Bring Up the Bodies

A Novel

By: Hilary Mantel

Narrated by: Simon Vance

Length: 14 hrs and 34 mins

Publisher's summary

Man Booker Prize, Fiction, 2012

The sequel to Hilary Mantel's 2009 Man Booker Prize winner and New York Times best seller, Wolf Hall delves into the heart of Tudor history with the downfall of Anne Boleyn. Though he battled for seven years to marry her, Henry is disenchanted with Anne Boleyn. She has failed to give him a son and her sharp intelligence and audacious will alienate his old friends and the noble families of England. When the discarded Katherine dies in exile from the court, Anne stands starkly exposed, the focus of gossip and malice. At a word from Henry, Thomas Cromwell is ready to bring her down. Over three terrifying weeks, Anne is ensnared in a web of conspiracy, while the demure Jane Seymour stands waiting her turn for the poisoned wedding ring. But Anne and her powerful family will not yield without a ferocious struggle. Hilary Mantel's Bring Up the Bodies follows the dramatic trial of the queen and her suitors for adultery and treason. To defeat the Boleyns, Cromwell must ally with his natural enemies, the papist aristocracy. What price will he pay for Anne's head?

©2012 Hilary Mantel (P)2012 Macmillan Audio

Phenomenal.

Would you consider the audio edition of Bring Up the Bodies to be better than the print version?

I would listen to Simon Vance read the phone book.
The fact that he has this incredible bit of literature to narrate was only icing on the cake. Better than the print version? I don't know if many audio books are...but this one would qualify.

What other book might you compare Bring Up the Bodies to and why?

Wolf Hall, the first in the series. Other than that, Mantel is unique. She's incredibly intelligent and doesn't write down to her readers. Her characters are incredible and her description of settings brings them to life.
If anything, I'd read something that explored this particular era and the Tudor court specifically.

Have you listened to any of Simon Vance’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

I think I've listened to just about all of Simon Vance's audiobooks. He is an incredible narrator and this is no exception. He brought Cromwell to life.

Complex and Corrupt Cromwell

What did you love best about Bring Up the Bodies?

Cromwell is fascinating, and I loved how Mantel created such a full and complex character.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Cromwell was, no doubt, my favorite, but it was fascinating to witness the ruthless rise and eventual decline of Ann Boleyn.

Which scene was your favorite?

I don't have a favorite scene in this book, but there are many enjoyable images: the falcons in the opening; the repeated imagery of the Cardinal's ring; Cromwell's flashbacks to his upbringing and his growing nostalgia toward his father. Of course,the final scene is indelible.

If you could rename Bring Up the Bodies, what would you call it?

Wolf Hall

Any additional comments?

I can't wait until the third novel! I am looking forward to reading more of Mantel's work.

Fantastic book

Hilary Mantel is terrific writer. I could, and probably will, reread this novel many times. I look forward to the next one.

Companion volume to Wolf Hall, almost as good

The first volume of the series was breathtaking in its subtlety and character depiction. The second volume was nearly as good. The second narrator, while quite good, did not quite match the first in the series.

Outstanding in every way

Let me first say that Simon Vance is flawless in his performance. He's so much like Mark Rylance in his delivery, it's uncanny. He has become my favorite male narrator. He has the perfect amount of "matter of fact" tone that I would imagine the real Cromwell had. His duty was to serve the king and grant his every desire regardless of what he, Cromwell, had to do to provide it. He knew the queen was innocent, but the king wanted her out of the way. I don't think he was a man who didn't care or have empathy, but I believe he was blinded by his duty to serve Henry. He, Cromwell, had an extremely tough childhood which helped mold him into the seemingly stone hearted man he was.
Hilary Mantel is a brilliant writer. She brought the man to life. This book and its predecessor, Wolf Hall, were, IMHO, never dull, never boring, and perfectly outlined the rise and fall of Anne Boleyn through the eyes of the man who lifted her in the ranks and then brought her to the scaffold.

This is the 5th time I've listened.

I never ever get tired of this trilogy even if only 2 parts are currently available. I've listened to them 5 or 6 times each and will listen to both again in the days immediately prior to the release of part 3. You might only want to listen once, but you won't regret it. The style of subtle humor perfectly sets the tone for this book that is told from the mind of Cromwell. There are things that are repeated, but only because he's remembering and referencing that previous event. I love that it's effortlessly captivating. Listen to Wolf Hall first and commit to 20min, you won't look back and you won't regret it.

What happened to Simon Slater???

Wolf Hall, the first book in this "series" was superb, earned its Booker Prize. The narration, by the hitherto unknown Simon Slater, was miraculous, one of the greatest performances of an audiobook I've heard since Jeremy Iron's performance of Lolita. This book was more one-dimensional, we hear much less about motivation, and the downfall of Anne Boleyn gets surprisingly little attention given the buildup to it, and Cromwell's utter dependence upon her for his own success. The reading, by the ubiquitous Simon Vance, is his usual workmanlike performance, but nothing at all approaching Simon Slater's tour-de-force. It is really too bad they couldn't/wouldn't get him to do this volume as well.

Mantel Brings History to Life

Would you listen to Bring Up the Bodies again? Why?

The second book in a planned three-book series, Hillary Mantel's Bring Up the Bodies continues the story of Thomas Cromwell, advisor to Henry VIII. This audio version fully captures the drama and beauty of Mantell's prose with an excellent reading by Simon Vance.

I loved this book but.....

I loved this book but I wish it finished till the end of his life. Otherwise it was well written and narrated.

darkness descending

dusk falls over the court; shadows and secrets, hidden now revealed grudges paid. what is wanting? one male child. for this, blood flows in the Tower; the court is infected with innuendo, rumor, hypocrisy then death. cromwell, on whom the first volume of the trilogy shines promise, promotion, wealth in good service to state (king and subjects) and church, is caught in the whirlpool of henry's demands for a male heir. cromwell's work for the king demands dissolution of boleyns' coterie. is it defensible that, while this same coterie was responsible for the downfall of cromwell's patron, cardinal wolsey, cromwell takes his redress by dealing death in charging dubious conspiracy? the promise of cromwell becomes tarnished. enemies lie in wait. he may be his own nemesis.