Wolf Hall by Hilary MantelMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
"We are not those great men, we are a shadow of what they were."
Took me eleven years to finish! Had to mature as a reader before I could fully savor this novel. And it IS amazing, one that lives up to all the hype!
I thought I knew the Tudors. I've been obsessed with them ever since I saw ANNE OF THE THOUSAND DAYS as a 3rd grader. But Hilary Mantel makes the old story something brand new by choosing to focus on the one underappreciated man usually overshadowed by the more glamorous royals.
And yet... his achievements are all the more greater!
And now I can't believe I didn't pay attention to Thomas Cromwell more.
"The courtiers see that he can shape events, mould them. Can contain the fears of other men, and give them a sense of solidity in a quaking world: this people, this dynasty, this miserably rainy island at the edge of the world."
What's amazing is that Mantel makes the story feel urgent and vibrant and modern. It doesn't feel like historical fiction!
So many things to love about the novel. Mantel shows how the Boleyn affair goes beyond tawdry royal scandal. This cataclysmic event ties together big issues such as national sovereignty, religious and political intolerance, all of which matter so very much, still, today.
This is by no means a dark and dreary novel. There are moments of humor and joy, and always written spectacularly well. So many passages are worth copying in one's journal!
"Are her teeth good?"
"For God's sake, woman: when she sinks them into me, I'll let you know."
I ordered Books 2 and 3 immediately, such a treat! With the promise of the PBS show to follow, squeeeeee!
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