Synopsis
England in the 1520s is a heartbeat from disaster. If the king dies without a male heir, the country could be destroyed by civil war. Henry VIII wants to annul his marriage of twenty years and marry Anne Boleyn. The pope and most of Europe opposes him. Into this impasse steps Thomas Cromwell: a wholly original man, a charmer and a bully, both idealist and opportunist, astute in reading people, and implacable in his ambition. But Henry is volatile: one day tender, one day murderous. Cromwell helps him break the opposition, but what will be the price of his triumph?
Review
Not sure how to describe this one? It’s historical fiction, which isn’t normally a go-to read for me, BUT give me anything Tudor England and I’m there, so… The writing style of this one is as much a character as anything else in the book, with the author using the default ‘he’ as a dialogue tag for the narrator, meaning in a book full of male characters you’re constantly re-setting as to who is actually talking in any bit of dialogue. Possibly not a style for everyone, but I enjoyed how it made me really focus on each page (I’m normally a speed reader, so this was quite an adjustment for me!). Overall the plot was a little too slow moving for my enjoyment (though it was very rich in detail so I can see why other readers loved it so much). ⭐⭐⭐ from me
Recent Comments