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Bring Up the Bodies

The Wolf Hall Trilogy, Book 2

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Bring Up the Bodies

By: Hilary Mantel
Narrated by: Ben Miles
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Summary

Listen to the exciting new rendition of Bring Up the Bodies, read by Ben Miles, who was personally cast by the author and played Thomas Cromwell in the Royal Shakespeare Company adaptation of Wolf Hall and Bring up the Bodies. With a historic win for Bring Up the Bodies, the second book in the gripping Thomas Cromwell Trilogy, Hilary Mantel becomes the first British author to be awarded two Man Booker Prizes.  

Winner of the Man Booker Prize. 

Winner of the Costa Book of the Year.  

By 1535 Thomas Cromwell is chief minister to Henry VIII, his fortunes having risen with those of Anne Boleyn, the king’s new wife. But Anne has failed to give the king an heir, and Cromwell watches as Henry falls for plain Jane Seymour. 

Cromwell must find a solution that will satisfy Henry, safeguard the nation and secure his own career. But neither minister nor king will emerge unscathed from the bloody theatre of Anne’s final days.

An astounding literary accomplishment, Bring Up the Bodies is the story of this most terrifying moment of history, by one of our greatest living novelists.  

©2012 Hilary Mantel (P)2020 W. F. Howes Ltd Fiction Genre Fiction Historical Fiction Science Fiction Witty Funny Royalty
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Continue the series
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The Mirror & the Light By: Hilary Mantel

Critic reviews

"Simply exceptional.... I envy anyone who hasn’t yet read it." (Daily Mail)

"A gripping story of tumbling fury and terror." (Independent on Sunday)

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I couldn’t stop listening! Fantastic narration. Entertaining and fast-moving plot. It transports you into the world of Thomas Cromwell and all the well-known characters of that time, but from an intriguingly different perspective. Can’t wait to listen to the next part!

Fantastic book

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Even though I really enjoyed Wolfe Hall I found the beginning of it a bit confusing and had to go and find summaries to make sure I hadn’t missed anything, Bring up the bodies was much easier to follow and the story much clearer. It was so interesting and exciting and the narrator was excellent.

Loved it

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Hilary Mantel is an excellent writer of fiction. The trilogy is very evocative of the time and place: you get the scent of beechwood fires, of baking, of the smell of the damp fur on gowns, the food is well described (all sounds delicious), the fading light over the Thames at dusk, damp rainy days and scorching summer sun of the progress of Henry VIII in 1535.

BUT: she is not a historian. I listened to the whole trilogy twice. First time I had the incredulous question "So is Thomas Cromwell - the brute who orchestrated the downfall of Anne Boleyn on trumped up charges of incest and adultery - is Mantel's hero?..." During the second listening (and listening to her interviews and talks about the books on YouTube) it became clear that yes, he is. She portrays him as admirable, talented, hard working man, good to his employees, treasuring the memory of his dead wife and daughters. AND she either deliberately or accidentally doesn't mention the actual historical truth: no, he in reality didn't allow Maria de Salinas to visit the dying Catherine of Aragon, she went on her own accord; no, he didn't help Mary Boleyn when she was destitute after the death of her first husband. The historical fact that Cromwell, who was present at the trial of Anne Boleyn, was visibly nervous (as reported by the contemporaries) was not mentioned. But he clearly feared that his sham of a "trial" might not succeed. The fact that he feared Anne - who threatened to make him shorted by a head - is not mentioned as his motivation. Neither is his admission to Chapuys that he pretty much project-managed the whole affair.

Anne is very sketchy in these books. The important fact of her confession in the Tower, with the presence of her ladies as she insisted, where she said she was innocent of her charges, as well as her dignified behaviour at the trial, are nowhere in the book. We also don't learn if he pressured Countess of Worcester and Jane Rochford to testify against Anne, or they came voluntarily.

There are some fanciful details too: Henry VIII is gentle and otherworldly; Jane Seymour is a complete angel, shy and wistful; Princess Mary cannot sit down without missing a chair.

So, read this trilogy as an excellent work of fiction. But don't expect the historical truth (as much as we can know it from the surviving contemporary documents), which is very disappointing given the fact that Mantel has admittedly researched the period and wrote the 3 books over a long time, 10 years. Don't base your view of Cromwell, Henry and especially Anne on her books. She is a champion of Cromwell at the expense of the reality.

Fiction, not history

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I found this book very interesting most of the time. Some of the names I did not recognise when they were talked about. I googled some to see who they were so I could understand how they fit into the story.
Ann was certainly not portrayed as a good wife. I am sure she was not completely scheming. The description at the end of her execution was quite chilling.
Overall, the book was good. I did find if I lost any concentration whilst listening to it, I had to go back and listen again.
In my opinion, if you like history and are familiar with the entourage around Henry VIII, Hilary Mantel brings this period to life.

You must listen with no distractions

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This is the second version of Bring up the Bodies I have bought, now having the full trilogy narrated by Ben Miles, which is by far my favourite version. In my mind he is now firmly planted as Cromwell and no other narrator will do.

These books are like an old friend that I come back to time and time again. The stories so detailed and descriptive that you can't fail to be transported back to the living breathing essence of Thomas and those around him. If only half of Hilary's version is a true, what a man he must have been.

Hilary's books have fuelled my passion for Tudor history and thanks to her, my reading around Thomas's life has taken on a life of iit's own now. For that I shall be forever grateful.

My hearty commendations

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