This continuation of Wolf Hall covers the
years 1535 to 1536, and where Wolf Hall charted the rise of Anne Boleyn, the
follow up tracks her demise.
Having engineered and legitimised La Ana’s
marriage to the king, Thomas Cromwell is now tasked with dismantling it as her
appeal to Henry diminishes with each failure to produce a male heir. Instead Henry’s
gaze alights on Jane Seymour, lady-in--waiting to the queen and her polar
opposite, meek and mild instead of fiery and dominating.
Behind the personal whim of the king is the
politics, and the downfall of the Boleyn family and the rise of the Seymours
has repercussions at court; and behind the politics is Thomas Cromwell who
needs to segue his position from supporting those on the wane to those on the
up. For the first time in a while he sees potential personal pitfalls ahead.
As in Wolf Hall we get Cromwell’s eye view
of events and share his thoughts and machinations; and he is not above using
the unfolding drama to even a few scores of his own. Among the ‘bodies’ brought
up (from the Tower of London for execution) are those who exulted in the fall
of his (Cromwell’s) beloved former mentor, Cardinal Wolsey.
It is masterly writing, easily sustaining
the momentum from Wolf Hall; it is also shorter than its predecessor and is
blessed with clearer use of the ‘he’ and ‘his’ pronoun.
Only on finishing did I see that this volume
is now described as book two of the trilogy – so bring on book three.
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