Bring Up the Bodies is the sequel to Wolf Hall, the 2009 Booker prize winner
by Hilary Mantel. The first book tells of the rise of Anne Boleyn, as she eclipses
Catherine of Aragon. This is the beginning of Henry VIII's Reformation, which gives birth to the Church of England. But what goes up must come down, and Bring Up the Bodies describes the other side
of that meteoric climb: Anne’s fall from grace as she is eclipsed in turn by
Jane Seymour, because Anne could not deliver a son and heir. Ironically, it is
her child Elizabeth who will eventually claim the throne, but that is not part
of this story.
I haven't mentioned the hero of both
books yet, but it is not any royal personage; it is Thomas Cromwell. Cromwell
is the instrument of the King’s desires, but also an able and subtle influencer
with a Midas touch. When the king wishes to put Catherine aside and bring Anne
up, Cromwell makes it so. And when the king tires of Anne and wishes to put her
aside, again it is Cromwell to the rescue. Despite this description he is no ruthless
brute, but a modern man who favors education for women, among other causes, and
I grew to like him very much.
Two technical comments. First, I have to wonder if Hilary Mantel heard
many complaints about her overuse of an ambiguous “he” in the first book,
because here she often (over?) clarifies with a “he, Cromwell,” as in “he said, he,
Cromwell....” Second, the title phrase does not refer to digging up dead bodies, but to bringing forth prisoners from the Tower for trial. Yes, they may likely be dead soon, but they're not dead yet.
At any rate, the story is told in
exquisite historical detail and yet in a present tense that keeps the reader in
the moment, and almost always in suspense. I found both books to be enthralling
masterworks of historical fiction.
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