Bring Up the Bodies

Competence. Most readers who liked reading Wolf Hall, including me, looked forward to Hilary Mantel’s continuation of her historical fiction series set in the Tudor period. Her latest novel, Bring Up the Bodies, focuses on the last year of Anne Boleyn’s life, and continues to feature Thomas Cromwell in all his scheming and impressive competence. I don’t know whether the Cromwell in history matches up to Mantel’s depiction, but all that he chooses to do and not to do seems to be carefully calculated. My recollection of Cromwell from history fits a narrower profile that Mantel presents. He is both likeable and complex in her version, and I was enthralled with a story I knew on the margins as I quickly read this entertaining novel. Any reader who likes historical fiction or has any interest in England’s history will find much to like in this book. Rating: Four-star (Highly Recommended) Click here to purchase Bring Up the Bodies from amazon.com.