I'm not sure why this book gets such a bad rep. It's well written, it's engaging, and it makes history come alive for the reader. 
 Look, I'm not saying it's 100% historically accurate, what I'm saying is WHO REALLY CARES IF IT'S NOT??? It's historical FICTION, not a text book, and the author clearly did A GREAT DEAL of research coming up with this. 
 Personally, I'm very fond of this book as it's what kicked off my interest in the Tudor era more than anything else. I was never very interested in Queen Elizabeth or Anne Boleyn prior to reading Gregory's works. 
 I also love how the story centers around the lesser known Boleyn sister, Mary. Gregory really makes Mary's situation feel relatable despite the fact that I'm pretty sure most of us have never been the cast-off mistresses of the king of England, and I felt compelled to root for her success throughout the book and the many twists and turns of history. 
 Recommended.