This is an award-winning book about Thomas Cromwell’s role in
the events surrounding Henry VIII’s overthrow of papal power in England. This
is the first book in a series of at least three, with the third still being
written, I believe. It definitely feels like a part of a series, since its
conclusion is hardly satisfying. It points toward the next volume. I prefer
that books I read in a series be more able to stand on their own.
The other issue I had with this book was that it was
sometimes difficult to determine who was speaking. I guess part of this comes
from the simple fact that there weren’t a ton of different surnames used in
those days. There are lots of Thomas’s and Henry’s in the book. The other thing
is that the book is written from Cromwell’s perspective such that he is rarely
identified when he speaks or thinks. The result is that, normally, if you can’t
quite tell who is speaking, it is safe to assume that Cromwell is the speaker.
Those gripes aside, I did enjoy the book. That period of
English history was a dark one, and reading this book further convinces me of
it. As an American, the social difference between the nobility and the peasants
on display in the book is fascinating and disgusting. Cromwell, born a commoner
and a self-taught, self-raised individual, becomes the most powerful man in
England (arguably, beside the king) in spite of his background, and he is hated
for it.
No comments:
Post a Comment