Finally got round to reading Wolf Hall, and while I’m instantly intrigued in the story, for some reason I’m just finding it hard to follow what’s going on. I’m not sure if it’s the use of present tense or what, but for some reason I’m finding it a harder read than most other books! Has anyone else had this experience, or is it just me?
EDIT: Glad to know I’m not the only one who struggled, but thanks for the encouragement that it’s worth it! A couple of people have suggested other novels in the time period I might also enjoy. If I can offer my own recommendation in that vein, it’s the Matthew Shardlake series by CJ Sansom. Absolutely brilliant thrillers/crime novels set in the period, and the main character actually starts out working for Cromwell.
by BerkshireKnight
30 Comments
I forget if it was Wolf Hall or Bring Up the Bodies where she refers to the main character with a capitalized third person pronoun… I found that extremely distracting and it constantly took me out of the book. Also, yeah the present tense. I always felt like I was observing the story and not in it, if that makes sense. OTOH, as you put it, I was intrigued so I just plowed on.
I could not read the last book in the series at all.
I found it hard as well. I found Bring up the bodies easier but what really helped was reading Wolf Hall companion by Lauren Mackay it helps to sort everybody out. Re reading it after watching the BBC series Wolf Hall was more enjoyable as well.
First up: it’s my all-time favorite book. I love it so, so much.
Second: you’re not wrong; it’s written in a very different style that can be disorienting, especially early in the book when you’re not yet used to its quirks and its unique flow. Most readers are used a more straightforward narrative style, even when they’re reading a present-tense story, and Wolf Hall is a different creature.
I will say that it’s absolutely worth giving it a little more time to grow on you. I’ve never encountered such a richly crafted, rewarding* book in all my life as a reader.
One thing you might find useful is getting the audiobook edition. The narrator is superb and he really makes it more accessible so you can just get lost in the story and the language rather than trying to puzzle out the style itself.
*I am also a professional novelist, so “richly crafted and rewarding” might be more important and exciting to me than to other readers. 🙂
I started off twice but haven’t finished it. Like you, I’m not sure what the problem is, except that it was taking me absolutely forever to get through and I just didn’t have time.
I’ve read all three books, and they’re fantastically written, but I was only excited about reading them while I was reading them. When I was going about my day doing other things, I wasn’t thinking about them or eager to get back to them or anything like that.
it has a very unique style. it helped me to read spoilers (history on wikipedia lol) to have a much better time with it. the trilogy is now one of my all time favorites
I finished it, but I found it difficult. My main issue was the chapter lengths in each part. I think it went, one normal length chapter, one unbelievably long chapter and one tiny chapter in each of the parts.
I felt like it made the pacing wonky. And the long chapters were pretty unwieldy; I found it difficult to get into the flow of the book.
That said, overall I enjoyed the book.
I disliked this book so much and was perplexed by the way it was lauded so hard. About one book a year I read and think no one actually likes this book but they can’t admit it without sounding simple. This book won that award in whatever year it was published.
Wolf Hall was the most difficult of the three. I finally realized that if you imagine yourself inside Cromwell’s head and the prose as his running interior monologue, it makes sense.
Yes, it was difficult to read. Really odd style and that “He” was often confusing. I thought ultimately it was worth the perseverance and a very good book.
It can be hard at first since it’s written like a very personal third-person account of Cromwell’s thoughts. Very often she will use “he” and not specify and that makes it confusing. Whenever you see it, just assume it’s Cromwell.
The second and third books are more straightforward since she specifies when it’s Cromwell.
Also if you enjoy this series, be sure to check out the Lymond Chronicle, it’s another great series by an esteemed historical fiction writer! It’s just as rewarding as Wolf Hall.
It’s definitely quite a dense book at times and it can take a while to get used to the main character being referred to in the third-person without much prompting.
I am an historian and I do like/know a lot about the Tudor era so I was excited for the books. I did read the audiobooks after getting the physical copy and see that the prose was very unique and kind of unwieldy and it was wonderful in audio. It is a very different style and so it is going to be more difficult to read, sort of like going from reading a modern book to a 19th century book. You know all the words, but they use them differently so you have to think more rather than just letting the words flow over you.
Totally agree that it can be a difficult read, but it really is amazing! The two follow up books are amazing too.
I definitely found that I had to google some people, events, and so on to keep up–the style it’s written in brings the reader to the inside of the characters’ thoughts and actions, but sometimes it assumes that you’re familiar with the events of that time period. Having said that, it’s totally worth the effort.
These are some style-heavy comments, which is what you asked for! But I really love these books, especially Wolf Hall, as a meditation on goodness. If you’ve read much at all about this period of history, you’ve seen Cromwell portrayed as an uncouth greedy bloodthirsty evil heartless genius. So it was rather astonishing to me to have his character turned inside out, and to read about a kind, compassionate, brilliant man with a keen sense of humor, much loathed by his contemporaries, but always striving to act with justice. All while his contemporaries and rivals are busy talking about him as an uncouth greedy bloodthirsty etc etc.
So the very inwardness of the storytelling, which several people have commented on, is very much the point – the inward man is so at odds with the public face of the man. And being a good and brilliant man, he recognizes this dissonance and accepts it as his burden, while treasuring the very few souls who understand and love him.
I found the style challenging, but the novels were still a joy to read, because of the constant flashes of humor, the amazing historical research, and also of course Cromwell’s clever manipulation of people. If you’re not enjoying those things, I’d say move on to something else. Life is too short to suffer through books that don’t delight you on some level.
I didn’t find Wolf Hall or the other two books in the series difficult, and Wolf Hall in particular is one of my very favorite books I’ve read. That said, I listened to the audio versions and, again, Wolf Hall in particular, was wonderfully narrated by Simon Slater. Give them a try. It may help to discern who is talking by hearing the distinctive, separate voices, which appears to be one of the main complaints I see about the books. Hilary Mantel is a wonderful writer. I could almost physically *see* every moment of her books. I have a clear vision of Austin Friars, inside and out, his office, his father’s blacksmith yard in Putney, the kitchen at Lambeth, and on and on. My favorite quote is about Cromwell walking along the Thames one cold winter morning: “There is a tentative, icy sun; loops of vapour coil across the river; a scribble of mist.”
Try the audiobook for a few chapters to get the author’s tone – it’s witty, sarcastic and dry. Might make reading easier
DNF. I’m a history nerd, but couldn’t figure out for the life of me what was going on in this book. A Tudor version of Ulysses?
Thanks for the recommendation, will check it out!
No, it was a slog to get through. The third book–whose title I can’t even remember (The Mirror of the light? To the Light?)–desperately needed an editor.
I had trouble at first, but as soon as I realized “he” is always Cromwell, I was hooked.
I had to bail, and it’s something I NEVER do with books. Especially with a historical fiction era I love. So disappointing.
I love it and have read it 3 or 4 times.
I found I had to concentrate though, it’s not an easy read/light novel.
Probably helps if you already know the story though. I think Elizabeth Barton and one or two other minor characters were the only ones I didn’t already know about.
Wolf Hall is HARD. But I am so glad I stuck with it. I don’t really recommend it often, because it is so difficult, and I’ve not yet dived into the sequels, but I am glad I read it.
Just finished wolf hall and starting on the second one. Totally agree that it’s hard to follow sometimes, and as many are saying it feels like it would be very different if I knew the story and characters beforehand, witch I don’t (coming from sweden so that might be why) I find that Cromwell is very well written, clear and diverse. But the other characters are often harder to get a grip of, their motivations, characteristics – but even their storylines. Do you agree? Is this because she assumes we know or find that info somewhere else, like many of you seem to do already (and perhaps I should to).
I just finished it as an audiobook. Would not recommend as it was almost impossible to follow along not having the ability to easily go back and check who was being discussed. The overuse of “He” drove me insane.
I feel like the characters are talking about things and using references and in-jokes that I’m not party to, so I feel somewhat left out as a reader. At times I’ve just had to accept that the book is full of these random non-sequiturs that I would probably understand if I had a masters degree in this period of British history.
I find it difficult at times but I just back up half a page or so, and re-read a bit, and then it usually becomes clear to me.
Can anybody recommend any good books about Oliver Cromwell?
I’m on my second go after giving up some time ago. About a third through now and still finding it hard going. My biggest problem is keeping track of who is meant to be talking and/or talked about.
I love Wolf Hall, I’ve read it many times, but I do understand the initial difficulty – I think you have to bear in mind that you are inside Cromwell’s mind. My other favourite books are The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver and the Forsyte Saga – both for the quality of writing. And both books so well read they are now falling to pieces – I should buy hardbacks but I read so much it would cost a fortune and I only have limited shelf space! I am not a professional novelist though I am trying to write my autobiography and it is a hard discipline – so I am sorry Chad_Abraxas gets upbraided for mentioning his/her profession. A single word can make or break a passage and yet one has to decide how to express events and ideas in a way that will convey their true significance and meaning. Someone who does this for a living deserves admiration and encouragement.
I can’t wait for the second BBC series – as Mark Rylance as Cromwell is a masterly performance. I have read Bring up the Bodies and Mirror and the Light and I’m intrigued to see how they are adapted for the screen. The Wolf Hall adaptation was so clever even though so much was omitted.
I recently discovered Gabrielle Zevin, a very much simpler style of writing but also very appealing. Tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow – is outstanding ( even though I have no interest in video games:-) )