Wolf Hall
Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel, published by HarperCollins Publishers Limited in 2020, is a historical fiction novel set in England during the 1520s. The story centers on Thomas Cromwell, who rises from the son of a blacksmith to become a key figure in the court of Henry VIII. As Cromwell navigates the complexities of political intrigue and personal ambition, he serves first as the clerk to Cardinal Wolsey and later as his successor, all while grappling with the king’s tumultuous desires and the challenges of securing a divorce that the pope refuses to grant.
Readers will find a richly detailed narrative that delves into the interplay of individual psychology and broader political dynamics in Tudor England. The novel presents a diverse cast of characters and vividly depicts a society in transformation, marked by ambition, manipulation, and the struggle for power. With 653 pages of engaging storytelling, Wolf Hall offers an exploration of cultural heritage and alternative history, inviting readers to experience a pivotal moment in English history through the eyes of a complex and original protagonist.
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Now a major TV series Winner of the Man Booker Prize Shortlisted for the the Orange Prize Shortlisted for the Costa Novel Award
`Dizzyingly, dazzlingly good’ Daily Mail
‘Our most brilliant English writer’ Guardian
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 and suffering and courage.
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