Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel

Historical fiction can take several approaches. For example--it can provide a picture of the people and society of a past era, while inserting a totally fictitious story; it can examine the life of a famous person from the past, providing psychological insight as to motivations; it can take specific historical events and people, extending the reader's understanding of what happened and why.

Author Hilary Mantel takes the last approach. This novel examines England in the 1520s and 1530s, as Henry VIII seeks to annul his marriage to Katherine (who has produced no male heirs) and marry Anne Boleyn. The story is told from the viewpoint of Thomas Cromwell, the commoner son of a brutal blacksmith who rises to the position of the King's closest adviser.

Political maneuvering takes center stage here, with few of the details included which can immerse the reader in a past time and place. Cromwell is the only character into which the reader gains psychological insight, and that is rather limited. This is mainly the story of the wheelings-and-dealings involved in statecraft, which have perhaps not changed that much, except in the details, through the many years.

This novel was strangely fascinating, despite its length (650 pages), mainly because of its very clever dialogue (although I can't believe all those people were really that funny and satirical), and because of its alternative interpretation of events and characters (differing markedly from the ideas I had always held, which were taken primarily from other historical novels and movies).

One strange and disturbing aspect of the novel was Mantel's method of presenting it. It is told in present tense, first person, through the eyes of Cromwell. Except, the author does not use "I" when telling the story. Instead she uses "he" (where any other writer would use "I"), and this results in great confusion as to pronoun reference, especially in conversations. This style took me away from total immersion in the book and reminded me, again and again, that I was reading a made-up story.

Wolf Hall won England's 2009 Man Booker Prize, and I have almost always been impressed by the quality of the books which have won. I was not quite so impressed by this one.

Recommended for those who really, really like historical fiction.