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A review by bleadenreads
The Mirror & the Light by Hilary Mantel
emotional
inspiring
reflective
tense
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This was a reread after the 2020 release (in peak pandemic) so it was due a proper revisit.
I could talk forever about Mantel's simply superb prose, with passages that made me stop & gasp because they were SO good.
The way we see Cromwell slightly drop his guard as he gets comfortable at the top is so subtle yet significant - I grimaced when he removes his dagger from his inner pocket.
My favourite parts are the ways in which Mantel writes about Britain & its relationship with its past - ranging from pre-Roman legends, the culture of British saints & the War of the Roses. The latter doesn't seem to have ended as the Courtenays & Poles lie in wait for their 'inevitable' return to power, but Cromwell masterfully allows them to trip themselves up as they just can't help but plot & plan.
Publicly, Cromwell is the man of the moment & wonder of the age. Privately, he is stuck in the past & haunted by ghosts & guilt. Mantel seems to write a greek tragedy from this point, his tragic flaw is trusting Henry & his inner circle, his tragic downfall is with dignity but also disbelief.
This makes for a superbly smart ending that at first seems unexpected (well from C's perspective), but on reflection, the reader can realise the hints and mistakes that have built up a case against him. (We saw how such hints led to Anne's downfall in Bring Up the Bodies). Cromwell is an absolutely fascinating character that is witty, smart & insightful who has a dream of England's potential - but is only ever a threat to the nobility of England, who are insulted by Cromwel's rise.
This series remains an all time favourite and it made me devastated (again) that this was Mantel's last novel. I cannot wait for the adaptation
I could talk forever about Mantel's simply superb prose, with passages that made me stop & gasp because they were SO good.
The way we see Cromwell slightly drop his guard as he gets comfortable at the top is so subtle yet significant - I grimaced when he removes his dagger from his inner pocket.
My favourite parts are the ways in which Mantel writes about Britain & its relationship with its past - ranging from pre-Roman legends, the culture of British saints & the War of the Roses. The latter doesn't seem to have ended as the Courtenays & Poles lie in wait for their 'inevitable' return to power, but Cromwell masterfully allows them to trip themselves up as they just can't help but plot & plan.
Publicly, Cromwell is the man of the moment & wonder of the age. Privately, he is stuck in the past & haunted by ghosts & guilt. Mantel seems to write a greek tragedy from this point, his tragic flaw is trusting Henry & his inner circle, his tragic downfall is with dignity but also disbelief.
This makes for a superbly smart ending that at first seems unexpected (well from C's perspective), but on reflection, the reader can realise the hints and mistakes that have built up a case against him. (We saw how such hints led to Anne's downfall in Bring Up the Bodies). Cromwell is an absolutely fascinating character that is witty, smart & insightful who has a dream of England's potential - but is only ever a threat to the nobility of England, who are insulted by Cromwel's rise.
This series remains an all time favourite and it made me devastated (again) that this was Mantel's last novel. I cannot wait for the adaptation