The majority of this book was more like a 3.5 but by the last 20-30pages I was done with reading this book. The most effective part in terms of horror was when the girlfriend was in the basement looking at the painting with the child and the "monster" with claws. That part got me, but as the story progressed I just got tired of the 3 word sentences, the repetition, the "fear" and the "why me's".

I picked up this book because I saw the movie first, it looked awesome in the preview and I went for it. Afterwards a couple of the movie reviews mentioned how the book was different, better, more material to go on etc. And it was, the book had a fantastic start, but it fizzled by the end.

Still enjoyed it as whole, but I was hoping to be captivated till the end.

Garbage. This book was a disturbing waste of my time.

Boring, cliche, unrealistic female behaviour. The more I read the more I started to dislike the book. I want more from a story than a bad retelling of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliette. I feel like I kept waiting for things to pick up and they just kept the same boring pace. This book just wasn't for me

When I first picked up this book, it was because I loved "The Other Boleyn Girl" so much and wanted to read the prequel. Upon reading such a scandalous, juicy rivalry story of how Anne Boleyn swept the King away, made an unlikely marriage for herself with an unfortunate end on the executioner's block, you tend to have certain expectations. And that's exactly what I think people do when they pick up this book, they expect the same level of excitement and courtly rivalry to take place.

Unfortunately for them, this book unravels at a much slower, (and often repetitively boring) pace.
In other words, the word "Constant" should be enough of a hit as to what kind of ride you're embarking on.

In Gregory's defense, there isn't much excitement in the life of Catherine of Aragon to fill 390 pages without being boring, or repetitive or a combination of both. Especially when confined to the time period while Henry and Catherine's marriage is going fairly well and their main focus is on securing the borders and strategizing for war with either the Scots or the French.

With that said, I cant help to wonder why even bother writing this book, or prolonging it to almost 400 pages for that matter. Yes, its interesting the learn the early life of Catherine, her marriage to Arthur and the quick and devastating death that plunged her into such a state of despair, not knowing what's to happen to her now that she's left without a husband.

But the entire time I was reading this book, I kept thinking "Is this necessary ?". Is it necessary to constantly remind us that Catherine is doing her mothers bidding, that she believes shes doing god's work, that she claims she needs to be constant, yada yada yada. Every other page the same thought and feeling and reoccurring themes. Every time we're reading Catherine's thought, her POV, she's saying the same thing.

Many times I wanted to stop reading, because it seemed that for every 50 pages we get a little bit of new information, but the whole time we have to sit through this repetitive speech. Something like listening to your mom lecture you the same speech over and over again. I just dont want to sit through it.

However, I somehow managed to finish this book, and can successfully say I could have gone without reading it. Its not something I recommend for those who are still riding on the excitement of "The Other Boleyn Girl" because you will be plunged into boredom from page 1.

On the other hand, if you're genuinely interested in the history of that time period, what Catherine might have been feeling at the time and you're are interested in knowing her feeling and attitudes, then by all means this book is the one for you.

Sadly, it was not for me.