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Wolf Hall

by Hilary Mantel

3.76 · rating details · 11,421 ratings · 3,097 reviews

In the ruthless arena of King Henry VIII’s court, only one man dares to gamble his life to win the king’s favor and ascend to the heights of political power

England in the 1520s is a heartbeat from disaster. If the king dies without a male heir, the country could be destroyed by civil war. Henry VIII wants to annul his marriage of twenty years, and marry Anne Boleyn. The po

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Hardcover, 532 pages

Published October 13th 2009 by Henry Holt and Co. (first published 2009)

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Mar 22, 2010

karen rated it

Shelves: it-is-for-class, littry-fiction

hilary mantel is such a tease. she calls her book wolf hall because she knows i have a crush on jane seymour, and then she just blah blah blahs about thomas cromwell for 500 pages, feeding me only tiny bites of jane. sigh. me and hil have always had a rocky history.i have read four of her books now, and have only really liked one; beyond black. but i keep trying. this one was for class, but i probably would have read it anyway, because this summer i read a nice fat bio of henry VIII and really e...more

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Aug 16, 2011

Amber ~Geektastic~ rated it

· review of another edition

Recommends it for: anyone interested in English history

Shelves: historical-fiction, audio, library, reviewed, doorstops, 2011

I have always been fascinated by the history of England under the Tudors, particularly Henry VIII. I chalk this up partly to a morbid fascination, and partly to a genuine desire to understand the circumstances leading up to the Golden Age of Elizabeth I. (Her family’s Whig hatred of Elizabeth I is one of the few things I hold against Jane Austen.) This being said, I have hidden plot spoilers, but I will not be held accountable for the “spoilers” of history.

Well, to understand th...more

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Dec 01, 2010

Emily rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: 2009

Wolf Hall is the kind of book that gets better the more you think about it. Its protagonist is Thomas Cromwell: a villain in A Man for All Seasons but here a man with a family, a career, and a sharp way of thinking. He doesn't want to be a saint; he wants to apply his shrewdness and hard-won experience to make the best of a bad world. His feelings towards his family, as portrayed here, make him sympathetic, even likeable.

The book introduces all the figures familiar to readers of other ...more

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May 16, 2010

Dana Stabenow added it · review of another edition

Mantel has given a wonderful voice to Thomas Cromwell in this novel of an eyewitness perspective on Henry VIII's split from the Church of Rome. All the usual suspects are present, Katherine of Aragon, Anne Boleyn, Cardinal Wolsey, Thomas More, along with a wonderful supporting cast of fully realized minor characters, whether fictional or historical. I don't know which is more painful to watch, Thomas More being viciously abusive to his wife and daughters over lunch, or Cromwell as a child watc...more

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Dec 07, 2010

DoctorM rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: historical-fiction

Thos. Cromwell has usually been presented as the heavy in the middle part of Henry VIII's reign--- the grasping, amoral, bullying parvenu who destroyed Sir Thos. More, the mastermind behind the king's efforts to divorce himself from Katherine of Aragon and marry Anne Boleyn, the man behind the plundering of the monasteries. Leo McKern did a brilliant turn as Cromwell in "A Man for All Seasons" and Donald Pleasance played him in "Henry VIII and His Six Wives". The recent "...more

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Dec 26, 2011

Susan Anderson rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: historical-fiction

This review is over the top, but, then, I confess to being a WOLF HALL junkie, reading the book straight through twice on a kindle, buying the paperback, flipping through the pages, underlining favorite passages, listening to the audio version again and again, finding peace in the rhythm of its prose.

WOLF HALL by Hilary Mantel is a magnificent novel, a fictionalized biography of Thomas Cromwell. Except for early scenes involving Thomas’s youthful break with his family, the novel’s pres...more

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May 19, 2011

Emily O rated it

· review of another edition

Recommended to Emily by: Booker Prize Winner

Shelves: historical-fiction, women-authors, award-winners, contemporary-lit

Do you ever wonder about why people choose to read the books they do? Well, I can tell you, I read Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel because it won the Book Prize For Fiction in 2009. You see, The Children's Book by A.S. Byatt was nominated for the Booker in 2009, but did not win. Curious to see what book could beat one of my favorite books of all time, I looked up Wolf Hall. And what do you know, it's another piece of historical fiction set in England and written by a woman. This could be interesting!...moreDo you ever wonder about why people choose to read the books they do? Well, I can tell you, I read Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel because it won the Book Prize For Fiction in 2009. You see, The Children's Book by A.S. Byatt was nominated for the Booker in 2009, but did not win. Curious to see what book could beat one of my favorite books of all time, I looked up Wolf Hall. And what do you know, it's another piece of historical fiction set in England and written by a woman. This could be interesting! I was intrigued, so I picked it up from the bookstore, determined to see if it was really better than The Children's Book.

Well, dear readers, I am sorry to say that it was not. I had such hopes for this book. It is set during the time of King Henry VIII, whom we all know was an interesting character in English history. The main character and narrator of the book is Thomas Cromwell, about whom there has been much speculation. Other main characters include Anne Boleyn, Thomas More, and Queen Katherine. I went into this book expecting the best, but I was sorely let down on every front. Wolf Hall was an exercise in disappointment.

First of all, I have to say that the writing was of a fine literary quality. I have no doubts that Hilary Mantel has a strong grasp of the English language, which is not something I can say about some authors I've read. Her only stylistic flaw was the tendency to put little artsy cliffhangers at the end of each section. I got the feeling that she didn't want to end a section without putting something that sounded either meaningful, artistic, or foreboding. While that can be a good technique when used sparingly, it came off feeling very contrived to me, like she was trying a little too hard. By the time I got to the middle of the book, which is a good 600 pages long, I was over it.

The main problem with this book was its lack of both character development and plot. First, the plot. I got to the end of the book not really sure what the point was. Quite frankly, I was expecting there to be more pages, because I didn't feel like the book had gone anywhere or come to any kind of conclusion yet. That is not a feeling I like. There was no climax, no conclusive event, nothing that tied together all the disparate happenings throughout the book. I felt like I was reading a series of events rather than a novel.

That would have been fine with me, had the characters made up for it. I don't need a plot-driven book if there is enough character development to make it character-driven. Sadly, this book fails on all fronts when it comes to characters. Our narrator, Thomas Cromwell, is so nebulous that he almost doesn't have a character to develop. His defining traits consist of a willingness to please the people he works for, a gift for business and diplomacy, and a tendency to treat his underlings well. That's what we start with at the beginning of the book, and that's what we're left with at the end. I had trouble believing he had aged at all throughout the course of the novel simply because he changed so little. Sadly, all the characters in the book are relatively similar to him, if not in character traits, than in voice. Though they are described as being very different, I had trouble distinguishing between characters. While their political leanings may have been different, there was hardly a difference between the voices of Thomas More, Anne Boleyn, or any other character. Mantel should take note that dialogue without tags or quotation marks (which is a device I actually like when used correctly) only works if the characters are distinct enough not to need them. Sadly, this was not the case in Wolf Hall.

There were a few things I liked about this book. Like I said, the writing itself was not bad, which is always a positive thing. I enjoyed that Mantel gave a fresh perspective on some very tired historical figures. I can't tell you how many saintly depictions of Thomas More I've read in my day, so it was nice to see him in a different (read: heartless and heretic-burning) light. Still, this book was mostly a let-down. It wasn't terrible enough for me to hate it, but rather squarely mediocre in every category. In my opinion, Wolf Hall should not have beat The Children's Book for the Booker prize, and I do not recommend it.

Rating: 3

No character development, very little plot, mediocre overall. Not recommended.(less)

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Nov 12, 2011

Elizabeth marked it as hello-wall-it-s-me-book · review of another edition

Shelves: 2011, elizabethan-my-dear, in-by-of-england, look-what-love-has-done, reviewed

If you had asked me six months ago if I had that thing about the Tudors everyone else seems to have I would have said, Yes! So what if The Other Boleyn Girl couldn't keep my attention for five pages and by the second episode of The Tudors I was wondering if there was a dumber show on tv (but then The Jersey Shore came along. Whew). I wasn't too concerned. My love for the Tudor dynasty, which had the fascinating play out of the Machiavellian struggle of church and state, amid sex, ambitious women...moreIf you had asked me six months ago if I had that thing about the Tudors everyone else seems to have I would have said, Yes! So what if The Other Boleyn Girl couldn't keep my attention for five pages and by the second episode of The Tudors I was wondering if there was a dumber show on tv (but then The Jersey Shore came along. Whew). I wasn't too concerned. My love for the Tudor dynasty, which had the fascinating play out of the Machiavellian struggle of church and state, amid sex, ambitious women, glittering clothes, literature, theater, and a resulting queen with a great name, if I do say so myself, has never wavered. The sixteenth century in England has always been one of my favorite historical periods, dating back to my first grown-up biography of Elizabeth when I was fourteen.

Then I read this book, or, I sort of read this book. I read half of this book. I read three hundred pages of repeating stories about Henry Tudor undressing Anne Boleyn and having bad dreams and Thomas Cromwell thinking about his dead wife and lost children and Thomas More's destructive home life and how Cardinal Wosley died, and I thought, who cares? No, really, who cares about this stuff? These people were cruel and greedy and their noble cries of righteousness over their religious doctrine was mostly just ways to protect their own wealth and status.

Okay, so I knew all that going in, but I didn't expect to loathe them the way I do now. Three hundred pages of detail that I sure someone else might find interesting was enough to make me wonder why I read at all. See, there's lots and lots of details in this book but they didn't go anywhere. They pile up, one on top of each other, should we paint over the Cardinal's coat of arms, sir? without more subtext than no, not yet, we are still loyal. I didn't need a scene for that; I needed a sentence, in fact, any one in the last twenty pages would have served adequately. These details don't lead me anywhere but along paths I've followed before, and they took a long, long time to get where we were supposed to go. The facts haven't changed. At some point Henry is going to dissolve his allegiance to Rome and set himself up as the head of the church in England. He will tear down the monasteries, distribute their wealth to his allies, and finally, finally take that pretty girl to bed before cutting off her head. The last of those doesn't interest me nearly as much; what people do with power interests me. How they manipulate the law to justify their actions interests me. How they come to change a society, changing the power structures that have been in place for centuries, that interests me. Why Anne tuck her hands into her sleeves? I care not at all.

This book should have interested me. It didn't. Mantel spun the tale too obliquely, too many mists and shadows, too many abbreviated scenes and half-finished sentences. I felt like she was trying to create a dream state, like the one the mortals were in as they cavorted in the forest in the darkest night of A Midsummer Night's Dream. I get it. One is wrapped in cotton wool in the court. It twists ones values. It makes you unable to see clearly. The world revolves around only your king and his desires. Got it. Didn't need to read it again.(less)

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Feb 24, 2010

Lisa rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: unfinished

This book has inspired me to create a new bookshelf - one for unfinished books. I've been hearing a lot about this book. It's reaping praise, doing well on bookseller lists, and even won the 2009 Man Booker Prize. When I was at the library the other day, I saw this at the Book Stop and stood there for several minutes leafing through it, debating whether to get it. That should have been a red flag! I'll know next time that if it takes me that long to decide whether to get a book, that it's a sign...more

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Apr 08, 2010

A.J. Howard rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: finished-in-2010, 2000s, booker-prize, bookshelf-fiction, electioneering

One of the most interesting things about history is thinking about perspective. Very few people lived their lives with an intention of being known as a villain of history. Yet I think all of us fall into the trap of thinking of the past in moralistic terms sometimes. This is a function of generations of storytelling and cultural indoctrination. There are facts that we don't ever necessarily learn, or at least can remember learning, that we don't pause to consider.

My favorite thing ab...moreOne of the most interesting things about history is thinking about perspective. Very few people lived their lives with an intention of being known as a villain of history. Yet I think all of us fall into the trap of thinking of the past in moralistic terms sometimes. This is a function of generations of storytelling and cultural indoctrination. There are facts that we don't ever necessarily learn, or at least can remember learning, that we don't pause to consider.

My favorite thing about Wolf Hall is how it turns previous conception of a much discussed period of history on its head, while maintaining complete plausibility. Maybe it was my Catholic upbringing, but I always thought of Thomas More as a great man of learning and advocate of free speech, while Thomas Cromwell was a ruthless, unprincipled yes-man. Mantel effectively exploits facts to make you completely reverse your feelings about the two characters. In truth, More was a religious fundamentalist, the man tortured and executed people who strayed from the Church's dogmatic beliefs, hardly a free speech advocate. Cromwell's rise to power would be inspiring if it occurred today, all the more so that he did it almost 500 years ago. Mantel almost does too good of a job of making Cromwell likable, but you are completely ready to buy it. I didn't realize this until I watched the film A Man For All Seasons and found myself becoming upset with its portrayal of Thomas Cromwell. I think this is Mantel's greatest accomplishment, she reverses 500 years of preconceived notions.

The book isn't a necessarily easy read. Mantel throws you into the world and she doesn't give you a ton of exposition or remind you who characters are and how they relate to each other. I frequently had to consult the character list and the genealogical charts at the beginning of the book for a reminder. One night, I stayed up until 4 reading the wikipedia entry on the War of the Roses to refresh myself on that subject. (I actually highly recommend potential readers doing this. Mantel frequently references the events and it also gives you good context of why the production of a legitimate male heir was deemed such an immediate necessity.)

The title Wolf Hall is taken from the estate of the Seymour family, minor characters in the novel. But the title accentuates what I would consider the theme of the novel, which Cromwell repeats to himself several times over the course. Homono homini lupus, man is wolf to man. Mantel's Cromwell is presented as a precursor to the modern politician. This is a hazardous occupation in a time where political missteps had much graver consequences than potential resignation accompanied by a lobbying gig as a fall back plan. In this way Wolf Hall could be labelled a political thriller. One of the thrills in the novel is how Cromwell manges to, excuse the bad joke, keep his head on his shoulders. Watch Cromwell survive the political crushing of his patron and political mentor. See him hazard the stormy rapids that was the Boleyn family. Marvel as he clashes wits with the great Thomas More.

What makes this even more effective is the novel is very well written. Mantel does a great job inhabiting familiar characters and making them come to life. Unlike other fictional works that have dealt with the same period, none of the characters are cliched or one dimensional. Her Henry VIII is my favorite depiction of the much depicted monarch since Robert Shaw's. Here, he is temperamental and often child-like, but also as intelligent and goodhearted. And as a rule, any confrontation with the Boleyn sisters will likely be very entertaining. As it was for Henry, though in a rather different way.

The plot tends to revolve heavily around such such confrontations. There will be plot movement, but most of the time it sets the scene for another meeting between Thomas and Anne, or Cardinal Wolsey, or Thomas More, or the Earl of Norfolk. Nevertheless, my favorite chapter of the book was one of the first, "An Occult History of England." This chapter is mostly exposition, but it works brilliantly as a kind of "how we got here."Combining politics, history, and legend, it reads like something Rushdie could have written.

I enjoyed Wolf Hall much more than I expected to. Although I know how the story ends for all the characters, the novel kept me entertained until the end. Now that I think about it, the novel really reminds me of Robert Caro's first two LBJ biographies which detailed Johnson's rise to power. While they don't retell the traditional hero's journey, a non-mythical path to power can be more worthwhile and just as entertaining epic.(less)

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Jul 17, 2011

Susan rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: historical-fiction, favorites

Absolutely extraordinary.

I've always been a fan of the Tudor period of history, and as any Tudor freak will agree, we have a tendancy to focus only on the kings and their queens (and their less official dalliances). A prime example is the reign of Henry VIII, arguably the most prominent Tudor monarch. Nearly all books on his reign, certainly those in the historical fiction category, focus on the king and his wives themselves, especially Anne Boleyn.

Hilary Mantel transcends ...moreAbsolutely extraordinary.

I've always been a fan of the Tudor period of history, and as any Tudor freak will agree, we have a tendancy to focus only on the kings and their queens (and their less official dalliances). A prime example is the reign of Henry VIII, arguably the most prominent Tudor monarch. Nearly all books on his reign, certainly those in the historical fiction category, focus on the king and his wives themselves, especially Anne Boleyn.

Hilary Mantel transcends this stereotypical approach and instead gives us an incredibly insightful and gripping look into the character behind the scenes, the one to machinate most of Henry's reformations - an individual who, instead of having been privileged from birth like the king himself, worked himself up from being a butcher's son to the second most important man in the entire nation; Thomas Cromwell.

And yes, maybe Mantel takes some author's license with her portrayal of Cromwell - maybe he wasn't at all the witty, enigmatic, highly intelligent man with a hint of dangerous always clinging to him that Mantel conjures up for us. This is always the issue with historical fiction. Personally, I am not at all bothered by the possibility of history having been embellished by an author. Because this is exactly how I like to imagine a man like Thomas Cromwell; clever, an opportunist, not afraid to put his opinion out there and yet able to do it all under a thin veil of propriety.

Also, a shout-out to Mantel's side-cast; Cromwell's family and extended family are very nicely done and impressively rounded for side-characters in a mostly one-person-centred novel. I especially enjoyed Mary Boleyn's not-so-innocent flirtation with Cromwell and the character of Rafe, Cromwell's servant boy who over the course of the novel becomes more son and friend than servant.

The world Mantel paints for us is wonderful, and the book deserves every word of praise it has received. Anyone the least bit interested in Tudor history or historical fiction in a court setting in general would be foolish to pass this one up. (less)

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Jan 23, 2010

Juliet Wilson rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: novels, history

I won this book in a competition. It's a very long and detailed look at a very specific part of English history, the relationship between Thomas Cromwell and King Henry VIII. It's interesting for the detailed way in which it recreates the particular period in history and the way it throws light onto political corruption and the relationship between church and state. But for all the detail, I didn't feel i ever got close to any of the characters, they all felt as distant as the paintings that Han...more

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Aug 18, 2011

Lisa rated it

· review of another edition

This book took me a while to get into as the author happily mixes up direct and indirect speech when she is showing us what Cromwell is thinking compared to what he is saying or what other people are saying to him. I didn't know too much about Cromwell before I read it (I thought he was Oliver Cromwell's grandfather, which he wasn't) but I am fascinated how a man from such a poor background managed to claw his way up the greasy pole of 16th century politics and remain there for so long ( I did e...more

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Dec 27, 2010

Marisa rated it

· review of another edition

This is a great book, a fascinating book, and a very educational book. It is also a very long book, and is sometimes a little hard to get into, but ultimately leaves you wondering about the inevitable differences between history as it actually was and history as it is portrayed.

This novel tells the story of the rise of Thomas Cromwell, from his early days as a blacksmith's son to the years he spent in service to Cardinal Wolsey and through to his emergence as King Henry VIII's most tr...more

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Jun 03, 2010

Julie rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: historical-fiction, british-isles-theme-setting, read-2010

I'm a nut for Tudor/Elizabethan histories, fiction and non-fiction. It seems that each one I've read has focused on a different character or aspect of the wild, rich, and turbulent political, romantic, and familial entanglements of Henry Tudor, his many wives and consorts, and of course his amazing and oft-bizarre off-spring, Mary and Elizabeth.

Hilary Mantel's protagonist is Thomas Cromwell, astute scholar and practitioner of law, business and courtly intrigue. He is drawn as a tou...moreI'm a nut for Tudor/Elizabethan histories, fiction and non-fiction. It seems that each one I've read has focused on a different character or aspect of the wild, rich, and turbulent political, romantic, and familial entanglements of Henry Tudor, his many wives and consorts, and of course his amazing and oft-bizarre off-spring, Mary and Elizabeth.

Hilary Mantel's protagonist is Thomas Cromwell, astute scholar and practitioner of law, business and courtly intrigue. He is drawn as a tough but compassionate figure, one with a fabulous and most modern sense of irony. It is his intelligence and wit that allow him to escape the worst of the trappings of court life, including the inevitable conclusion for many who reach the King's inner circle (be careful what thou wishest for): imprisonment in the dreaded Tower of London.

There is so much to dig about this novel- it is incredibly rich in imagery, costumes, setting, character, events, reflection and research. Even minor characters are treated as players, with history, context, and relationships as bright as the beloved tapestries that once adorned Cardinal Wolsey's walls. A window onto the legal workings of 16th century England is fascinating. And lest we giggle too much at the antics of the Tudor court, we need only look to our own halls of Congress to see how little progress our elected officials have made in instilling dignity, ethics, and integrity into the political process.

My only gripe, and this covers decidedly lengthy novels in general, is the 150 pages or so that could have been eighty-sixed in favor of a taut, more evenly-paced narrative. There was a great deal of expository detail and side stories that added nothing to the plot. Booker Prize notwithstanding, I think some of the literary world's celebrated writers could use an editor unafraid to wield a mighty red pen.

But it is a super story- something so familiar told in an original and lively way. Highly recommended to Anglophiles, Tudor-nuts and thrill seekers.

(less)

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Apr 08, 2011

Jeremy rated it

· review of another edition

What to rate this book? That is the question. Whether to give 4 or 5 stars and to suffer the consequences of Anne's outrageous temper.

I am going with 5. Despite that there was the confusing of use of pronouns that everyone else has already mentioned, despite that it seemed to take me forever to read I found myself hanging on to every plot thread, every conversation, every subtelty (that I could pick up on). This was so uniquely written that it almost felt like a different readi...moreWhat to rate this book? That is the question. Whether to give 4 or 5 stars and to suffer the consequences of Anne's outrageous temper.

I am going with 5. Despite that there was the confusing of use of pronouns that everyone else has already mentioned, despite that it seemed to take me forever to read I found myself hanging on to every plot thread, every conversation, every subtelty (that I could pick up on). This was so uniquely written that it almost felt like a different reading experience. Much in the same way I was blown away by the writing style in 2666 (and everything else about the book), I found Mantel's use of her craft luring me in a much different manner than any of my favorite authors. And while it is nice to read something from your favorite author that re-kindles that flame, it is also nice to find new flames - there is no rule against cheating on authors.

It may also be the historical fiction aspect that drew me in. Unlike what seems to be the vast majority of readers, I have not read any other books from this period. I had not read Shakespeare's plays on Henry, I had not read the uber popular Boleyn Girls series - although I did see The Other Boleyn Girl which gave me a clue as to what was going on. And that song Henry the VIIIth.

All of a sudden now I am very interested in this history of England and not just the period of this book. Not that I can say I have a clue based on reading this one piece of fiction, but it seems there is a great debate about the King's role in decisions made versus his councilors, the Queen and so on. Just the fact that Cromwell is portrayed in different ways, or the Boleyns - it seems like an example of how when history in unknown people try to fill in the blanks, whether it be an attempt to portray the facts, or historical fiction. Nevertheless, if my reading travels take me there, I would like to learn more about this era and I will be sure to read more of Mantel including the sequel to this fine novel.(less)

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Apr 20, 2010

Susan rated it

I finally finished the book. I did like it a lot but there has to be some reason it took me two months to read. I agree with my sister about the details of her writing: nuanced and original, absolutely no cliches.

I really loved the Cromwell POV which was usually signaled by "he" followed some action Cromwell took. I can see where it would frustrate some readers but I thought she used it well. Very rarely was it confusing. If "he" was someone else she took care to ...moreI finally finished the book. I did like it a lot but there has to be some reason it took me two months to read. I agree with my sister about the details of her writing: nuanced and original, absolutely no cliches.

I really loved the Cromwell POV which was usually signaled by "he" followed some action Cromwell took. I can see where it would frustrate some readers but I thought she used it well. Very rarely was it confusing. If "he" was someone else she took care to make that obvious. It was a brilliant way, it seems to me, of getting inside of Cromwell's head while still maintaining the 3rd person narrative.

I did know about Cromwell before reading this--though I can't pinpoint what books I read. I was cuckoo about the Tudors when I was a kid and read all sorts of stuff. The first Shakespeare play I read was Henry VIII. It was also the first adult book I bought for myself--Modern Library History Plays III or something like that. Who reads Henry VIII? Did Shakeapeare even write it? That said I've hated a lot of contemporary books on the subject like those by Phillippa Carr who just turns the characters into people you might meet at the grocery store with no real feel for the history. (Talk about wanting to throw books across the hall!)

I remember liking Cromwell too but I don't clearly remember why except that he was clever and thought for himself.

I found myself throughout this book wondering whether every incident had its germ in some history book. I didn't look them up, but I think maybe what's wrong with this book for me is that it tries too hard to be historically correct. But I loved the bits where you saw the modern world--like the oft quoted passage where Cromwell observes that Henry doesn't understand that the world is really driven by financiers in Florence and wool merchants in Antwerp.

I feel a need to read a biog of Thomas More after this. I want to understand whether Mantel's evaluation of him vis a vis Cromwell is entirely her fiction. I suspect not. I note I have a biog on my shelf, by Richard Marius. I haven't read it. I got it after meeting him on some occasion and liking him. Do I have time to read it now? not likely.

I also wonder about the title. I expected the novel to go further than it did because of the title. Jane Seymour is just an intriguing character Mantel expects her readers to recognize as Henry's next wife. Perhaps she originally intended to cover more and then decided on a sequel. (Sequels are rarely great unless, it seems to me, they take an entirely new focus, say the POV of a different character. Guess we'll see about that.)

I suppose I'd rate this 8 or 9 out of 10. (less)

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Jan 05, 2010

Amalia rated it

Recommends it for: History fans, those who like to be challenged while reading

I haven't been a big follower of the Tudors, and my knowledge of English history is probably not what it should be in a perfect world. That said, I usually enjoy Booker Prize winners, and the early reviews I read of Wolf Hall implied it might be a tale that I would enjoy. This is a BIG book representative of a time with some big and revolutionary ideas, and I did find myself constantly challenged as I read it. Challenged in a good way, that is.
There are two literary "quirks" ...moreI haven't been a big follower of the Tudors, and my knowledge of English history is probably not what it should be in a perfect world. That said, I usually enjoy Booker Prize winners, and the early reviews I read of Wolf Hall implied it might be a tale that I would enjoy. This is a BIG book representative of a time with some big and revolutionary ideas, and I did find myself constantly challenged as I read it. Challenged in a good way, that is.
There are two literary "quirks" about Wolf Hall that must be accepted to really enjoy the book. First, as many have mentioned, if you're even in doubt about a "he", it's Cromwell. I'm typically a big complainer about indefinite pronoun references and I did find this a bit exasperating at times. That said, it also forced me to slow down and really consider the interactions that were occurring between the characters. The second quirk is that, in spite of being historical fiction, the story is told in the present tense. For me, this device helps keep the story more active, more vibrant.
When I started the book, I couldn't help but wonder why there was a list of characters that was so detailed. Honestly, it looked like the exposition for a play. As I worked my way through the 532 pages of the book, though, the character list became my favored resource. It helped me keep all of the Stephens and Thomases straight, and it also helped me translate the identity of those with multiple titles (e.g. Thomas Boleyn/ Wiltshire/ Monseigneur).
I know, the last two paragraphs have made the book sound like a lot of trouble. It is work, and I found myself looking up additional information on many of the characters simply because they piqued my curiosity. But....it's also a tale well-told, the characters are nicely developed, and it's simply an interesting story. I am particularly drawn to what many have described as the presentation of Cromwell as a "sympathetic" character. While Mantel does present him more favorably than many have in the past, he does remain flawed and human. Her presentation of More and of Anne Boleyn certainly plays more on their flaws than many have in the past. The perspective is definitely food for thought, and all of the characters are believable.
Brief summary: Great historical fiction, terrific story, a bit of work to read but well worth the adventure.(less)

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Jan 22, 2011

Sarah Payok rated it

I love finishing a good book and enjoying the moment immediately afterward, just sitting and thinking about what I've read. Wolf Hall was the first book in quite a while to leave me in that moment of quiet contemplation, not eager to pick up the next book and let what I have just read fade away.

I was pretty sure, based on the topic and reviews, that I would love Wolf Hall. Well written historical fiction about the Tudors? Of course I would love that. Well written historical fiction abo...moreI love finishing a good book and enjoying the moment immediately afterward, just sitting and thinking about what I've read. Wolf Hall was the first book in quite a while to leave me in that moment of quiet contemplation, not eager to pick up the next book and let what I have just read fade away.

I was pretty sure, based on the topic and reviews, that I would love Wolf Hall. Well written historical fiction about the Tudors? Of course I would love that. Well written historical fiction about the Tudors focused on the political dealings and not the lust and arrogance of Henry? I loved that even more.

Wolf Hall focuses on Thomas Cromwell's rise to power, from the abused son of a blacksmith to a hired soldier to one of the most powerful men working in the government of Tudor England. Mantel's narrative is fast paced and it surprises me to reflect back and consider just how much of Cromwell's life is packed into the 600+ pages. Events happen quickly and without fanfare (Thomas More is a big figure in the book yet his death is almost a side note) and years fly by. As a result, Wolf Hall encompasses a large portion of history without ever seeming like it. At the same time, this is done so artfully that it never seems jarring or as though something is missing; Wolf Hall reads like a comprehensive rendering of the years from when Henry began lobbying Rome for a divorce from Queen Katherine to the death of the 2nd child of Queen Anne.

There are virtually no villains in Wolf Hall. Cromwell sees the characters nearly as chess pieces, to manipulate and move as needed. Every one has a value, whether realized now or in the future, and as result Mantel's Cromwell is a good man, despite his political maneuvering. It's hard to read about Tudor England without also reading a great deal of accusations and finger pointing. Wolf Hall was a pleasant respite from this. More importantly though, it is a great read and I enjoyed every page. I will certainly seek out Hillary Mantel's other books.(less)

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Nov 13, 2009

Christy B rated it

Shelves: fiction, historical-fiction

Wolf Hall is an exceptional novel. Exceptional. That's the best word to describe it.

This historical fiction novel is about Henry VIII's 'Great Matter', the annulment of his marriage to Katherine of Aragon. However, it is not shown through the eyes of a king or queen or even a lady-in-waiting. It is shown through the eyes of Thomas Cromwell, who was the King's chief minister.

Cromwell is painted as the true anti-hero. A man with a rough beginning who rose himself from noth...more

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Apr 10, 2011

Michael rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: historical-fiction, 2009, review

Review from Badelynge
"Cromwell, what does he really believe?"
It's a question that Anne Boleyn ponders in the book and I suppose it is the question the reader is also posed with. The book is very well researched by the author Hilary Mantel. There is a huge cast of characters involved here, threading their strands into the tangled weave of politics, intrigue and ambition that surrounds the court of King Henry VIII during his courtship and marriage to Anne Boleyn. At the end o...more

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Oct 16, 2009

Jo rated it

· review of another edition

Thomas Cromwell ,a self made man, from very humble origins, finds himself at the heart of the greatest court in renaissance England. Easy to read from the opening line, and almost like you are having a conversation with the key characters, this novel just flows along. Meticulously researched, the Tudor court is shown ,not as a theatre set, but as a living,breathing, hotpotch of intrigue and disharmony.

When I saw this book reviewed in the Times recently I wasn't sure that Hilary Mant...more

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Jul 21, 2010

Bxdoc delaney rated it

· review of another edition

fascinating and totally engaging. Cromwell's rise is done with rich period detail in graceful prose. and I loved the different perspective on both More and Cromwell. the former not so saintly as conventional wisdom--and Bolt's play--would suggest. and Cromwell as a master manipulator whose subtlety of language is amazing to behold.
it also made me reflect on the reformation and how monumental a change it was. people being tortured and killed for what are now seen as quite small differences ...more

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Aug 11, 2011

Albert rated it

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A vast, self-contained history of Tudor England during the early reign of Henry VIII. Not much on setting, scenery, or symbolism, this novel builds up character after character from dialogue and action alone. Whether or not this works for the reader largely depends on how much they come into the book knowing something about the Tudors; I knew a bit, so it worked a bit. The plot is primarily given from the perspective of Thomas Cromwell, which is a new perspective on the familiar parts of this h...more

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Aug 09, 2011

Lorna added it · review of another edition

For anyone, like me, whose childhood film memories include Robert Bolt's stunning A Man For All Seasons, with Paul Scofield in the lead role, this book will set preconceptions on their head.

It's the England of Henry VIII, besotted with Anne Boleyn, tussling with the Pope over his wish to cast off long-standing wife number one, Katherine of Aragon, and splitting the Church in the process. Everyone in high office, of Church or State, needs his wits about him, as the King will not brook dissent.

The...more

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Jan 26, 2011

Darryl Mexic rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: favorites

**** “Wolf Hall” by Hilary Mantel. If you enjoy history, particularly English history during the time of Henry VIII (he of six wives), and would find it interesting to read conversations that Hilary Mantel brilliantly constructs from that which is known of the leading characters of the time, then this book is for you. All the well known characters are present: Henry Tudor; Katherine of Aragon; Anne Boleyn and her father, brother and sister, Mary, who was mistress to Henry before Anne captu...more

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Sep 27, 2010

Teresa rated it

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Shelves: owned

Hilary Mantel s Booker prize shortlisted novel Wolf Hall is a book about how the world changes, about those pen strokes and discreet sighs that happen outside the public eye but whose consequences shape history. The book focuses on the English court in the years 1527 to 1535, from when Henry first broaches the idea of a split from Katherine to when Thomas More is executed for not supporting the king s divorce or denying the authority of the pope. Mantel's central character--her unlikely hero-...moreHilary Mantel s Booker prize shortlisted novel Wolf Hall is a book about how the world changes, about those pen strokes and discreet sighs that happen outside the public eye but whose consequences shape history. The book focuses on the English court in the years 1527 to 1535, from when Henry first broaches the idea of a split from Katherine to when Thomas More is executed for not supporting the king s divorce or denying the authority of the pope. Mantel's central character--her unlikely hero--is Thomas Cromwell.[return][return]I was delighted to see that Mantel does not give the theological debates of the time short shrift. The various heresies and new ideas that were spreading across Europe and into England become vital to the story. Cromwell himself is conflicted in this area, unlike the more confident, committed Catholic Thomas More. Cromwell moves with the time, learning to bend with the will of the king while somehow being able to converse with the king s enemies, from accused heretics like William Tyndale to the disgraced Queen Katherine to the imprisoned Thomas More. Among my favorite scenes in the book were the many one-on-one conversations Cromwell had with the king, with Thomas More, with Katherine, with Anne, and with Anne s sister Mary. Each of these conversation partners is formidable in his or her own way, and watching the them circle each other, sizing each other up as they spoke, made for gripping reading.[return][return]Mantel also has a way with characterization. Two-dimensional characters have little to no place in her novel. With such a large cast, she cannot give each person depth, even in 650 pages, but those characters who have room to breathe feel like real people. The characters are likable and unlikable to varying degrees, but none of them are all-out saints or full-on villains.[return][return]Mantel follows the current trend of writing in the present tense, which usually doesn t bother me, but in this book there were several times that I couldn t tell if one incident happened hours, days, weeks, or even months after the previous one.[return][return]Another difficulty is in Mantel s choice to refer to Cromwell merely as he most of the time. Even after it s clear that he is usually Cromwell, there are times when other characters need to be he, and several passages ended up being almost incomprehensible. I suspect that Mantel was trying to make us feel closer to Cromwell, but the story itself and his inner thoughts do that well enough. A quirky writing choice like this seems like an unneccesary barrier.[return][return]See my complete review at my blog.(less)

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Mar 05, 2010

Sara added it

Hilary Mantel s new Booker Prize-winning novel Wolf Hall tells a familiar story: King Henry VIII is desperate for a legitimate male heir and wishes to dissolve his marriage to Katherine of Aragon in order to marry Anne Boleyn. In the process of doing this, he becomes head of the Church of England, severing his nation s ties with the Catholic Church. These events have been retold countless times, most recently in fluffy historical dramas about interpersonal conflict within the Tudor court. Wolf...more

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Jan 02, 2012

Lightreads rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: fiction, historical

As fiction, this wouldn't work: in isolation it has no weight, and no internal throughline. As historical fiction -- a reclamation of Thomas Cromwell and his rise to power in Henry VIII's court -- it is much more successful. The history lends dramatic irony, painful irony, bitter irony -- enough irony to choke an Oxford college. It makes this otherwise loose string of incidents and moments hang together, and I suspect for some people, it makes this book brilliant.

For me, I don't care a...more

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Dec 31, 2011

Mark rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: history, audiobooks

Putting this book onto my history shelf stuck rather in my throat. It is a brilliant story, wonderfully descriptive and emotive. It creates a great panoply of historical figures but falls far short of actually being just to them. By that i mean Mantel quite clearly sets out to unwrite the hagiographical picture catholic tradition has given to Thomas More. She points out, quite rightly, his brutal treatment of 'heretics' and his lack of compassion to those with whom he disagrees and seems even to...morePutting this book onto my history shelf stuck rather in my throat. It is a brilliant story, wonderfully descriptive and emotive. It creates a great panoply of historical figures but falls far short of actually being just to them. By that i mean Mantel quite clearly sets out to unwrite the hagiographical picture catholic tradition has given to Thomas More. She points out, quite rightly, his brutal treatment of 'heretics' and his lack of compassion to those with whom he disagrees and seems even to paint his martyrdom as some sort of ego trip. This rending apart of his character and historical place miht be justified and I certainly think catholic writers need to face up to the fact that Thomas More was of his time and certainly not some sort of enlightened thinker who turned away from torture and cruelty. He did not. As with most men of power of his time the saving of souls, the bringing people back from perdition was of such central importance, their seeing God as a brutal tyrant was so entrenched, that at all costs heretics must be saved even if that meant killing them once they were forced to recant as otherwise God would make them suffer much more. This, thank God, is no longer the view of the vast majority of thinking men and women of faith but my point is it was in 1530. Mantel presents More as some sort of evil maniac but, and here is my problem, Thomas Cromwell is presented as the valiant defender of the poor, the downtrodden and the suffering Protestant.

The book is a brilliant story, the descriptions are so clever and atmospheric that eyes hardly need to be closed in order to be there but it is the disingenuous creation of this brutal and cruel hypocrite as a man of nobility and compassion that made me very angry. Mantel conveniently finishes her story as Anne Boleyn , the woman who Cramner and Cromwell had raised to that position on the orders of the king through lies and the betrayal of the genuine and tragic figure of Katherine of Aragon, has just lost her second child in miscarriage. Elizabeth, her daughter lives, but anyone with a knowledge of Tudor history knows that that is the only living child Anne will have. Cramner and especially Cromwell then set out to destroy Anne Boleyn by lies and creations and abuses so as to leave the track free for the evil tub of disgusting lard that was Henry to abuse, manipulate and force himself upon 4 more wives and God alone knows how many more poor petrified women. Cromwell was a shite of the first order, in this brilliant fiction he is perfumed and polished into being a Robin Hood for the 16th Century.

My real difficulty was being able to disassociate the excellence of the novel from the injustices and inaccuracies of the history. Inaccuracies not so much in historical fact perhaps but by their willful misinterpretation. I would be very interested to see how Hilary Mantel approaches Anne Boleyn's 'trial' and execution. I do not see how all the perfumes in Arabia could possibly sweeten Cromwell's little hand in all of that.

The book is a brilliant story but would have been more easily swallowed by me had the character who headed that story been fictional rather than fictitious.(less)

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About Hilary Mantel

Hilary Mantel was born in Glossop, Derbyshire, England on 6 July 1952. She studied Law at the London School of Economics and Sheffield University. She was employed as a social worker, and lived in Botswana for five years, followed by four years in Saudi Arabia, before returning to Britain in the mid-1980s. In 1987 she was awarded the Shiva Naipaul Memorial Prize for an article about Jeddah, and sh...more

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Quotes from Wolf Hall

“It is magnificent. At the moment of impact, the king's eyes are open, his body braced for the atteint; he takes the blow perfectly, its force absorbed by a body securely armoured, moving in the right direction, moving at the right speed. His colour does not alter. His voice does not shake.

"Healthy?" he says. "Then I thank God for his favour to us. As I thank you, my lords, for this comfortable intelligence."

He thinks, Henry has been rehearsing. I suppose we all have.

The king walks away towards his own rooms. Says over his shoulder, "Call her Elizabeth. Cancel the jousts.” — 6 people liked it

“Some say the Tudors transcend this history, bloody and demonic as it is: that they descend from Brutus through the line of Constantine, son of St Helena, who was a Briton. Arthur, High King of Britain, was Constantine's grandson. He married up to three women, all called Guinevere, and his tomb is at Glastonbury, but you must understand that he is not really dead, only waiting his time to come again.

His blessed descendant, Prince Arthur of England, was born in the year 1486, eldest son of Henry, the first Tudor king. This Arthur married Katharine the princess of Aragon, died at fifteen and was buried in Worcester Cathedral. If he were alive now, he would be King of England. His younger brother Henry would likely be Archbishop of Canterbury, and would not (at least, we devoutly hope not) be in pursuit of a woman of whom the cardinal hears nothing good: a woman to whom, several years before the dukes walk in to despoil him, he will need to turn his attention; whose history, before ruin seizes him, he will need to comprehend.

Beneath every history, another history.” — 6 people liked it

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