BRING UP THE BODIES by Hilary Mantel, 2012.

Henry VIII moved heaven and earth to get the fascinating Anne Boleyn-- divorcing Katherine of Aragon and becoming Head of the Church in England, even executing people. However, once he married Anne, made her his queen, and then she gave him a daughter instead of the much-needed son, he became disenchanted, her sharp tongue and strong personality no longer pleased him. He made up his mind to get rid of her and her scheming family. It falls to his right hand man, his chief minister and secretary Thomas Cromwell, to figure out how to make this happen for his monarch. It's hard to believe that any writer could take this old story and really make something fresh out of it, but I give Mantel high marks for doing so with imagination and creativity.

   A sequel to Wolf Hall, this novel, covering a much shorter period, 1535-1536, traces the series of events leading to Anne's downfall and how they occurred, as told by the now 50 year old Secretary Cromwell. This Cromwell has power and knows its uses, and the story really is about the power struggle between Cromwell and Anne Boleyn. The author provides us with a multi-faceted man, who can show single-mindness and cunning, as well as sympathy and care for those he loves, although I never felt I knew him very well. Mantel, though, knows her subject thoroughly and manages to bring well known Tudor characters to vivid life. Her writing style I found somewhat of a challenge--mostly because of her habit of not using Cromwell's name but "he" instead, which was confusing--but that didn't stop me from reading it.
   This is a dark and harrowing story, full of machinations and manipulations, grasping, greedy and mostly unlikeable people and dramatic, even sinister, events. The author's spin on just how Cromwell was able to oust Anne from the throne to make way for the meek and mild Jane Seymour is eye-opening, definitely informs the reader as to how dangerous and uncertain it was to be a member of Henry's court. It's absolutely fascinating and horrifying how by innuendo, threats, and insinuation that the case is constructed against Anne and the men she was alleged to be intimately involved with: Francis Weston, Mark Smeaton, Harry Norris, William Brereton, and her own brother, George Boleyn--all of whom paid the ultimate price for being associated with her. Even her powerful uncle, the Duke of Norfolk, is no match for Cromwell, and abandoned his niece to take care of damage control for the Howard family. Anne's own father distanced himself from her, as well as most of her court. Others, like the King's oldest friend, Charles Brandon, are happy the upstart Boleyns are being destroyed and watch closely. Friendless, desperate, and miserable, Mantel's Anne is brought down and destroyed. Cromwell has achieved the king's wishes, and he will get his rewards...
   An excellent, intelligent piece of historical fiction, well written and researched. I enjoyed it even more than Wolf Hall, and I will be interested to see how she treats the rest of Cromwell's story in the final volume of the trilogy.