I am reading a historical novel at the moment, “Bring Up the Bodies”, by Hilary Mantel.
It is the second book in a trilogy of books which tells the story of Thomas Cromwell, the Master of the Rolls/Secretary to Henry VIII and the narrative around Henry VIII’s marriage to Catherine of Aragon, Anne Boleyn, the pursuit of a male heir to the throne and so on.
The writ9ing of Mantel is sparkling and the story of Cromwell gives us an up close account of what happened and how it happened.
Yes, there is a certain element of literary licence as the books are fiction. But I have checked how historically accurate they are-for example Anne Boleyn being tried for treason and adultery-and they appear to be accurate.
Reading the story, however, and seeing it through the eyes of Cromwell is a tremendous way to understand the unfolding events, and the historical split between the church in England and Rome, and so many other interesting historical events.
The first book in the trilogy, “Wolf Hall”, I now fully intend returning to and rereading in preparation for the third book in the series.