Friday, December 4, 2015

Wolf Hall - Hilary Mantel

Title: Wolf Hall (Thomas Cromwell Trilogy #1)
Author: Hilary Mantel
Pages: 532
Published: 2009
Genre: Historical Fiction
Edition: Hardcover
Source: Personal

Description: Tudor England. Henry VIII is on the throne, but has no heir. Cardinal Wolsey is charged with securing his divorce. Into this atmosphere of distrust comes Thomas Cromwell - a man as ruthlessly ambitious in his wider politics as he is for himself. 

His reforming agenda is carried out in the grip of a self-interested parliament and a king who fluctuates between romantic passions and murderous rages. (via Goodreads)

Thoughts: This book had been on my TBR for a number of years and the TV series that aired this past spring in North America on PBS prompted me to read the book.  I actually liked that it was a little slower to read through, as one was able to get a sense of Cromwell's intellect and calculating behaviour.  I liked how Mantel used language to slow the reader down deliberately and the personal details that were interspersed throughout the book and didn't overwhelm the story itself.

Bottom line: Really enjoyed the book and details and can see why the book won the Man Booker.  I would recommend the book to those that enjoy literary fiction and history fiction.  Highly Recommended.

Rating:  4.5/5

No comments:

What Strange Paradise - Omar El Akkad

 Title: What Strange Paradise ( Bookshop.org ) Author: Omar El Akkad Published: 2022 (first published 2021) Genre: Fiction, Contemporary, Li...