What if I only read nonfiction regarding Tudor History? The Mirror and the Light focuses on the last four years of his life. However, Cromwell was ultimately executed by order of the King in 1540. He was a major supporter of the English Reformation and a key player in the downfall of Anne Boleyn. From this point Cromwell held many key positions including Master Secretary, Chancellor of the Exchequer and Lord Privy Seal. The novels focus on his time spent initially working for Lord Chancellor Thomas Cardinal Wolsey and gradually working his way up to become a favourite of the King from the early 1530’s. The trilogy (set during the reign of Henry VIII) covers the life of Thomas Cromwell (a lawyer) who was born around 1485, and died on 28 July 1540. But more about that later – the book hasn’t even been released yet! Of course what we ultimately want from the final book is a satisfying conclusion to the trilogy but it is hard not to get a teensy bit excited about the fact that she could win the Booker again. Thomas Cromwell is also a fascinating character – mentally sharp, loyal and strategic, witty and vengeful, and ultimately very human.īecause Mantel is highly regarded by readers, critics and her peers: Margaret Atwood is a big fan.Īnd oh yes – because the first two books have both individually won the Booker Prize. Why is the release of The Mirror and the Light a big deal?īecause The Mirror and the Light is the final book in the trilogy.īecause the first two books have been excellent examples of great historical fiction – impeccably researched and highly imaginative.īecause Mantel has taken a well known era of Tudor History and made it refreshing by focusing on a historical figure integral to that time who is not normally put front and centre in historical fiction. The books should be read in order of publication. It is also sometimes referred to as the Thomas Cromwell series but Hilary Mantel officially refers to it as the Wolf Hall trilogy. The Wolf Hall trilogy is comprised of three books: Wolf Hall (2009), Bring up the Bodies (2012) and The Mirror and the Light (3 March, 2020). With the release of The Mirror and the Light, Hilary Mantel’s long-awaited sequel to Wolf Hall and Bring up the Bodies, our resident Tudor nut Amanda Rayner has compiled a brief Q&A for newcomers to the series.

The mirror and the light trilogy