| Wolf Hall |  | Author: Hilary Mantel
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers Ltd
Category: Book
List Price: CDN$ 24.99
Buy New: CDN$ 14.99
as of 9/3/2010 04:20 CDT details
You Save: CDN$ 10.00 (40%)
New (4) Used (7) from CDN$ 9.97
Seller: Canada Media
Rating:  30 reviews
Sales Rank: 313
Media: Paperback
Edition: 5th
Pages: 672
ISBN: 155468773X
EAN: 9781554687732
ASIN: 155468773X
Publication Date: September 16, 2009
Availability: Usually ships within 1 - 2 business days
| |
| Also Available In:
|
| Similar Items:
| |
| Customer Reviews:
Showing reviews 1-5 of 30
 Wolf Hall July 1, 2010
Jeffery Pugh (Calgary, AB)
Great service and delivery and price, but the book was missing 23 pages in the middle!
Otherwise, a very good read.
 A new look at Thomas Cromwell May 16, 2010
Heather Pearson (Ontario Canada)
Set in the early 16th century, Hilary Mantel, through the eyes of Thomas Cromwell, tells the story of Henry VIII's quest to dissolve his marriage to Katherine of Aragon in order to marry Anne Boleyn. Right from the very first pages where we meet a young Thomas, who is in the process of having the beating of his life at the hands and feet of his father, I was pulled right into the story. To me it seemed that the words on the page flowed together in such a way that I had no choice but to follow them. As the pages fled by I found myself immersed in a world that existed almost 500 years ago.
I was surprised. When I first picked up the book I had braced myself for something I thought would be dry and maybe even tedious. I quickly found that I was wrong. My previous exposure to King Henry VIII was a high school study of A Man for All Seasons: A Play in Two Acts by Robert Bolt. The play was written from the perspective of Thomas More, a man who died for his convictions rather than agree to uphold the King's annulment from Katherine. I was attending a Catholic school at that time and surrounded by nuns, so of course I learned that Thomas More was correct and that we should pray from him and his decision.
I also learned that Thomas Cromwell was a bad man and that his beliefs were corrupt. His protrayal in this book was nothing of the sort. He appeared to me a man who had no choice but to make a life for himself and for those who had become dependent on him. A roll he filled extremely well. I hated to put the book down and I had to, I couldn't wait to get back to it.
This is the first book I have read of the six books shortlisted for the Orange Prize for Fiction. While I think that it was wonderfully written, I don't know that it will have a wide enough appeal to be selected as the overall winner.
Good, but is it award worthy? May 14, 2010
Matthew Sanderson (Canada, ON, Toronto)
Let it be known beforehand, I have never fully understood the public's recent infatuation with the Tudors time period. I've never read "The Other Boleyn Girl," and I've only caught glances of the Tudors television series. Going into this book, I didn't have any preconceptions, and while I knew some basic characters of Henry's court by names, I didn't know much beyond that.
So, that out of the way, how did I feel about the book? Firstly, I didn't have the issues some had with Mantel's writing style; I could follow the action fairly easily after getting acquainted to it in the first chapter, and, to be honest, it was refreshing to read this type of 3rd-person narrative. Mantel has a fantastic way of describing things beyond the simple metaphor. You often find yourself imagining you can truly feel the chill of the October London streets, or even hear the voices of those having been long deceased in Thomas Cromwell's Austin Friars home. She weaves a fantastic tapestry of words, one which is a delight to feel between your fingers. Beyond this, however, is where I feel the "story" weakens.
The novel is plot-heavy. I imagine most expected this coming into it, but for me, not having read widely in the historical fiction genre, and especially not when it concerns the Tudors, this focus of plot over characterization created a gap between myself and the protagonist, Thomas Cromwell, that I found myself unable to bridge by the time I closed the book on page 650. While Mantel weaves the plot effortlessly, court intrigues and whirlwind beheadings included, I didn't find myself truly caring for the trials and tribulations of Thomas or the other characters as much as I felt I should have. For example, while Mantel did a good job of conveying the confused nature of Henry VIII in scenes where he switches from one emotion to the next based on a few choice words from certain wise-men, it felt superficial, and without lasting feeling, certain of which I require to really love a book.
Overall, while full of expert prose, a finely paced plot, and a huge cast of characters, I just didn't find myself caring about these conniving people's of Henry's court enough to state that this is a book I will remember months from now. In the true litmus test of what makes a novel great to me, I ended the book without pausing to consider the exploits of the souls that populated it. Should it have won the Booker Prize? Well ... It left me feeling slightly hollow -- while caring somewhat about Cromwell and co., unfortunately, just not caring enough.
 An Intriguing Slant on Historical Fiction That's Much Improved by Simon Slater's Reading May 2, 2010
Professor Donald Mitchell (Thanks for Providing My Reviews over 97,000 Helpful Votes Globally)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
"The king spoke, saying to the wise men of Babylon, 'Whoever reads this writing, and tells me its interpretation, shall be clothed with purple and have a chain of gold around his neck; and he shall be the third ruler in the kingdom.'" -- Daniel 5:7 (NKJV)
Despite the elaborate praise that has accompanied Wolf Hall, I found it hard to get excited about the prospect of reading once again about Henry the Eighth. Within a few pages, I was totally disarmed by Hilary Mantel's unique story-telling style. She moves away from what historians focus on (the big events and the most powerful people) to emphasize character as portrayed in the little events. As a result, Henry the Eighth is at the edge of this book, rather than in the center.
Wolf Hall is primarily the story of Thomas Cromwell and his pursuit of helpful solutions for all those he comes into contact with, provided in the context of utter loyalty . . . first to Cardinal Wolsey and later to Henry the Eighth, Anne Boleyn, and those who depend on Cromwell.
The book is so wonderfully subtle that I found myself rereading many sections, smiling at the various ways that story threads are developed (usually in several ways, overtly and subtly, at the same time). As a result, the story is fresh, new, and very interesting both for content and style.
After reading about half the book, I had an epiphany . . . This book was also designed to be improved by being read aloud, as are all of the best novels. I managed to find a copy of Simon Slater's reading of the unabridged version and was wonderfully rewarded by listening to what I had just read. It was four times better as a recording than in my silent reading.
I recommend you forget reading the book and just listen to it instead. You'll be amazed.
Was I convinced by her portrayal of Thomas Cromwell? I don't know the historical record well enough to have an opinion. I certainly ended up with a revised view of Sir Thomas More (having been a fan of "A Man for All Seasons" as a lad) after thinking about him in the context of the Reformation.
Listen and be filled with joy.
Wolf Hall - Interesting / Puzzling. I'm "Iffy" about It April 22, 2010
microfiche (Scarborough, ON Canada)
I will snap up any book with "Henry VIII" on the cover or in the blurb, so I bought this book right away. It's rather enjoyable, but it has irritating flaws and could have been so much better.
Wolf Hall is a novel about Thomas Cromwell - Cardinal Wolsey's legal advisor and later, Vicar-General and de facto chief councillor to King Henry and supremo of the government. One of the most interesting and controversial men of the Tudor Era. Was he a good man? Was he a bad man? A political reality or political expedient type, who could have helped Nicolo Machiavelli write "The Prince" if they had ever met in Italy.
Although very sympathetic, this book brings out very little of the man's character and achievements. It's a rounded character study. Cromwell is seen in his counting house, in his law offices, with the King, the Duke of Norfolk, Thomas More, the Emperor Charles' ambassador, Anne Boleyn and certainly with Cardinal Wolsey. He loves the Cardinal, and he loves his family. But I don't think it goes far enough and detailed enough into his young manhood in Italy and elsewhere. Teasing little flashbacks, but I couldn't see in them What Made Cromwell Cromwell. (And it would have been good for the novel to show him in action on the Italian battlefields or with the Florentine bankers, learning all those languages and how to survive that Medici and Borgia intrigue.)
That constant personal pronoun "he" kept throwing me out of the author's web of 16th century England and back into the 21st century present. Not good. I admit the paucity of description made my own imagination work to clothe the Cromwell family and servants, but I wanted a little more atmosphere to get into the book again after backtracking every fourth paragraph to find out if Cromwell or Cavendish had said the words "he" said.
I suspect Sir Thomas More was the 'antagonist' to Cromwell as 'protagonist'. The villian to his hero. The author did a good job contrasting them. Her version of More as a hair shirt wearing hypocrite and reactionary heretic hunting papist had some truth behind it, but it was very unsympathetic to More, who was doing his all to defend his religion. From what I've read of Thomas Cromwell, he was ruthless guy because that was taking care of 'business'. Like portrayals of the Cosa Nostra godfathers: he was protecting his 'people': his dons Wolsey and King Henry; his family and his employees and his clients. "Nothing personal," Cromwell seemed to say when he closed a monastery, whereas More subordinated his public duty to his personal religious zeal in snuffing out those who did not believe the official Roman way. The yin vs. yang is good stuff. I hope there will be a sequel, because the historical Cromwell had a fight on his hands with Gardiner and with Henry's own conservative "Catholic without the Pope" bent.
The title, I agree, is all wrong. Wolf Hall is Jane Seymour's father's estate. The Seymours are little involved in this story. The 'wolf' can't be Cromwell, because he is shown as a rational, practical family man. Henry? Norfolk? Perhaps, but the novel shows Henry as a milksop torn between his love of Anne and his love of Wolsey; and, though there are several references to Norfolk's threats to rend and tear, the Duke seems all bark.
It's worth one read as a library book; but not worth buying.
Books to read with this one: Thomas CromwellThe Cardinal and the Secretary: Thomas Wolsey and Thomas CromwellIn the Lion's CourtThomas MoreStatesman and Saint
Showing reviews 1-5 of 30
|
|
|
CERTAIN CONTENT THAT APPEARS ON THIS SITE COMES FROM AMAZON.CA INC. THIS CONTENT IS PROVIDED ‘AS IS’ AND IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE OR REMOVAL AT ANY TIME.
| |
