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Wolf Hall | Hilary Mantel

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A Mother‘s Weekend ( because we deserve more than a day - please note my husband‘s choice in my mug this morning) gift to myself, finishing this tbook. I can‘t say I loved it, but I did love a lot of the banter between TC and his family and friends. It‘s an exhausting look at Henry VIII and the Tudor reign. The author had an interesting ( awkward) writing style using ( overusing) ‘he‘ that I stumbled over and over on

BarbaraJean “Exhausting“ is a very apt descriptor! 3mo

mcctrish @BarbaraJean we are both done 🎉🎉🎉👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 3mo

Deblovestoread Well done! I tried 3 different times to read it and it never gelled. And I love all things Tudor 🤷🏻‍♀️ 3mo

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mcctrish @Deblovestoread it took WAY longer to read than I thought 🙄 some parts I absolutely loved but my god those stupid hes, it almost became a rage read at the end to be done ( thankful for miserable Saturdays to just stay in bed and read) 3mo

Librarybelle Yay!! Congrats on finishing! 3mo

ChaoticMissAdventures This is good to know it is on my short list of book goals for the year, she won so many awards for it! 3mo

mcctrish @ChaoticMissAdventures I honestly feel like it reads like it‘s an eyewitness account but it‘s a time commitment 3mo

52 likes7 comments

BarbaraJean

Wolf Hall | Hilary Mantel

pick

This was worthwhile, but it was also quite a slog. The first section was immediately engaging, but once the narrative shifted to grown-up Thomas, the tone shifted and the pace slowed way down. Mantel had a couple of writing quirks that didn‘t help: she almost always referred to Cromwell just as “he,” which often made it difficult to follow dialogue or internal thoughts vs. spoken words. That said, I admired Mantel‘s recreation of the Tudor era ⤵️

BarbaraJean (Cont‘d) …and did find this rewarding in the end. Detailed and dense, it was a slow read—but also a fascinating character study of Thomas Cromwell. This has been on my shelf for several years, so I‘m glad to have had the motivation to read it thanks to the #LiteraryCrew #BuddyRead. I have the next book on deck, and I hear the pace picks up a bit there, so hopefully that will prompt me to pick it up sooner rather than later! 3mo

Librarybelle Thanks for joining us!! I‘m still making my way through! 3mo

mcctrish OMG with the hes it‘s making me mad 🤪 3mo

BarbaraJean @mcctrish It‘s so confusing, and such an odd narrative choice to make. I‘m not sure what the author intended for it to add to the book! 3mo

mcctrish @BarbaraJean I‘m in the homestretch and my brain is still comes to a dead stop with the he‘s each time even though I know it has to be TC 3mo

57 likes5 comments

Wolf Hall | Hilary Mantel

It‘s been a day - 2 pulled fire alarms at school and the littles are already losing their minds cuz of warmer weather so chaos was afoot. I‘m plodding along with this giant tomb - I find this book strange in its telling. I know the ‘he‘ usually means it‘s Thomas Cromwell but every other person is Thomas and when Thomas Avery goes to talk to TC and he walks over to him I guess it doesn‘t matter who he is cuz it‘s Thomas 🤯 somebody

Aims42 Oof, that sounds like a day and a half! Hope tomorrow is less crazy for you 😬 3mo

mcctrish @Aims42 I shouldn‘t complain about getting to go outside and just stand around in sunshine 🤣🤣 3mo

Aims42 @mcctrish Lol, yeah but littles + unexpected outdoor time isn‘t easy 😆 You go ahead and vent! Zero judgement 💟 3mo

tpixie Hope today is less eventful!!! Good luck with the Thomas‘s!!! 3mo

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Wolf Hall | Hilary Mantel

#LiteraryCrew , it‘s time for our discussion! This one is dense, complicated, and slowly meanders through the story. But, peeling back the layers shows the complexity of humanity and of history. Thanks to everyone for trying this one - it‘s not an easy read!

9 questions are posted as spoilers. You can find them on my feed, the book feed, or searching the hashtags.

I will post the #BuddyRead graphic for The School of Mirrors tomorrow!

LaraReads, mcctrish, mjdowens, melissajayne, Jerdencon, Crazeedi, tpixie, LapReader, Cuilin, kspenmoll, BarbaraJean, PurpleyPumpkin, BookNAround, Deblovestoread, maich, Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks, Bluebird, Mollyanna, BookwormAHN, Sargar114, Kristin_Reads, KristiAhlers, PageShifter, julieclair, AllDebooks

Librarybelle @BookWrym @Singout @Sace - Just in case you would like to jump into this discussion at a later date, I wanted to tag you! I have you on the tag list starting in May! 3mo

Mollyanna I‘m a little over halfway through. Hoping to get a big chunk done this weekend. I am enjoying, but as you mention, it is dense. 3mo

Librarybelle No worries, @Mollyanna ! It is not a fast read. 3mo

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julieclair Loving this book! Will jump in when I finish. 😉 3mo

PurpleyPumpkin Still working my way through this chunkster!😅 3mo

Librarybelle No worries, @PurpleyPumpkin ! 3mo

Kristin_Reads Oof… I didn‘t make it through! I‘ll have to try again later. Thank you for hosting! 3mo

Librarybelle You‘re welcome, @Kristin_Reads ! 3mo

37 likes8 comments

Wolf Hall | Hilary Mantel

This post contains spoilers

9. In conjuring Cromwell on the page, what does Mantel create, and what does she re-create from this historical record? Along those lines, how does historical fiction influence the way we look at history? ~from publisher Reading Group Guide #LiteraryCrew #BuddyRead

mcctrish This was an exhausting look at this period. I just wish HM hadn‘t gone off with those ‘hes‘ I learned a lot 3mo

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Wolf Hall | Hilary Mantel

This post contains spoilers

8. As the novel ends and Cromwell is at the height of his power, is there anything in his actions that foreshadow his later downfall? Has he become too much like Wolsey? Would the mercurial Henry VIII have been likely sooner or later to turn on Cromwell anyway? ~from publisher Reading Group Guide #LiteraryCrew #BuddyRead

BarbaraJean I saw both Wolsey and More as foreshadowing Cromwell's future. Cromwell was able to pivot and reinvent in ways Wolsey and More could not (or would not), but I do think Henry VIII would have turned on him sooner or later anyway--that seems to be the pattern with Henry! 3mo

mcctrish Absolutely @BarbaraJean 3mo

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Wolf Hall | Hilary Mantel

This post contains spoilers

7. Later in the novel we see Cromwell come to the realization that his home now is either where there‘s business to be done, or with the king. How is this a personal transformation for him, considering what life was like when his wife and daughters were alive?...Why did he change? Is there something sad about this change in him? ~adapted from publisher Reading Group Guide #LiteraryCrew #BuddyRead

BarbaraJean This was really sad to me. Thinking about question 6/his generosity: a lot of his motivation & satisfaction came from providing for his household--mentoring his son & the others he sees as and provides for as his children. Once he's trained them up, once they move on and basically become self-sufficient, his life lacks that aspect of care for others (well, other than the king!). I wonder how different that would have been if his wife had lived. 3mo

mcctrish This was sad, kind of a Tudor era empty nest. Between the lines he toyed with the idea of taking another wife a few times, but the ones he seemed taken with were not the right time or ? So he ends up alone 3mo

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Wolf Hall | Hilary Mantel

This post contains spoilers

6. What is it that makes Cromwell so driven? Does his ambition stem from a desire to do good, or is it just a survival instinct based on his past? How is Cromwell both personally ambitious and yet generous and unselfish? ~from publisher Reading Group Guide #LiteraryCrew #BuddyRead

BarbaraJean He does have a strong survival instinct, but I don't think that's why he's driven. Rather, his survival skills enable his rise to power. In that way, I saw some of both motivations: he wants to provide generously for his household, AND he wants significance and security. His generosity doesn't exclude his personal ambition. In fact, the ambition enables a lot of his generosity. 3mo

mcctrish He seems driven for good but the asides about new wings and tennis courts at Austin Friars show he did like the finer things. He made himself indispensable, not much happened without him knowing. He tried to share this with many a person so they could save themselves but they often didn‘t have it in them to be as ‘slippery‘ 3mo

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Wolf Hall | Hilary Mantel

This post contains spoilers

5. What kind of a king is Henry VIII in this novel? What motivates him? Are his
preoccupations solely self-interested, or does he have the good of the country in mind as well? What is it that makes him so susceptible to Anne Boleyn‘s seductions? ~from publisher Reading Group Guide #LiteraryCrew #BuddyRead

BarbaraJean It was hard to get a read on Henry VIII here. There was self-interest in wanting to cement his succession via a male heir, but I think he saw that as for the good of the country. With Anne, I think she knew how to manipulate him pretty well for her own ends. He didn't seem to have strong convictions, and I think he was surrounded by a lot of people who knew how to manipulate him, whether for power, position, and wealth or their own religious ends. 3mo

mcctrish Henry seemed kind enough but so far above the day to day common fray that I‘m not sure he did anything for England that wasn‘t for himself. Quite a different juxtaposition to today‘s monarchy. The part of dismantling the shrines so the money goes to him, England gets the money not Rome is about his pockets jingling with cash 3mo

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Wolf Hall | Hilary Mantel

This post contains spoilers

4. What kind of a character is Thomas More in this novel? Does he come off as sympathetic in any way? Why does More choose to die rather than accept breaking away from the Catholic Church? Would Cromwell be willing to die for his beliefs? ~from publisher Reading Group Guide #LiteraryCrew #BuddyRead

BarbaraJean I didn't see him as sympathetic at ALL until the very end. I admired his consistency in holding to his convictions in spite of the outcome. But his early involvement in hunting down, imprisoning, and torturing those with different convictions meant I wasn't super sympathetic when it came back on him! He's an interesting foil for Cromwell, whose convictions are very flexible. I don't think it's likely Cromwell would willingly die for his beliefs. 3mo

mcctrish I think Cromwell is true to himself ( and his family) so he‘s going to keep himself alive and them safe by moving with the times 3mo

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Wolf Hall | Hilary Mantel

This post contains spoilers

3. Why was Cromwell so attached to Cardinal Wolsey? Was Wolsey more of a mentor or a father-figure for Cromwell? What do love and loyalty mean for Cromwell? ~from publisher Reading Group Guide #LiteraryCrew #BuddyRead

BarbaraJean This relationship was so interesting to me. I think Wolsey was a bit of both: mentor and substitute father-figure. That scene where Cromwell discusses kind of flinching away from Wolsey was so telling. I think he found Wolsey as a place of safety (father-figure) but also was fully conscious of where Wolsey could take him (mentor). There was a LOT of opportunism there, but also a clear affection/attachment for Wolsey. ⬇ 3mo

BarbaraJean The way Mantel develops Cromwell's relationship with Wolsey says a lot about who Cromwell is. He seems to have deep love and loyalties, but is also fully conscious of how to best position himself for the next step up. His loyalty to Wolsey is genuine, but he is also very careful of how he demonstrates that loyalty once Wolsey falls from favor. 3mo

mcctrish I agree with @BarbaraJean TC was loyal but made himself useful and indispensable 3mo

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Wolf Hall | Hilary Mantel

This post contains spoilers

2. What is the significance of Mantel‘s “occult” history of Britain? How might these legendary traditions have influenced Henry in choosing to marry Anne Boleyn? What role does legend play in the perpetuation of a monarchy? ~from publisher Reading Guide #LiteraryCrew #BuddyRead

mcctrish I think fear ruled! So much of this book was crazy in today‘s knowledge ( although the can see the fringe players being on board) people needed stuff explained and they looked for answers whereever ( heaven forbid a girl rule and yet she did ) 3mo

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Wolf Hall | Hilary Mantel

This post contains spoilers

1. This book is the first in a trilogy that follows Thomas Cromwell's rise and fall from power in the Tudor era. It's a Booker Prize winner and later became a series on PBS.

Prior to reading this book, how much did you know about Cromwell, the Tudors, or any of the events portrayed in the book?

A couple sites of interest:

The HRP site on Thomas Cromwell: https://www.hrp.org.uk/tower-of-london/history-and-stories/thomas-cromwell/hickl...

⬇

Librarybelle The Booker Prize created a video about Hilary Mantel after her passing in 2022: https://thebookerprizes.com/the-booker-library/features/celebrating-hilary-mante...

#LiteraryCrew #BuddyRead 3mo

Cuilin History was always my favorite subject in school, and the Tudors were part of the syllabus in Ireland. So I had a little knowledge and knew the main players. Full disclosure, I read the trilogy. 3mo

Jerdencon I love this time period and have read a lot of historical fiction of that time so I was pretty familiar. It‘s always interesting to see how different authors portray it. 3mo

mcctrish I knew about Henry VIII and his wives and his quest for a male heir. I had heard of Thomas Cromwell but not his role at all 3mo

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Wolf Hall | Hilary Mantel

Still reading this chunkster. I‘m not quite 1/2 way into it but I‘m trying to finish this week ( I don‘t think I will manage April 30th)

Librarybelle No worries! Feel free to jump into the discussion after the 30th! 3mo

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Wolf Hall | Hilary Mantel

My husband is half Swedish, and in Sweden they celebrate name days ( definitely not the only country to do this 😉) and I‘m celebrating by having chips and wine with my reading time on a Tuesday. I‘ve spent 3 days in the same grade 5 classroom and I have never been so ‘childsplained‘ to in my life #treatmyself

TheBookHippie Just NO to GRADE 5 😵‍💫 #OYTOTHEVEY 3mo

mcctrish @TheBookHippie they are a weird cauldron of being old enough to advocate for themselves but too young to see beyond themselves 3mo

Tamra 😆 when do they grow out of it? Asking for a friend. 3mo

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TheBookHippie @mcctrish I cannot 😵‍💫 3mo

TheBookHippie @Tamra Usually end of seventh grade. … in my experience. I only do K4-2 nd and 9-12 th 🤭 This year I have 5 fourth graders but thankfully it‘s going okay. (edited) 3mo

TheKidUpstairs ? My eldest is in Grade 5. He LOVES the word "actually" ? And my new name is "Bruh" 3mo

Tamra @TheBookHippie well, I‘ve got two that defy the odds! 😜😜 The 16 year old is the worst at teensplain! 3mo

TheBookHippie @Tamra my daughter OY 2,3,8,10,12,14,17,19,22,25,27 🤭😵‍💫😵‍💫😵‍💫😵‍💫😵‍💫 but she wasn‘t here in my house after college 🤣😅 3mo

TheBookHippie @TheKidUpstairs 🤭🤭🤭🤭 my grandson called me that by accident. He‘s 10. 3mo

Tamra @TheBookHippie 🤣🤣 3mo

TheBookHippie @Tamra she had a child and then called crying “Mom I AM SO SORRRRRRY “ 🤣😂 nothing like being a parent to yourself. 😳 3mo

mcctrish @Tamra eventually they grow into seeing beyond themselves ( grade 8-9) - the advocating is new, imo, and it has so many pluses but it‘s not often used for good 3mo

mcctrish @TheBookHippie grade 4 is still okay here, second half of grade 6 used to be when it went to hell, now it‘s grade 5 so I guess grade 4 is next 🤦🏻‍♀️ 3mo

Tamra @TheBookHippie bahahaha if I live long enough. 3mo

Tamra @mcctrish 😅 so true! 3mo

TheBookHippie @mcctrish half way through 4th it starts here 😵‍💫 3mo

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Wolf Hall | Hilary Mantel

We‘re two weeks away from this month‘s #LiteraryCrew #BuddyRead discussion! I know some of us have found this to be not to be an easy read, and that‘s okay! Even if you‘re not quite into the book or had to put it down, feel free to join the discussion on the 30th.

Any thoughts to share so far?

mcctrish I‘m 65 pages in and after The Brothers Karamazov this is light 😆 but I am going slowly 3mo

Librarybelle @mcctrish 😂 I love that comparison! 3mo

tpixie @mcctrish 😂 3mo

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BarbaraJean I‘ve found it slow going after the opening section—I just finished part 3 and feel like I‘m still waiting for the book to get going! I thought the back and forth of the timeline in part 2 was an interesting choice—it was a bit confusing. But I‘m finding Thomas a fascinating character! 3mo

Librarybelle @BarbaraJean Thomas is a fascinating character - agreed! 3mo

Mollyanna It took me a minute to get used to the writing style, but now that I am, I‘m enjoying it. 3mo

Librarybelle @Mollyanna 😁 3mo

PurpleyPumpkin I feel like reading the audiobook is helping. I‘m enjoying the writing but find this a bit of a heavy read. It‘s holding my interest though! 3mo

Librarybelle @PurpleyPumpkin Yes - heavy reading indeed! Glad the audiobook is helping! 3mo

Cuilin I think it has one of the best opening chapters ever. Brutal, but you can‘t stop reading. 3mo

Librarybelle Yes, @Cuilin ! 3mo

Jerdencon I‘m sort of trudging along with this one. About 1/2 way done and hoping to finish most of it before I go on vacation next week and the library takes my e book back! 3mo

Librarybelle @Jerdencon Have fun on your vacation! 3mo

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Sargar114

Wolf Hall | Hilary Mantel

bailed

Attempted to listen while cleaning my house and after a couple of chapters…do not remember a thing about what happened. Don‘t think this one is for me. Enjoy #literarycrew

AmyG Hahahaha. Same. I spaced out through the beginning and then bailed. 3mo

IndoorDame @Sargar114 @AmyG ditto! 3mo

Bookwormjillk I keep wanting to like this but I‘ve had the same experience. Like water through a sieve. 3mo

Librarybelle Thanks for trying! 3mo

CarolynM It‘s a great book, but it needs your full attention. 3mo

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Wolf Hall | Hilary Mantel

I had planned to reorganize all of our files and papers and crap ( I ordered new files from Amazon) but if it‘s DEAR Day then I will just do as I‘m told and consider my to do list dropped

Leftcoastzen 😄👏 3mo

dabbe Book is coming your way! 💙🩵💙 3mo

mcctrish @dabbe 🙏🏻 I saw your email at school yesterday and I put off responding due to tech crisis and inclement weather ( I was teaching in a portable during a windy rain storm) and then promptly forgot when I got home 🤦🏻‍♀️ thank you so much 😊 I will keep a look out for 3mo

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Wolf Hall | Hilary Mantel

Off the TBR and beside my bed now. The first seven pages is the cast of characters and family trees aka my first night reading and I thought “good grief, am I up for this ?!” and promptly fell asleep 😆 last night I got sucked right in with the story proper 🙏🏻

Librarybelle The family tree can be intimidating! 4mo

mcctrish @Librarybelle I don‘t know why I paid so much attention to those pages, usually I skip or go back if needed 😴 4mo

julieclair Starting this today! It has been on my TBR forever. 4mo

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mcctrish @julieclair me too! My husband bought it for me Christmas 2019 to prep for our trip to London England March Break 2020, needless to say that trip did not happen. There is a tentative rebooking for March 2025 4mo

BarbaraJean Hahaha… I had the same reaction! I added tabs so I could refer back when needed. And then the first section really pulled me in! 3mo

mcctrish @BarbaraJean thank goodness for tabs!!!! 3mo

julieclair Now that you will have read the book, you are required to go in March 2025! 😘 3mo

mcctrish @julieclair my thoughts exactly 🤣 3mo

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BarbaraJean

Wolf Hall | Hilary Mantel

Unintentionally matched my mug to my book this morning. 😁

Ruthiella Perfect! 👏👏👏 4mo

KadaGul @BarbaraJean Unintentional Perfection 💯 😍😍 4mo

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LitsyEvents

Wolf Hall | Hilary Mantel

Via @Librarybelle
Today begins this month's #LiteraryCrew
#BuddyRead !
Read at your own pace throughout the month. I'll post checkins periodically. Discussion on April 30th!
If you would like to be added to this month's tag list, let me know! And, if you would like to be removed from the list (for this month or the main tag list) let me know too!

Librarybelle Thanks for reposting! 4mo

35 likes1 comment

Wolf Hall | Hilary Mantel

Today begins this month‘s #LiteraryCrew #BuddyRead !

Read at your own pace throughout the month. I‘ll post checkins periodically. Discussion on April 30th!

If you would like to be added to this month‘s tag list, let me know! And, if you would like to be removed from the list (for this month or the main tag list) let me know too!

LaraReads, mcctrish, mjdowens, melissajayne, Jerdencon, Crazeedi, tpixie, LapReader, Cuilin, kspenmoll, BarbaraJean, PurpleyPumpkin, Deblovestoread, Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks, Bluebird, Mollyanna, BookwormAHN, Sargar114, IndoorDame, Kristin_Reads, KristiAhlers, PageShifter, julieclair, AllDebooks

Librarybelle @LitsyEvents 4mo

tpixie Thanks! 😊 4mo

julieclair Yay! This has been on my TBR forever. But I have to finish Hour of the Witch first….. 4mo

See All 18 Comments

BookNAround Add me please! 4mo

Librarybelle @tpixie 😁 4mo

Librarybelle @julieclair Yay! I‘m still working on Hour of the Witch too! 4mo

Librarybelle Will do, @BookNAround ! 4mo

Jerdencon Just downloaded it. 4mo

Librarybelle Hooray, @Jerdencon ! 4mo

Mollyanna So excited for this one! Started it this morning. 4mo

PurpleyPumpkin Looking forward to finally reading this one!👍🏽 4mo

Librarybelle Awesome, @Mollyanna @PurpleyPumpkin ! 4mo

maich I found it in the library amd this year I'm reading outside my comfort zone so you can tag me. 4mo

Librarybelle Awesome, @maich ! I‘ll add you to the list! 4mo

IndoorDame I think you can take me off the list for this. It‘s still on the list of things I want to read someday, but it‘s on the (growing long) list of things I‘ve started this month and just can‘t seem to get into right now 🤷🏻‍♀️ 4mo

Librarybelle @IndoorDame Okay!! 😁 4mo

kspenmoll I started this ages ago & never finished. If I can get it from library again I will strive to finish & join in. 4mo

Librarybelle Sounds good, @kspenmoll ! 4mo

51 likes18 comments

quietjenn

Wolf Hall | Hilary Mantel

I think maybe this has sent me down more Wikipedia rabbit holes than any other novel I've ever read. It's truly a masterpiece, but also *a lot* and it's taken me an age to read. So I'm not going to be sorry to finish it (maybe today?).

rubyslippersreads I need to read the sequels, but you‘re right—it‘s a daunting task. 4mo

Ruthiella Loved this series. The first book is a lot but the second is a breeze (you‘ll see) and then you have to see it to the end in book three. 4mo

Tamra I‘ve wanted to try this, but it does seem daunting! 4mo

See All 9 Comments

batsy I loved this one but I've left a long gap between that and the rest (I've yet to read the other two). A relief to hear the 2nd is a breeze 😅 @Ruthiella 4mo

Ruthiella @batsy It really is ! It‘s the shortest, Mantel is clearer about the use of he (Cromwell) , and the narrative of Anne Boleyn is more familiar than that of Cardinal Wolsey. 4mo

quietjenn @rubyslippersreads I think I'm going to take a month or two off, but try to get to the next one after that. I don't want to wait too long and lose the thread, so to speak ... 4mo

quietjenn @Ruthiella I've heard that about the second book! I'm going to take a little bit of a breather, but hopefully return to it soon. 4mo

quietjenn @Tamra It's worth it, but definitely not the easiest reading I've ever done 😏 4mo

rubyslippersreads @batsy Normally, I‘d reread the first book before starting the sequels, but I don‘t know about this one. 😏 4mo

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LitsyEvents

Wolf Hall | Hilary Mantel

Repost for @Librarybelle

April‘s #LiteraryCrew #BuddyRead is the acclaimed first in a trilogy centered on Tudor England. I‘ve read it before, and it‘s good!

Read at your own pace…I will post periodic checkins throughout the month. Discussion on April 30th.

If you would like added to this month‘s tag list or the group tag list, just let me know! All are welcome!

LitsyEvents Original post https://litsy.com/p/QmRnSk00SkVN 4mo

Librarybelle Thanks for reposting! 4mo

40 likes2 comments