Wolf Hall is the first book from Hilary Mantel’s trilogy about Thomas Cromwell.

Henry VIII doesn’t like the idea of a Queen inheriting England’s throne. His only child is a girl and he’s given up on his wife to produce another heir. He’ll change the world to have a legitimate prince from another woman. Wolf Hall is a book describing how poorly he treated some of his closest people and how evil he was towards his queens. The point of view is Cromwell’s, a smart and ambitious guy with goals and incredible street wisdom. However, the main character is Henry’s ego which twists the world around it like a black hole. I disliked Henry VIII so much that it almost ruined the book for me, and the book is great. It’s well written, with a pace that makes it like a song.

This first part of the trilogy covers the period from Thomas Cromwell’s childhood to Thomas More’s demise.

5*/5