tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5114395886235179043.post7120700886460981413..comments2024-03-24T08:30:43.258+01:00Comments on FLY HIGH!: BOOK REVIEW: WOLF HALL - A TALE OF POWER, POLITICS & LUSTMaria Graziahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08876779286144473782noreply@blogger.comBlogger16125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5114395886235179043.post-28595803671313786792012-05-08T17:32:37.736+02:002012-05-08T17:32:37.736+02:00This is a novel on the subjective mode. It's t...This is a novel on the subjective mode. It's told in the usual third person, however, the incessant use of the "he" to describe the protagonist Thomas Cromwell forces the reader to pay attention and follow the novel as s/he her/himself views the action developing from Cromwell's viewpoint - something, in written terms, as Velazquez's Las Meninas, where what is seem is what the sitter himself would be seeing. What Ms. Mantell wants us to do is to react to what is happening as if we were Cromwell, the common man caught in the whirlwind of his time and reacting to it according to its own lights. Ms. Mantell's political point is, quite naturally, conservative, as she takes up the cudgels for a partisan of legality like Cromwell and makes no effort to conceal her ("his"?) loathing of an utopian and ideologue like Thomas More.Canadahttp://destructiveaging.wordpress.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5114395886235179043.post-5467996452771188982012-02-20T21:36:43.393+01:002012-02-20T21:36:43.393+01:00@servetus
Well, as I've already written before...@servetus<br />Well, as I've already written before, I'm really glad when different opinions are proposed in the discussion to a post. I'm sure there are many people who enjoyed reading Wolf Hall. And I'm happy to read their impressions and compare them to mine. Thanks for dropping by and contributing to the discussion.Maria Graziahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08876779286144473782noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5114395886235179043.post-21133892519400775282012-02-20T17:17:46.452+01:002012-02-20T17:17:46.452+01:00Gosh, I loved this book and wish I could have writ...Gosh, I loved this book and wish I could have written it. I think the point is that it's not supposed to be about Henry + Anne, etc. It's a reflection on the nature of time in Tudor England that happens to take Henry + Anne as its topic. Anyway. I know it wasn't everyone's cup of tea.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5114395886235179043.post-23245928052919762062012-02-18T07:32:23.431+01:002012-02-18T07:32:23.431+01:00@rainakochan
You are confusing Oliver Cromwell, ...@rainakochan <br /><br />You are confusing Oliver Cromwell, the leader of the Puritans in the Civil War, the one who had Charles I executed in 1649, with Thomas Cromwell (1485-1540) who was a state politician during Henry VIII's rule. The latter is the protagonist of this book.Maria Graziahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08876779286144473782noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5114395886235179043.post-74111162689633027622012-02-17T14:34:01.026+01:002012-02-17T14:34:01.026+01:00He (henry VIII) definetly had a hobbies...excuting...He (henry VIII) definetly had a hobbies...excuting people .rainakochannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5114395886235179043.post-38495584713951641412012-02-17T14:28:29.341+01:002012-02-17T14:28:29.341+01:00your explanation about cromwell are helpful I used...your explanation about cromwell are helpful I used to confuse the cromwell period being before the regency era before.I know it is a shame ;) But since i 'm stduying it at university and by myself things are clearer !<br />I definetly like reading moments from tudors era and stuarts<br /><br />This book looks great :))) thank you for sharingrainakochannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5114395886235179043.post-8086882201824574392012-02-15T21:47:18.152+01:002012-02-15T21:47:18.152+01:00Welcome on Fly High @Rose City Reader! Sam's ...Welcome on Fly High @Rose City Reader! Sam's friends are my friends. <br />I'm glad you brought a different opinion to the discussion and thanks for sharing.Maria Graziahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08876779286144473782noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5114395886235179043.post-60846367532075876542012-02-15T20:30:43.056+01:002012-02-15T20:30:43.056+01:00I can understand your reaction to WH, although I l...I can understand your reaction to WH, although I liked the book myself. The lawyer in me was fascinated by Cromwell's role as a legal adviser and, in particular, the way he used the legislature (Parliament) to accomplish Henry's ends. <br /><br />I found your blog on Tiny Library's Literary Blog Directory and am so pleased that I did. <br /><br /><a href="www.rosecityreader.com>Rose City Reader</a>Gilion at Rose City Readerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18080293172467000794noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5114395886235179043.post-4426382275612102322012-02-13T07:58:15.393+01:002012-02-13T07:58:15.393+01:00@lunarossa
Hi A., thanks for sharing your thoughts...@lunarossa<br />Hi A., thanks for sharing your thoughts. Just like you I couldn't relate to any of the characters, especially the protagonist and I also persevered getting to the end/not an end of this novel with a great effort.Maria Graziahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08876779286144473782noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5114395886235179043.post-19051799791346860422012-02-13T01:24:46.208+01:002012-02-13T01:24:46.208+01:00Hi MG, I had some problems reading this book and I...Hi MG, I had some problems reading this book and I found the writing a bit obscure and confusing. But I'm glad I persevered because it gave me an insight into a Tudor character I uttery disliked but at the same time I did not know very much about. I still dislike him and I'm sure I will never find a novel about him remotely fascinating. Ciao. A.xxlunarossahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15231055955991137579noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5114395886235179043.post-57831309276230091102012-02-12T15:55:09.651+01:002012-02-12T15:55:09.651+01:00@Sam (Tiny Library)
I'm relieved to read your ...@Sam (Tiny Library)<br />I'm relieved to read your comments here because I expected I'd get loads of praising for the novel from people disagreeing with me, instead. I know both people who loved it and people who couldn't get to the end of it.<br />But it's so interesting to share and exchange our diffent opinions, isn't it?<br />Thank you, Sam. Enjoy your Sunday!Maria Graziahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08876779286144473782noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5114395886235179043.post-66909306910684858412012-02-12T15:18:37.510+01:002012-02-12T15:18:37.510+01:00I felt much the same way as you when I read this o...I felt much the same way as you when I read this one. In fact, I'm glad someone else didn't love it because I was starting to think maybe I missed something as everyone else has loved it. I thought it was too long and like you found it hard to connect to the characters.Sam (Tiny Library)https://www.blogger.com/profile/16375434438465319913noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5114395886235179043.post-18788693132029389702012-02-12T12:03:44.323+01:002012-02-12T12:03:44.323+01:00@Gregory House
Thanks Gregory, for sharing with us...@Gregory House<br />Thanks Gregory, for sharing with us. My thoughts exactly. But, as you wrote, reading is a very personal experience.Maria Graziahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08876779286144473782noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5114395886235179043.post-68979030667934943962012-02-12T11:34:15.096+01:002012-02-12T11:34:15.096+01:00At the present moment I live a breath Tudor histor...At the present moment I live a breath Tudor history and fiction, so I approached Wolf Hall with a certain amount of interest since its protagonist Cromwell is a key player in several of my novels. I picked this weighty tome up and slowly and steadily plowed into it. It wasn't an easy task or very pleasurable, I didn't found any intriguing takes on the characters or find them particular human. Rather on the whole they appeared to be to be historical cardboard cutouts with only the most basic motivations and drives. It may be considered high quality literature but I found it dull and boring. Sorry but as they say reading is a personal experience.Gregory Househttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04476560824795563382noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5114395886235179043.post-85977294813832201672012-02-12T10:26:22.417+01:002012-02-12T10:26:22.417+01:00Yes, @K/V, we0ve been discussing this book quite...Yes, @K/V, we0ve been discussing this book quite enough, haven't we? I too am sure that Henry earned so much more from the divorce question than Anne's "complete" favour. But it doesn't come out so clearly in this version of the story. <br />Timid sunshine here.<br />A good Sunday to you too!Maria Graziahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08876779286144473782noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5114395886235179043.post-70460707274149693792012-02-12T10:08:58.560+01:002012-02-12T10:08:58.560+01:00As you know, I liked WH very much, and possibly fo...As you know, I liked WH very much, and possibly for the reasons you disliked the most. Sometimes, when I don't have to sympathize with any of the characters, unemotional reading makes me better aware of the story, the style, the plot and the dialogues... and I enjoyed it!<br />This is a well written 'tale of power, politics and lust', in this precise order. Unlike you, I don't think the whole Boleyn story is a mere question of lust: there is much more - power and money above all - behind Henry's fatal decision, that Anne was used as a pretext, and soon discharged. Not that I sympathyze with her, mind you! :-)<br />Have a lovely Sunday, hopefully sunny like here,<br />xx K/VAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com