This novel is brilliant. It gives me faith in awards again (Wolf Hall won the 2009 Man Booker prize). But be forewarned, young reader: you will tire of pronouns. Very quickly.
The Facts
Length: 650 pages.
Publisher: Fourth Estate.
This is Mantel's twelfth novel.
Quick Summary
Historical novel which follows the rise to power of one Thomas Cromwell, blacksmith's son (1485-1535). The novel's central plot revolves around Anne Boleyn's marriage to England's King Henry VIII and subsequent fallout with the Catholic Church.
The story is told in third-person. Note: Mantel rarely, if ever, uses the name "Thomas Cromwell", instead opting for the vague and unspecific pronoun "he." A long novel at 650 pages, this can be a little tough to organize in one's head, especially when multiple male characters are involved in a scene. But my rule of thumb: when in doubt, "he" always refers to Cromwell. Mantel will make distinctions when it comes to other male characters. It's different, and a little off-putting, but the dedication pays off.
The story is told in third-person. Note: Mantel rarely, if ever, uses the name "Thomas Cromwell", instead opting for the vague and unspecific pronoun "he." A long novel at 650 pages, this can be a little tough to organize in one's head, especially when multiple male characters are involved in a scene. But my rule of thumb: when in doubt, "he" always refers to Cromwell. Mantel will make distinctions when it comes to other male characters. It's different, and a little off-putting, but the dedication pays off.
The Good
What's not to like? It's gritty, it's formal, it's kings and courts and all their noble failings. Mantel makes it incredibly easy to relate to Cromwell and the history behind his rise to power deliciously interesting. I want to go back to university and take a history major. I want to delve into archival footage (is that actually a thing) and research the beginnings of the Anglican Church. Mantel doesn't stress the romanticism of the age (as I'm wary other novels, like The Other Boleyn Girl, might) but rather underlines a great deal of subtle inner workings within the courtier system that influence the outcome Henry's decisions (to get married, to get the marriage annulled, to grant and remove favors...).
The Bad
Sure, the novel deals with the relationship between the Boleyn's integration into the royal court, but that history is somewhat resolved after two-thirds of the novel. So the novel lacks a definitive climax - one could argue, perhaps, that Thomas More's movement versus Thomas Cromwell's movement formed the main backdrop of conflict...but that's only a statement you could make once you've gotten to the ending. More always seems more of a fringe character to the narrative than anything else.
A lot of what spurred my interest was the hope that Cromwell would get married again, and maybe to Jane Seymour (if you know what happens to Seymour before reading this novel, I hope you're absolutely disgusted with my knowledge of the period). It would make sense, right? The novel's name is "Wolf Hall", named after the residence of the Seymour family - and yet absolutely none of the action takes place there. But Mantel leaves us hanging.
Sure, the novel deals with the relationship between the Boleyn's integration into the royal court, but that history is somewhat resolved after two-thirds of the novel. So the novel lacks a definitive climax - one could argue, perhaps, that Thomas More's movement versus Thomas Cromwell's movement formed the main backdrop of conflict...but that's only a statement you could make once you've gotten to the ending. More always seems more of a fringe character to the narrative than anything else.
A lot of what spurred my interest was the hope that Cromwell would get married again, and maybe to Jane Seymour (if you know what happens to Seymour before reading this novel, I hope you're absolutely disgusted with my knowledge of the period). It would make sense, right? The novel's name is "Wolf Hall", named after the residence of the Seymour family - and yet absolutely none of the action takes place there. But Mantel leaves us hanging.
Final Thoughts
An unusual and modernistic system of pronoun usage slightly detracts from an otherwise brilliant historical novel. Recommended for those that have even a passing interest in the era, for those that play Crusader Kings II, and for anyone who can get past the incredible number of "he"s in this book.
Arbitrary Score: 4.8 out of 5.
