Wolf Hall

Hilary Mantell's Wolf Hall begins with Thomas Cromwell being viciously
beaten by his abusive father Walter a blacksmith, innkeeper and brewer
of indifferent ale. Fourteen pages later he is assistant to the Cardinal
of York. I suppose this betokens the fact that little is known of what
transpired between but even so quite a leap wouldn't you say.

Referred to is the fact that Cardinal Wolsey, in seeming a celibate
priest has a son as does Thomas, but the king does not and wants his
marriage of 18 years annulled. The facts here are a matter of history,
it is Mantell's fresh approach to them that makes this book worth the
reading.

There are a parcel of Thomases in this book:
Thomas Cromwell
Thomas Wolsey
Thomas More
Thomas Boleyn
Thomas Howard
Thomas Cranmer
Thomas Seymour
Thomas Wyatt
Thomas Avery
St Thomas a Becket
Just to name some of them. As is commented in the text keeping them all
straight is no small matter. Mantell's writing style style requires one
to remain diligently alert or it is easy to lose track of who is talking.

Reading about the politics, the horsetrading, and machinations of Thomas
Wolsey it is difficult to remember that as Archbishop of York and a
Cardinal he is a Holy Catholic Priest. With all his dirty dealings and
hair-splitting he seems more a politician than a holy man. Cromwell is a
lawyer and a businessman and does scutwork for the Cardinal.

With the fall of Wolsey Cromwell takes his place as the story
progresses. As the book ends Sir Thomas More is beheaded and Cromwell is
headed toward Wolf Hall. It is 1535 and Ann Boleyn has fallen out of
favour with Henry her husband and her trials are about to begin.
Cromwell himself has but 5 more years before he too loses Henry's favour
and his own life. Before that time Mantel will spin two more books.

This is a work of fiction that relates historic facts. As is often the
case fiction is truer to life and more readable and engaging than bald
facts. Be warned that the book makes no bones about prelates and kings
alike being self-serving and less than devote. It was a violent age and
public burnings at the stake, beheadings, and dis-embowelings were
public sport.