Wolf Hall - Hilary Mantel

I read this book in my first year of university and found it completely overwhelming. Perhaps it was the time constraint, or perhaps I wasn't ready for a book like this yet - but it's safe to say that me and Mantel didn't get on too well. Fast-forward six or seven years and I gave it a second chance. I've seen so many people rave about this trilogy and I thought perhaps I'd appreciate it more as a more mature reader with bags of time to spend on it. I can now officially say I am a Mantel fan! I'm not sure if it's just me, but the past week or two I've been struggling to focus on reading - unlike the first lockdown when I read loads, this time I've been feeling a bit more anxious and can't seem to settle into reading. Despite that, I thoroughly enjoyed the challenge of this novel and can't wait to read the other two!

Mantel zooms in on 1520s England and specifically the family of Thomas Cromwell. Henry VIII is gaining more power by the day and is also living in fear that he will die without a male heir. Katherine of Aragon has failed to give birth to a boy and Henry is seeking an annulment of their marriage of twenty years - in order to marry sweetheart Anne Boleyn. He is opposed by the Pope and the entirety of the Catholic Church, and therefore seeks to overthrow the most dominant religion in Europe, not caring about the threat of being excommunicated. We spend the novel living through Cromwell, who is a dominant, opportunistic man who began life as the victim of an abusive father, Walter Cromwell, and suffered many heartbreaks including the death of his wife and children at the hands of the plague.

This novel is not easy - you have to keep reminding yourself that pretty much every time Mantel uses the word 'he', she is referring to Cromwell (this isn't always clear!). There were times when I had to stop and refer back to the extensive cast of characters listed at the beginning - it's lengthy! - and also times when I had to re-read passages as I hadn't fully grasped what was going on. I would say the only thing I felt was lacking for me was a real emotional connection to any of the characters. I can't truthfully say that I really liked any of them at all! Cromwell is not a relatable protagonist in the slightest yet at times you do feel sympathy towards him, particularly when he finds himself in difficult situations. As the novel goes on Cromwell edges closer into Henry's inner circle - all the while the king becomes more murderous and volatile.

For anyone who feels intimidated by this book, I say go for it. I definitely think it would've helped me to enjoy it even more if I was in a place where I could focus a little better. I'll soon be reading Bring Up the Bodies and I look forward to reading the entire trilogy before long!