Buddy Read: Wolf Hall - JAN & FEB 2010

[Sasha]

Heh. Indeed. Just sayin' I wouldn't recommend it all that highly.

[Susanna - Censored by GoodReads]

Snort. Very true.

[Tina]

Okay, so I'm about 20% into the book (don't know page number, as it's on my kindle). I'm finding it a bit rough going. A bit awkward, and it takes me a bit to figure out who is talking, to whom they are talking to, what about, so on and so on. . .

[Sasha]

In case you missed this previously, Tina, if the pronoun isn't identified - if it's just "he" - it's almost always Cromwell. That helps everyone.

And take heart: we all thought it was a bit rough, but most of us also thought it was worth it in the end.

I get obsessed with the percentage counter on my Kindle. I give my wife updates: "56% done now!"

[Tina]

Alex, Thanks for the advice! After I posted this last night I read again (up to 28%-I love the counter too) and it got much easier. Maybe I just needed time to get into the swing of things. Anne is on her way in, Katherine out, the Cardinal is fearing for his life at Esher, Cromwell is dealing with his grief and trying to keep his head above the political water. It's interesting, for sure!


Alex wrote: "In case you missed this previously, Tina, if the pronoun isn't identified - if it's just "he" - it's almost always Cromwell. That helps everyone.

And take heart: we all thought it was a bit rough..."

[Susanna - Censored by GoodReads]

I found it a good novel. But I'm still trying to make sense of the ending.

[Sasha]

I also found what some others have said: it's better and easier in large doses. I'm used to reading for 20 minutes, twice a day, on the subway; in little nips like that, the book's pretty confusing. In larger hunks - a couple hours at a time - it's, y'know, marginally less confusing.

[Kate.]

Ive finally finished. I enjoyed it but glad its over.

[Denise]

The ending was somewhat anticlimactic, but I thought it was an appropriate way to solve the problem of readers knowing the eventual fate of the protagonist.
Mantel's use of point of view / stream of consciousness which was irritating to many reminded me of V. Woolf's To the Lighthouse (which also irritates readers), esp. where Mr. Ramsey stretches his arms out but they remain empty because Mrs. Ramsey has died the night before. Because WH must reveal all of the pertinent historical events through the prism of Cromwell's mind, they approach a level of intimacy that is difficult to get to in an historical novel.

[Susanna - Censored by GoodReads]

I hear she is working on a sequel.

[Sasha]

Well, so there's a topic for debate. We're hearing an awful lot of "That was hard, but I guess I'm glad I stuck with it" from people, right? So: would you read a sequel? Knowing what you would be getting into?

I would. I dug it. But I'd have to make sure there weren't any other tempting books sitting on my TBR pile, whispering to me about how easy they are.

Edit: Good point about Woolf there, Denise. Nicely done.

[Kimberly]

Alex wrote: "Well, so there's a topic for debate. We're hearing an awful lot of "That was hard, but I guess I'm glad I stuck with it" from people, right? So: would you read a sequel? Knowing what you would b..."

I will definitely read the sequel. I think I am one of the few people who thought it was brilliant. I loved it.

[Denise]

I will definitely read the sequel. I, too, thought it was brilliant, taking the historical novel to its creative heights. Has anyone read any of Mantel's other books?

[Kate.]

I will read the sequel after investing time in the first one. I havent read anything else by her. I wonder how the writing style compares ??

[Tina]

Whew! I finished!! I'm in the "I'm glad I stuck with it" camp. Not too sure if I would read a sequel. . . .it was a force of will to finish, but I am glad I did

[Kate.]

Tina , I struggled with the rating for that reason. I gave it 4 but its more toward 3.5

[Susanna - Censored by GoodReads]

I would definitely read the sequel.

I gave it 4 stars, it was more of 4.5 for me. Not quite five.

It probably helped that I was generally reading it in bursts of 2-3 hours at a time, and could fall into the rhythm of it.

[Denise]

Christopher Hitchens' review of WH in this month's Atlantic makes a number of interesting points about the language, point of view, and ideological context of the book. I don't always care for Hitchens, but this review is well worth reading.

[Sasha]

Thanks Denise! That review is great, I agree.

Here are the portraits Hitchens mentions:

Henry: http://www.hans-holbein.org/Portrait-... (Dude, that guy doesn't look like Jonathan Rhys-Meyers at all!)
More: http://www.bestpriceart.com/vault/abc...
Cromwell: http://www.hans-holbein.org/Portrait-...

[Susanna - Censored by GoodReads]

A very good review, that.

[Denise]

The portraits of Henry and More are more flattering, but the clothing does tell a story. Cromwell is dressed like a member of the Labour party while the other two are definitely royals.

[Sasha]

Sorry to dwell on the not-very-historically-accurate-to-say-the-least Tudors show, but my wife and I are currently watching it so it's on my mind...that dude they cast as More looks just like him.

[Carolyn]

Thanks for the link to the Hitchens review. I find I appreciate the book more after reading the many reviews explaining it to me. Maybe if I had read them first, I would have had a better time reading the thing. I will definitely read her sequel.