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  • Bring Up the Bodies

  • A Novel
  • Written by: Hilary Mantel
  • Narrated by: Simon Vance
  • Length: 14 hrs and 35 mins
  • 4.8 out of 5 stars (88 ratings)

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Bring Up the Bodies

Written by: Hilary Mantel
Narrated by: Simon Vance
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Publisher's Summary

By 1535, Thomas Cromwell, the blacksmith’s son, is far from his humble origins. Chief minister to Henry VIII, his fortunes have risen with those of Anne Boleyn, Henry’s second wife, for whose sake Henry has broken with Rome and created his own church. But Henry’s actions have forced England into dangerous isolation, and Anne has failed to do what she promised: bear a son to secure the Tudor line.

When Henry visits Wolf Hall, Cromwell watches as Henry falls in love with the silent, plain Jane Seymour. The minister sees what is at stake: not just the king’s pleasure, but the safety of the nation. As he eases a way through the sexual politics of the court and its miasma of gossip, he must negotiate a “truth” that will satisfy Henry and secure his own career.

But neither minister nor king will emerge undamaged from the bloody theater of Anne’s final days.

In Bring Up the Bodies, sequel to the Man Booker Prize-winning Wolf Hall, Hilary Mantel explores one of the most mystifying and frightening episodes in English history: the destruction of Anne Boleyn.

©2012 Hilary Mantel (P)2019 HarperCollins Publishers

What listeners say about Bring Up the Bodies

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A believable, well crafted reimagining of Cromwell

Plot was fast-paced/intricate/unexpected. Characters were intriguing/multilayered. Landscape/sense-of-place were evocative. The writing itself was masterful.

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Wonderful

Beautifully written work, and beautiful narration. Highly recommend this novel and Wolf Hall as well.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Fall of a queen

Brilliant telling of the tragic fall of Ann Boleyn through the eyes of Thomas Cromwell who has risen to be Henry VIII’s chief fixer. Hilary Mantel is a masterful story teller. Looking forward to the final installment of the wolf hall trilogy due in 2020 which will tell us if the fall of Cromwell. An cautionary tale that many who serve kings end up getting destroyed as they fail to please their masters.

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Enjoyable listen

It is a well written novel but the audible version makes it easy to be absorbed into life and times of Thomas Cromwell. Loved the reader

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Amazing Story

Beautiful writing. So descriptive. You can see the characters in their colours. Great narration. Look forward to book three.

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  • 2023-06-08

Fabulous, intelligent, riveting

Loved it, would highly recommend this and Wolfe hall. Great narration. Enjoy it it all.

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