Ooshie

Hi Vicky, hope you enjoy the forum. I'm a firm believer that there's no such thing as an embarrassingly rubbishy book, just books that are what you are in the mood for at the time!

Your real name: Susan Your detective name: Lloyd March Your soap opera name: Jane Al Your star wars name: Palja Your Superhero name: Lime Sunshine Your Rockstar name: White Dog

I agree very much with what you say, Maureen. I came to like the character of Cromwell very much while reading the book and actually missed him for quite a few weeks after I finished it. I would love to know how accurate the portrayal is!

That actually makes a lot more sense to me! Looked at from that point of view, it is indeed a very good title for the book I think.

7. Why does Cromwell dislike the Catholic clergy? What are his motives for helping Henry marry Anne Boleyn and sever ties to the Pope? What larger goals does he hope to achieve in helping? Are they selfless...or selfish? This is where I suffer from having read the book a couple of weeks in advance of the reading group, because I didn't make anything deep out of this and can't now remember enough to tell whether I should have! I didn't think Cromwell disliked Catholic clergy in any way, in fact Cardinal Wolsey was one of those he had been closest to in his life. Cromwell did want changes, but it's not necessary to dislike people who practice something you don't agree with. And I saw his helping Henry to marry Anne Boleyn and sever ties to the Pope purely as being his job as Henry's "fixer".

I was baffled by why she had named the book after the home of the Seymours when it got such a small mention in the story. And I have never heard of the quote, so would never have come to realise that was the significance of it! Another reminder of just how little claim I have to being intellectual I definitely agree that Mantel should have had something about it at the front of the book. 6. In terms of the writing, a number of reviewers felt the difficulty of too many Thomases and too many he's - that Mantel didn't make the effort to help readers through the confusion. Do you agree? Did you find other difficulties in reading the work...or did you find her prose clear... and engaging? How else might you describe Mantel's writing? I did find it slightly confusing at first, but then I just decided to go with the flow and only checked back if I actually felt I had lost the thread, which actually happened very rarely. I thoroughly enjoyed Mantel's style of writing and felt totally engaged by it.

Thanks for that, Kidsmum, I have recorded it too! 4. What is your impression of Cromwell's feelings about Anne Boleyn? What do you think about her? I felt that Cromwell found her interesting but, like Kidsmum, I felt he was wary of her due to her power and I didn't get the impression he liked her. The book certainly doesn't present her as a likeable person, but I found it surprising just how much the young women portrayed were regarded as currency by their families. The idea that Henry's divorce meant that every married woman then had to worry about their position had never occurred to me, either.

3. What do you think about Cromwell's relationship with Thomas More? With Cardinal Thomas Wolsey? My only knowledge of Thomas More came from the film A Man for All Seasons, in which he was portrayed as very saintly indeed, and a good husband too I think. So I was quite surprised to find him portrayed so differently in Wolf Hall; he really seemed a very unpleasant character indeed. The relationship between Cromwell and More did seem very difficult, and if Cromwell really was as forbearing with More as he seemed in the book then it would be miracle I think! Like others, I saw the relationship between Cromwell and Wolsey as having a father/son aspect. It was fascinating to read about Cromwell's rise from boy in Wolsey's service to the heights he reached.

1. There are many and varied historical accounts of Cromwell’s life. Did you find his portrayal as a sympathetic character surprising and believable? I am embarrassed to admit that I don't remember hearing of Thomas Cromwell, only of Oliver Cromwell, so I didn't find it surprising as I had no previous knowledge or preconceptions about him at all. I did think that it was a very believable portrayal, it made me really like him as a character and I still miss him although I finished the book weeks ago! It's a long time (if ever) that a character in a book had that effect on me. It has made me want to learn much more about the era and about Thomas Cromwell himself to learn different points of view about him. 2. Do you think that Hilary Mantel successfully merges historical fact with the narrative? I don't have an in-depth knowledge of the Tudor period at all (see above comment about Thomas Cromwell!) but she certainly brought it and the characters to life to write a very gripping and interesting book. As Willoyd said, I would love to read the opinion of someone with an expert knowledge on the subject to see just how accurate it is regarded as being.

I always feel a bit guilty about the WW books, I know people went through dreadful horrors, but I just don't want to read about them I hope you enjoy Wolf Hall as much as I did, I wasn't sure what to expect as there have been comments very much at both ends of the spectrum, but I absolutely loved it. I would happily read it again quite soon, which doesn't happen often, particularly with such a long book. I look forward to hearing your thoughts on it when you get to it, pontalba

Thanks, willoyd, that's really helpful - in fact, it reminded me that I bought the Antonia Fraser book on Mary, Queen of Scots years ago but have never got round to reading it. I will have to have a look for it.

Another fan! They are definitely edging up my wishlist

Ah yes, C J Sansom, I think every time I see any of their books reviewed I think "must get that" but I haven't as yet! I can see this interest in the Tudors may well prove to be expensive if it keeps up

Thanks Steve, that looks a great book. Getting a bit off topic, what was your favourite Tudor era fiction?

Thanks Chryssie, that's a great link, I will definitely be using that! Although I originally asked about non-fiction books, I will definitely read more Philippa Gregory books set around that time - I did enjoy The Other Boleyn Girl very much. Good to know you enjoyed some of the others too, pontalba, as sometimes others in a series can prove disappointing!

Hope you are feeling a bit better soon, Devi x

That looks very interesting, MisterBus. My husband was declared completely brain dead after a massive brain haemorrhage but went on and recovered, and has very vivid memories from that time although nothing God-like, so it's a subject that interests me quite a lot. I do remember reading once that quite a high percentage of people who report these experiences have visions of hell-type places but that we don't seem to be told about them quite as often!

Thanks chesil, I don't think I have read any Peter Ackroyd, but everything I hear about him is good; I will put it on my wishlist

I hardly ever read any non-fiction, but reading both Wolf Hall and The Other Boleyn Girl has sparked my interest in that period of time. Does anyone have any recommendations on history books on that era? I have A Man of Singular Virtue (about Thomas More) which I hope to read next, but any other suggestions would be very welcome.

Yes, it definitely seems to divide opinion very sharply. Borrowing it seems a sensible first move! I have been really tempted by a slipcased edition of the two books - I really, really want it, but if it's going to be a trilogy then it just doesn't make any sense!

Oh Janet, you have made my day! Thank you so much for that I can go back to having smilies now instead of rants!

Well, I'm devastated. I have been reading The Morland Dynasty series of books by Cynthia Harrod Eagles since 1980, and for most of the series the blurb at the front of the book has mentioned that she would be taking the series up to the present day (it started with The Founding, set in 1434). However, when I picked up the most recent book (The Winding Road beginning in 1925) I noticed that it didn't mention the name of the next book to come in the series, and was dedicated For my readers, faithful followers of the Morland Story, who always wanted to know What Happened Next. Well, I thought, I still want to know What Happens Next and this seems somewhat mysterious! Looking on her website, it appears her contract was only extended to write 34 books, so The Winding Road will be the last. I feel cheated! Cynthia Harrod Eagles, you really did not need to spend five books on the Second World War (I seem to remember complaining about that as I was reading them, maybe a lot of your faithful followers became too bored to carry on)! Had you been more restrained in your wartime descriptions then perhaps I would be looking forward to a complete series to the present day as promised!

Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel Synopsis - from Amazon 'Lock Cromwell in a deep dungeon in the morning,' says Thomas More, 'and when you come back that night he'll be sitting on a plush cushion eating larks' tongues, and all the gaolers will owe him money.' England, the 1520s. Henry VIII is on the throne, but has no heir. Cardinal Wolsey is his chief advisor, charged with securing the divorce the pope refuses to grant. Into this atmosphere of distrust and need comes Thomas Cromwell, first as Wolsey's clerk, and later his successor. Cromwell is a wholly original man: the son of a brutal blacksmith, a political genius, a briber, a charmer, a bully, a man with a delicate and deadly expertise in manipulating people and events. Ruthless in pursuit of his own interests, he is as ambitious in his wider politics as he is for himself. His reforming agenda is carried out in the grip of a self-interested parliament and a king who fluctuates between romantic passions and murderous rages. From one of our finest living writers, ‘Wolf Hall’ is that very rare thing: a truly great English novel, one that explores the intersection of individual psychology and wider politics. With a vast array of characters, and richly overflowing with incident, it peels back history to show us Tudor England as a half-made society, moulding itself with great passion, suffering and courage. Well, I absolutely loved this book. I liked it from the start, although I did have some problems with the writing style like quite a few others, but I was devastated to be getting towards the end of it - that doesn't happen often with my reading! I came to really like the character of Thomas Cromwell, and have pre-ordered the paperback of Bring Up The Bodies. I am very much looking forward to the Reading Circle discussion in May Both Wolf Hall and The Other Boleyn Girl have sparked my interest in the Tudor period of history, although I don't read much non-fiction. Does anyone have any recommendations on a factual history book on the period?

Hey, well done frankie!