Reviews

The Mirror & the Light by Hilary Mantel

pannamarchewka's review against another edition

challenging dark slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

ciaralindner's review against another edition

challenging dark informative reflective tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? N/A
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

sminismoni's review against another edition

5.0

The best in the trilogy in my opinion. Cromwell is older, maintaining hypervigilant control of his byzantine administration, subtly steering the mercurial Henry towards religious reform. His fall, when it comes, feels just as sudden in the flow of the novel as it must have been in real life. The precise reasons are equally obscured, following a circumstantial interrogation.

Mantel writes superbly. The consciousness of Cromwell is intimate, as always. Other characters are masterfully defined by subtle behavioural observations. The motif of mirror and light is sprinkled throughout, with layers of meaning. Metaphor and imagery are used liberally but not overwhelmingly. The prose is sheer mastery of language, and a delight. I regretted finishing this book -it was immersive- I WAS in Tudor England sitting on Cromwell's shoulder, and at the end, I was sorry to leave and return to the 21st century.

aceandmasa's review against another edition

informative reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

flaccidunicorn's review against another edition

emotional sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

timmy_g's review against another edition

challenging emotional inspiring tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

katiedyer80's review against another edition

slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character

5.0

jeremyburgesstm's review against another edition

challenging dark informative reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

vgrigoriu's review against another edition

challenging dark funny informative reflective slow-paced

• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

duncbell's review against another edition

5.0

I don't have the words to adequately describe a 2000 page experience in the life of this perfectly realised character. Knowing his fate I read this with a building sense of doom and apprehension which was surely conspired by the author as well as being driven by my knowledge of the history. In this edition we see plenty of Cromwell's greatness but more of his weakness. The events seem to be on more of a tightrope, the outcomes always less certain for Cromwell. There's also a sense that his personal relationships have been handled less deftly than his professional. And perhaps in the denouement, he pays a heavy price for this.

In the end I was left with such a brilliantly conflicted bundle of feelings towards Cromwell. This genius, wry (almost) all-conquering renaissance man, but ruthless, violent and single-minded with it. I will miss this human embodiment of Marlinspike enormously, less so the leopard - certainly the least likable of the big cats we find in this story.

A note on the final pages of this book. Beautifully written. The final lines are such poetry, I'm still re-reading them in my thoughts two weeks later.