or better described as, Thomas Cromwell book 2

my thoughts, in short:

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

partway through the second chapter, and about 18% through the book according to kindle

this is a much shorter book, and noticeably reads faster; unlike book 1 which is purposefully difficult and inaccessible at times

(and I'd even say the inaccessibility of book 1 is meant to mirror Cromwell's nature, but at this point you know him better

and all the prose is intensely personal and lyrical, leaves you wondering how it ever was otherwise)

this is how you do a complex character without needing to say he is complex.

someone whose thoughts, memories and associations really come off the page with a sense of familiarity

and occasionally there's a reminder that he's done these awful things but it's never jarring, nor is it made blatant whether he feels guilt or not

but his grief over his family is still one of the most heartbreaking parts of the story...and makes for a hell of an opening line: "His children are falling from the sky."

this book is also political intrigue done right, if A Place of Greater Safety was politics as a shitfest where no one knew what they were doing, done right

you can sense the hostility and second-guessing without the writing ever needing to resort to being obvious

and occasionally it's still hilarious.

Thomas doesn't burn or tan in the sun, nope.

also can I just say his rivalry with Stephen Gardiner has suddenly become amazing

in book 1, my impression of Gardiner stopped at "someone perpetually angry"

but the fact that he becomes more of a threat here, that his first appearance echoes that of his entrance in the first book but everything has changed

and then it all just gets delightfully surprising

Cromwell giving him due praise behind his back is already unexpected, but then this scene. this one scene.

upon which Cromwell reaches peak smug bastardry by pretending to stab Gardiner with an invisible knife (softly)

and not only is Gardiner unfazed, but reveals that he dug up dirt on Cromwell's youth that he wasn't aware of himself

and which calls back to the very start of book 1

such an OH SHIT moment. nothing is wasted in the narrative.

anyway I believe I have not used the word "love" once in this rambling so I will quietly get out now