Bring Up the Bodies (Thomas Cromwell, #2) in Around the Year in 52 Books

Jul 05, 2013 martha rated it really liked it

Shelves: kindle, year-2013, audiobook, year-2020

By rereading books 1 & 2 in this series, to refresh my memory before tackling the FINALLY AVAILABLE book 3, I have managed to overly sate my own appetite for capital punishment and ghoulish 16th century forms of execution, and now I'm going to have to wait a while to even want to read the conclusion. Hopefully not another 7 years, so I don't wind up here all over again. ...more

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Apr 14, 2013 Kathleen (itpdx) rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

A wonderful imagining of Anne Boleyn's downfall from the point of view of Henry VIII's MasterSecretary, Thomas Cromwell. It is a interesting story well-told. The reader is left to discern whether Cromwell is manipulative, loyal, ambitious, vengeful, clever or wise, papist or Protestant. Is he a creature of his age or the director of England's course? The reader watches as a blacksmith's son changes the course of English history.

And once again I wonder why we ever thought a hereditary monar ...more

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May 07, 2012 Joan rated it it was amazing

Continues the story of Cromwell, during the year of Henry VIII's disenchantment with Anne Boleyn and his new infatuation with Jane Seymour, all leading to the trials and deaths of Anne and the various men found guilty. A fresh look at familiar events, told from Cromwell's viewpoint. I can't wait for the next book! ...more

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May 09, 2025 Angela Jones rated it it was amazing

Excellent follow-up to Wolf Hall. I will admit the story gets better as it goes on. I am excited to finish the trilogy. we may know what happens from a historic standpoint, but Mantel brings the characters to life, and I find myself so intrigued to see what happens next.

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Jan 03, 2013 Hilary rated it really liked it

Shelves: library_books, recognized_literary_merit, novels, historical_fiction

A great read. Very well written with lots of historical detail. I never had trouble keeping track of the characters, and it was mostly engaging. That said, it took me a long time to read.

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