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4.35 AVERAGE
4.35 AVERAGE
challenging
dark
informative
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Interesting - v royal court politics vibes, main character is so compelling.
Kind of has period drama vibes in a good way.
Kind of has period drama vibes in a good way.
challenging
medium-paced
As beautifully written and absorbing as Wolf Hall, maybe more so.
challenging
dark
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
challenging
dark
informative
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Better than Wolf Hall - now that we know the characters, it’s fascinating to see how they make court machinations play out. The peek into fictional-Cromwell’s head at the end of the book was very good, and I appreciated how very human he is in this series. (It’s heartrending to watch him realize that he has nothing tangible by which to remember Grace, compared to everyone else he has lost - he even gets scribbles from minor court officials and bureaucrats who are long gone, but nothing at all to mark the existence of his youngest daughter.) I also appreciated that Anne’s death was not glorified or lingered over - it was put very appropriately into the context of the time.
Cromwell is back to entertain us with snarkier comments and quotable one-liners, even better than the first novel. One of the highlights was Anne's execution - brilliantly written and a great end to the book.
As previously noted, I love history. One of the things I love about history is the ability to see how it repeats itself. Although this story is written about Henry VIII and Thomas Cromwell, I could not help but visualize scenes from this book playing out in present day with different character names - same story and words, just different characters - Politics is not a modern day invention. Henry VIII was King of England from 1509 until his death in 1547. The strategy and calculation of families were fundamental to who would live or die. Being knowledgeable about politics was critical to survival for Thomas Cromwell and those close to him. Not born with money or noble blood, his wisdom and application of information were his life line to success. But, in this time and place, there was no simple way to retire and live peacefully …
The thing about reading about events in history. We commonly know the final results. However, we are rarely aware of the characters and events leading up to the death of Ann Boolean (the 2nd wife of Henry VIII & mother of Queen Elizabeth I) But, thanks to the excellent research of this author, we are taken through a story full of intrigue and suspense. ... Excellent book …
The thing about reading about events in history. We commonly know the final results. However, we are rarely aware of the characters and events leading up to the death of Ann Boolean (the 2nd wife of Henry VIII & mother of Queen Elizabeth I) But, thanks to the excellent research of this author, we are taken through a story full of intrigue and suspense. ... Excellent book …
