The Mirror & the Light (Wolf Hall Trilogy) by Hilary Mantel: Conversation Starters

By dailyBooks

The Mirror & the Light (Wolf Hall Trilogy) by Hilary Mantel: Conversation Starters

After eight long years, the highly anticipated epic conclusion of the Wolf Hall Trilogy, The Mirror and the Light, has finally hit the shelves much to its fans’ delight. Its author Hilary Mantel, the only one to have received two Man Booker Prizes, has already made a name for herself in historical fiction with Wolf Hall and Bring Up the Bodies. She leaves no stone unturned to ensure a hat-trick with this latest release.

The Mirror and the Light’s main protagonist, Thomas Cromwell, has risen to fame and power following King Henry VIII's orders but has made countless formidable enemies. The trilogy’s last installment details the last four years of his life—from the beheading of Anne Boleyn to his execution upon the King's behest in 1540.

A Brief Look Inside:

EVERY GOOD BOOK CONTAINS A WORLD FAR DEEPER
than the surface of its pages. The characters and their world come alive,
and the characters and its world still live on.
Conversation Starters is peppered with questions designed to
bring us beneath the surface of the page
and invite us into the world that lives on.

These questions can be used to create hours of conversation:

• Foster a deeper understanding of the book
• Promote an atmosphere of discussion for groups
• Assist in the study of the book, either individually or corporately
• Explore unseen realms of the book as never seen before

Disclaimer: This book you are about to enjoy is an independent resource to supplement the original book, enhancing your experience. If you have not yet purchased a copy of the original book, please do before purchasing this unofficial Conversation Starters.

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• Language: English
• Publisher: Daily Books
• Release date: Aug 31, 2020
• ISBN: 9788835886655

Book preview

Answers

Introducing The Mirror & the Light

Hilary Mantel wrote the Thomas Cromwell Series popularly known as the Wolf Hall Trilogy. These books chronicle the complex and intertwined fates of two main characters—Henry VIII and his chief minister Thomas Cromwell. Henry VIII, who was notorious for his spending habits and cunning nature, was the King of England from 1509 until he died in 1547. He achieved his political goals through the aid of his chief ministers, but banished or executed several of them once he found them no longer useful for his machinations. Thomas Cromwell, despite having no noble blood, was his counselor and advisor on several important matters due to his brilliant tactics. However, he suffered the same fate as Henry VIII’s ministers who came before him.

The Mirror and the Light is the last installment of the Cromwell series—the first two being Wolf Hall and Bring up the Bodies. In  Wolf Hall, Henry VIII attempted to dissolve his marriage with Catherine of Aragon,  his wife of twenty years who was unable to conceive of a male heir. He feared that a civil war would ensue in the absence of an apparent successor to the throne. However, his incumbent chief minister, Cardinal Wolsey, failed to undertake the divorce. This led to the seizure of his land and wealth upon the King’s orders and, ultimately, to his untimely demise. Cromwell, a popular administrator both of the Crown and Church under Cardinal Wolsey, stepped in. Despite initial doubts due to the absence of royal blood in his lineage, his beguiling tactics