Wolf Hall, by Hilary Mantel
My rating: 2 of 5 stars
I feel decidedly artless for not having appreciated this famous tome from highly acclaimed author Mantel, Hilary.
I found it extremely difficult to read: first, because of the innumerable, intricately-related characters, many referred to with several names/titles, who weave themselves unannounced in and out of the action; and second, because of the frequent partial or off-stage remarks.
One does gain a uniquely colourful impression of the main characters and events (Cromwell, Wolsey, Henry, Mary, Anne, More, the threat of war, the appeal to the Pope, the trials of the ‘heretics’, etc.), but it’s all rather bitty.
And the book has no ending.