Hillary Mantel, 2009 (January 2013)
Like some, I resisted this a bit at first but became drawn in and look forward to reading more of Mantel. The present tense and sometimes ambiguous second person require a little focus from the reader, but the layered, textured prose rewards attentive reading. This is not history, although it is historical. Mantel's interest is not in telling a story about the 1500s, but in illuminating, perhaps commenting on, themes that are very contemporary. Science, finance and religion, the role of the state, the personal in the political, even urban development are current topics, but Mantel shows that they have a long history and context. Looking at Cromwell as one of the first modern men at a time when European society was breaking out of medievalism is a fascinating take on the differences between our society and its roots. His rationalism and political manipulation, though unpopular, are the unquestioned basis of the modern society. Equally interesting to see Thomas More portrayed as a religious fanatic, and compare that to the modern image of him as a principled moralist standing up against tyranny. As we know, they are not so far apart. I liked the details of daily life in London in 1530, which set the scene but don't become laboured. My principal criticism is that it makes Cromwell into a kind of superman who can do everything. Perhaps in his time he was - perhaps that's what stands between modern and medieval.
