Pat C. (Poindextra) reviewed on 1/1/2013 + 12 more book reviews

Having previously read quite a few fiction books centered around the Tudors (authors Phillipa Gregory, Alison Weir, Carolly Erickson), Wolf Hall stands out. Most of the others have been written from the point of view of the women at court - wives and daughters of Henry VII or attendants to the Queens. This book is viewed through the eyes of Thomas Cromwell, who rises from being the son of a blacksmith,to assistant to Cardinal Wolsey, and makes the tricky transition to advisor to Henry VIII after Wolsey meets with the King's displeasure and is forced from office. Cromwell, who so often appears as a villain in other novels, is here shown to be a loving husband, father and benefactor, and a very bright, almost self-made man. Kudos to Hilary Mantel - one of my favorite reads of 2012.

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