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jackmckenna's review
dark
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
herri1je's review against another edition
4.0
Typically I struggle with losing interest in fiction books. This book started a bit slow but it is very good and I would read the rest of the series.
jessmegan's review
dark
emotional
funny
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
chelsayoder's review against another edition
3.0
I'm really confused on how to rate this. The story is awesome but the writing is confusing as many reviews state. You get used to it to some degree but it's still a hinderance to reading IMHO. Some passages and thoughts are rendered brilliantly but other sections I'm left to reread to figure out who the heck it's about and if its present time or a flashback.
I will prob read Bringing Up the Bodies due to the interesting subject and story but I will at least know what I'm getting into this time.
I will prob read Bringing Up the Bodies due to the interesting subject and story but I will at least know what I'm getting into this time.
jennysjw's review against another edition
4.5
The portrayal of Cromwell, the depiction of women in this time period, the court intrigue, the observations and insights, the snarky humor, all of this is so amazingly crafted.
crystalstarrlight's review against another edition
3.0
Bullet Review:
I'm not going to write a full review for this. I probably shouldn't even rate this, given my complete and utter confusion throughout the course of the novel.
A lot of people have ADORED this book. They have heaped loads of accolades upon it - and I have no doubt that if any of the following attributes apply to you, then you will likewise adore it:
1. Literary fiction is your favorite type of fiction (or one of your top favorites).
2. Historical fiction is your favorite type of fiction (or one of your top favorites).
3. You know the Tudor/Boleyn history inside and out.
4. You didn't enjoy [b:The Other Boleyn Girl|37470|The Other Boleyn Girl (The Tudor Court, #2)|Philippa Gregory|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1355932638s/37470.jpg|3248536], the HBO series "The Tudors" and other similar Tudor historical fiction - or at the very least, the historical inaccuracies bug you.
5. You don't mind third person present with protagonist referred to as "he" in nearly every instance.
If you can say "yes" to any of the above, then this book is for you.
But this is not me. I don't like literary fiction. I don't mind historical fiction, but honestly, the Tudors aren't the most interesting time period for me. I know next to nothing about the Tudors, other than vague memories from high school history (Henry VIII had 6 wives! And he broke the Church of England away from the Catholic Church!) and the meager bits I researched when I read PG's TOBG. I didn't mind TOBG (though it was incredibly cliched and silly), and I think third person present is an awkward style to write in, ESPECIALLY when I don't know who "he" is!
With ALL those above, it didn't make it any easier to listen on audiobook. Honestly, the last half, I gave up trying to understand what was going on. OK, not true - the last 15%, I did make an effort to follow what was going on and I did get a bit more from the text. I nearly got a migraine from all the concentration and still had to find a summary to refresh my memory, but I did it.
So why did I read it and why did I bother to finish it? Because it was a book club choice, and I hate not finishing Book Club Books.
I feel REALLY BAD I didn't like this, because I had ever so many friends who adored it. I wanted to be like them. I wanted to learn more about the Tudors and Boleyns and Cromwell. But this book just wasn't for me.
So I'm rating this 3 stars instead of 2 stars because I think a HUGE portion of why I didn't like this book was because I didn't A) read it in paperback and B) it just wasn't for me. I feel like an uncivilized louse for disliking and writing a negative review, but I appreciate honesty and hope you do too.
(Funny how my Bullet Review is just as long as a real review...)
I'm not going to write a full review for this. I probably shouldn't even rate this, given my complete and utter confusion throughout the course of the novel.
A lot of people have ADORED this book. They have heaped loads of accolades upon it - and I have no doubt that if any of the following attributes apply to you, then you will likewise adore it:
1. Literary fiction is your favorite type of fiction (or one of your top favorites).
2. Historical fiction is your favorite type of fiction (or one of your top favorites).
3. You know the Tudor/Boleyn history inside and out.
4. You didn't enjoy [b:The Other Boleyn Girl|37470|The Other Boleyn Girl (The Tudor Court, #2)|Philippa Gregory|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1355932638s/37470.jpg|3248536], the HBO series "The Tudors" and other similar Tudor historical fiction - or at the very least, the historical inaccuracies bug you.
5. You don't mind third person present with protagonist referred to as "he" in nearly every instance.
If you can say "yes" to any of the above, then this book is for you.
But this is not me. I don't like literary fiction. I don't mind historical fiction, but honestly, the Tudors aren't the most interesting time period for me. I know next to nothing about the Tudors, other than vague memories from high school history (Henry VIII had 6 wives! And he broke the Church of England away from the Catholic Church!) and the meager bits I researched when I read PG's TOBG. I didn't mind TOBG (though it was incredibly cliched and silly), and I think third person present is an awkward style to write in, ESPECIALLY when I don't know who "he" is!
With ALL those above, it didn't make it any easier to listen on audiobook. Honestly, the last half, I gave up trying to understand what was going on. OK, not true - the last 15%, I did make an effort to follow what was going on and I did get a bit more from the text. I nearly got a migraine from all the concentration and still had to find a summary to refresh my memory, but I did it.
So why did I read it and why did I bother to finish it? Because it was a book club choice, and I hate not finishing Book Club Books.
I feel REALLY BAD I didn't like this, because I had ever so many friends who adored it. I wanted to be like them. I wanted to learn more about the Tudors and Boleyns and Cromwell. But this book just wasn't for me.
So I'm rating this 3 stars instead of 2 stars because I think a HUGE portion of why I didn't like this book was because I didn't A) read it in paperback and B) it just wasn't for me. I feel like an uncivilized louse for disliking and writing a negative review, but I appreciate honesty and hope you do too.
(Funny how my Bullet Review is just as long as a real review...)
gbunton89's review against another edition
challenging
informative
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
emilykarinpeterson's review against another edition
Libby made me return it before I could finish, but I don't think I'm committed enough to place another hold and come back to it later.
dtodd's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
informative
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I’m so glad I finally got round to reading this book, which had been recommended by so many friends! I found the writing to be beautifully crafted, and in terms of describing the world, it is probably the most immersive and in-depth historical fiction I have ever read (I read afterwards that Mantel had researched the material for five years before writing).
However, I often found the plot too slow and not engaging enough. This improved when I read it in longer sittings, though there was still too much description and the irregular chapter lengths didn’t help. The characters were engaging when I could keep track of who was who, and they did develop throughout. I think I will read the rest of the series, but not straight away.
However, I often found the plot too slow and not engaging enough. This improved when I read it in longer sittings, though there was still too much description and the irregular chapter lengths didn’t help. The characters were engaging when I could keep track of who was who, and they did develop throughout. I think I will read the rest of the series, but not straight away.
ellathelibrarian's review against another edition
5.0
A pretty superb volume, I listened to it as an audiobook from my library (24 hours!) and enjoyed it all. Again, join your local library!