tomhill's review against another edition
5.0
As beautifully written and absorbing as Wolf Hall, maybe more so.
eloise_krabbenhoft's review
challenging
dark
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
dannymason_1's review against another edition
4.0
Anybody who knows anything about English history knows from the first page of this book that it's gonna end with Anne Boleyn getting her head chopped off, but Mantel makes you feel like you're hearing it for the first time.
The prose is stunning, the characters are alive, and every bit of drama and political intrigue is perfectly balanced right up until the grand finale where you get the complete satisfaction of Cromwell tearing through the Boleyns along with any other enemy that he can rope into the upheaval.
Looking forward to reading the third book, which I can only assume is 750 pages of Cromwell enjoying a pleasant retirement having achieved everything he desired!
The prose is stunning, the characters are alive, and every bit of drama and political intrigue is perfectly balanced right up until the grand finale where you get the complete satisfaction of Cromwell tearing through the Boleyns along with any other enemy that he can rope into the upheaval.
Looking forward to reading the third book, which I can only assume is 750 pages of Cromwell enjoying a pleasant retirement having achieved everything he desired!
nicolal's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
informative
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
cascadienne's review against another edition
4.0
Better than Wolf Hall - now that we know the characters, it’s fascinating to see how they make court machinations play out. The peek into fictional-Cromwell’s head at the end of the book was very good, and I appreciated how very human he is in this series. (It’s heartrending to watch him realize that he has nothing tangible by which to remember Grace, compared to everyone else he has lost - he even gets scribbles from minor court officials and bureaucrats who are long gone, but nothing at all to mark the existence of his youngest daughter.) I also appreciated that Anne’s death was not glorified or lingered over - it was put very appropriately into the context of the time.
tamzy6's review against another edition
5.0
Cromwell is back to entertain us with snarkier comments and quotable one-liners, even better than the first novel. One of the highlights was Anne's execution - brilliantly written and a great end to the book.
tamaralgage1's review against another edition
5.0
As previously noted, I love history. One of the things I love about history is the ability to see how it repeats itself. Although this story is written about Henry VIII and Thomas Cromwell, I could not help but visualize scenes from this book playing out in present day with different character names - same story and words, just different characters - Politics is not a modern day invention. Henry VIII was King of England from 1509 until his death in 1547. The strategy and calculation of families were fundamental to who would live or die. Being knowledgeable about politics was critical to survival for Thomas Cromwell and those close to him. Not born with money or noble blood, his wisdom and application of information were his life line to success. But, in this time and place, there was no simple way to retire and live peacefully …
The thing about reading about events in history. We commonly know the final results. However, we are rarely aware of the characters and events leading up to the death of Ann Boolean (the 2nd wife of Henry VIII & mother of Queen Elizabeth I) But, thanks to the excellent research of this author, we are taken through a story full of intrigue and suspense. ... Excellent book …
The thing about reading about events in history. We commonly know the final results. However, we are rarely aware of the characters and events leading up to the death of Ann Boolean (the 2nd wife of Henry VIII & mother of Queen Elizabeth I) But, thanks to the excellent research of this author, we are taken through a story full of intrigue and suspense. ... Excellent book …
cassowary_and_sachertorte's review against another edition
challenging
informative
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0