Kristen

This is the worse excuse for a biography I've ever read. Three-quarters of it is the story of Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn, rehashed yet again, with embarrassing comments like "Jane probably knew about this" or "Jane may have felt this about that". Jane Boleyn plays as merely a background character in her own biography! The INFAMOUS Lady Rochford, indeed. Infamous for what? Being a bit player in the drama of Henry VIII's serial marriages? If you're going to write someone's biography, some FACTS would be nice. As is, this is naught but a series of "may have's" and "probably's".

Sometimes authors should not be permitted to read their own material. The book was interesting and well written. But Reisen, while a good biographer, is a terrible reader - stilted, unemotional, dry....rather like a child trying to read Shakespeare. This would have been a lot more interesting if the reader had been a professional.

The subject matter is slightly interesting, but certainly not engrossing. The narration is the most annoying part - the different voices used to portray the different people is unnecessary and quite inane. The book seems to spend more time on the political turmoil of 14th century Italy and Europe (did ANYONE rule peacefully in that century?) than about Joanna herself.