Historical Fiction Buddy Reads discussion
Buddy Read: Wolf Hall - JAN & FEB 2010
Im also doing this as a side read for another group and have seen some good tips in the discussions. Biggest one people have had issues with are who is speaking and being referred to. So "He" almost invariably refers to Thomas Cromwell.
I wish I could join, but I don't think I have the time right now. Happy reading, though.
Great Susan !! Kimberly & Sydney are also joing us. Ive just started it. Cant wait to discuss. :)
Mod
Got it for Christmas and started it last night.Interesting narrative voice.
Glad Kate warned me that "he" is almost inevitably Cromwell.
Mod
I am a little behind in my reading and I want to finish Restoration before I start Wolf Hall. I will try to catch up with you all next week.
Ive been concentrating a little more and slowing my readinging pace down. Do you like it being in present tense ?
I had a very very hard time with the present tense, it really didn't click in until about page 200 or so and then I forgot it.
I'm not having any problem with the present tense as yet.
Pages 143-147 on the court case about Katherine It hints that she was no virgin when she came to Henry. Interesting point..Ive always wondered about that.She is often portrayed as saintly.
I'm in, but won't be able to start it for a few days. . . It's been lurking about calling to me, but I just can't seem to get to it! This might be the motivation I need :-)
Mod
I have not started the book yet either. I will finish up Restoration today and tonight I will finally start reading Wolf Hall. I am looking forward to it very much.
I will let you all know what I think of the beginning.
I just finished this morning and I LOVED it!! If anyone is interested in reading my review, it's here (no spoilers):http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/65...
Otherwise, I will reserve more commentary until later once more people have finished. I was reading this for another group so I had a bit of a jump start.
I can't wait to discuss!! :D
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Hey Sydney, I found it hard at first , going from first and third person and it being in present tense and the "he" thing too. After a while i got use to the flow of the writing.
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I'm so glad this was picked and we have 2 months. Thanks to all!
I find I sink into it after a little while of reading it.
Picking it up tomorrow and plan to start. Sidney, tell me about Restoration?
Mod
"I loved Restoration" Restoration
By Rose Tremain
I am sure you will enjoy reading Restoration. It is set during the lavish period after the monarchy has been restored. A young man from rather meager beginnings has the good fortune to be studying medicine, but is singled out by the King for a particular and personal mission. What follows is his story and it is sad, touching and sometimes very amusing.
The book is exquisitely written and it is an absolute “Joy” to read. The story is being related by the protagonist and it made me feel like I was a bit of a voyeur. Merivel, from whose eyes we see the story unfolding, is rather a coarse character, but endearing nonetheless. He doesn’t seem to have much control over his life and his own words, “My life is a very muddled occurrence”, describes it very well. The best time I have ever had in 17th Century England.
Going to the top of my "to read" list. Thanks for letting me know about this book.
How is everyone going with it ? Im enjoying it but find its slow , its holding up all my other books in the que
I'm having a slow time getting into it. I find it difficult to adjust to her writing style. It's not a smooth read for me but all the reviews were so good that I will hang in. I'm sure it will get easier once I'm used to her writing voice.
Mod
I am having the same difficulty. I find the writing style very cumbersome and annoying. I am only about 67 pages into the story because I keep putting it down. I am not expecting the style to change, but I will continue since I am reading it with the group.
Right. I actually gave up on one of her other books because of her peculiar style and am having the exact same process as you. I'm glad I'm not alone in this. Hopefully, the story will support interest.
I am enjoying it, and about halfway through.
A week of solid rain and now A a power outages. Nothing to do but read. darn!
A week of solid rain and now A a power outages. Nothing to do but read. darn!
A week of solid rain and now A a power outages. Nothing to do but read. darn!
A week of solid rain and now A a power outages. Nothing to do but read. darn!
A week of solid rain and now a power outage. Nothing to do but read! Darn...
A week of solid rain and now a power outage. Nothing to do but read! Darn...
That's what happens when you post from a blackberry. I didn't know it was doing that. Sorry about that.
FYI. The NY Times Book section has a review by Hillary Mantel of a new book about Anne Boleyn. THE LADY IN THE TOWER by Alison Weir. No shattering new info (especially in the review) but interesting that Mantel was the reviewer.
I'm new to this site but joined this group because of Wolf Hall which I am reading right now on my new Kindle. Wish I had not chosen this book for e-reading, but I still think it's terrific. I'm really enjoying the limited point of view and the "occult" theme. I was never particularly interested in the Tudors but this is fascinating. By the way, it's on the list for the National Book Award. Hope it wins!
Mod
Her non fiction read well , almost like fiction.She has a new fiction coming out in April The Captive Queen
I just bought The Lady in the Tower too--can't wait to read it! :D
Well, I have finished it. I enjoyed it.
Well, I just finished it and I am glad, after all, that I stuck it out. Although it was something I had to "stick with" rather than "can't stop reading." I consistently had difficulty identifying whose point of view was being presented. I could imagine her editor asking, "Who is "HE!!!" resulting in sentences like "He, Cromwell, sat in the chair...." She has the tendency to assume the reader knows more than I clearly did about all the characters and situations. As a result, when she drops people in and out of the pages without explanation or context, I frequently got confused as to who or what I was reading about. And since Cromwell obviously knew, and she refused to break into his present tense to have him stop and explain it to some phantom intruder, I either had to guess or give up knowing. That, added to the pronoun issue made this an extremely difficult book to follow. I never did figure out (or missed) how More lost his position at Court and at the same time gained so much power to torture and kill heretics. Having said all that, I found the book a fascinating look into Cromwell's life as lawyer and counselor to the King and a totally believable depiction of the era. Her style of writing gives it an immediacy that I have not experienced as a reader before. I admired it greatly and can see why it is so well thought of.
I think I'll rent Showtime's THE TUDORS to watch again.
Anyone else finished?
I think the fact I'm kinda a Tudor Freak, and knew who did what to whom, helped a lot.My mother is reading it now, and also enjoying it.
I'm done--really enjoyed it. The pronouns didn't bother me much once I got used to them. I just assumed it was almost always Cromwell! I did have to look up some Tudor history several times to help fill in the blanks, but I think any good historical novel can ask a reader to do that.
I finished it recently too. Nearly everyone I've talked to about it has said the same as many of y'all: it's not exactly the easiest read in the world. As so many of you have pointed out, once you realize that "He" means Cromwell, that helps a ton. Present tense didn't bother me. I definitely thought it was worth it in the end.I was surprised to realize that Wolf Hall itself figures only tangentially into the book. Anyone have any guesses why? At one point - I don't have the page number, sorry, I read this thing on Kindle - there's this: "The saying occurs to him [Cromwell:], homo homini lupus, man is wolf to man." So perhaps the title is more metaphorical; the whole setting is a hall of wolves. Am I trying too hard here, though?
(I previously posted this question on a Wolf Hall thread in the Tudor group; sorry if that's bad form.)
Carolyn, I'm going to try watching The Tudors now too. Never seen it before. Watched a couple episodes so far; there are sortof a lot of, y'know...boobs in it, huh? Whee!
I also re-read Shakespeare's Henry VIII for additional perspective. Can't recommend it. Not his best work (nor entirely written by him; his successor John Fletcher, whom you've never heard of for good reason, wrote at least some of it). And a total whitewash, historically speaking: at one point Katherine says, like, "It's totally cool that you divorced me, I understand; have fun with your lovely new wife." Shhhya.
Well, he wanted to keep his head.
Historical Fiction Buddy Reads
Books mentioned in this topic
The Captive Queen (other topics)The Lady in the Tower: The Fall of Anne Boleyn (other topics)
Wolf Hall (other topics)
Wolf Hall.
If it suits everyone interested, time frame would be from 11th January until the end of February.
Happy reading. Im looking forward to discussing this one :)