Jane Boleyn - (Random House Reader's Circle) by Julia Fox (Paperback)

About the Book

For centuries, little beyond rumor and scandal has been associated with "the infamous Lady Rochford" and sister-in-law of the doomed Anne Boleyn. Historian Fox sets the record straight and restores dignity to this much-maligned figure whose life and reputation were taken from her.

Book Synopsis

In a life of extraordinary drama, Jane Boleyn was catapulted from relative obscurity to the inner circle of King Henry VIII. As powerful men and women around her became victims of Henry's ruthless and absolute power-including her own husband and her sister-in-law, Queen Anne Boleyn-Jane's allegiance to the volatile monarch was sustained and rewarded. But the cost of her loyalty would eventually be her undoing and the ruination of her name. For centuries, little beyond rumor and scandal has been associated with "the infamous Lady Rochford," but now historian Julia Fox sets the record straight. Drawing upon her own deep knowledge and years of original research, she brings us into the inner sanctum of court life, teeming with intrigue and redolent with the threat of disgrace. In the eyes and ears of Jane Boleyn, we witness the myriad players of the stormy Tudor period, and Jane herself emerges as a courageous spirit, a modern woman forced by circumstances to make her own way in a privileged but vicious world.

Review Quotes

"Fox does a splendid job in conveying life at the top of the Tudor pyramid."--USA Today

"Engrossing . . . [Jane Boleyn] dances with devilry, opulence and deception as Tudor court intrigue swirls around Henry VIII and his various queens. . . . A sparkling chronicle, fine-tuned to the personal stories that lend texture and emotion to a biography."--Kirkus Reviews

"Outstanding . . . A fascinating and moving read, Jane Boleyn exposes the harsh reality of Henry VIII's court, where cleverness and ambition often led to the block."--Amanda Foreman, author of Georgiana: Duchess of Devonshire

"Fox is an English historian [who] imbues her writing with rich detail and confident knowledge. . . . She's given depth and character to Jane Boleyn."--The Austin Chronicle

About the Author

Julia Fox has a degree in history from the University of London, where she has taught for a number of years, specializing in the Tudors and in the nineteenth century. She is married to the historian John Guy and lives in the U.K. Jane Boleyn is her first book.