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naomi_k's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
4.0
Graphic: Death, Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Child abuse, Religious bigotry, Child death, and Pandemic/Epidemic
Moderate: Torture, Grief, Self harm, Fire/Fire injury, Dysphoria, Confinement, Classism, Alcoholism, and Adult/minor relationship
Minor: Sexual content, Murder, Miscarriage, Infertility, Incest, Antisemitism, Cursing, Pregnancy, Toxic relationship, Suicide attempt, Sexual violence, Pedophilia, Infidelity, and Gaslighting
mmic's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
The prose is phenomenonal. The only qualm I have with the language is the excessive use of "he." It's sometimes difficult to understand which "he" is being referred to.
Unfortunately (for me), there isn't much plot to speak of. Mantel faithfully (I assume, I'm not a historian so I can't say for certain) follows the life path of Thomas Cromwell. That doesn't leave room for the usual beats we except from fiction story and as a result this book feels more like a biography than a novel.
The lack of a plot made the story drag in places, though the nature of the historical events was enough to keep me engaged to the end.
If you like historical novels, especially if they go hard on the history, this is a must read.
If you're not too keen on biographies or history, probably give it a pass.
Graphic: Child abuse
Moderate: Alcoholism, Blood, Child death, and Physical abuse
ceallaighsbooks's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
“If England lies under God’s curse, or some evil spell, it has seemed for a time that the spell has been broken, by the golden king and his golden cardinal. But those golden years are over, and this winter the sea will freeze; the people who see it will remember it all their lives.”
“Some of these things are true and some of them lies. But they are all good stories.”
“They could tell Boccaccio a tale, those sinners at Wolf Hall.”
Graphic: Alcoholism, Blood, Child abuse, Death, Gore, Grief, Physical abuse, and Torture
Minor: Incest, Infidelity, Medical content, and Miscarriage
nadia's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
4.0
However, on the whole, I still found this book intriguing, captivating, and tense at times. I love reading about behind-the-scenes political machinations and strategy, and I've always been a fan of the Tudor period. The writing was excellent, though a few times too many on the ambiguous side, at least for me.
This is one of those books that was a real challenge but I welcomed it and I look forward to revisiting Bring Up The Bodies.
Graphic: Death and Violence
Moderate: Alcoholism and Adult/minor relationship