I have not been as excited about a book/book series in a looong time as I have about Hilary Mantel's Thomas Cromwell novels. I cracked open the first, Wolf Hall, without knowing much of anything about Henry VIII except Anne Boleyn and the lyrics to "Hen-uh-ry the eighth I am I am" and definitely without knowing that Thomas Cromwell even existed. Before long, the characterization and wit of everything completely won me over and I found myself in the Thomas Cromwell fan club. He's a self made man in a time when self made men were unheard of. He effected change. He was an intellectual bully who showed no mercy. Loyal as all get out. I really like believing that he was exactly as Mantel crafted him to be.
It's a great series. She makes you fall in love with her characters, yes, but there's so much more. The study on manipulation that makes you really think. The ludicrous nature of monarchy that comes across so subtly yet so well done. The quest for an heir. The break from the Catholic church. The ends that justify any and every means. What a time to be alive! Can you imagine? First of all being in that royal set and watching the world bend over backwards according to your every whim, secondly being in that less fortunate set that could be burned at the stake just for being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Or beheaded for, you know, tricking the king into elevating your family status and marrying you and then failing to provide a male heir even after you promised to do so.
It could get a little tedious at times, but this series really checked all of my boxes: historical fiction, intelligent protagonist, kept me rapt, and sufficiently long. And y'all I just googled it and it's a Masterpiece miniseries.
Would definitely recommend both Wolf Hall and the next in the series, Bring Up the Bodies, and I'll be on the edge of my seat for the third to come out.
It's a great series. She makes you fall in love with her characters, yes, but there's so much more. The study on manipulation that makes you really think. The ludicrous nature of monarchy that comes across so subtly yet so well done. The quest for an heir. The break from the Catholic church. The ends that justify any and every means. What a time to be alive! Can you imagine? First of all being in that royal set and watching the world bend over backwards according to your every whim, secondly being in that less fortunate set that could be burned at the stake just for being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Or beheaded for, you know, tricking the king into elevating your family status and marrying you and then failing to provide a male heir even after you promised to do so.
It could get a little tedious at times, but this series really checked all of my boxes: historical fiction, intelligent protagonist, kept me rapt, and sufficiently long. And y'all I just googled it and it's a Masterpiece miniseries.
Would definitely recommend both Wolf Hall and the next in the series, Bring Up the Bodies, and I'll be on the edge of my seat for the third to come out.
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