Bring Up the Bodies: A Novel by Hilary Mantel
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
So you tell me, is it high praise or subtle insult to call a book “better than I thought it would be?” I mean to praise, but to also couch that praise in my own inadequacies, just in case you want to judge the message by the messenger. Sometimes that’s necessary, in as much as one reads “reviews” to justify one’s own decision to read a book or not. You should read this one (book, not review) if you’ve already decided to. If you don’t want to, don’t bother, although to be fair, I probably wouldn’t have, and I’m glad I did.
I have to admit that I only read Bring Up the Bodies because it’s on the Booker Prize long list, and because a friend whom I have challenged to read the list with me suggested this book first. Then I saw that this was going to be about Henry VIII, specifically about his secretary, and that gave me some motivation. Then I saw that this is actually a sequel to the author’s 2009 Booker Prize winner, and I almost gave up again before I’d even started.
Hilary Mantel says that the book can stand alone on its own, but she would, as she wants it to sell. But I have to say, she’s right, and that’s especially true if you know a thing or two about Henry’s court and life. I don’t, so I found myself rereading his pages on Wikipedia often. Not to get the facts, but just to keep some of the names straight. There are a lot of people in this book, a lot of intrigues, a lot of palace politics.
All of which are handled with a subtlety and a grace that makes for a very readable novel. Unfortunately, I did not do the book much justice, reading in fits and starts. This is one to sit down for extended periods and absorb. But here, let me offer my highest praise: I am very much looking forward to reading the first book, rereading this one, and reading her planned third book. I’m looking forward to keeping notes of who’s who as I go, looking forward to reading some more history to contextualize it all.