Hoookay so Wolf Hall is about the life of Thomas Cromwell, courtier and advisor of Henry VIII- you know Henry VIII, yes? He of the many wives? Excellent. Moving on. Let me start by saying that I have a history degree and tend to get a bit STABBY when historical fiction is blatantly inaccurate, and this is not that. Mantel's research was obviously meticulous. Apparently she made files for each character that had their whereabouts on all the particular dates in her novel. Girlfriend was PREPARED. This is some IMPRESSIVE SCHOLARLY SHIZ. PHILLIPA GREGORY LICKS HER SHOES.
The prose is crazy-impressive but also challenging. The POV shifts and it isn't always immediately clear who is doing the thinking/talking (when in doubt: it's Cromwell), and it sometimes pokes its little prose-y turtle head over into stream-of-consciousness so you have to actually pause and go, wait. What does that have to do with anything? And then the brilliance of the thought comes to you and you cry a little. Or, you know, whatever.
So the book is accurate, and it's brilliantly written, and it successfully makes Thomas Cromwell sympathetic which is a feat in and of itself. But I do have a few qualms: it could've been about 50 pages shorter, and Henry himself is just sort of...there. Being a jackass. I want to KNOOWWWW what was in his mind- what does a man think when he abandons his wife of 20 years for her servant? What does a man think when he sends someone to be burned or drawn and quartered? How does a man destroy an entire church system (not that it was a good one, mind) so that he can have his way?
But the book isn't really about him, so. More relevant to the book- how does a person like Cromwell help him do all of that? The only answer I can think of and the only one Mantel really presents is ambition and daddy issues. Maybe it was that simple.
It's obviously thought provoking, and hard to think about through the film that covers my American, democratic mind.
This is also stream of thoughts I had while reading Wolf Hall: Thomas More was suuuccchh an icky guy, what with the burning of all the people and the torturing of all the other people (and sometimes the same people). Can't believe that guy wrote Utopia. Though, thinking back, I thought Utopia was silly and gross. And now I won't ever be able to respect Drew Barrymore in Ever After ever again because she likes that book so much. WAY TO RUIN A 90s MOVIE FOR ME, HILARY. WAY TO GO.
To summarize: Wolf Hall- hard but rewarding prose, fascinating portrayal of Thomas Cromwell and Thomas More, not-so-fascinating portrayal of King Henry, a bit too long, but worth it.
Four stars out of your mom.
I bought it for Christmas, I've been wanting to read it since all the booker-prize fuss. But I think I'm going to wait until the summer. As you said, it's a long book.
ReplyDeleteIt IS long, but parts of it are quite action-packed, which helps.
DeleteAnjelica Huston is the best part of that movie.
ReplyDelete"Go...catch a chicken."
ALSO I've been meaning to read this. Because everyone smart is like "THIS BOOK RIGHT HERE" and I feel like I should listen to them because they are smart. Also because 16th century, what's not to like about it.
My brother's boyfriend got him Building Stories for Christmas. I did not realize it was appx a bazillion dollars (i.e. more than 15).
Last I checked it was $50, which is about $50 more than I'm willing to spend on a book I don't know anything about. Which is another way of saying, my library doesn't carry it.
DeleteI bought this the DAY after Mantel won the second Booker prize because apparently I'm that person, but ALSO because I was like 'well... maybe there's something in this after all'. The only problem is that I don't like Historical Fiction, which... could be a stumbling block, BUT I do really like The Tudors, so I'm just going to have to try it and see, I guess.
ReplyDeleteI brought home five books last night, including Wolf Hall. Thanks for helping solve the question about which to start next.
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ReplyDelete"This is some IMPRESSIVE SCHOLARLY SHIZ. PHILLIPA GREGORY LICKS HER SHOES." LMAO. This. Just. Yes.
ReplyDeleteI've got Wolf Hall on my kindle. Happy to hear it's worth the read! I love historical fiction so I'm extra excited about it! :)
I loved every minute of Wolf Hall...my brain was tired but I tend to like that kind of stuff. I haven't read Bringing Up the Bodies yet though.
ReplyDeleteOoohh, this sounds good. Good literature and historical accuracy all in one book? Yes, please.
ReplyDeleteI've owned this forever and a day and now that Mantel has won not ONE but TWO Booker prizes, I determined that I would read it sooner than later. Which of course means I've started a dozen other books in the meantime. But I'd like to read more of the ToB list, so maybe it really is time to pick this up after all.
ReplyDeleteHistory majors for the win.
I skipped Wolf Hall and went straight for Bring Up the Bodies because my library only had the latter on audiobook and I'd already gotten through all the other good audiobooks and OH MY GOD so good, except it was annoying when I couldn't tell who was speaking because they all have the same name. And oh you should read it because of the OTHER reason that Cromwell is sympathetic, which is clear in that novel but may not be in the first so I don't want to spoil it. Though I have to say, as a Tudor-ophile, I actually don't think Gregory's novels are that bad. She uses accurate frames, borrows some unproven gossip, and then fills in what is unknown, which I agree. Because HEY, why not? I've read 2 different biographies of the Tudors (one focusing on all the wives and the other on Catherine of Aragon) and there were so many discrepancies there that I like to keep an open mind. Yeah, Gregory's writing is nothing to shake cats at (I'm not really sure what that saying is) but it's entertaining.
ReplyDeleteOh, Wolf Hall is on my TBR list, but if it's going to ruin Ever After for me, then maybe not so much. Thanks for the warning ;-)
ReplyDeleteI read both books this summer after she won the second Booker. Knowing about the pov issue in Wolf Hall, makes it easier, still confusing but easier, than going in blind. This is not a problem in the followup book - there must have been many a complaints for her to change the writing. I have to say, I loved Bring Up The Bodies even better.
ReplyDeleteI would be wary of Mantel's portrayal of More.Much of it seems to be bound up in her own rejection of Catholicism. Personally I feel it's best to figure out where an author is coming from before swallowing their portrayal of a historical figure whole. Still, good book all the same.In regards to your claims about your history degree somehow making you an arbiter of historical accuracy in fiction I have to ask, did you specifically study Cromwell and the English Civil war? Or perhaps your degree covered ALL of history ever? Sorry for being pedantic but thats how I roll! keep up the entertaining and informative blog!
ReplyDeleteSigh. I never said my degree made me an arbiter of anything. I said it makes me stabby when historical fiction is BLATANTLY inaccurate. BLATANTLY. As is, obvious to any ole passerby. And if pedantic is how you roll, maybe you should roll along elsewhere.
Deleteaw! didn't mean to offend was just looking to clarify a point in an otherwise enjoyable review. Anyway as I said keep up the good work.
ReplyDeleteHmmm, oky doky. Friends :)
DeleteFriends! phew! Anyway i'm touchy on the subject of Cromwell cos i'm Irish! But I did enjoy reading a more positive portrayal of Cromwell than I am accustomed to as he's our national villian and it's good to have ones pre-conceived/received notions challenged.
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