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Book review: Pure by Andrew Miller
No comments on Book review: Pure by Andrew MillerI think the trick to writing good historical fiction is probably to do extensive and wide ranging research, to really immerse yourself in your period, and then to forget about it all and tell a story. The last novel I reviewed here demonstrated a rich understanding of period but was at root a story of human psychology. This novel also feels like it was written by an author who deeply understands their historic period but…
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Book review: Bring up the Bodies by Hilary Mantel
I’d read and loved Hilary Mantel’s previous novel of the life and career of Thomas Cromwell, Chief Minister to Henry VIII, “Wolf Hall” and so had expected a lot from this sequel. It was delivered. This is a brilliant book. Like “Wolf Hall” it feels rich both with scholarship and with a deep understanding of human nature. Also, like “Wolf Hall” it is a Booker Prize winner. Although it is a different book to the…
