Scan barcode
tillywark's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I've also come to the conclusion that Thomas More was selfish, choosing to die for his religion instead of finding a means to stay alive for the sake of his wife and children. Catherine of Aragon loved King Henry to the end of her days, and I'm convinced that Anne Boleyn was bat crap wackadoo. I mean certifiably insane. And Thomas Cromwell is too damn smart for his own good. His genius will be his downfall.
Also, having touched on many facets of the Tudor Era in a couple of university English classes gave me an additional insight into the events of the book. I highly recommend this for anyone with an interest in history or politics.
Graphic: Death, Gore, Physical abuse, Torture, Violence, Blood, Religious bigotry, and Fire/Fire injury
Graphic descriptions of abuse and executions (note this is historically accurate, and not done for any shock factors).waytoomanybooks's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This is unequivocally the best novel I have read in the last decade. Rarely does a book like this come along and completely change your brain chemistry, but this is just such a one. I cannot overstate the sumptuous descriptions, the thorough characterization of Cromwell, and the faithfulness to the historical time line of Tudor England.
In this first novel you watch Thomas Cromwell and Anne Boleyn’s meteoric rise, Thomas from peasant to peer, and Anne from Lady to Queen. You get excited for them...until you remember what happens to them both. You know what happens. We all do. And it overshadows *everything*. Can you be truly happy for them when you know the man who has raised them up so high will also bring about their downfall? God, it’ll break your heart in such an achingly good way.
Normally when a book so wonderful comes my way, I cannot put it down and move through it quickly, but for *Wolf Hall*, I couldn’t help but stretch out my reading of it over the course of several months. This is a book to be savored. There is nothing else quite like it, except, perhaps, Hilary Mantel’s other works within this trilogy, though I know the events and prose will utterly devastate me. Even the t.v. show adaptation blows me away! I cannot recommend this book/series/t.v. show enough.
Graphic: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Violence, Antisemitism, Grief, Murder, Pregnancy, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Classism
anditsreal's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.25
Graphic: Physical abuse and Violence
Moderate: Terminal illness
heather667's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Incest, Infertility, Infidelity, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Grief, Religious bigotry, Murder, Classism, and Pandemic/Epidemic
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Chronic illness, Miscarriage, Rape, Sexual assault, Torture, and Death of parent
Minor: Genocide, Pedophilia, Slavery, Violence, Blood, and War
quickermorequickly's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Body shaming, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Infertility, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Antisemitism, Grief, Murder, and War
Minor: Incest
asourceoffiction's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Cromwell is an astonishingly complex figure and I loved going through this period of history with his eyes. As a character I found him really likeable but fiercely ambitious.
It was useful to know that Cromwell is often simply referred to as "he", which could have got a lot more confusing during conversations - but I love how it made the story feel so utterly like his own.
Graphic: Death and Physical abuse
Moderate: Child death, Terminal illness, and Murder
mmic's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
The prose is phenomenonal. The only qualm I have with the language is the excessive use of "he." It's sometimes difficult to understand which "he" is being referred to.
Unfortunately (for me), there isn't much plot to speak of. Mantel faithfully (I assume, I'm not a historian so I can't say for certain) follows the life path of Thomas Cromwell. That doesn't leave room for the usual beats we except from fiction story and as a result this book feels more like a biography than a novel.
The lack of a plot made the story drag in places, though the nature of the historical events was enough to keep me engaged to the end.
If you like historical novels, especially if they go hard on the history, this is a must read.
If you're not too keen on biographies or history, probably give it a pass.
Graphic: Child abuse
Moderate: Alcoholism, Child death, Physical abuse, and Blood
ceallaighsbooks's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
“If England lies under God’s curse, or some evil spell, it has seemed for a time that the spell has been broken, by the golden king and his golden cardinal. But those golden years are over, and this winter the sea will freeze; the people who see it will remember it all their lives.”
“Some of these things are true and some of them lies. But they are all good stories.”
“They could tell Boccaccio a tale, those sinners at Wolf Hall.”
Graphic: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Death, Gore, Physical abuse, Torture, Blood, and Grief
Minor: Incest, Infidelity, Miscarriage, and Medical content