Wolf Hall

by Hilary Mantel

Paperback

English language

Published Jan. 1, 2009 by Fourth Estate.

ISBN:: 978-0-00-729241-7
OCLC Number:: 762057928

(8 reviews)

'Lock Cromwell in a deep dungeon in the morning,' says Thomas More, 'and when you come back that night he'll be sitting on a plush cushion eating larks' tongues, and all the gaolers will owe him money.'

England, the 1520s. Henry VIII is on the throne, but has no heir. Cardinal Wolsey is his chief advisor, charged with securing the divorce the pope refuses to grant. Into this atmosphere of distrust and need comes Thomas Cromwell, first as Wolsey's clerk, and later his successor. Cromwell is a wholly original man: the son of a brutal blacksmith, a political genius, a briber, a charmer, a bully, a man with a delicate and deadly expertise in manipulating people and events. Ruthless in pursuit of his own interests, he is as ambitious in his wider politics as he is for himself. His reforming agenda is carried out in the grip of a self-interested …

From one of our finest living writers, Wolf Hall is that very rare thing: a truly great English novel, one that explores the intersection of individual psychology and wider politics. With a vast array of characters, and richly overflowing with incident, it peels back history to show us Tudor England as a half-made society, moulding itself with great passion and suffering and courage. (back cover)

32 editions

Aaron reviewed Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel

Wolf Hall

5 stars

I don't read a ton of fiction that takes actual historical figures as their characters. I'm not even sure why I made an exception for Wolf Hall, other than the fact that has been so widely acclaimed and since I'm not a historian of the UK, Mantel could write pretty much anything and I would believe it. The achievement here is significant -- Mantel juggles an enormous cast of characters, and the book consists almost entirely of dialogue among them. Cromwell is "he" throughout the course of the book, and with him there are rapid-fire shifts from exterior to interior dialogue. Does this book comport with "what happened"? I can't say -- but it was a powerful read and I enjoyed it immensely.

crabbygirl reviewed Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel

Review of 'Wolf Hall' on 'Goodreads'

3 stars

a marathon of a book.
upon finishing it, i feel both relieved it's over, and proud i made it through
that said, the content is so dense, and my grasp of the politics of King Henry VIII's court is so tenuous, that i often felt out of my depth. yes, i better understand the papacy and it's underlinings as a power source rather than a religious one. yes, i see the political alliances (and debts) of marriages within European powers. yes, i better understand the era's superstition - mired in the plague and other easy deaths. but these were things i did know, however casually. new information was harder to process... the king, in his need to be exalted, has no real friends? the construction of the Church of England was more a money grab than a new marriage for Henry VIII?

ana reviewed Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel

Wolf Hall & Bring Up the Bodies by Hilary Mantel

3 stars

I wonder what Mantel thought was wrong with Cromwell's name that she had to substitute it with a 'he' every time she refers to him. It would have made sense if there had been no other men in the narration, but there were and too many times it was necessary to re-read whole paragraphs to find out which 'he' she was talking about.

In a few occasions there were entire pages of irrelevant non-action and seemingly intentionally confusing writing, like when 'Liz Cromwell' seems to be flying (years after she's dead) and you're left wondering if you're reading some one's dream until a page or two later of the flight's description when it is finally explained that names of dead ladies have been given to birds.

A great novel and good historical fiction as the rest of the reviews show, but these unnecessary gimmicks that distract from the content of …

A great novel and good historical fiction as the rest of the reviews show, but these unnecessary gimmicks that distract from the content of the novel make it a bit difficult to understand that it got so many awards.

In a few places it is a page-turner, but mostly it is not.

Good writing is that which is easy to read. This was not always

Phil Sorrell reviewed Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel

Review of 'Wolf Hall' on 'Goodreads'

2 stars

Abandoned. The use of 'he' with a view point character added to the confusion of who was who, further confused by jumping between present and past. Not for me.

dommiz reviewed Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel

Review of 'Wolf Hall' on 'Goodreads'

5 stars

Astonishing, immersive experience. Feels like you are looking over Cromwell's shoulder as he insinuates himself into the centre of Tudor political intrigue, and in the process changes Britain forever.