In 1500, the teenage Thomas Cromwell runs away from home to flee his abusive father, and seeks his fortune in France as a soldier.
By 1527 the well-travelled Cromwell … See more

Born to a working-class family of no position or name, Cromwell rose to become the right-hand man of Cardinal Thomas Wolsey, adviser to the King. He survived Wolsey's fall from grace to … See more

Mantel said she spent five years researching and writing the book, trying to match her fiction to the historical record. To avoid contradicting history she created a card catalogue, organised alphabetically by character, with each card containing notes indicating … See more

Wolf Hall includes a large cast of fictionalised historical persons. In addition to those already mentioned, prominent characters include:
• Stephen Gardiner, Master Secretary to King Henry
• Princess Mary, the daughter and … See more

The title comes from the name of the Seymour family seat at Wolfhall or Wulfhall in Wiltshire; the title's allusion to the old Latin saying Homo homini lupus ("Man is wolf to man") serves as a constant reminder of the dangerously opportunistic nature of the world … See more

Critical reception
Wolf Hall received generally positive reviews from critics. On The Omnivore, based on British press, the book received an "omniscore" of 4.5 out of 5. According to Book Marks, the book received, based on mostly American … See more

• Winner – 2009 Booker Prize. James Naughtie, the chairman of the Booker Prize judges, said the decision to give Wolf Hall the award was "based on the sheer bigness of the book. The boldness of its narrative, its scene setting...The extraordinary way … See more