The son of a Suffolk butcher, Thomas Wolsey's rise to power began when Henry VIII became king in 1509. Wolsey became Henry’s chief minister, a Papal cardinal, and a key figure in European politics until his rapid fall from power in 1529.

Often the focus of Tudor fiction is Henry VIII and his wives so it is refreshing to have Thomas Wolsey as the focus of this fascinating novel.

I already knew the history long before I picked up this book, but this is my first time experiencing it from Wolsey's point of view.

The narration took a bit of getting used to, personally I would have preferred a male narrator.

Weir effectively shows the reader the man behind the politics; a scholar, lover, father and the Alter Rex. A truly captivating read.

*Many thanks to Alison Weir, RB Media, and NetGalley for a free audiobook in exchange for my honest review.*
One of the men who come immediately into your mind when you think of Henry VIII is Cardinal Thomas Wolsey. It was interesting to learn more especially about his early life, the connection, though indirect to Adlington in Cheshire and the Leigh family I welcomed particularly warmly after spending there some time.
The novel reads well although there is too much romance to my liking. On the other hand, this theme is mentioned in the title, so readers should be prepared. 'The Cardinal' is worth recommendation to anyone interested in the Tudor period and the man who knew what he wanted to achieve and became the viction of powers 'beyond his control'.

First line: Tom was trying to concentrate.

Summary: Thomas Wolsey started from humble beginnings as the son of a tradesman. Through his determination and intelligence he rose through the ranks of the church and at the courts of kings Henry VII & VIII. But with his great status also came envy from the nobles around him who thought he had overstepped his position. As he tries to give the king everything he desires he finds that it may come with great sacrifice. However, the punishment for not providing for all the king’s wishes could be the end of all he holds dear.

My Thoughts: In so many stories of Henry VIII, Cardinal Wolsey is a supporting character. Weir brings him to the forefront in her newest book set in Tudor England. Through her narrative we see the man who practically ran the country but lost it all due to his inability to get the king what he truly desired.

This is a very interesting look into the life of one of the main players of time. I find it surprising that so little has been written about this man, someone who did so much for the Tudor dynasty. He seems to be perfect for fiction. He broke the rules of a clergyman by having a mistress and children, he organized one of the most elaborate meetings between France and England and he built one of the most stunning palaces in England (Hampton Court Palace). Wolsey was not perfect but he worked as hard as he could to make sure that England and the king were able to make a mark on the European stage.

If you are a fan of Tudor history or loved the recent PBS show, Wolf Hall, then I would highly recommend reading Weir’s new book to dive deeper into the life of this powerful figure. It shows the humanity behind the historical figure who became a pariah.

FYI: Release date is May 27, 2025.

Vibes: The life and story of Thomas Wolsey, humble beginnings to the peak of power to the a life of disgrace.
Pros: This is a page turner, I couldn’t get enough of his secret life.
Cons: I had to keep telling myself that this is not 100% fact, because it felt like that.
Thoughts: I really want to dive into some of Alison Weir’s other work. I loved the style! My version was for NetGalley and the narrator was Rosalyn Landor…fantastic.

It’s been 15 years since I’ve read a book by Alison Weir, the last one I read wasn’t a good fit for me so I took a long break but thought it was time I tried again. I’m glad I did because this was a very interesting look into the life of Cardinal Thomas Wolsey and his close relationship with King Henry VIII. It’s a hefty read at 464 pages but one I became invested, about 15% in, it flew by.

I did a combo of digital and audio, enjoying both equally. If you like historical fiction set in the Tudor time period I think this would be a good one to try out.

Thanks to Ballentine Books and Recorded books for the arc and alc via Netgalley.

Alison Weir delivers again—with The Cardinal, she gives voice to one of the most complex and compelling figures of the Tudor era. Listening to this on audio was absolutely riveting. The narration added gravitas and intimacy, drawing me deep into the life of Thomas Wolsey—a man both feared and beloved, whose loyalty to Henry VIII ultimately led to his downfall.

What makes this audiobook a standout is its emotional depth. You feel Wolsey’s ambition, brilliance, and eventual heartbreak as he’s caught in the crossfire between power and personal loyalty. The details of court life, the tension with Anne Boleyn, and the betrayal from the king he served so faithfully—it’s rich, tragic, and unforgettable. I couldn’t stop listening.

This novel tells the story of Cardinal Thomas Wolsey’s dramatic rise and fall. His ambition led him to power as King Henry VIII’s top advisor. But his failure to secure an annulment for the king’s first marriage—and the subsequent accusations of treason—reveal the cost of his pursuit of power.

Based on historical accounts, this compelling novel also imagines Wolsey’s personal life, focusing as much on that as on his career. It’s an engaging and enjoyable read. The narration by Rosalyn Landor is brilliant.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.

Thomas Wolsey rose to power and influence from very a humble background. By 1515 he was a cardinal and worked directly to King Henry VIII. He worked hard to gain a fortune and honours, but he knew all he had could be lost if he upset the King. Against Church doctrine he had a mistress and they had children together, but could never openly declare their love for each other.

Very well written and narrated historical novel (I listened to the audiobook). Wolsey rose to power but he upset the nobles and others who felt he was not one of them and held too high an office. When Henry fell in love with Ann Boleyn and Wolsey could not get the King a divorce, he had a new and most vindictive enemy.

The Cardinal tells the story of Thomas Wolsey and his rise and fall in the Tudor court. First off this is my sixth Alison Weir novel and cements her as a personal favorite author for both her fiction and nonfiction works. She is really able to just breathe life into the Tudor world and make it come alive. If you have any interest in the Tudor period, I could not recommend her enough.

As for this novel in particular I think it might be my favorite of her fiction works that I have read so far. The way she is able to characterize Thomas Wolsey into such a complex and compelling character in a way that I have never seen done before in any of the Tudor Historical fiction is truly impressive. Also, just her writing was so good as you feel like you your wearing rose tinted glasses with Wolsey, while if you know anything about history you can see the dark undercurrent of reality being hinted at throughout. I could not recommend this novel enough. It just really was everything I wanted and more.

Thank You to NetGalley, Recorded Books and Ballentine Books for an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

I have always been interested in Henry VIII and the entourage that surrounded him including his many wives.

In this book, Allison Weir does a masterful job with a fictional tale of the famous or infamous Thomas Wolsey, who rose from nothing to become an eminent cardinal of the Catholic Church and a friend (or so he thought) of Henry. Brilliant, Oxford educated at a young age, Thomas was the epitome of a rags to riches story.

Along the way, he acquired the "love" of Henry, a wife he adored, children, lands, power, and prestige. However, Thomas paid a dear price for all of this. He could never marry the women he loved, acknowledge his children, nor rid the animosity many including Anne Boleyn bore towards him.

The author really makes Thomas human and one can't help but feel a portion of sorrow for him and his hidden life. But Thomas, wanted this life, one of fame, fortune, and acclaim, and eventually he paid the ultimate price when he fell from glory and died a man who was accused of being treasonous. Henry was a true narcissist and wanted what he wanted and when Thomas failed to procure an annulment for Henry, Thomas's fate seemed to be eventually sealed.

This was a very interesting look at the life of a man who wanted it all and for a time he did have it all only to die ingloriously.

I have read a ton of historical fiction, Weir, Chadwick, Penman, etc., and am well familiar with Thomas Wolsey as a supporting character, and I was was excited to read this book and thrilled to receive an ARC from NetGalley.

Unfortunately, this book felt more like a textbook than a novel. It felt almost like a love letter to Wolsey and how amazing he was, at least the first half. It was extremely repetitive in prose, using the same phrases over and over again. Wolsey lived at court during Henry the 8ths reign, we know this was a time of high drama and Wolsey was very close to the king. Somehow this book was extremely boring as it just listed out events with no emotion other than Wolsey's fear of Ann Boleyn towards the end, and his unending love for his mistress, his loser son, and Henry himself.

I feel like Weir could have made this fictional account a lot more exciting.

I read a lot of historical fiction, including much about the Tudor dynasty and most of Alison Weir’s novels, so I was very excited for this one. (Thank you NetGalley for the advance copy!) Unfortunately, it fell short for me. It read more like a non-fiction biography, with little intrigue or emotion. What is put forth of Wolsey’s personality is superficial, contradictory, and highly unlikable. It is a nice summary of the first 20 years of Henry VIII’s reign, but I don’t feel like I learned anything new or have any understanding of the true motivations, beliefs, or passions of Cardinal Wolsey.

The narrator was satisfactory at telling the story. It was with one voice and not a lot of changes for each character.. the flow was way too slow and the book was therefore too long. There were too many repeated themes of how the monarchy was progressing between Thomas and the King. The history was there but there were too many descriptions that could have been left out as they were redundant. Overall the book was satisfactory but would be much better if cut down and the audio was more expressive.

I've read a number of Alison Weir's books and always find them easy reading. The Cardinal is no exception. It is an interesting story and Alison has cleverly mixed historical facts with fictional detail. I learnt things I hadn't previously been aware about some of the main historical figures of the time and enjoyed the story. My one criticism is that the book tells the readers numerous times from the start of the story that Tom Wolsey is exceedingly clever but doesn't quite succeed in portraying that cleverness. The narrative succeeds in portraying how hard he worked but not that there was any out of the ordinary innate intelligence.

Disclaimer: I received this book for free from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review, that being said I will not let that affect the content of my review, My thoughts and opinions shared here are my own, and I am committed to offering a fair assessment that does not aim to detract from the author's work.

As per usual Alison Weir's work is phenomenally well researched, and you can tell how much effort she puts into telling these historical figures stories. I'm always blown away by how well written her characters are, and despite having read all the Queens's stories and knowing the different outcomes, reading it from a different perspectives really sheds some light on how cutthroat and brutal being a courtier during the Tudor time period really was. While Wolsey may not be the most interesting historical figure (to me personally) during that time period, listening to Weir's interpretation of his side of the story was very intriguing, and I'm never going to knock off a star because I found a character unlikable or boring, I believe that's petty and not fair to the author, as I've seen other reviewers do so often I feel the need to address that to anyone reading this.
I do like that she focused more on Wolsey's history and the political intrigue of the court rather than everything going on with Henry, Catherine and Anne, since having read a decent amount of her other books I feel like an expert on Tudor history now and knew through context what was going to happen next. I did like that his relationship with Catherine was explored and that he was sympathetic to her plight. I also like the authors notes at the end of each novel that go into what was conjecture and what was well documented historical fact, it is always very enlightening. All in all it was a well rounded, well researched book and I'll definitely recommend it to any history fanatic I know of.

As an additional note, Mrs. Weir if you are reading this I read your dedications in this book and am deeply sorry for your loss.

Tudor fans get ready to see behind the throne into the intrigue of the complex man Cardinal Thomas Wolsey. I was mesmerized by reading about his moral dilemmas vs his appreciation and desire for power and the good life. We follow his humble background to his rise to power and then the ramifications of his decisions to keep that power. The story was filled with emotion and information.

Weir is a new author for me and I am already looking at her backlist.

Rosalyn Landor provides a clear voice making it easy to follow the story.

Thank you Netgalley, Random House Publishing Group and RBmedia Recorded Books-.

Alison Weir is the queen of Tudor-era storytelling! I love all of her non-fiction, and this foray into historical fiction hit the mark! Hearing a story from Wolsey's perspective was a refreshing change of pace, and a very enjoyable read.

I find this period in history so fascinating with the different power house countries and the dissolution of the Catholic Church as the only way. Thomas Wolsey is an interesting character and I like the way Alison Weir makes even the most dry and difficult negotiations easier to understand and intriguing. There was a lot I didn’t know about his personal life and this was eye-opening. Overall, Weir has done a fantastic job making Wolsey accesible and comprehensible and I found myself, at times, feeling sorry for the mess he was trapped him. This was a very long book but it held my interest the entire time.

After numerous volumes following the court and many wives of King Henry VIII, Alison Weir sets her sights on Thomas Wolsey. Cardinal Wolsey is most notable for his attempts to assist the King in obtaining his annulment from Katherine of Aragon, but this story takes a step, or many steps, back to start with the story of a boy. From education to ordination to promotion within the church until coming to the service of the king and elevation to the position of cardinal and finally to the conflict that eventually causes his downfall we get a broader examination of the man. We take a longer look at the rise of someone made famous by his fall, but we also see the private life that is lesser known, from his patronizing brothels both before and after vows to his long relationship to a woman who provided him with multiple (illegitimate) children. Weir fleshes out the skeletons of the historical accounts 'til there is real life to the story with meat on its bones. Anyone who has more than a slight interest in the court of Henry VIII has definitely heard of Cardinal Wolsey, The Cardinal: A Novel of Love and Power gives us a chance to hear more.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book in the audio format and commend the marvelous narration of Rosalyn Landor. She made every character come to life adding all of the requisite emotion to Weir's prose.
I received the ALC thru NetGalley (for which I want to thank NetGalley and the publisher, Recorded Books) for an honest review. The opinion expressed here is my own.