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A review by louisayd
Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel
2.0
I really wanted to like this book, but the syntax really held me back. For a book about Thomas Cromwell of this length, it uses the word "Cromwell" sparingly in favor of "he" or "him". The syntax choices made it less clear and less enjoyable to read with sentences like, "He talked to him about Anne;" while meaning "Cromwell talked to Henry/the king about Anne."
After the fact, the syntax paints Cromwell as this invisible force in the Tudor court and captures his role well. From an academic stand point this is a stunning literary choice, but from a reader's perspective it makes the book more difficult to follow.
After the fact, the syntax paints Cromwell as this invisible force in the Tudor court and captures his role well. From an academic stand point this is a stunning literary choice, but from a reader's perspective it makes the book more difficult to follow.