The Mirror and the Light by Hilary Mantel

For our fourth book in our 12 Days of Christmas series, we will be looking at The Mirror and the Light by Hilary Mantel.

This is by far the largest volume in Mantel’s trilogy that follows the long career of Thomas Cromwell who becomes advisor to Henry VIII. To recap.

The first volume, Wolf Hall (2009), set in 1500-1535, introduces Mantel’s literary genius to readers as she describes the early humble and violent childhood of Thomas Cromwell and his rapid rise to become adviser to Cardinal Wolsey, adviser to the King. When Wolsey falls out of favour for failing to annul the King’s marriage with Catherine of Aragon, Cromwell steps in as adviser to Anne Boleyn, gaining the confidence of the King in the process.

In the second volume of the trilogy, Bring Up the Bodies (2012), Cromwell is appointed Master Secretary to the King’s Privy Council and we begin to understand how politics works in the rule of Henry VIII, among the nobles, by the ladies of the court, by well-established

families and by the various factions of the church. It’s fascinating.

Mantel deservedly won the Booker for these first two works.

In the third door-stopper volume (1536-1540), Mantel spins out her tale with even more insight and well-researched historical detail into the court of Henry VIII. By this time, the reader is in Cromwell’s mind, seeing every little detail from his perspective, and believe me, there are a myriad details that surround this work of genius.

Cromwell knows he is going to die on the scaffold, and we, the reader, know this mighty trilogy is coming to an end. When news of Mantel’s death arrived as I had finally got down to reading the final volume, I was devastated. No more Crowell! No more Mantel!

Forget À la recherche du temps perdu! Read this trilogy before you die. Mantel created a whole new way of writing in English, in my and many others’ opinions, and this puts Mantel as a first consideration under the Christmas tree to present to the serious reader.