A review by jhbandcats
Bring Up the Bodies by Hilary Mantel

challenging dark informative sad tense slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

The second entry in Hilary Mantel’s Thomas Cromwell trilogy is just as good as the first. As King Henry VIII grows increasingly enamored of Jane Seymour, Cromwell is charged with getting Queen Anne Boleyn out of the way so Jane can become Henry’s third queen. Cromwell’s in a difficult spot - the political machinations of the various factions around Henry mean he’s always watching his step. He has no true friend, just people who want to use him or stay out of his clutches, so if he’s not careful, Cromwell could fall as quickly as Anne’s admirers. 

As before, the writing is exquisite. It’s a bit challenging - there aren’t always quotation marks and it’s difficult to tell who is saying what - but once the rhythm settles in it flows smoothly. Mantel’s sardonic wit is as caustic as ever; she describes Anne Boleyn’s uncle, the Duke of Norfolk, as looking “like a piece of rope chewed by a dog, or a piece of gristle left on the side of a trencher.”

Wolf Hall is one of my favorite all-time books, and Bring Up the Bodies is a worthy sequel. I’m now hoping to finish the trilogy with the 800+ page The Mirror and the Light. Mantel is just an extraordinary writer. 
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