If you loved
Bring Up the Bodies
Hilary Mantel · Book · 2012
What hooked you in Bring Up the Bodies was the way high-stakes political maneuvering reveals the fragility of human power.
Start with the source
Adaptation
Wolf Hall
Peter Straughan · Series · 2015
Films on the same thread
The Other Boleyn Girl
Film · 2008
Like Bring Up the Bodies, this film centers on the volatile Boleyn court, offering a familiar perspective on the dangerous ambition and shifting loyalties that define the Tudor era.
The Lion in Winter
Film · 1968
If you appreciated the intense intellectual sparring in Bring Up the Bodies, you will recognize the same sharp, Machiavellian wit displayed by royalty fighting to secure their own dynastic future.
Gabriel's Inferno: Part II
Film · 2020
If Bring Up the Bodies hit, Gabriel's Inferno: Part II shares the thread.
A Bridge Too Far
Richard Attenborough · Film · 1977
If Bring Up the Bodies hit, A Bridge Too Far shares the thread.
Series on the same thread
Wolf Hall
Peter Straughan · Series · 2015
As the direct predecessor to Bring Up the Bodies, this series provides the essential context for Thomas Cromwell’s rise, mirroring the same calculated political maneuvering and atmospheric historical tension.
The White Princess
Series · 2017
This series explores the precarious nature of royal favor and succession, echoing the same complex power struggles and dynastic anxiety that ground the narrative of Bring Up the Bodies.
Podcasts on the same thread
Revisionist History
Pushkin Industries · Podcast · 2026
If Bring Up the Bodies hit, Revisionist History shares the thread.
Revolutions
Mike Duncan · Podcast · 2025
For those fascinated by the systemic collapse of regimes in Bring Up the Bodies, this podcast offers a rigorous analysis of the power dynamics that dictate how empires inevitably fall.
Keep exploring
Common questions
Is Bring Up the Bodies the sequel to Wolf Hall?
Yes, Bring Up the Bodies is the direct sequel to Wolf Hall. Both books were written by Hilary Mantel and follow the political career of Thomas Cromwell as he navigates the Tudor court and the downfall of Anne Boleyn.
Should I watch the TV show Wolf Hall before reading Bring Up the Bodies?
You can read Bring Up the Bodies before or after watching the 2015 television adaptation of Wolf Hall. The series stars Mark Rylance as Thomas Cromwell and covers the events leading up to the narrative explored in the second book.
Is Bring Up the Bodies based on a true story?
Bring Up the Bodies is a work of historical fiction that delves into the heart of Tudor history. The novel specifically chronicles the downfall of Anne Boleyn after Henry VIII battled for seven years to marry her.
Is the TV show Wolf Hall based on Bring Up the Bodies?
The TV show Wolf Hall, which aired on BBC and PBS Masterpiece, is based on the literary works of Hilary Mantel. It features Mark Rylance as Thomas Cromwell and covers the historical period surrounding the events depicted in Bring Up the Bodies.