In the ruthless arena of King Henry VIII’s court, only one man dares to gamble his life to win the king’s favor and ascend to the heights of political powerEngland in the 1520s is a heartbeat from disaster. If the king dies without a male heir, the country could be destroyed by civil war. Henry VIII wants to annul his marriage of twenty years, and marry Anne Boleyn. The pope and most of Europe … most of Europe opposes him. The quest for the king’s freedom destroys his adviser, the brilliant Cardinal Wolsey, and leaves a power vacuum.
Into this impasse steps Thomas Cromwell. Cromwell is a wholly original man, a charmer and a bully, both idealist and opportunist, astute in reading people and a demon of energy: he is also a consummate politician, hardened by his personal losses, implacable in his ambition. But Henry is volatile: one day tender, one day murderous. Cromwell helps him break the opposition, but what will be the price of his triumph?
In inimitable style, Hilary Mantel presents a picture of a half-made society on the cusp of change, where individuals fight or embrace their fate with passion and courage. With a vast array of characters, overflowing with incident, the novel re-creates an era when the personal and political are separated by a hairbreadth, where success brings unlimited power but a single failure means death.
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Magnificent historical novel that certainly merited the Booker.
I love historical fiction and I found this very entertaining and quick to read.
Very good read !
The author does a fabulous job in bringing the historical characters to life and painting a nuanced portrait of Henry VIII and Cromwell.
Great book…very well written!
You need a button up there for “well-written.”
Brings history to life!
Wonderful re-telling of the Henry VIII story from the viewpoint of Thomas Cromwell. This won the Booker prize. This is a first book in a trilogy and ends with the death of Sir Thomas Moore.
This book is a slow read. Characters are real humans A good hystorical novel
A unique and informed perspective on the court of Henry VIII and the beginnings of the English Reformation.
Very good book. Loved it!
Violent
Really enjoyed this book and the TV show that followed
Very informative, well written
Enjoyed
So intelligent, and wise about its characters.
Another favorite book! I joke about ” learning history through fiction” and this a truly a classic of the genre!
as a historical fiction, it’s an excellent read. Have the audio version, and it’s well presented. not too many liberties taken with historical facts and the characters are utterly believable.
Good historical fiction.
Very well written. Great story telling