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best_lemon's review against another edition
challenging
dark
funny
informative
tense
slow-paced
- 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
cardbuck1720's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
informative
mysterious
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
lbarsk's review
5.0
I don't even know where to start this review because I have MANY FEELINGS about the Thomas Cromwell Trilogy. Suffice it to say I've never read books like these and I'm not sure I will again, because they feel so unique.
I read Bring Up the Bodies first, in January, because my mom and I didn't realize that the books were part of a trilogy even though it clearly says, "this book is a part of a trilogy" on the front cover. Whoops. And I guess I never wrote a review of Bring Up the Bodies? So I'm not going to discuss that here aside from saying that I LOVED THAT BOOK.
So then I finally got to Wolf Hall, after a semester of writing a thesis and finishing senior year and then a summer of applying for My Future, and LORD ABOVE THIS IS A GREAT BOOK. Mantel is a simply brilliant writer, and I wish that I could correctly articulate what makes her style so special. It's third person limited, but you still very firmly get the sense that you're in Cromwell's head and are living his life alongside him. Sometimes it switches to second person, sometimes even to first person plural, and the switches keep you on your toes and engaged.
Aside from the tense stuff, Mantel is just a genius with the English language. She has created such a real world with her prose and I truly felt that I was a part of the 1530s in England. Characters come alive (though I hate how cliche that phrase is) and locations feel phyhsical; when Cromwell was anxious or angry, or there was tension between two characters, I felt it.
And then there's the story itself! I will say, Bring Up the Bodies is WAY easier to actually "get into" because if you read it first, like I did, you're starting in media res and there's already action happening. But I enjoyed Wolf Hall just as much from the beginning because you see why Cromwell is the way he is, and how he truly BECOMES the Cromwell that you get in Bring Up the Bodies. My mom (who also loves the series) thought that the beginning was slow, but I was pretty jazzed to read the book and way invested in the characters, so I didn't feel that.
The other great thing about these books is that yes, they're about Thomas Cromwell, Total Bad Guy Who Broke England Away from the Pope and Rome, but Cromwell is HUMAN here. There are times when he does things that make me seriously question his moral code, but that's also how real people are in real life. So I appreciate that a lot, because in the historical fiction that I've read it's often hard to get "morally grey" across.
Also, the book isn't really just about Cromwell. Yes, okay, it is, but it's also about King Henry (literally how did England not fall apart during his rule?) and his courtiers and Thomas More (yikes) and Anne Boleyn and everyone. The characters, no matter how small, are ALL fleshed out and paid attention to; no one feels superfluous or flat. Mantel has a real gift for bringing her characters off the page.
I know for a fact that not everyone likes these books, and I think they're actually somewhat divisive, perhaps because of the focus on Cromwell as the protagonist, but they just really worked for me. I think it's because I found my own thought processes mirrored in the way Mantel writes Cromwell's? It felt like I was reading a book that was written in a pretty similar way to how my brain works, which is odd but also kind of cool.
So can I undoubtedly recommend this book to everyone? Yes, because I think Mantel's work deserves a read due to its excellent craftsmanship. Do I think everyone will like it as much as I do? Probably not. But I'm eagerly awaiting the trilogy's conclusion.
I read Bring Up the Bodies first, in January, because my mom and I didn't realize that the books were part of a trilogy even though it clearly says, "this book is a part of a trilogy" on the front cover. Whoops. And I guess I never wrote a review of Bring Up the Bodies? So I'm not going to discuss that here aside from saying that I LOVED THAT BOOK.
So then I finally got to Wolf Hall, after a semester of writing a thesis and finishing senior year and then a summer of applying for My Future, and LORD ABOVE THIS IS A GREAT BOOK. Mantel is a simply brilliant writer, and I wish that I could correctly articulate what makes her style so special. It's third person limited, but you still very firmly get the sense that you're in Cromwell's head and are living his life alongside him. Sometimes it switches to second person, sometimes even to first person plural, and the switches keep you on your toes and engaged.
Aside from the tense stuff, Mantel is just a genius with the English language. She has created such a real world with her prose and I truly felt that I was a part of the 1530s in England. Characters come alive (though I hate how cliche that phrase is) and locations feel phyhsical; when Cromwell was anxious or angry, or there was tension between two characters, I felt it.
And then there's the story itself! I will say, Bring Up the Bodies is WAY easier to actually "get into" because if you read it first, like I did, you're starting in media res and there's already action happening. But I enjoyed Wolf Hall just as much from the beginning because you see why Cromwell is the way he is, and how he truly BECOMES the Cromwell that you get in Bring Up the Bodies. My mom (who also loves the series) thought that the beginning was slow, but I was pretty jazzed to read the book and way invested in the characters, so I didn't feel that.
The other great thing about these books is that yes, they're about Thomas Cromwell, Total Bad Guy Who Broke England Away from the Pope and Rome, but Cromwell is HUMAN here. There are times when he does things that make me seriously question his moral code, but that's also how real people are in real life. So I appreciate that a lot, because in the historical fiction that I've read it's often hard to get "morally grey" across.
Also, the book isn't really just about Cromwell. Yes, okay, it is, but it's also about King Henry (literally how did England not fall apart during his rule?) and his courtiers and Thomas More (yikes) and Anne Boleyn and everyone. The characters, no matter how small, are ALL fleshed out and paid attention to; no one feels superfluous or flat. Mantel has a real gift for bringing her characters off the page.
I know for a fact that not everyone likes these books, and I think they're actually somewhat divisive, perhaps because of the focus on Cromwell as the protagonist, but they just really worked for me. I think it's because I found my own thought processes mirrored in the way Mantel writes Cromwell's? It felt like I was reading a book that was written in a pretty similar way to how my brain works, which is odd but also kind of cool.
So can I undoubtedly recommend this book to everyone? Yes, because I think Mantel's work deserves a read due to its excellent craftsmanship. Do I think everyone will like it as much as I do? Probably not. But I'm eagerly awaiting the trilogy's conclusion.
cwhitney88's review against another edition
I learned I do not care about Thomas Cromwell. Even a little bit.
dphillips's review against another edition
3.0
While I found the story very intriguing, I found the writing difficult. I just couldn't seem to get into the flow.
whisper447's review against another edition
3.0
I love historical fiction and also love the Tudor periods of history but this was hard to get through. I enjoyed the story but the writing style made it seem like I’ve been reading this forever (and not in a good way!) and it was a slog. It’s a weird mix to be enjoying the story but not enjoying the reading!
Maybe the sequel will be easier!
Maybe the sequel will be easier!
amandacreadsbooks's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
infinite_rest's review against another edition
4.5
Wild to be living in 2024 and have a crush on Thomas Cromwell
travelsalongmybookshelf's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
funny
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
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
I’ve read this book over the course of 4 months as part of a readalong of the entire trilogy over the year called #wolfcrawl. I’ve documented my thoughts on Substack each week which you can find here:
https://open.substack.com/pub/travelsalongmybookshelf?r=b9st7&utm_medium=ios
Short thoughts while I wait to begin Bring Up The Bodies are This man Thomas Cromwell has been brought into the light by Mantel. She has laid bare this man, we have got under his skin and watched him live. It’s funnier than I remember from my previous reading, Uncle Norfolk is just fabulous. It is also heart rending at times, the loss of Cromwell’s family, his ghosts, the burnings all squeeze your heart. It is compelling, a real page turner, full of atmosphere and a purely brilliant novel.
https://open.substack.com/pub/travelsalongmybookshelf?r=b9st7&utm_medium=ios
Short thoughts while I wait to begin Bring Up The Bodies are This man Thomas Cromwell has been brought into the light by Mantel. She has laid bare this man, we have got under his skin and watched him live. It’s funnier than I remember from my previous reading, Uncle Norfolk is just fabulous. It is also heart rending at times, the loss of Cromwell’s family, his ghosts, the burnings all squeeze your heart. It is compelling, a real page turner, full of atmosphere and a purely brilliant novel.