Okay. So this is the THIRD time I've tried to read Wolf Hall ....

[FleetwoodRaincoat]

I can't believe anyone has actually got all the way through it.

I'm equally bored, confused and fed up with too many men called Thomas.

Please tell me I'm not the only one .....

[JuneFromBethesda]

Are you still going @FleetwoodRaincoat? I’m on page 212 and grinding to a halt. If I don’t love it after 200 pages it’s not going to happen, is it ...?

[rosegoldwatcher]

I LOVE this book.

I sent it to a (well read) friend of mine, hoping that she would love it too but she just could not get along with it and, to my disappointment, gave up on it.

Something about Hilary Mantel's frequent habit of using, he, Cromwell alienates many readers, I fear.

[purpleme12]

I'm sure that's part of it but it's a lot more than that...

[Bainne]

@Pukkatea

I spent a couple of years studying tudor history and specifically two of the Thomas characters - More and Cromwell. Two absolutely fascinating men at a fascinating time.

Wolf Hall bored me to tears. I struggle to articulate why but I think it might simply be that Cromwell's interest to me has always been that historically his voice isn't found - as an advisor his job was to do Henry's bidding. His own motivations and role in events are murky and unclear (did he engineer the downfall of Anne Boleyn or just take advantage of Henry's desire to get rid of her, for example?) and this is what makes him so fascinating, a man who held so much more power for such a relatively short amount of time and was an engineer and a victim of factional politics, but he himself remains an enigma. Sort of like Anne Boleyn herself.

Yes, but if you’re writing a novel where a historical ‘enigma’ is the sole POV character, then he can’t remain an enigma. He needs a voice. HM has tried to give him one she thinks does not contradict anything on the historical record. I’m not sure it always works, but I think the first two of the trilogy are magnificent.

[VanillaAndOrange]

I read WH and BUTB back to back 2 or 3 years ago, liked rather than disliked them but didn't find them as special as everybody said. I'm now just over halfway through TMATL and really enjoying it. I'm not sure what is different, whether it's actually better written or whether I just understand more of what is going on because I've read a few other books about the period, both fiction and non-fiction, in the meantime.

[Armi]

I love Wolf Hall. The humour is wonderful.

[sociallydistained]

It was tricky to start with but I ended up loving it. I bought the sequels and will definitely read them this year. I’m not surprised so many have struggled or dislike it though even though it’s mega popular.

I’ve bought a few of HM’s other novels too as I’m intrigued by her writing.

[LarryUnderwood]

Yes I gave up too. I found it impossible to know which Thomas was doing what. And I didnt love it enough to persevere.

[ginghamstarfish]

I thought it was poorly written regarding the overuse of 'he'. Having to go back and reread sentences to work out who 'he' was, is surely a bad idea! Interesting that in the last book, The Mirror and the LIght, she reverts to the proper use of names, which made for an easier read. I would say ditch the book and watch the fab BBC drama, which was very well done.

[TonTonMacoute]

For Beyond Black fans Radio 4 did a brilliant dramatisation with Alison Steadman and Rosie Cavalliero which is repeated from time to time.

Worth looking out for!

[rosegoldwatcher]

@TonTonMacoute

For Beyond Black fans Radio 4 did a brilliant dramatisation with Alison Steadman and Rosie Cavalliero which is repeated from time to time.

Worth looking out for!

If anyone has a link to this I would be eternally grateful.

[luckylavender]

I really disliked it

[Pootle40]

I love Tudor history but I also read about two chapters twice then gave up through boredom.