**WARNING - SPOILER AHEAD!**

it's a bit hard to explain how i feel for "The Other Boleyn Girl" movie.

i didn't like it that they've changed/omitted some parts of the novel and the order of the occurrence of events. i didn't like it that they played the characters all different from the book. (the boleyn sisters' mother was a manipulative woman as well.. not kind and motherly as portrayed in the movie.) i didn't like it that they shot the movie like it was a period drama.. there was just no "grand-ness" in it. to think that it had been an actual part of the English history!

on the other hand, it moved me to see the story coming to life.. but reading the book moved me more.. it was difficult to watch the show without comparing it to the movie. but i am glad i read the book 1st.. if i had watched the movie 1st, i wud haf thot crap abt the book.

it's jus difficult to explain how i feel cuz this story is based on the outlines of English history, with ficticious day to day events weaved into it to make it a novel. but it is freaky how closely the story follows the history.. which makes me almost believe that the whole story, including the fictatious bits, did in fact happen in the 1500s.

natalie portman's acting is the highlight of the show. after all, the show is about her character anne boleyn - the first english queen to be executed. every move she made and every word she spoke sent chills to my spine.. even *he* was slightly in shock after the movie.

the part where she got executed.. was the climax of the movie.. the look on her face is.. unforgettable. it gave me nightmares the whole night after i saw it even though i knew the story at the back of my hand before watching it. seeing the novel come to life is just.. haunting.

unfortunately, scarlett johansson was a very apt choice to play anne boleyn's sister, mary boleyn. even tho i was hoping to see a breakthrough in her part. she was supposed to portray a very desirable and sought after woman by the king, and, she did just that and nothing more. i say "unfortunately" cuz mary boleyn is my preferred sister out of the 2. and in the book, she was more sensual than sexy, more considerate than blunt, more brave than rash. but the movie shows all the latter of her and i hated the way the character was directed throughout the show.

in the novel, it was mary's story.. but in the movie, it became anne's story. maybe that is why i haf such mixed feelings now.

in any case, this whole story has gotten me so intrigued that i haf gone out and snapped up the prequel and sequel to Philippa Gregory's "The Other Boleyn Girl". "The Constant Princess" talks about Queen Katherine, the queen that was banished from court under Queen Anne Boleyn's alleged instigations. the story leads up to "The Other Boleyn Girl" while "The Boleyn Inheritance" talks about life in court after the execution of Queen Anne and the next and last 3 wives that came along.

I read online somewhere that "The Boleyn Inheritance" is also being made into a movie and is currently in production now. mm.. not so much looking forward to the movie but definitely looking forward to finishing the book. after which i will start on "The Constant Princess" and then on to "The Queen's Fool" where it talks about Queen Katherine's daughter's reign and "The Virgin's Lover", about Queen Anne's daughter, Elizabeth's reign. YES, it is THAT Elizabeth. She was Queen Anne's daughter! Queen Anne would have been glad to know that even tho her own reign as Queen was shortlived, her daughter's reign lasted 45 years and was a glorious piece of the English history.

i shall conclude this post with an urge to all vivid readers to lay hands on the "Boleyn" instalments by Philippa Gregory, even if you are not a historical fiction fan.

I wasn't, but i have since been converted. :)