Well first off I have to say the cover of the book is beautiful! I mean Alison Weirs books are always beautiful but we normally have the portrait of the subject on the cover and I really like that we don't have Thomas Wolsey on this one, I think the crossed keys sum him up very well. I always adore Alison Weirs books, she has such and evocative way of writing that it just draws you immediately into Tudor England and emerses you into the story. Its safe to say that i knew this would be a glowing review before i even picked the book up!
Thomas Wolsey is a fascinating historical figure, his rise from the lower ranks of society to the highest position bar the King is one of the best know from the Tudor court and I'm not surprised that he was who Alison Weir chose to write about, this being only the second of her books about a male figure from Henry VIII's court. She's made stepping into his shoes and story so easy and I've been able to look at his story from a more sympathetic view than I have before. Often he's cast in a very negative light as a power hungry and money grabbing man that manipulated Henry for his own benefit (at least in most on screen representations of him) and little is shown about his care for his mistress and children, whereas in this we get to see that side of him. Yes he is a man who wants power and social standing along with the wealth that comes with it but he is not that one dimensional character, there are many fascinating sides to him. I loved that we got to see his struggles over not being able to acknowledge his children and his internal struggles with his need and want to be in a position where he is respected, has power and prestige and his want to be able to call his mistress his wife and have his children with him. Its a side to him that I have enjoyed discovering because generally his mistress is used to portray him as a bad priest when looking at his downfall. This book has made me want to get a few biographies about him out and immerse myself in finding more about someone I've never looked deeper at when reading about the Tudor period.

THE CARDINAL is a well-researched exploration of a towering figure of Henry VIII's early reign.

It feels like there has been a resurgence in interest in the Tudors of late. For example, the second series of the BBC adaptation of WOLF HALL, and this novel is perfectly placed to capture the interest of those interested in the Tudor world, looking at a self-made man who rose high and then fell for failing to please Henry VIII.

Thomas Wolsey is a very interesting historical figure - a man raised high despite his humble origins in a time when birth was almost everything, someone who served a king steadfastly despite also having a clerical loyalty. THE CARDINAL dives into his life and trying to understand what made him tick and how he handled the many contradictions of his life.

As with many historical novels, the book has to contend with the fact that so many of its characters have the same name. To this end, Thomas Wolsey is called "Tom" and Henry VIII "Harry." I liked the intimacy of this, making you feel close to these characters and helping establish the rapport between them early on.

I really enjoy the attention to detail in Alison Weir's novels. You can tell she is a historian, peppering the book with specific details - like the alms he gives out - that are so clearly drawn directly from records. It gives you a confidence that, though many things (particularly thoughts and private conversations) are obviously invented, they are extrapolated from real evidence to understand the chaotic national events.

I was surprised at first to discover that the narrator was Rosalyn Landor. Given that the main character is a man, I had expected this audiobook to follow the common practice of having a man narrate a male main characters. However, it was an engaging audiobook and it definitely intrigued me to hear it read against common trends.

4.5 stars

This is a richly detailed story that explores the rise and fall of Cardinal Thomas Wolsey, Henry VIII’s most trusted advisor. The author’s meticulous research and vivid storytelling brings Wolsey to life as both a formidable political force and a deeply human character driven by ambition, faith, and personal conflict.

One of the parts I really enjoyed was the romantic subplot, which, though not the central focus, added emotional depth and complexity to Wolsey’s character. I thought it offered a window into his vulnerability and humanity, contrasting with the political intrigue that dominates much of the book.
I’ve read a lot of Tudor historical fiction & I enjoyed the shifting of the focus to Wolsey and thought his story was really interesting.

However, one criticism is the occasional uneven pacing: some sections—particularly those dealing with the intricate political negotiations or courtly details—felt dense and slow-moving-and a little non-fiction esque. I didn’t hate these parts but felt they took away from the plot a little.

An enjoyable story!

Another fascinating book on the Tudors by the expert that is Alison Weir! Having read a lot of Alison Weir’s books on the Tudors I knew what to expect, yet I’m always pleasantly surprised by how detailed her research is!

As always I finished the book wanting to delve deeper into the Tudors. One of life’s greatest shames is that we’ll never truly know what happened in history but Alison Weir does a fantastic job of displaying the facts whilst weaving a fictional thread through to keep you entertained throughout. I found Wolsey to be a complicated character, despite being a selfish man, there were times when I felt deeply emotional and sorry for him. I was left wondering what would have changed in history had he not died, it’s hard to believe Henry wouldn’t have split from the Catholic faith and married Anne Boleyn but it’s definitely an intriguing thought!

This is a fascinating read. It delves deeply into court life of Henry VII and Henry VIII and in its centre stands the rise and fall of Cardinal Thomas Wolsey. The story portrays him as a fallible human being full of ambition, doubts, pride and regrets and very much as a man who knew his own worth.

It is also a very moving book exploring the many dilemmas in T Wolsey’s life: the moral conflict between carnal desires and his vow of chastity, his ability to humble himself in contrast to his extreme pride and greed, his desire for power and wealth and his longing for a much more ordinary life, his desperate need to be loved by his king clashing with a severe dislike of the king’s egocentric wilfulness.

The Thomas Wolsey we meet is a man deeply attached to power and wealth, to which he sacrifices his desire to love and to be loved. The contrast between his spectacularly successful public life and his private frustrations could not be any starker.

This book is packed with historical facts but it is of course a fictional account of the Cardinal’s life. The almost melodramatic portrayal of his struggles – especially in the invented parts of the story – afford the reader insides into his personality that pure historical facts would simply not deliver. The historical detail is interesting and that none of it became tedious or overwhelming, I attribute to the masterful story-telling of Alison Weir.

I am grateful to NetGalley and Headline Review for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A Masterful Portrait of Ambition and Humanity

The Cardinal by Alison Weir is an absolutely riveting triumph of historical fiction. With her trademark blend of meticulous research and narrative flair, Weir breathes vivid life into one of the Tudor era’s most enigmatic figures—Cardinal Thomas Wolsey. This is not just a political biography in fictional form; it’s an intimate, deeply human portrait of a man often relegated to the shadows of history.

From the very first page, we are swept into the extraordinary journey of a butcher’s son from Ipswich, whose brilliance propels him to the heart of power beside Henry VIII. The novel captures both Wolsey’s dazzling rise—driven by intellect, ambition, and an unshakable belief in his divine calling—and his devastating fall, as the demands of loyalty, love, and power collide.

What sets The Cardinal apart is its emotional resonance. Weir masterfully explores the duality of Wolsey’s existence: the public statesman, builder of England’s church and state, and the private man, whose hidden life is filled with passion, longing, and familial love. It’s speculative in just the right ways—never straying from plausibility, yet adding heart and depth that history books often lack.

This novel also casts fresh light on the early reign of Henry VIII, not just as a king but as a friend and betrayer. The infamous divorce question looms large, and Weir handles it with nuance, showing how it became the undoing of one of Henry’s most devoted servants.

For fans of the Tudor period—and especially those who enjoy richly imagined, character-driven historical fiction—The Cardinal is essential reading. A gripping tale of power and downfall, passion and principle, it is Alison Weir at her best.

Absolutely fantastic and so informative, I thought I knew so much about this period in time, but this book has filled in gaps in my knowledge I had no idea we're missing. Loved it

What a fascinating story about a rogue who broke rules and was after as much money and notirity as he could get. Not sure how much if this is true but, it was a brilliant read. I love Alison's books and this one really grabbed me. My thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.

This book starts when Thomas is 11 years old and he’s studying at Magdalen College in Oxford. He was one of the youngest pupils at the school, and he excelled in everything he did.

The future was bright.

As Wolsey came from a working family, he knew his options were limited. He decided to ordain as a priest, but he had his reservations about it. Back then, a lot could be achieved through entering the Church, and Wolsey was an ambitious man.

We see him rise through the ranks and become a chaplain to King Henry VII, Henry VIII’s father. When Henry VII died, he recommended for Wolsey to serve his son, Henry VIII.

Thanks to Henry VIII, Wolsey’s fortune and social standing increased. He became a cardinal and surrounded himself with wealth… and a mistress.

Wolsey was deeply in love with Joan Larke, and she loved him back. However, their happiness was not to be.

The story follows with Wolsey having more and more enemies and his fall from the King’s favour and his eventual death.

I love the Tudors, and Alison Weir portrays that period fabulously.

In this book, she brings Thomas Wolsey to life, and in some parts of the story, I actually felt sorry for him. He didn’t want to become a priest but felt that he had to. As a result, he couldn’t marry the only woman he loved, nor acknowledge the children they both had.

He regarded Harry (Henry VIII) as his son, and he would do anything to please him. When Harry wanted to annul his marriage to Katherine of Aragon, I think that Wolsey, deep down inside, knew it was a hopeless case. However, he persevered in writing numerous letters to the Pope and other officials, but when the Great Matter dragged on for years, he then fell from the King’s grace.

As he became more powerful, the number of enemies grew. His most troublesome enemy was Anne Boleyn, who whispered into Harry’s suggestible ear. The King was so infatuated with her that he believed in anything that she had said.

This is such a great story about a man who came from humble beginnings and, against all odds, rose to power but then became disgraced.

I definitely recommend it.

Many thanks to Headline for approving my NetGalley request.

Overall I enjoyed this read, although there are some areas that I am not sure how true they are or if they have been over dramatized for the book.
I still don't like Wolsey, but history loves a morally grey villain.
Another engaging read from Alison Weir.

Historical fiction at its very best! This is a fascinating story about Thomas Wolsley from his humble beginnings to his rise and subsequent fall from grace. Wolsley's high living, his lack of religious behaviour for so much of his life while he devoted himself to Henry VIII, running the country while Henry amused himself. Thomas's love of Joan who he loved all his life, but could not put her before his dedication to Henry. Fascinating reading.
Many thanks to Netgalley/Alison Weir/Headline for a digital copy of this title. All opinions expressed are my own.

I have read many books on the Tudors, but not about Thomas Wolsey, so I was very glad to have the opportunity to read this. Meticulously researched this really went into his whole life in depth, whereas we usually just hear about him around the time of Henry VIII's break with Rome and divorce from Katherine of Aragon. It did drag a little in places, but overall was a fascinating read. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in return for an honest review of the book.

I enjoyed this but I felt it was very repetitive in places and it felt more like non fiction with barely anything to tell of the history of the time. It didn't go into detail on what Tom was actually doing and how he was around the King but also I got sick of hearing about his forbidden love and how its all he could think about while saying he knew what he was doing was a sin but also how god would want this for him!
I finished it but I have to say at a push, this is the first book I have read by this author so will have to see if I want to read more or if they are all similar.

Alison Weir usually writes novels about women in Tudor history and I was fascinated to see what she'd make of the life of one of the Tudor era's most powerful men other than Henry VIII himself. So much research has gone into this novel - closing my eyes I can really imagine I'm immersed in that world and even though I knew what happened to Wolsey before I read this, Weir keeps up the suspense so much so that we can see how that era must have felt to people living through it who had no idea how events would end. Fabulous writing and an interesting take on Wolsey's rise and subsequent fall.

I would give this 5 stars
This is the story of the life of Cardinal Thomas Wolsey.
It is not often that we get to read of his life story from his birth to his fall from grace, normally you only read of him during the Kings great matter.
So it was great to get more insights into his humble beginnings and his rise to power.
Henry VIII really relied on him for everything.
It was interesting to read of the divorce proceedings from a different point of view not Anne Boleyns story.
I really enjoyed reading this it was Alison Weir at her best.

This was an excellent account on Cardinal Wolsley. Recently more focus has been made on Thomas Cromwell so this was a refreshing insight on the life of the Cardinal and also on Henry VIii.

I don't know what I was expecting: maybe something like Wolf Hall? Sadly this isn't anywhere near that quality. I felt it read like a history text book with the odd bit of dialogue. I have read other works by Alison Weir, and realised as I was reading the Cardinal that I'd been disappointed before. I had hopes that this brilliant subject would lift the writing. But no. Not for me.

Thank you to Ballantine Books and NetGalley for the free digital pre publication copy of this book, in exchange for an honest review.
This is Alison Weir at her best, so thoroughly researched then brought to life with the day to day story of this huge historical figure. It is refreshing to have this period of time explored with Cardinal Thomas Wolsey at the centre, rather than Henry VIII and his wives which has been covered so often. I loved to learn more about the history of the time, as well as it being a thoroughly good story. To be honest I did start to get a little bored about half way through, but not enough to give less than 5* as after that it gripped me to the end. I highly recommend this novel to other lovers of historical fiction, especially of this time period.

Oh my word, what an amazing imagining of Thomas Wolsey's life written so well with the characters leaping from the page to enthrall the reader, I enjoyed this so much and will definitely be reading more of Alison's books, thank you

Alison Weir has brought her wealth of knowledge, usually in non fiction titles, to the fire in this amazing novel about Wolsey. He’s a name familiar to most, but I certainly knew little about him as a person. This is an exceptional story where we delve right into his life, from boyhood onwards and I was enthralled. I’m confident that the rich historical detail is accurate and rather than fanciful interpretation, I feel that Alison Weir has gone to the heart of many of those depicted, including Henry, and brought them to vibrant life. Rather than names, these are people with foibles and flaws alongside their strengths, but there’s intrigue in how they were shaped and their influences and influencers. This isn’t just another book about the Tudors. It’s a skilled blend of fact and fiction that gives unique and rich insight into the man and his family and the whole court. It’s lengthy, but somehow the pages flashed by and I was engrossed from start to finish. If you read only one book about Wolsey, let it be this one.
My thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for an early review copy.