- Why does Philippa Gregory choose Mary, instead of Anne, as her narrator? How would the book be different if Anne were the narrator? What might Anne reveal about herself that Mary doesn't see?
- How are Mary and Anne similar? How are they different? What prevents Mary from meeting the same fate as her brother and sister?
- Does Anne deserve her fate?
- Why is the book divided into chapters by season? Do you feel the passage of time as you read? Does it feel like fifteen years have passed from beginning to end?
- Which historical figures in the book are you interested in learning more about?
- How are women's rights and the concept of marriage different today?
- Gregory changes historical facts to fit her narrative. For example, in real life, Mary Boleyn was not a sexually inexperienced young girl. In fact, she had been "educated" in the French court. How do you feel about Gregory changing details such as these?
- Gregory often repeats phrases and ideas—the phrase "other Boleyn girl" appears approximately 3,921 times, for example. Does this help emphasize her ideas, or does it make her writing feel repetitive?