"Wolf Hall"

It took more than two weeks, but I finally finished Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel. Wolf Hall is the story of Thomas Cromwell, an advisor to King Henry VIII. I truly enjoy historical fiction, and the time of Henry VIII and Elizabeth I is of particular interest of me. The fact that this novel won the Man Booker Prize and National Book Critics Circle Award was the clincher in convincing me to read it.
This book is part of the story of Thomas Cromwell--it begins with him escaping his home as the beaten pre-teen son of a blacksmith and progresses until he becomes the Master of the Lists and valued advisor to the King of England. The main focus of the story is the desire of King Henry to divorce his first wife so he can marry Ann Boleyn and the religious repercussions that follow that desire. Unlike many books about the time period, this story is told through the behind-the-scene backroom dealings of Cromwell, not the grand announcements in court.
I really enjoyed the book as I read it, but I have mixed feelings about recommending it. I enjoyed the historical information, and I enjoyed hearing the story of Henry VIII and Ann Boleyn from the viewpoint of another person. I loved the witty dialogue and the insider's view of court. The book is detailed--I mean really detailed--which may not appeal to everyone. Although the time period is the same, this is not the same story as The Other Boleyn Girl.
The most frustrating aspect of this novel is the author's inability to make clear who was speaking. She used first names and titles interchangeably, and names such as "Ann" and "Thomas" were common and therefore vague. Sometimes she used quotation marks with conversation and sometimes not. Worst was the vague "he" which could refer to anyone in the story. For example, in the sentence, "The evening before Fisher is to die, he visits More," "he" refers to Cromwell with no other reference to him whatsoever. It made the reading quite difficult.
While I enjoyed Wolf Hall, I can understand why not everyone might. Hilary Mantel is writing a sequel novel to finish Cromwell's story, and I am sure that I will read it.