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Ok...We're on the downhill slide now...more than halfway through. What did you think of this section??

Thomas More

It was interesting to see how Cromwell dealt with John Frith and Elizabeth Barton. He was unable to get Frith to forsake his beliefs or at least to pretend to change his mind, or to run away from the punishment.

'He should have run into the woods. That was his path.'
'We do not all ...' Cranmer drops his gaze. 'Forgive me, but we do not all see as many paths as you.'

He has a much easier time dealing with Elizabeth Barton. She is a fraud and as self-serving as Cromwell or anyone else at court. Others around Cromwell seemed ready to place more blame on the monks/priests who helped her and taught her. For Cromwell, the whole point of finding out who to blame is simply to have control over them. He is uninterested in people dying for their causes - he wants more puppets on a string.

I enjoyed how Mantel chose to reveal Princess Elizabeth: '... an ugly, purple, grizzling knot of womankind, with an upstanding ruff of pale hair and a habit of kicking up her gown as if to display her most unfortunate feature.' Cromwell's complete disdain seems typical of most people at the time - what a lot of mess for a useless girl! If only they knew...

I agree. A contemporary protagonist is a seldom thing in historical fiction. Although I wouldn't count Wolf Hall as historical fiction.
This section was more pleasant to read than the others. I guess there was more dialogue? Also the political intrigues develop.

I, too, have been enjoying this section more, though I'm not that far into it. Something about it is just flowing better for me. I feel like the story is moving along a little more, I guess. We'll see how I feel by the time I'm done with the section, though. I'm very ready for this book to be over, I do know that.

I am struggling with the book. It exhausts me so much that I can not even comment. I have about 80 pages left, but I am determined to finish it just against all odds,and I am definitely NOT reading the sequel ...

Sorry you're not enjoying it, Zulfiya, but good job sticking with it to the end (and on schedule - I usually fall way behind when I don't like something). I finished it a couple of days ago - can we get a Part VI section?

Zulfiya wrote: "I am struggling with the book. It exhausts me so much that I can not even comment. I have about 80 pages left, but I am determined to finish it just against all odds,and I am definitely NOT reading..."

Pretty much sums up my sentiments.

Zulfiya, that's exactly how I feel about the book. Finding it hard to follow and a real drag. Tempted to give it up altogether. I won't be reading the sequel either.

A real shame as I loved the first page. Showed so much promise.