yet by the way.
Totally agree there are some writers who just enjoy blackening people.
I’m re reading TOBG at the moment, I’m not viewing from a factual point of view this time and I think that was the reason, why I had a hissy fit with it the last time. It’s a fitional bit of scandal written by a woman who is a Boleyn hater. Books like this make me all the more defensive of Anne.
Does anyone else feel that through this forum Anne and George have become more like family? I sort of view Anne and George as a sister and brother.
Semper Fidelis, quod sum quod
1:20 pm
April 9, 2011
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I never viewed fictional George as a sex maniac while reading TOBG, I read him more as a person who due to the times couldn’t openly admit his true desires.
1:34 pm
June 7, 2010
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It seems neither of these books deviates from the mythologies about Anne and George. Not surprising, really. No historical fiction has done Anne a great service, save for a couple. Authors always seem to go for the predicatable, and frankly I am bored with it. I rarely read historical fiction for those reasons.
I admit I liked Mantel’s book. I did not like the characterisations of Anne and George, but I did find the story interesting. I know many won’t agree, but there you have it.
"By daily proof you shall find me to be to you both loving and kind" Anne Boleyn
7:33 pm
December 5, 2009
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However bad we may think the inaccuracies and character depictions are in TOBG and BUTB, isn’t it just like everything else i.e. a case of supply and demand?
Sex, violence and and the need to have a bad guy sells. Unfortunately for us who care about them the bad guys are more often than not Anne and George Boleyn. They are presumably more interesting as baddies than they were in reality. And as long as the books which continued the mythologies about their characters sell, then they’ll continue to be demonised. Ultimately it’s all about money, and it’s money which makes the world go around, not a fascination in hisory.
Blimey I’m getting cynical in my old age!!
10:56 pm
October 28, 2011
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Actually the only person I have seen who doesn’t like this book besides me is Louise, Duchess. Everyone else I have seen gives it four or five stars.
I always think it’s actually too hard for authors to try and present them in a different way, I suspect they think no-one will want to read a book about a nice Anne and George. And a not horrible Jane Parker. I wrote a review on a book and one of my Facebook friends was all “oh awesome Jane Parker sounds evil!” even though I wasn’t actually complimenting the author on her portrayal of Jane *sigh* They love a villain.
5:39 pm
February 24, 2010
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Olga,
Don’t forget me! I didn’t like BUTB either.
9:44 am
October 28, 2011
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Ah Sharon thank you, that makes me feel warm and fuzzy. I was feeling quite alone as I was reading it. That reminds me, I was going to do a review of it this week. I should email it to Harper too. They’re quite good natured, I didn’t ask them what they thought of the article Claire posted on the website about it though
11:08 am
December 5, 2009
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Hello Olga, I’m looking forward to your review if you do one. There are other people who don’t appreciate the book. Not all the reviews on amazon are positive. You are not alone!!!!
1:19 am
October 28, 2011
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Oh I don’t use Amazon Louise, I had only looked on Goodreads. I’m glad other people didn’t enjoy it, as odd as that sounds. But I saw someone on Goodreads say “so Anne Boleyn slept with her brother” or something like that and my blood started to boil. Sometimes I need reminding about why you guys get so mad at PG.
I did most of the review last night, I usually go over my blogs the next day in case I start rambling as I often do so I’ll finish it today. It’s probably a bit mean, but there you have it. I did vent most of my ridiculous meanness here though
