Anne Boleyn: History, fiction and zombies. Two new novels about Boleyn, and what they tell us about history.

Anne Boleyn, Henry VIII, Tudor history—and a revenge story with a twist. Antonia Senior and Roger Moorhouse compare two very different novels about Anne Boleyn: one grounded in meticulous research, the other wildly inventive—featuring a reanimated queen on a revenge mission.

They explore:Historical accuracy vs storytelling

Why Tudor history dominates bestseller lists

Why readers prefer stories they already know

And why some periods (like the Tudors and Nazi Germany) never lose their grip

📚 Books discussed

The House of Boleyn by Tracy Borman

👉 Buy on Bookshop.org https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/the-house-of-boleyn-the-gripping-new-historical-novel-from-the-sunday-times-bestselling-author-tracy-borman/212e8edf6ebe2f82?ean=9781399709477&next=t(Traditional, research-led Tudor historical fiction following the Boleyn family at Henry VIII’s court )

The Beheading Game by Rebecca Lehmann

👉 https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/the-beheading-game-rebecca-lehmann/87a497a3b2b9392e?ean=9781787305687&next=t(A speculative novel imagining Anne Boleyn waking after execution and seeking revenge

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