So much has already been written about Hilary Mantel's biography of Thomas Cromwell that I can hardly find something new to add.
If you enjoy reading historical fiction or anything about Tudor England, you will surely enjoy this book.
However, something must also be mentioned about the writing itself. The first thing that struck me about Wolf Hall was how very funny it was. Mantel has imagined Cromwell as a sardonic, witty, funny man who banters as easily with kings as he does with base born boys whom he takes into his home to educate in accounting or counter-intelligence. I especially enjoyed his conversations with Cardinal Wolsey.
Like so many authors, I do think there are pages on which Mantel was slightly too wordy in her descriptions... (I find myself thinking, Ok, I get it) but overall, Wolf Hall is incredibly entertaining and fully deserved the Man Booker Prize it won.
I am so looking forward to the sequel!
Sunday, November 8, 2009
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Excellent review of a wonderful book,one that's still in my thoughts, months after I've finished reading... I hope her sequel's not too far in the future. As to the title,I think the author sees Henry's court as a pack of wolves, sort of a 'dog eat dog' existance. Wolves living in halls...And how!
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