Wolf Hall

It took me a bit to read this book but not because it was difficult or boring but rather because I decided to do the slow sip. It is [a:Hilary Mantel 58851 Hilary Mantel https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1334862633p2/58851.jpg] and every sentence and paragraph are worthy of being savored and digested with no rush. Its not as if this is a mystery. We all know of Henry VIII and his marital woes. For those who don't I'd suggest a primer on English history before delving into this book.What Ms. Mantel does so brilliantly here, as she did in [b:A Place of Greater Safety 12593941 A Place of Greater Safety Hilary Mantel https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1363862651s/12593941.jpg 1168385] is illuminate and bring focus on characters we think to know so well from countless history classes. In this case it is Thomas Cromwell a man who always seems to veer between an opaque cypher or Machiavellian villain in most historical accounts but in [b:Wolf Hall 6520929 Wolf Hall (Thomas Cromwell, #1) Hilary Mantel https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1436162980s/6520929.jpg 6278354] he comes off as that modern day hero: the self made man who rises the heights of power despite of his less than auspicious beginning. Thankfully Ms. Mantel keeps him a man of his time, modern yes, but 1530's modern. As Cardinal Wolsey he chooses his prince, Henry, and serves him ushering in the new England divorced from Rome and all that ensued.I'm sure there are more eloquent reviews around so I'll just say that I found it brilliant: the writing, the story telling, the insight into human nature. I'll be starting [b:Bring Up the Bodies 13507212 Bring Up the Bodies (Thomas Cromwell, #2) Hilary Mantel https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1330649655s/13507212.jpg 14512257], the follow up ASAP.