The Cardinal Book Review

Cardinal Wolsey is one of the most famous cardinals in all of history. His actions in regards to The Great Matter shaped much of Western civilization. He was the favored advisor of the English King Henry VIII who was unable to give the monarch the annulment he so desired. Despite dying in disgrace, he was not lost to history. Here is a story of what the powerful man might have thought, the internal demons he fought, and the goals he strove to obtain.

I have to admit that the only viewpoint I had really viewed The Great Matter was through the eyes of either the king himself or the wives impacted by it. (In case you don’t know, The Great Matter is the annulment of Henry’s marriage to Kathrine of Aragon and his desire to marry Anne Boleyn.) This was a great opportunity to look at it through the Cardinal’s eyes and see his life through the view of a man who longed for power and riches and everything a man of God shouldn’t.

Starting with his life as a young boy, the reader is taken from his humble home to the top of the social status in England. We get insight into this thoughts as he considers the church and the dreams he has for his future as well as his conflict when he falls in love. In researching a few key events and people, I found the author did a very good job in following along historically while giving the reader a glimpse into the fictional thoughts the cardinal might…