What can I say, a mere mortal, in the face of such talent? Nothing that won't make me look like a fool next to this author - but here goes... I devoured Wolf Hall in a matter of days when it first came out. Learning from experience, I then chose to leisurely consume Bringing up the bodies. Spellbinding. I've studied and read so much about this period that even though I knew the characters, the setting, the ending, Hilary Mantel has made it new and enthralling again. She paints, weaves, knits, sings, rhymes, drizzles words in an intriguing narrative that brings the whole story together into a perfect crescendo. I finished the book last night. I closed the book, held my hand on the cover and smiled, sighed, content. Wonderful. Thank you Hilary. Thank you so very, very much.