Review: Wolf Hall

Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



I received this book through the Goodreads First Reads program.

As I'm sure you can understand, I was thrilled to receive a free book. However, upon it's arrival, I saw how thick it was (608 pages). I was entirely unfamiliar with the historical period outside of high school history class. (I haven't even watched The Tudors despite a long-standing crush on Jonathan Rhys-Meyers.) Those facts, combined, caused me to shelve the book for a year.

I deeply regret that I waited so long to read it.

Mantel has done a wonderful job here creating the mind of a very influential man. By the end of the novel, I felt that I understood Thomas Cromwell, and at the same time, that his motives were more a mystery to me than ever. The cover copy hints at the relationship between Cromwell and his king, asking what will be the price of Cromwell's victory in helping Henry to marry his second wife. In many ways, I don't think that's the ultimate question of the novel. Instead, I think this is more a meditation on the one man that no one saw coming. Born of peasant stock, educated by his own hard work and through his relationship with his patron, Cardinal Wolsey, Thomas Cromwell rose to prominence so quickly and in such a way that the nobility and power brokers were utterly unable to anticipate him. A number of narratives emerge throughout this book. It could be read as: 1. The relationship between Cromwell and Thomas More--Cromwell knew More as a child, and one could read this as the story of their relationship. 2. Cromwell's revenge on those that harmed Wolsey. Throughout Cromwell's rise, he was able to bring down, or rejoice in the fall, of those that had attacked his patron. 3. The story of a nation in flux, as education and literacy combine to cast doubt on faith.

No matter how you read this book, I think it is a delicate and precise story, written by a master. Mantel does not overload the book with detail, but at the same time, the setting of the book is truly present. One doesn't need to have a great knowledge of the Tudor period in order to enjoy this book. All you need is interest.

(After having read the book, I did look up Henry VIII on Wikipedia. I was shocked to learn that scholars no longer think that Henry had syphilis--I guess that may go down as a lie my teacher taught me.)



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