I loved this and I read a lot of historical fiction covering the Tudor period. This is Thomas Cromwell as Everyman. When his patron Wolsey dies, who else would he go to work for but Anne Boleyn and Henry VIII? This is a human Cromwell concerned with his family, grieving the death of his wife and trying to make a life. Mantel gives an interpretation totally at odds with the self-serving bureaucrat in Robert Bolt's movie and play "A Man for All Seasons". ( )

superb writing, thorough historical perspective re: Thomas Cromwell, Henry VIII, Bolyn, More, etc. Not a lotof action but wonderful feel for the era. ( )

Hilary Mantel's Wolf Hall, this year's Booker Prize-winning novel (published in the U.S. by Henry Holt, 2009), is the first of two volumes covering the life and times of Thomas Cromwell, a sometime trusted advisor to Henry VIII (typically portrayed as something of a villain).

This volume, which takes the reader through Cromwell's rise up to the summer of 1535, ends with the execution of Sir Thomas More; the next (which Mantel has said she hopes to publish in "a couple of years") will encompass the final five years of Cromwell's life (culminating in his precipitate fall from grace).

While I found myself occasionally thinking that this book was plodding along, it was the good sort of plod, the sort that I think must accurately depict anyone's life (even one as fraught with intrigue, politics, and moments of import as Cromwell's was). Mantel has ably captured, I think, the state of Henrician England during the 1530s, as the king sought to put aside Wife # 1 (Katherine of Aragon) and her daughter for Wife # 2 (Anne Boleyn). The ensuing debate, which of course rippled across the political and cultural landscape of not just the British Isles of all of Europe as well, is the stuff of hundreds if not thousands of books, but Mantel has synthesized it remarkably through Cromwell's viewpoint.

Mantel's book can be read by the general reader, but those with some knowledge and understanding of the history of the period will probably get more out of it, as the author offers up much historical context, background and foreshadowing in what might appear to be casual asides. It's also handy to keep a search window up nearby, so you can check names, titles, dates, or topics of interest as you go (or look for images of the characters, which I rather like to do).

Much has been made of Mantel's decision to use "he" to refer almost always to Cromwell, which creates a degree of grammatical ambiguity at times. I didn't find this device as annoying as I feared I might, although it was confusing at times when it wasn't clear just who "he" was supposed to be (it's not always Cromwell).
The texture and detail which Mantel brings to the Tudor court with this book is an absolute delight. Her discussions of contemporary events through the eyes of her characters are illuminating, and her portrayal of Cromwell is simply fascinating. I'll look forward to the next volume with impatience.

http://philobiblos.blogspot.com/2009/... ( )

This is the 30th Booker winner I've read. It is an historical novel, apparently taking no liberties with history--which is as it should be. But the author has an annoying device in which she has nearly all uses of "he" and "his" refer to the novel's protagoniat, Thomas Cromwell, (born 1485, died 28 July 1540), regardless of the normal antecedent--thus the book is not easy to follow. Apparently this device is intended to reduce clarity and thus make for a more "literary" novel? The book ends with St. Thomas More's death in 1535, so there is obviously to be a sequel to cover Cromwell's life to his execution on 28 July 1540. Why this novel is named Wolf Hall is unclear, since that seat of the Seymours (the family of the wife of Henry VIII who is to supplant Ann Boleyn) plays little role in this book, though I suppose it will play a major role in the sequel. At the end of this book Ann Boleyn is still triumphant and a detestable figure--made more palatable since we know she will get her head chopped off in 1436, though this book gives no hint of that event. A long and not very enjoyable book--but Booker winners often are not very enjoyable. ( )

This is historical fiction at its finest: it draws you in, recreates the scene with detail and emotion, and makes you care about people long dead. Set during the reign of Henry VIII, this book chronicles the life of Thomas Cromwell, born to a drunk and abusive blacksmith, who rises to become Master Secretary and adviser to the king. The politics are intriguing, Cromwell is sympathetic, and the portrait of the Tudor Court is fascinating. The book is written in a different style than I'm used to in my historical fiction. Mantel refers to Cromwell as "he" rather than by name, which causes a lot of confusion at first when their are other males present in the scene. However, the immediacy of this point of view overcomes the downfalls, and I soon found myself absorbed. The view Mantel presents of Sir Thomas More was somewhat shocking, for a Catholic school girl like myself. This is a lengthy, exciting glimpse into another time. Highly recommended, especially for fans of historical fiction, or those who are disappointed with the Phillipa Gregory-izing of the Tudor era. Five stars. ( )