Wolf Hall- yet another historical

At this rate, I may well become an expert on the history of Britain as written in fiction. Wolf Hall as a novel is somewhat disappointing. As an almost blog like account of the day to day politics of the court of Henry VIII, it is absolutely brilliant. Though, I admit for someone who had litterally nothing to do for over three days but sit and read, the book was still pretty slow going.

While reading the book, I wasn't terribly impressed. It is only now, looking back on it, thinking how much it reads, like say, a newspaper or biographical account, almost as though it was writting with the views of the people of that time in mind- their priorities - their politics. So many names, so many who must have been famous or infamous in their time, who are now all but forgotten.

Cromwell himself, feels terribly modern- his attitude- on the one had he seems terribly ,unbelievably modern (but then so do Shakespeare's plays sometimes- and then you are reminded that people do not really change through the centuries- only the names and the faces do)- his politics-his live and let live attitude- his attitude towards women. And on the other hand there in Thomas More, the man he was set up as a foil to- unflinching, unchanging- the whole story reminds me of Asimov's story "In a Good Cause-" where a man who bends his principles may achieve so much more -towards the same end- than one who sticks to his principles. More comes off pretty sadly in this version of the story- an unhappy man, a bad husband, a torturer, one who could not see that he could be wrong, merciless, and ultimately a failure.

Whereas Cromwell's greatest successes and his failures are yet ahead of him. His loyalty to Wolsey does not prevent him from serving the king who destroyed his master. Names that will gain greater meaning edge through- Jane Seymour, for now merits only a paragraph or two. The book, it has to be said, requires a good deal of prior knowledge of the story of the life and times of Henry VIII. Wolf Hall, that refrain that beats through the book, a repetition of licentiousness and promise of corruption- "Wolf Hall" reads like a prologue- an introduction to a man who's greatest successes and failures are still ahead of him.

In the end though, as a Booker Prize winner, I thought it was overrrated. It was obviously incredibly well researched, but I found the writing occasionally sloppy and confused (and confusing).