New Review - The Cardinal by Alison Weir

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

The Cardinal The Secret Life of Thomas Wolsey by @alisonweir.historian is a book of historical fiction. It follows the life and rise of Thomas Wolsey, who was born to humble parents, his father being a butcher. Alison Weir tells a thrilling tale of love and power with Wolsey becoming a man of the cloth who befriends Henry VIII. Wolsey ends up being one of Henry VIII closest friends and most trusted advisor.

However, as Henry VIII desire for an heir grows, Wolsey's fall from grace begins. Can he maintain his position in court, or will it all end in tragedy?

The Tudors is my favourite period of history, and Alison Weir is one of my favourite authors who tells the story of these real people in historical fiction, filling in the gaps. The stories are enthralling, with enough description to make you feel like you are living the period of history whilst still being compelling.

I both read and listened to the audiobook version of this book. The audio book version of this book is narrated by Rosalyn Landor, who makes the book engrossing. I didn't want to stop listening. I found myself listening at every opportunity whilst cleaning, cooking, and commuting. Highly recommended, especially if you love historical fiction.

Thanks to @netgalley and RBmedia for letting me listen to the audiobook.

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An interesting book to read as I was finishing up the Wolf Hall trilogy. Good character development. An enjoyable experience.

There's something about what happened during Henry VIII's reign that calls me. That's why I try to read a lot of books around this time (fiction and non-fiction).
Having an audiobook about the life of one of his greatest supporters is amazing. I don't only have Wolsey's voice engraved in my head, but having the POV of someone so close to the action, it's irreplaceable.
I hope to read more from the author. I also hope for her and the narrator to work together again. They make a great team!

I found this book to be an enjoyable read. The story kept me engaged from start to finish and had some moments that really stood out. Overall, it offered an entertaining reading experience.

Thank you to NetGalley for the advance audio copy of this title. This historical fiction work tells the story of Cardinal Wolsey as he rises in the ranks in Tudor England. There is a subplot love story that has been added for dramatic effect, and adds to the readability. The behind the scenes machinations of the Tudor court and the wild mood swings of Henry VIII also keep this novel going at a good clip. If you like historical fiction, no one does it better than Alison Weir.

I love alison wor books and I love tudor history, but this book did not hit the mark for me. The history and characters were presented very one dimensionally. It felt a bit repetitive at times and while I have listened to many of Landors narration, but I don't thingies she was the best option for this book.

Thank you, NetGalley and publishers, for this ARC.

I did like the narrator personally; I feel like she did a good job. It's my first time reading a book about a retelling of a historical figure. I honestly thought there would be more betrayal, and the feeling that he was betrayed by the one person he trusted. It didn't seem like he truly felt that way. The woman who hates him was uncalled for. As for the woman he loved, we saw her, but not much; it was more like we were just inside his head, understanding his feelings and the actions he took. There was a lot of politics, which I expected. It also did take me a while to read, more than a month. It’s on the longer side for audio books, but still, damn. We follow his whole life, not just him being the cardinal. Going from his childhood to his death. I did think there would be more drama.

I don't know much about the history of this cardinal, I went in completely blind but still enjoyed it. I do like stories where we live from birth to death, especially if the story doesn’t linger on anything unimportant unless it has some effect on the character.

Alison Weir’s The Cardinal follows the famous cardinal who was Henry VIII’s right hand man at the early part of his reign, Thomas Wolsey from his early years to his inevitable downfall.

I thoroughly enjoyed the story however, my biggest concern was that I would’ve perhaps chosen a male narrator for this tale. And that is really just a personal preference. I do very much recommend this novel to everyone, as well as the audio version.

I would like to thank Netgalley and Ballantine books for the advanced audio reader copy.

Despite the solid subject matter and an author I have previously enjoyed, The Cardinal fell short for me. Thomas Wolsey, scholar, politician, priest, schemer, puppeteer... written so boringly I could barely slog through the audiobook. He felt one dimensional and dull, rather than the man behind Henry the 8th, and some his biggest scandals. I was hoping for something more, and was left wanting.


Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group-Ballantine for the advanced reader’s copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

A must read for all lovers of the time period during King Henry the VIII reign and the man behind the king. One has heard Cardinal Wolsey often mention and this is a look into his life. Coming from humble beginnings he reach his goal of being able to support and influence the king. As one expects there are many various factors to reach that highly regarded position. A large part of the story is based on facts and the story was woven so beautifully that yes it’s a long book but once you start you can’t put it down. Love the little interesting tidbits that the author has interwoven throughout the book. Nothing better than learning something new as one reads. As for the narrator, Rosalyn Landor what an amazing job she did. I truly commend this book for the Tudor fans. Thank you NetGalley, Penguin Random House and RB for this ARC. All opinions expressed are my own.

First a big thank you to NetGalley, the Author, the Narrator and the Publisher for this ARC.

So here's the deal.
I have every book in the "Six Tudor Queens" Series and I really, Really want to read them but am afraid that they might be too slow paced.
As was the case with this book.
"The Cardinal" sounded like a different perspective on the Tudor line and I loved it.
But it was a lot.
Wolsey isn't someone I know a lot about if I'm honest, which is why I asked for the ARC of the Audiobook. The Narrator did a perfect job. And it was a pretty good read. I really empathised with Wolsey, particularly towards the end of his life when he was living in accordance with the religious views that he supposedly devoted his life towards.
His relationship with the king (Henry VIII) was touching and, to me, it made sense that Wolsey looked on him as a son. You feel how much men where after power and riches and how they looked down on women in that (and this) period of time.
I'm not really a big "Fan" of Anne Boleyn and her tactics but I get where she was coming from and look forward to her perspective on the matter.

Alison Weir’s The Cardinal promises an in-depth look at the life of Thomas Wolsey, but unfortunately, it falls into a repetitive and ultimately tiresome pattern. The bulk of the narrative is devoted to chronicling how Wolsey endlessly curried favor with Henry VIII, amassing an absurd level of power and wealth as a result. While this aspect of his life is certainly central to his rise, the emphasis becomes monotonous, with little variation in tone or insight as the story progresses.

Rather than offering a nuanced portrait, Weir leans heavily into the spectacle of excess—lavish palaces, endless gifts, and unrelenting ambition—but rarely steps back to examine the deeper implications of Wolsey’s motivations or contradictions. His romantic entanglement, which resulted in multiple children despite his clerical vows, is touched on but not explored with any real depth, leaving what could have been a revealing layer of complexity feeling glossed over.

Ultimately, The Cardinal reads more like a catalog of privilege and opportunism than a compelling historical biography. Readers hoping for Weir’s usual balance of rich detail and insightful analysis may find this outing surprisingly flat. Thanks to NetGalley for a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for my honest review

Alison Weir is a must-read author for me, and this is one I was particularly excited for. If you asked me which Tudor figure I wanted to read a novel about, Cardinal Wolsey probably wouldn’t even feature on the list! But as soon as I heard about this book I was desperate to get my hands on it.

My impression of Wolsey from other Tudor fiction and non-fiction material is of a shadowy figure, working behind the scenes on his own agenda. In some ways the Wolsey depicted in this novel fits this depiction, but Weir is more interested in exploring the lesser-known aspects of Wolsey’s character.

One of the strongest themes running through the book is Wolsey’s love for his mistress, Joan Larke, with their relationship resembling a marriage in everything but name. The conflict between his wish for a domestic family life and his ascension to power is an ongoing one, cropping up at every turn.

What struck me most, however, was the way Henry VIII was portrayed, and his relationship to Wolsey. Seeing someone so close politically to the crown do everything in his power – even if he is morally opposed – to do the king’s bidding, hammered home the extent to which Henry VIII had a tyrannical approach to his rule.

Cardinal Wolsey appears in countless stories and depictions of the Tudor court, and it was fascinating and insightful to see things from his perspective, even in a fictionalised novel. With all Weir novels, we can trust that everything is at least rooted in truth, and the historical note, as always, added more depth and nuance to the story she has told.

I received a free copy for an honest review.

Although the narrator wasn't my favourite, the novel was good and the period of time fascinating. I see that in the UK at least the narrator has been replaced so I think that was wise. I enjoyed reading about the secret life of Thomas Wolsey.

I just finished The Cardinal by Alison Weir and here are my thoughts.

Firstly I am going to admit that I am an epic Alison Weir fan girl! I took my A-level in history on the tudor period so I have been a fan of hers for a very long time.

I always found Wolsey to be a fascinating subject! Working his way up through the church ranks to become the right hand to the king… Yet he had a live-in mistress? Fascinating and Alison Weir really does an excellent job of bringing history to life.

Henry VIII and Wolsey had a brilliant friendship for many years until the King accused Wolsey of treason.. This book will give you the rise of Wolsey and the epic fall while swinging you around the Tudor court!

I loved every second of the audio. It was really well done. I loved the writing and how close she sticks to historical facts. She really humanised Wolsey for me. It was artfully done. I always had a lot of animosity for him and his massive ambition and yeah, he had an ego but you can see how he ended up the way he did. It’s a heady experience.

I thought it was a wonderful story and I hope she does Cromwell next.

5 stars

Thank you to @netgalley and @rbmedia for my gifted ALC I already own a hardcover :)

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This work of historical fiction by Alison Weir follows the life, and rise and fall of Thomas Woolsey in the Tudor period in England. I found it a slow start but a fascinating tale of a man who gave himself to God and yet slowly but surely over time was corrupted by greed and wealth. I believe he was still a good person deep down but he really enjoyed the finer things in life and maneuvered his path in life to get them. It also tells of his love and care for King Henry the eighth who he regarded almost as a son. They had a great relationship until Anne Boleyn turned Henry's head and turned him against Woolsey. It broke Woolsey's heart and he nicknamed her the Dark Crow. The story also covers his decades long affair with his mistress Joan and how when push came to shove he chose his career over her. He always regretted that choice. The writing is very good and I came away with a much greater understanding of Woolsey as a person as well as a political figure. Highly recommended for lovers of historical fiction. I listened to the audio version of this book and the narrator was excellent.
5 stars.

Many thanks to Net Galley and RBmedia | Recorded Books for a chance to listen/read an ARC version of this book.

4.5 ⭐ Alison Weir does remarkable research and writing once again in her famed genre. I started this book not knowing much about the Tudor time frame nor Thomas Wolsey's rise and fall but after finishing continues to search for more about this intriguing era. If you love Weir's books, are a fan of the Tudor era, or are curious about learning more about it you should read this book. I listened to the audiobook and thought the narrator did a wonderful job placing me in the time frame and keeping me interested in the story.
thank you NetGalley, and RBmedia for a copy of the audio narrated wonderfully by Rosalyn Landor in exchange for a review

This book follows the life of Thomas Wolsey, the priest who rose to be a trusted advisor to both Henry VII and Henry VIII, before eventually losing everything. As a young, gifted child in a small village, he luckily caught the eye of a man who recommended him to a boarding school that filtered students into Cambridge’s Theology program. He was also lucky that his Uncle could afford to sponsor his tuition, as his parents could not afford it. Unfortunately for him, he was expected to enter the priesthood, even though he had no true desire to do so. Regardless, he used his intelligence and position to work his way into the court.

Frankly, this book was hard for me to read. Don’t get me wrong; it was written well. However, the main character Thomas was SO unlikable. He seemed rather narcissistic, as he felt like he deserved better positions and recognition than he had earned. Considering his low birth and lack of experience, it baffles me how much he complained about positions and gifts he was granted. He also complained when the King chose to follow the advice of other, more experienced advisors over his. He was certain he was a brilliant tactician, with no proof.

His relationship with his mistress, who was 20 years younger, also brought up the unfortunate reality of how normal large age gaps were in that time and how accepting people were of priests forgoing their vows of celibacy.

Overall, the book was well researched and is ideal for history lovers. If you like fiction based on fact, this is a great read.

I am a horror reader first and foremost, but I do have a special interest in this time period. I have also read a lot of Weir's work around this time frame and was very interested to see a book based around Wolsey. He is a figure that is typically villainized so I was curious to see how Weir would treat him. I did actually very much enjoy this, I am happy to say. I think that she did an excellent job showing that Wolsey had his flaws as a man, but she gave us motivation (though fictionalized) and also managed to make him sympathetic to the reader. I also enjoyed the fact that while talked about, the story did not entirely focus on Anne Boleyn and "the great matter" of the King's divorce. She brought us through his life and other moments of the history as well.
The narrator did do a great job, though I did find the writing to be a little dry at times. I also feel as though it could have been shortened slightly for the sake of pacing, but it was a good read and I think that those that enjoy this period of history will have a good time with this one.
3.5 stars rounded to 4.

Alison weir is a must buy author for me and continues to expand my mind and my world with her takes on historical fiction and the voices she brings to the table