Synopsis
It begins with young Tom Wolsey, the bright and brilliant son of a Suffolk tradesman, sent to study at Oxford at just eleven years old.
It ends with a disgraced cardinal, cast from the King's side and estranged from the woman he loves.
The years in between tell the story of a scholar and a lover, a father and a priest. From the court of Henry VIII, Tom builds a powerful empire of church and state. At home in London, away from prying eyes, he finds joy in a secret second life.
But when King Henry, his cherished friend, demands the ultimate sacrifice, what will Wolsey choose?
Alison Weir's riveting new Tudor novel reveals the two lives of Cardinal Wolsey, a tale of power, passion and ambition.
Publisher information
- Publisher: Headline Publishing Group
- ISBN: 9781035416233
- Number of pages: 480
- Dimensions: 196 x 128 x 34 mm
- Weight: 330g
- Languages: English
Customer Reviews
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Rise and fall of Thomas Wolsey
This is a well-researched and accessible account of the career of Thomas Wolsey from his humble beginnings to his dramatic fall. Wolsey reached the highest... READ MORE
Knowledgable fiction
A talented scholar from a poor background, young Thomas Wolsey knows that the only way to progress is to take holy orders. He does so and starts to rise t... READ MORE
A complex man’s life written simply
Thomas Wolsey was a statesman, peace-broker, and spokesman for and confidante of King Henry VIII. Author Alison Weir approaches his biography by taking a c... READ MORE
A fascinating tale of a complicated man
Another fascinating book on the Tudors by the expert that is Alison Weir! Having read a lot of Alison Weir’s books on the Tudors I knew what to expect, yet... READ MORE
A fascinating insight to an important figure in British history
Like many I am a bit obsessed with this era of British history and so I was excited to read this, and I wasn’t disappointed. Told from his perspective thi... READ MORE
Fantastic historical fiction
This new book from author and historian Alison Weir charts the rise and fall of Thomas Wolsey and is told from his point of view. We also get the story of ... READ MORE
A Masterful Portrait of Ambition and Humanity
The Cardinal by Alison Weir is an absolutely riveting triumph of historical fiction. With her trademark blend of meticulous research and narrative flair, W... READ MORE
Absolutely wonderful, so informative, yet so readable!
This is the story of Cardinal Thomas Wolsey, the bright and extremely hard working son of an Ipswich butcher, who rose up the ranks due to his abilities to... READ MORE
Wolsey rose to power until Ann Boleyn came to Court.
Thomas Wolsey rose to power from very humble beginnings. By 1515 he was cardinal and working for King Henry VIII. He worked hard to gain a fortune and hono... READ MORE
Amazing story
Oh my word, what an amazing imagining of Thomas Wolsey's life written so well with the characters leaping from the page to enthrall the reader, I enjoyed t... READ MORE
A powerful tale of politics, love and war
A thoroughly researched tale of politics, love and war from the always impressive Alison Weir.
I felt I learned a great deal about Thomas Wolsey's life an... READ MORE
Captivating, a must read!
The author has given a captivating, emotive narration explaining the ascent and descent of Thomas Wolsey's life, which grabs the readers attention from the... READ MORE
Historical fiction at its very best!
Historical fiction at its very best! This is a fascinating story about Thomas Wolsley from his humble beginnings to his rise and subsequent fall from grac... READ MORE
Amazing story
Oh my word, what an amazing imagining of Thomas Wolsey's life written so well with the characters leaping from the page to enthrall the reader, I enjoyed t... READ MORE
Great account of a lesser-written character
In the heavy roster of Tudor historical fiction, Cardinal Thomas Wolsey is often a side character but we have significantly fewer books that focus on his s... READ MORE
Fish out of water, towering intellect, European statesman and loving father
How do you begin to write about Cardinal Thomas Wolsey - fish out of water, towering intellect, European statesman and loving father? In this fact-based n... READ MORE
Staggering histfic novel
We must awaken Cardinal Wolsey from his deathly sleep during Wolf Hall and breathe life into him once more...
The Cardinal by Alison Weir
We understa... READ MORE
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