It has been quite a few years since I read a novel by Alison Weir. From the introduction, Weir has not lost her touch. This book was beautifully written. It follows Thomas Wolsley's life as King Henry VIII's chief advisor in great detail.. The story focuses on how he became a cardinal and the politics and roadblocks that he faced in his effort to secure the title.

While most historical novels tend to focus on royalty, the titular character of Weir’s new novel is Cardinal Thomas Wolsey (1515-1596), an ambitious butcher’s son who climbed ranks through clergy to become King Henry VIII’s almoner and personal deal-broker.

Someone the other day remarked to me, “Who gives a cr*p about the 16th Century?” Indeed, given today’s headlines. Oh, but YES, especially given today’s headlines. (We’ve only clawed our way out of a global plague like, what—five years ago?)

Weir’s book takes a sympathetic look at the all-too-human choices made by a man who landed a succession of “be careful what you wish for” opportunities, and his true-life tale offers a four hundred year old vicarious glimpse at how an average man of some diligence and ambition got lucky then decidedly unlucky in full Icarus fashion.

Imagine a Tudor version of Bonfire of the Vanities as a young Ipswich lad escapes the slippery sausage-making trade, graduates in theology from Magdalen College, Oxford, achieves several successive, respectable churchy stints and lands a position within the household of Sir Richard Nanfan (esquire to King Henry VII) before nabbing his plum appointment at age 34, as royal chaplain, to young King Henry VIII. (“Sodaynly upstarte, from the donge carte,” as Tudor poet and satirist John Skelton penned in his Collyn Clout, 1522.)

This is a story about the entitlement, overweening pride and treachery of being seated close to power. To be clear, Weir’s depiction of Wolsey is nothing like Shakespeare’s takedown of the man in his play “Henry VIII” but reads more like a factual story about a man who exults in clambering to the top of the slide from the bottom, only to become caught in a predicament.

The novel maps the trajectory of Wolsey’s rise and career triumphs, which expanded under the reign of “‘Enery da Eighth I Yam,” who seated him on the Privy Council, basically because young, uncouth Enery was more interested in goofing off with his mates.

Weir creates an interesting contrast and running parallel of how easy it was for Wolsey to revel in his proximity of royal favour to mistakenly believe what’s good for King Goose is also good for Cardinal Gander: Wolsey lived in unwed bliss with the love of his life, a woman named Joan Larke, an innkeeper’s daughter who bore him two children who had to be hidden away. King Henry VIII also bore an illegitimate son whom he desperately wished to recognise, especially as his marriage to first wife, Catherine of Aragon, hadn’t produced any male heirs. Alas, as career-first Wolsey rose in rank, he was forced to relinquish his relationship with Larke.

Weir admirably encompasses many of Wolsey’s political achievements, capturing perfectly the essence of a man who takes pride in cultivating all the creature comforts that come with stature, but the real crux of the story comes with one teeny-tiny entanglement with long-standing repercussion: Anne Boleyn’s betrothal to Wolsey’s page, Henry Percy. In the book, Percy is depicted as a young, love-stricken whelp who proposed behind his father’s (and King Henry VIII’s) back. Wolsey is ordered to break this relationship off.

The murkier implication is that Boleyn’s father, Thomas, carried bigger ambitions for her and that King Henry VIII was already swooning over Anne. The broken engagement plants the seed of resentment that proves to be Wolsey’s downfall, especially as Wolsey becomes caught haplessly in the middle of bigger power brokers at war, simply for “following his boss’s orders” by petitioning Pope Clement to annul King Henry VIII’s long marriage to Catherine of Aragon.

The sticky wicket: if Pope Clement accedes to the annulment, he’d tick off King Charles V of Spain, and if he didn’t, he’d tick off King Henry VIII. His solution? Pope Clement, like any other bureaucrat, chose delay. Eventually, Clement proposed to allow Wolsey and another papal legate named Campeggio to decide on the annulment. Campeggio took his sweet time in arriving and then dithered when he did. Queen Catherine, of course, appealed to have her case heard in Rome, which further delayed proceedings until the case itself became suspended, leading to Henry VIII’s breach from the Catholic Church. And for all his worldly wheeler-dealering , Wolsey’s miter started looking more like a dunce cap as his enemies (from the Boleyn camp) closed in.

Moral of the story: those with clout get outted by those with snout, and, in this instance, one can only hope for divine intervention when facing a squeal without means of appeal. Enter dysentery, Wolsey exeunt, and, as you know, nobody lived happily after all. Never mind this slightly deranged summary. Go read the book.

Alison Weir always does a fantastic job in writing this type of book, it uses the Tudor element that I was expecting and enjoyed from previous books. I was engaged from the other books that I read from Alison Weir. The characters were everything that I was looking for and was invested in what was happening to the characters. It worked well in this time-period and was glad I got to read this.

Review: 5/5 stars
Alison Weir delivers another gripping and impeccably researched historical novel in The Cardinal: A Novel of Love and Power. Centered on the life of Cardinal Thomas Wolsey, this richly detailed narrative peels back the layers of one of Tudor England’s most ambitious and controversial figures.

What sets this novel apart is how Weir brings a nuanced humanity to Wolsey—his rise from humble beginnings, his unyielding loyalty to Henry VIII, and the personal sacrifices he makes in pursuit of power. The balance of political intrigue and personal drama is masterfully done, making the story both informative and emotionally compelling.

I especially appreciated the attention to Wolsey’s inner conflicts: the tension between his spiritual vows and his very human desires, his triumphs and miscalculations, and his complicated loyalty to a king who ultimately discards him. Weir’s ability to make 16th-century court politics feel intimate and urgent is unmatched.

A few passages touch on heavy themes of manipulation and ambition, but they’re essential to the broader portrait of power at its most seductive—and its most perilous.

Highly recommended for fans of Tudor history and historical fiction that doesn’t shy away from moral complexity.

Thank you to Ballantine Books and NetGalley for the ARC!

#TheCardinal #NetGalley #AlisonWeir

I don't think I chos to read The Cardinal at the ideal time, which may have impacted my overall feelings toward it. In the midst of several romances, mystery/thrillers, etc. and right in the middle of summer beach reading, The Cardinal just didn't really fit the theme. While I typically don't have a problem reading historical fiction in the middle of my beach reads, The Cardinal was a bit of a slog for me. It was extremely long (also not usually a problem) and honestly just kind of boring?! While I understand trying to stick to actual historical facts for accuracy, this novel could have been cut in half, and I'm pretty sure I still would have gotten the same amount of useful information. There was just WAY too much detail that was not necessary. Yes, Thomas Wolsey led a very interesting life. But I didn't choose to read a biography - I chose to read a novel based on his life. I don't need every single tiny political move/thought/event from his entire life.

The infamous Thomas Wolsey’s story, written from his point of view, makes this a fascinating historical fiction.
What could have easily been Wolsey’s secret desires for power, wealth and family come to light within these pages and makes for an intriguing look into his personal life and at King Henry VIII’s court. Wolsey's forbidden love of his mistress Joan and their subsequent children fill his heart from the moment he meets her and does not abate.
Much of the book focuses on his relationship with the King and in counseling him with regard to his adulterous relationship with Anne Boleyn and giving him the false hope that he’d wanted to hear, instead of the truth in the case of annulling his marriage to Queen Katherine of Spain. As a Cardinal with a hand in the proceedings of the Great Matter, Wolsey walks a dangerous tightrope, offering false hope to the King while trying to uphold his religious duty. Drama at its finest.
As the favors turned from Wolsey, driven by Anne’s dislike and distrust of him, Weir captures his fear and anguish masterfully. When Wolsey is stripped of all his possessions, and living with a bit more humble means, the King is unable to raise a hand against him. That is, until he does.
In a masterfully written narrative reminiscent of the 14th century, Weir lends a compelling and creative look at a historical figure we thought we already knew.

As someone who spent all of my time in middle school studying the Tudor era of England for fun, this book was an automatic yes for me. In all my reading, I’d always considered Cardinal Wolsey to be one of the trouble makers in chief and never thought about a story from his POV. This book was so fascinating in that regard and Weir does a great job of bringing more depth to a character history remembers for being utterly one dimensional. There was so much I didn’t know about Thomas Wolsey and in reading this, I became not only much more interested in the affairs as they affected him, but also more sympathetic to his struggles. I will say, Weir does not shy away or try to paint over his pride and vanity. She tells the story from his perspective, but his perspective has an ego a mile high.

I enjoyed this book and feel inspired to learn more about other lesser known characters remembered unkindly from that time period.

I would like to thank Ballantine Books and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thanks to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for the digital copy of this book; I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Whether it’s non-fiction or fiction, I am down with anything Alison Weir writes. An expert on Tudor England, she has a way of crafting history into a palatable historical fiction form. The Cardinal is her latest effort, laying forth the tale of Cardinal Thomas Wolsey.

Wolsey is definitely a man you love to hate, as did many in his lifetime. Yet, Weir humanizes him by showing his family life and friendships on an off the court of Henry VIII. Fans of The Tudors, which is wildly different than what happened in real life, would probably enjoy the machinations and backstabbing and sex that takes place, one of the reason the stories of the Tudor dynasty continue to intrigue modern generations.

Props to Weir for making the lives of the Tudor era of England’s history accessible to all those who didn’t pay attention in school! I just bought the audio version of this book, because it’s narrated by longtime Weir collaborator, Rosalyn Landor, who always does an excellent job.

I’m not a fan of historical fantasy, and as such I ended up DNFing this book a quarter of the way through.

As always a well researched and written Tudor story by Alison Weir . I’ve read a lot of stories based on the Tudor era but really didn’t know too much about Cardinal Wolsey the person. this was quite a interesting read

As always, Alison Weir has written a thoroughly fascinating as well as educational biography of Cardinal Thomas Wolsey, advisor to Henry VIII.,I definitely recommend this book.

I picked this up because though I've consumed a fair amount of media about the time of the Tudors, I was not very familiar with Wolsey and how entrenched he was in the first few decades of Henry VIII's rule. This book is a very detailed account of Wolsey's life, from his parents agreement to send him to Oxford at age 11 until his death at age 59. I found the first part particularly interesting, as Wolsey went from a young man that didn't actually want to join the church to an adult that decided if that was his destiny, he was going to use it to become as rich and famous as possible. We see him maneuver his way up the ladder until he, somewhat surprisingly, finds himself at the right hand of the king. His willingness to take on the hard work while Henry played solidified his position and soon, he found himself as rich and powerful as any other in the kingdom.

Where the book started to fall apart a bit for me was when Henry started pushing for the annulment of his marriage with Katherine of Aragon so he can marry Anne Boleyn. While it's interesting to see the story from Wolsey's side, knowing how it will ultimately end, the narrative becomes very single-minded. Over and over we get Henry pressuring Wolsey to get him the annulment, Wolsey trying to talk him out of it, Wolsey trying to do what Henry asks and failing, rinse and repeat. I admit to starting to skim in the last 20% of the book, even when things started to fall apart for Wolsey.

Overall, this was enjoyable but maybe could have used a little trimming. I would recommend it to anyone who wants to see a different side of the Tudor story.

I thought this book sounded interesting but it was not what I was expecting. I was so bored and felt like I was reading a history textbook.

Alison Weir's books are thoroughly researched with excellent character development, and this was no different. I enjoyed this from beginning to end.

Creative non fiction at its best. I enjoyed this exploration of religion and politics in the 1500s. As a student of history and theology, I found Weir's storytelling of a churchman and a king - plus those dependent on them - a fascinating read.

If you love tales of England, especially of European intrigue in the middle ages, you'll like this one a lot.

Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for an advanced reader copy of The Cardinal by Alison Weir. All opinions are my own.
This comprehensive historical fiction novel is the story of the rise and fall of Thomas Wolsey a priest and eventual archbishop and close adviser to Henry VIII. The detailed and clearly well researched story follows Thomas’ life from birth in 1471 to his death in 1530. I had some difficulty keeping track of the many characters around the royal court during this time. I found Thomas’ love affair and subsequent children with Joan Larke most compelling. As well as when Anne Boleyn enters the story and makes Thomas her sworn enemy. I enjoyed the intense drama when I assumed he would be poisoned or sent to the guillotine, due to her conniving, at any time.
There’s definitely a lot to learn from reading this book and no shortage of drama surrounding Henry VIII and all of the gossip and back stabbing around him. I would recommend this book to historical fiction fans of this time period who aren’t intimidated by the dense text. 3/5⭐️

I enjoyed reading this historical fiction book about Cardinal Wolsey who was the spiritual guide for Henry VIII. The story included his humble beginnings which caused him to be called "the butcher's boy" by people who disliked him. The author certainly did not pull any punches when it came to showing how much he enjoyed his power, wealth and personal property that came from being close to the King. It was a nice change to read something set in the Tudor era that did not focus solely on the King, his wives or Thomas Cromwell. While I have enjoyed reading about Cromwell in the past, there have been few "in depth" historical fiction books that have profiled Wolsey.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing (Ballantine) for a review copy.

Alison Weir does a phenomenal job telling the story of the rise and fall of Thomas Wolsey in The Cardinal. I was captivated by a story set in the time of Henry VIII that was set in a point of view I had never seen before. A beautifully written story that kept me wanting to know all of the little details.

Alison Weir delivers a masterful and immersive portrayal of Thomas Wolsey in The Cardinal, bringing to life one of the most ambitious and ultimately tragic figures of Henry VIII’s court. From a young Oxford scholar at just eleven years old to his meteoric rise as a cardinal and the King’s trusted advisor, Wolsey’s story is a gripping blend of ambition, power, and downfall.

Weir, renowned for her expertise in royal history, skillfully humanizes Wolsey—his brilliance, his political savvy, and his personal flaws. Despite taking holy orders, Wolsey defied his vow of chastity, secretly keeping a mistress, Joan, and fathering children. His personal life was a quiet rebellion against the strict expectations of his station, and his attempts to balance public duty with private devotion make him a deeply compelling figure.

Wolsey's ascent through the church and royal favor was swift, aided by his sharp mind and tireless service. Yet his position at court was precarious, especially as the tides of favor shifted with Anne Boleyn’s rise. Anne and her supporters despised Wolsey, and when he failed to secure Henry’s annulment from Queen Katherine, the cardinal’s fate was sealed.

As someone fascinated by Tudor history, I found this novel not only richly detailed but emotionally resonant. Weir paints a vivid picture of court life, filled with intrigue, betrayal, and the relentless pursuit of power. While Wolsey had everything—wealth, titles, the King’s confidence—he was never fully secure, and his tragic end is rendered with both sympathy and insight.

In the end, The Cardinal is not just a tale of historical politics—it’s the story of a man who rose from nothing, grasped at everything, and lost it all. A compelling, deeply human read for fans of historical fiction and Tudor drama alike.

A big thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine | Ballantine Books for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Alison Weir's historical novels are off the charts!
Weir did a superb job with the story, the characters really came to life and were very relatable.
Great plot and engaging, believe characters. I was drawn right into the story.
I love the detail she goes into in her historical fiction.