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jhbandcats's review against another edition
challenging
dark
informative
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This book is magnificent - extraordinary research, in-depth characterization, beautifully written. But I cannot say I liked it. It was an absolute slog. I adored Wolf Hall; I’ve read it 5 or 6 times. Bring Up the Bodies I liked it well enough. I was therefore floored to see what a struggle I was having with TMATL. I kept plugging away, hoping it would get better, feeling frustrated all the while. It was a slog from beginning to end.
When things were happening, the book was great. But far too much of it was rambling. Beautiful rambling but rambling. One of my favorite bits: “… the air as damp as if the afternoon had been rubbed with snails.”
As I was getting to the end I was increasingly sad. I have come to love Mantel’s Cromwell and, knowing the end was approaching, I kept wishing it could have been avoided. I kept wanting Cromwell to have some sort of vengeance. I guess in the long run he did - Norfolk’s son, Henry’s leg, the wastrel Tom Seymour, the Howards doubly disgraced with their beheaded daughters; all of it too little too late.
Conclusion: beautiful book, fascinating history, WAY too long.
When things were happening, the book was great. But far too much of it was rambling. Beautiful rambling but rambling. One of my favorite bits: “… the air as damp as if the afternoon had been rubbed with snails.”
As I was getting to the end I was increasingly sad. I have come to love Mantel’s Cromwell and, knowing the end was approaching, I kept wishing it could have been avoided. I kept wanting Cromwell to have some sort of vengeance. I guess in the long run he did - Norfolk’s son, Henry’s leg, the wastrel Tom Seymour, the Howards doubly disgraced with their beheaded daughters; all of it too little too late.
Conclusion: beautiful book, fascinating history, WAY too long.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Death, Gore, Violence, Blood, Grief, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
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