'But she will kneel, she must be informed of this. There is no block, as you see. She must kneel upright and not move. If she is steady, it will be done in a moment. If not, she will be cut to pieces.' He hands back the weapon. 'I can answer for her.' The man says, 'Between one beat of the heart and the next it is done. She knows nothing. She is in eternity.'
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Welcome to Wolf Crawl. I am your guide, Simon Haisell, and this is a year-long slow read of Hilary Mantel’s Cromwell trilogy: Wolf Hall, Bring Up the Bodies, and The Mirror and the Light.
Each week, I dive into the details, with summaries, background, footnotes and tangents to enrich your reading. I am joined on this journey by Bea Stitches, who delves into the archive on our behalf, and Matt Brown, who makes maps to help us find our way through Cromwell’s world.
You can find the reading schedule and plot summaries for the full cast of characters on my website, Footnotes and Tangents. There, you can join other slow reads, including Leo Tolstoy’s War and Peace, The Inheritors by William Golding and Treacle Walker by Alan Garner.
I start each post with a summary of the week’s story, illustrated by a map created by Matt Brown. This week, we finish Bring Up the Bodies and complete the final section of Part Two. Chapter II. Master of Phantoms. London, April–May 1536, as well as Chapter III. Spoils. London, Summer 1536.
UK Fourth Estate edition, pp. 441–482
US Picador, pp. 369–404
US Henry Holt, pp. 371-407 (guide only, editions vary)
First Line: The queen wears scarlet and black…
Last Line: Here is one.
This summary is followed by a few footnotes of interest.
This week, thunder rolls around court as heads rolls. Uncle Norfolk looks into the eyes of Anna Medusa, as we attempt to leave the world tidy. The French ambassador brings his memento mori; the Calais executioner brings his sword. In the archives, Bea Stitches sifts through the inventories for hints and clues, and in the Haunting of Wolf Hall, Cromwell stands on a burning plain with a heart of stone.
And then it is over to you. In the comments, let us know what caught your eye and ask the group any questions you may have. And if you’ve tumbled down a rabbit hole or taken your reading off on a tangent, please share where you have been and what you have found.
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