A review by tillywark
Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel

challenging tense slow-paced
  • 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

The book is a slow burn and a challenging read, but it is absolutely brilliant. I can understand why it won the big awards. History tells us how everything ends, and we can see the foreshadowing in the pages. Wolf Hall has been a slog, but my God it's been satisfying!

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.
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