View Poll Results: Wolf Hall : Final Verdict

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  • * Waste of time. Wouldn't recommend it.

    0 0%
  • ** Didn't like it much.

    0 0%
  • *** Average.

    0 0%
  • **** It is a good book.

    4 57.14%
  • ***** Liked it very much. Would strongly recommend it.

    3 42.86%
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Thread: May / Historical Fiction Reading: Wolf Hall

  1. #61
    The Poetic Warrior Dark Muse's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by TheFifthElement View Post
    My understanding of this is that George's title was granted by the King - the Boleyns were a 'low' family (without rank or title) but due to Anne's liaisons with the King they were granted titles. So George became 'Lord Rochford' by act of the King. From Wiki:.
    Than I wonder why he would not be given a title in his own last name. And became Lord Boleyn, and his wife Lady Boleyn. Instead of his being titled with his wife's last name as his own.

    Is it because her family had a higher rank than his own and so did he take her name because it was superior to his own.

    Deep into that darkness peering, long I stood there, wondering, fearing, doubting, dreaming dreams no mortal ever dared to dream before. ~ Edgar Allan Poe

  2. #62
    Internal nebulae TheFifthElement's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Dark Muse View Post
    Than I wonder why he would not be given a title in his own last name. And became Lord Boleyn, and his wife Lady Boleyn. Instead of his being titled with his wife's last name as his own.

    Is it because her family had a higher rank than his own and so did he take her name because it was superior to his own.
    It wasn't his wife's name. English titles are all linked to a titular 'seat' which is a place - a town, city, county or country: The Earl of Suffolk, The Earl of Essex, the Duke of Norfolk, the Duke of York, the Prince of Wales. Rochford is a town in Essex and the title of Viscount Rochford was Thomas Boleyn's title, which George inherited.
    Want to know what I think about books? Check out https://biisbooks.wordpress.com/

  3. #63
    The Poetic Warrior Dark Muse's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by TheFifthElement View Post
    It wasn't his wife's name. English titles are all linked to a titular 'seat' which is a place - a town, city, county or country: The Earl of Suffolk, The Earl of Essex, the Duke of Norfolk, the Duke of York, the Prince of Wales. Rochford is a town in Essex and the title of Viscount Rochford was Thomas Boleyn's title, which George inherited.
    Oh, I thought his wife's name was Jane Rochford

    Deep into that darkness peering, long I stood there, wondering, fearing, doubting, dreaming dreams no mortal ever dared to dream before. ~ Edgar Allan Poe

  4. #64
    Used Register David Lurie's Avatar
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    an interesting article by Hilary Mantel
    "He had but one eye, and the popular prejudice runs in favour of two."

  5. #65
    TobeFrank Paulclem's Avatar
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    A good read..

  6. #66
    I'm great on the phone Brock's Avatar
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    OK, after the trauma of a teaching course interview, I'm now able to start reading this novel without feeling guilty that I should be reading about teacing. I started reading it this morning and I have to say I really like it. The writing style is unique albeit slightly confusing sometimes, but overall it has a really gripping quality. I know next to NOTHING about the history surrounding this time, so this should be double gripping. I shall read the posts in this thread as soon as I'm in the safe zone (ie the story isn't going to be ruined for me).
    Well Stu I'll tell you, surfing's not a sport, it's a way of life, you know, a hobby. It's a way of looking at that wave and saying, "Hey bud, let's party!"

    Jeff Spicoli

  7. #67
    Used Register David Lurie's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Brock View Post
    The writing style is unique albeit slightly confusing sometimes, but overall it has a really gripping quality.
    I think the writing style is rather effective especially for the kind of story Mantel is telling us: this is a fictional account of a well-known historical figure where the author tries to shade some light over the parts of his life we don't know much about while making us doubt that the commonly known facts about Cromwell that we know are only a limited portrait of a very complicated and surprising life.
    If the reason of this book was to make the reader rethink his/her opinion of Cromwell, then I think Mantel's writing technique suits well such scope.
    "He had but one eye, and the popular prejudice runs in favour of two."

  8. #68
    I'm great on the phone Brock's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by David Lurie View Post
    I think the writing style is rather effective especially for the kind of story Mantel is telling us: this is a fictional account of a well-known historical figure where the author tries to shade some light over the parts of his life we don't know much about while making us doubt that the commonly known facts about Cromwell that we know are only a limited portrait of a very complicated and surprising life.
    If the reason of this book was to make the reader rethink his/her opinion of Cromwell, then I think Mantel's writing technique suits well such scope.
    I think at first it was simply the use of pronouns for characters which confused me. I mean, there are a lot of characters to take in. A couple of times, I found myself saying 'who?', 'what?', 'who's he again?'. But now I'm 133 pages in, it's all fairly obvious and now I'm just really enjoying it.
    Well Stu I'll tell you, surfing's not a sport, it's a way of life, you know, a hobby. It's a way of looking at that wave and saying, "Hey bud, let's party!"

    Jeff Spicoli

  9. #69
    I'm great on the phone Brock's Avatar
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    Well, I was late finishing but I've finally read all of the book now. An absolute corker. Loved it. Not exactly my favourite writing style, but an excellent read overall. Does Mantel have a sequel to this? Because I was really expecting some gory decapitation at the end..
    Well Stu I'll tell you, surfing's not a sport, it's a way of life, you know, a hobby. It's a way of looking at that wave and saying, "Hey bud, let's party!"

    Jeff Spicoli

  10. #70
    TobeFrank Paulclem's Avatar
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    I liked it as well. Someone said she's planning a sequel.

    I liked her choice of a talented commoner for her focus in this period. Given all the aristos, and the prior focus upon them, it's good to have a different focus.

  11. #71
    I'm great on the phone Brock's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Paulclem View Post
    I liked it as well. Someone said she's planning a sequel.

    I liked her choice of a talented commoner for her focus in this period. Given all the aristos, and the prior focus upon them, it's good to have a different focus.
    A sequel is desperately needed. Otherwise I'll feel as unsatisfied as I did when I finished Twin Peaks season 2...
    Well Stu I'll tell you, surfing's not a sport, it's a way of life, you know, a hobby. It's a way of looking at that wave and saying, "Hey bud, let's party!"

    Jeff Spicoli

  12. #72
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    All I have been able to find is that she is 'working on the sequel' (HarperCollins site) and it is to be called The Mirror and the Light. Apparently she will not reveal anything about her work in progress until she herself is satisfied with it and it is virtually ready for publication. I am looking forward to it.

  13. #73
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    I have read review about this book, its really good. Hope its really interesting to read.

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