The Mirror and the Light by Hilary Mantel

What a journey! I've probably devoted more time to Mantel's Cromwell trilogy than I have to any other series of books since I not only read all 2,009 pages of the novels but also biographical and historical writing to better understand this time period. Though it required a lot of concentration and effort it was definitely worth it. I'm going to miss Cromwell whose soul searching odyssey and unprecedented influence as righthand man to the King comes to a heart-wrenching conclusion in this final book. 

There's a building tension which Mantel incrementally ratchets up and impressively maintains as Cromwell's enemies increase and the politics become so heated over the course of this long novel. Factions within England plot against the ruling monarch amidst the new religious divide and the country's relations with other European nations always feels delicate. Although great promise comes with Henry VIII's new wife Jane Seymour, the King's dynasty is still not secure. The unashamedly classist English noblemen also grow increasingly resentful of Cromwell's influence and power; they never let him forget he's merely the son of a blacksmith without noble lineage. So there's a lot at stake. Mantel uses many fascinating historical details to describe this complicated period of time and bring it alive. It does take patience to follow, but Mantel tempers her narrative with a fantastic humour which prevents the story from becoming dry.

There's so much tantalising banter and innuendo between characters in the royal court or whispered in shadowy corners. This includes speculation about what happens in the royal bed, accusations of treason and hints about shifting loyalties. The dialogue is very funny and kept me consistently engaged, but it goes beyond mere gossip as Mantel shows how politics is so often about the spread of rumours whose presence gradually takes on such weight that the truth becomes irrelevant. It's what leads to countless (many innocent) people being imprisoned and executed in these novels. As was noted in “Bring Up the Bodies” those in power must also rewrite history to suit the ruling force's narrative and objectives going forward. So although this is a story very much rooted in the past, I can see parallels to how our current leaders use similar techniques to craftily mould the narratives of nations to suit their purposes.

As with the previous novels, although this story is closely based on history and the larger outcomes are known, Mantel includes a lot of surprising facts and occasionally she slightly tinkers with some of the historical elements to make Cromwell a more dynamic character. There are several shocking twists in this novel which are so engaging and add to the complexity of the story. One of the most notable is a figure who appears that Cromwell didn't know existed. But there are also delightfully weird details such as how Henry was in disguise when he first met Anne of Cleaves. So I found this a suspenseful story with many sumptuous elements. It's also obviously more emotionally involving than a reading a historical account as we follow Cromwell's emotions and the path of his thoughts as Mantel imagines them.

The author has a tremendous talent for writing about how the ethereal can intrude upon our psychological reality. As both Henry and Cromwell have got older over the course of the novels, the dead have a stronger presence in their lives. It's even noted how “He thinks the dead are crowding us out.” Naturally, their presence is felt more keenly when there are feelings of guilt and regret associated with those who have died and both protagonists wrestle with these unresolved emotions. Mantel has a fantastic way of creating an eerie atmosphere where the presence of the dead make themselves felt. It also gives a different perspective on history because if those people had lived the fate of many and the state of the nation would have had such a different outcome. Part of the tension is that in the moment obviously none of the characters knew what was going to happen and with so many potential ways that events could twist the reader feels their intense struggle to decide what to do. Of course, we have the privilege of knowing the ultimate outcome but in reading this novel we can see potential alternative histories such as if Jane Seymour had lived and convinced Henry to reconcile with the Pope.

However, the biggest point of tension in this particular novel is between Henry and Cromwell. While Thomas has always been a faithful servant, the King can't help being swayed by the whispers being made against him. Figures such as the crafty diplomat Chapuys ominously warns Cromwell about the perilousness of his position since he entirely relies on the King's favour. Equally, Thomas seems to develop a more refined understanding of Henry's position since no matter how close and personal their relationship becomes Henry is a monarch whose role occludes his state of being a mortal man. Thomas insists “What should I want with the emperor if he were emperor of all the world? Your majesty is the only prince, the mirror and the light of other kings.” But Thomas also realises that no matter how faithful he is “If Henry is the Mirror he is the pale actor who sheds no luster of his own but spins in a reflected light. If the light moves, he is gone.” It's only through exercising his deadly power that Henry is able to maintain his position as the absolute monarch. Thomas knows that “This is what Henry does. He uses people up. He takes all they give him and more. When he is finished with them he is noisier and fatter and they are husks or corpses.” Again, I couldn't help thinking of modern equivalents of tyrannical powerful figures such as the current US president or Rupert Murdoch whose colleagues often end up in jail and whose multiple children from different wives form a dynasty.

One of the most obvious questions with a novel this long is: does it justify its length? Certainly some sections felt slightly extraneous to me. Drifting too far into a side plot with yet another character I had to struggle to recall somewhat diluted the power of the central story. There's such a profusion of tales and fascinating figures surrounding this period of royal history that it must have been difficult for Mantel to sift through which ones to include and what to leave out. For instance, the story of Margaret Douglas and Thomas Howard could form a novel in itself and I wanted to know more about them. I can't really begrudge Mantel leaving it in because I'm sure if I reread the novel these characters would come more into their own, but perhaps including so many characters demands more patience from the reader than it needs to. I also think that reading this novel without having read the first two books would really lessen the impact of the story because many parts refer back to scenes from the earlier novels and the narrative assumes the reader is familiar with them too. Additionally, you really need to have read the two previous novels to fully see how Cromwell's character develops over the course of the series and why horrific scenes and figures from his childhood continuously haunt him.

Reading this magnificent series of books is such a worthwhile experience. If you're like me and feel slightly hesitant about how much they might demand from the reader I can assure you they certainly deserve the investment of your consideration and time. It's no accident they are so lauded and widely loved. The story of Henry VIII and his wives has been told and retold so often it seems nearly mythological, but by approaching the politics and meaning of this historical period through the lens of Thomas Cromwell is a brilliant way to explore the workings of power. It also reimagines the heart and mind of an individual who endured so much hardship and trauma I fell in love with his story. Mantel's writing shimmers with so much insight and beauty that becoming immersed in this historical world is a deeply pleasurable experience.

You can also follow a journey I took to the Tower of London while discussing this novel here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HqAq-XYYiwg

Bring Up the Bodies by Hilary Mantel

Having read “Wolf Hall” for the first time recently, I wanted to keep up the momentum by jumping right into reading the second book in Mantel’s trilogy on Cromwell. Like I said with the first novel, it’s impressive how the author creates such a suspenseful narrative despite my being aware of what was going to happen because it’s based on history. Having dealt with the sprawling mechanics of the events leading to Henry’s marriage with Catherine of Aragon being invalidated and England’s break from the authority of the Pope in the first novel, “Bring Up the Bodies” does feel like a more concentrated story because it deals almost solely with the downfall of Anne Boleyn. It’s clear she’s fated from the beginning of the book as Henry is casting around for excuses to dispose of her. But, again, I felt gripped wanting to know how events would unfold through Cromwell’s political manoeuvring. It’s both compelling and horrific seeing how his schemes lead some people to become entrapped in a bloody fate or compromise those close to them to save their own skin. Mantel is brilliant at dramatizing how, as the proverbial saying goes, ‘power corrupts; absolute power corrupts absolutely’. 

Yet Cromwell also emerges as such a fascinatingly complex figure in her portrayal of him as a man of committed Christian faith who also feels such a strong loyalty to England and the King. Henry’s edicts mean these two convictions should be at odds with each other but Cromwell must act as if they are not. He must also rewrite history as they go in order to keep pace with Henry’s tyrannical desires: “Now our requirements have changed and the facts have changed behind us.” As seen in the hyperbolic pronouncements of world leaders in recent years, facts are something which people in positions of great power believe they can simply invent despite contrary evidence.

In a way Cromwell seems magnanimous in encouraging people to follow the path of least resistance in order to literally survive even if it means they must surrender their own ambitions, beliefs and freedom. Perhaps the key to his success is his willingness to cede all these things to the will and might of the monarchy and hope the benefits will follow. In this novel he does profit heavily from such loyalty, but it’s a dangerous game. It makes me even more curious to find out how he’ll inevitably fall out of favour in the third book. But Cromwell is also monstrous in selecting the most convenient people around to charge alongside Anne to bring about her downfall: “He needs guilty men so he has found men who are guilty though perhaps not guilty as charged.” In his position he's able to strategically orchestrate the removal and disposal of people in a way which best suits the King and his own interests. 

Alongside a reinforcement of the Tudor line it feels as if in these acts there is a simultaneous self-conscious anxiety about the meaning of Englishness and national identity. The disruption of England breaking away from the Catholic church in Rome has caused unrest which will continue to be felt in multiple ways and this creates an atmosphere of unease: “The feeling is that something is wrong in England and must be set right. It’s not the laws that are wrong or the customs. It’s something deeper.” Already it feels like there is a myth-making occurring as if there is some essential Englishness which can be got at or returned to which will join the nation together as a whole. But Henry, in his selfish wielding of power for his own lineage and vanity, has violently divided the country rather than given it a sense of cohesion. These are historic tensions which I think are still felt and manifest in different forms today.

This feels like a more reflective novel than the first as both Cromwell and other characters recall formative moments of their lives. And perhaps even more than the first book there is a feeling of the dead's presence amongst the living. Mantel chillingly creates an atmosphere of gloomy tension populated by ghosts: “When the house is quiet, when all his houses are quiet then dead people walk about on the stairs.” Yet, at the same time, many characters who've been targeted and accused of conspiring with or having affairs with Queen Anne are practically dead men walking since they will soon be tried and executed. The title itself refers to prisoners being brought out from their cells as if they were already corpses.

Perhaps it's because of the more concentrated story-line or the fact this novel is only two-thirds the length of the first novel, but I found reading “Bring Up the Bodies” a more brisk and easier experience. Again, there was some momentary confusion about the meaning of certain events or who particular characters are on my part but this narrative has a momentum to it largely due to the inevitability of Anne's downfall. I enjoyed it immensely and found many scenes gripping as well as chilling. I now feel primed and ready for Mantel's conclusion to this monumental epic.

Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel

For many years I’ve felt ashamed about not having read “Wolf Hall”. I know it’s silly to feel shame about not reading or enjoying certain books even if they are some of the most critically acclaimed and lauded books of our time. There will always be great books I won’t have time to get to and I was initially put off from this novel because I started reading it when it was first published in 2009, but felt confused by the complicated politics of the Tudor period. It can feel tedious reading certain historical novels where I have to frequently put the book down to look up the meaning of a certain person or event on Wikipedia to feel like I really understand what’s going on in the story. So after about 150 pages I put it aside and didn’t go back to it. But, now with the third book of Mantel’s trilogy coming out soon, I felt it’s time to really immerse myself in it.

I’ve also greatly appreciated other books I’ve read by Mantel so she’s a writer I’m glad to make an effort for. This time I took steps to better prepare myself for it by reading the very detailed biography “Thomas Cromwell”. While I found MacCulloch’s book quite a bore it did give me an understanding of the most important people, events and politics portrayed in Mantel’s novel. So I read “Wolf Hall” straight through without stopping, even though the broader meaning of some scenes still went over my head. To my delight, it was a wonderfully enriching and enjoyable experience and I’m now eager to read more!

One thing that was really memorable for me the first time I tried reading “Wolf Hall” was the magnificent, emotional opening scene Mantel writes where Cromwell is a boy who has just been savagely beaten by his father. She captures the heart-wrenching physical and emotional pain of this incident. The image of Thomas as a vulnerable rejected young lad casts a shadow over the rest of his fascinating life and informs later scenes of the novel as Cromwell carefully navigates the choppy waters of court life, serving Henry VIII and being a key negotiator of the English Reformation.

It’s powerful how Mantel portrays his resilience, innate intelligence and ability to use his ingenious political skills to execute the King’s will where many of his predecessors failed. She describes how he understood better than most how to gather as much dirt on people as possible and how to use and ration out that knowledge in a way which would best benefit him and the people he represented: “A man's power is in the half light, in the half seen movements of his hand and the unguessed at expression of his face. It is the absence of facts that frightens people, the gap you open into which they pour their fears, fantasies, desires.” Because Cromwell came from relatively humble beginnings, his savvy ability to ascend to such prominence and become one of the most powerful men in England is impressive but he clearly never forgets where he came from and people of the royal court never let him forget his origins either.

It’s moving how Mantel occasionally writes Thomas recalling his boyhood and the threat of his father so much so that the long-dead patriarch takes on a ghostly presence in his life. In fact, there many hauntings in the novel from Henry dreaming of his dead brother and Thomas feeling the continued presence of his deceased wife Elizabeth. It feels like death is an ever-present spectre in this time period as Mantel describes continuous threats of deadly fever/plague and public executions. Given the fearsome prominence of these threats it’s no wonder that the author writes her characters as if they constantly tread the line between life and the after-life.

Mantel interweaves a wicked humour throughout the narrative as well. She portrays scenes where characters will darkly parody the downfall of others such as the arrest of Cardinal Wolsey or mockingly re-enact dramatic conversations. Late in the novel she even pokes fun at how English weather is notoriously grey and rainy when Cromwell reflects how he would have been a better man if the weather were better. This adds a wonderful levity to a story which is weighted with so much bloodshed and seriously reflects on a pivotal turning point in England’s history.

Towards the end of the novel I found it poignant how Mantel depicts the larger significance of the monumental changes of this time. Many fictional and historic accounts of the Tudors have revelled in the salacious scandal of Henry’s many wives and the political implication of England breaking from the church in Rome. But Mantel gets at subtler implications about where the general population would henceforth put their faith. The English Reformation forced people to choose if they would follow God or the King. This conflict obviously played out in many bloody battles, but also reverberated through the hearts of the entire nation. So I think it’s brilliant the complex way Mantel captures the larger psychological and social evolution to show how “England is always remaking herself.”

But, of course, the bulk of the story is made up of small moments and meetings between a few individuals who would steer the direction of the country: “The fate of peoples is made like this, two men in small rooms.” Through the dialogue of her characters Mantel shows the various powerplays at work, the promise of comradery or the making of enemies – when people will bend such as Henry Percy surrendering his engagement to Anne or when they will not bend such as Thomas More who refuses to plea for mercy. It’s especially exciting seeing what’s at stake in the meetings and exchanges between Cromwell and Anne Boleyn as well as Catherine of Aragon. And Jane Seymour appears in many scenes as well as if hovering in wait. Though this first novel only follows the tale up until the execution of Thomas More even I understand enough about the history to know that she will eventually become the third wife.

Admittedly, there were still sections of the novel which went over my head. Because of my ignorance about some of the intricacies of this historical period I wasn’t always certain about what events were taking place or who was being portrayed. There are many characters to keep track of and this can be especially difficult when so many are named Thomas, Mary or Henry. There’s even a semi-joke made at one point when Thomas becomes confused about whether Anne is talking about her sister Mary or Catherine’s daughter Mary I. But this didn’t really detract from my enjoyment of the novel as I could follow the general progression of the story through the main players.

I’m glad I put in the effort to return to “Wolf Hall” because reading it was an exciting and rewarding experience overall. Even though I obviously know what larger events will happen in the second and third books because they are rooted in history, I’m very keen to see how Mantel further develops the characters she’s made out of these figures from the past. It’s strange to say, but I feel a deep tension now wanting to know what’s going to happen and how Cromwell will eventually meet his tragically inevitable conclusion.