Author Description

Hilary Mantel’s Wolf Hall trilogy, which began with the Booker Prize-winning Wolf Hall and continued with the equally acclaimed Bring Up the Bodies, is one of the signal achievements of modern historical fiction. Now, Mantel completes her epic portrait of Thomas Cromwell, the blacksmith’s son who became Henry VIII’s most feared and powerful advisor. The Mirror and the Light picks up where Bring Up the Bodies left off, with Cromwell navigating the treacherous currents of the Tudor court after the execution of Anne Boleyn. As the king’s chief minister, Cromwell is at the height of his power, but his enemies are closing in. The novel follows Cromwell from his fall from power to his execution, exploring his complex relationships with key figures of the court, the political machinations of the English Reformation, and his personal reflections on his life, achievements, and the consequences of his actions. Told from Cromwell’s perspective, the narrative offers an intimate and poignant view of his inner world, immersing the reader in the atmosphere of the 16th century. The Mirror and the Light is a stunning conclusion to a monumental work of historical fiction.