This is a must-have if you are diving into the Wolf Hall trilogy. Mackay provides in-depth, well-researched history on the colorful cast of players that populate the Tudor Court. Here, we see those figures and the key events of the time in context. I have taken great issue with the way some of these personages have been portrayed in the series, so I greatly appreciate Mackay's efforts to redeem the women whom Mantel has given such short shrift. Written in an accessible and highly readable style, MacKay will draw you in to the true dazzling and glittery, but dangerous court of Henry VIII.

Nice quick introduction to the Tudors. You can read it as an introduction to the history of this dynasty, you don't have to be a fan of Hilary Mantel's novels.

This book is a must read for any lover of the wolf hall series, a great reference to keep at hand for Tudor history readers.

With the proliferation of books about the Tudors so comes the companion piece, the book to explain the assumptions. Here Lauren Mackay has focused her work alongside Hilary Mantel's superb fictional trilogy, Wolf Hall etc but actually this would work as a stand-alone piece as it is so comprehensive about the known historical characters and their roles. Mantel freely admits that her novel are fiction and that some dramatic licence has been taken. Here Mackay shows where there may be differences to know history.
As a guide to the society around Henry VIII this is succinct and comprehensive

I have previously read both Wolf Hall and Bring Up The Bodies, and have recently re-read Wolf Hall prior to completing the trilogy. I love this period of history and already know a fair bit about it however I was excited to see the reality compared to the fiction.

This was really well researched and explored the accuracies and artistic license that Hilary Mantel took which her trilogy.

Laura is obviously passionate about history and a fan of Mantel. Her love for the subject shines through and makes it a joy to read.

The book was set off by the family tree illustrations and Tudor style images and decorative flourishes used throughout.

Having read Mantel's trilogy and watched the TV series countless times I was very enthusiastic about this book. For those of us who love the books or even if you're just a fan of the TV show this book is the perfect companion.

The author Lauren Mackay is a historian of Early Modern Europe and the author of a couple of books delving into the life and times of the Tudor court, making her an ideal author for this book.

Although I have read the trilogy I do not think you have to in order to read and enjoy this.

The book is made up of short chapters focusing on individuals, events and places such as some of the palaces and provides a brief overview of each relevant to the trilogy.

Mackay explores the individuals, places and events and also a couple of people who don't feature in the trilogy. It was interesting to read some of the instances where Mantel has used creative license and what the true events/ circumstances were.

This is the prefect guide to the trilogy but also fantastic as a guide to the who's who of the Tudor court and the major events during the reign of Henry VIII. Mackay assesses where Mantel has woven fiction into history and where possible delivers the true events.

Quotes from the trilogy appear throughout and I found these have made me want to read and watch it all again!

Family trees are presented throughout making it clear who is who and where marriages occurred.

There are beautiful woodcut illustrations throughout including some spectacular Tudor roses, falcons and pomegranates.

I thoroughly enjoyed this and am now off to binge watch Wolf Hall!

My thanks to Pavilion Books for an eARC via NetGalley of ‘Wolf Hall Companion’ by Lauren Mackay in exchange for an honest review.

Its subtitle ‘The People • The Places • The History’ well sums up the contents of this work. Dr. Lauren Mackay was an excellent choice to write this companion to Mantel’s trilogy as she is a historian and author specialising in Early Modern European diplomacy and has written two previous works focusing on the turbulent Court of Henry VIII.

I found this an informative and insightful book that covered the key events and players in all three books, including pointing out where Mantel exercised creative licence . After the main text there are suggestions for further reading and an index.

This is a beautifully produced edition, with a richly detailed cover and woodcut style illustrations throughout by Joanna Lisowiec. I especially liked her family trees laid out on tree branches. The Tudor one was particularly enlightening as I often get confused about the marriages and offspring of Henry’s sisters, Mary and Margaret.

Overall, an excellent companion to the Wolf Hall trilogy. A treat for fans of Mantel and anyone interested in Tudor history. It would also make an excellent gift.

One of the most popular Tudor historical fiction series in recent memory has revolved around the enigmatic Thomas Cromwell. Of course, I am talking about the famous Wolf Hall trilogy by Dame Hilary Mantel. As many dive into this monumental series, certain questions arise. How true is Mantel’s portrayal of Cromwell and the court of Henry VIII during some of the most tumultuous times of his reign? What was life like for those who lived in privilege during Henry VIII’s reign? How did Cromwell rise to the pinnacle of power and why did he fall spectacularly? In Dr. Lauren Mackay’s third book, she takes up the monumental task of explaining to readers what is fact and what is fiction in Mantel’s series. Her book is aptly titled “Wolf Hall Companion”.

I would like to thank Batsford Books and Net Galley for allowing me the opportunity to read and review this book. I will admit that I have not yet read the Wolf Hall trilogy, but this book might have convinced me to take up the challenge and read the trilogy soon.

Mackay starts this delightful book by exploring Thomas Cromwell’s origins and what his family life was like. To uncover the truth about Cromwell’s life, Mackay relies heavily on the behemoth biography of Cromwell written by Diarmaid MacCulloch, which makes perfect sense. She also looks into the lives of those who either influenced Cromwell or were affected by Cromwell’s decisions. People like Anne Boleyn and the entire Boleyn family, Cardinal Wolsey, Katherine of Aragon, Thomas Cranmer, Anne of Cleves, and Stephen Gardner just to name a few. Mackay balances how Mantel portrays these figures in her novels with the facts that we know about them and the events from numerous sources.

Mackay also tackles the aspects of the Tudor court and life that adds another layer of details for readers. Things like important holidays, how Henry VIII’s court was structured, gentlemanly activities and sports, and the Renaissance and the Reformation. It breathes new life into the Tudor dynasty and the people who lived during this time.

Mackay’s challenge is how to write a book that is just as engaging for the readers as Mantel’s trilogy while still being educational and informative while incorporating her feelings about these novels. It is not an easy task, but Mackay can take on this task and write a gorgeous companion piece, with exquisite woodcut images to follow the story of Thomas Cromwell’s life, his rise to power, and his downfall.

I found this companion book a sheer delight. A combination of being well-researched, bite-size biographies, and gorgeous woodcut illustrations make this book an absolute treat for fans of Wolf Hall and the Tudor dynasty alike. The way Mackay describes Mantel’s writing style and how she created her characters may not be the way I envision them, but that is the great thing about historical fiction. It can challenge your views about a person while still being entertaining. I wish more historical fiction series had companion books like this one. If you are a fan of Hilary Mantel’s Wolf Hall trilogy or if you just love learning about the Tudor dynasty from a different point of view, you need to check out Lauren Mackay’s latest masterpiece, “Wolf Hall Companion”.

This was a really fun and informative companion to a series that is so packed with history. Ultimately I think Mackay provides important context to fans of the series.

A handy vade mecum to accompany Hilary Mantel’s Wolf Hall trilogy. It’s definitely “history light” but nonetheless a useful reference guide, giving the historical background and the low-down on the characters, and putting everything into context. Particularly useful for anyone not already familiar with Tudor places, people and politics.

An excellent book that provides additional information and insight into Mantell's Wolf Hall trilogy. I liked the family trees included in the book, which covers all the significant families that figure prominently in the trilogy. This book is an excellent history book in its own right - you don't need to have read the trilogy to enjoy this book.

Very useful to dip in and out while reading the Wolf Hall trilogy. A useful aide to learn more about the key players.

If you like Tudor history, especially controversial Henry VIII, this is the perfect book for you. I knew a lot of these stories and figures inside like Thomas Cromwell, Cardinal Wolsey, the Boleyns, and more but I read about some people I forgot about. This book discusses everyone in Henry VIII's life and why he was sometimes feared and why his court was not all rainbows and butterflies for those who lived in his castle.

Highly recommended!!!

Thanks to Netgalley, Lauren Mackay and Pavillion Books Batsford for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Available: 9/3/20

The Tudors—a period in English history that is as blood-soaked and twisted as it is intriguing. Of course, I’ve watched the TV-series of the same name, and so fascinated was I that I read my share of fiction (Philippa Gregory, Alison Weir) and non-fiction about that era as well. But still, the blurb of this book kindled my interest anew. Little did I know that it is meant as a historical companion to yet another series of novels, this one written by Hilary Mantel (a trilogy the last instalment of which has been published this year; the first book, “Wolf Hall”, was also transformed into a BBC mini-series broadcast in 2015). Suffice it to say that upon reading the first paragraphs of “Wolf Hall Companion”, Mantel’s series has made it straight onto my ever-growing TBR-list.

The author of this book is Dr Lauren Mackay, a renowned young historian whose first publications already evolved around characters at Henry VIII’s court (publications I’m sure to check out, too), namely the Imperial ambassador Eustache Chapuys and the Boleyns, father and son (Thomas and George, to be more precise). In this book, she undertakes the difficult task to try to make out the historical personality of Thomas Cromwell, Henry VIII’s “infamous” chief minister after cardinal Wolsey’s death, while countercheking it with Mantel’s writings. Luckily, one doesn’t need to have read the Mantel-series to follow Dr Mackay’s book, which is very well written, rich in details and vivid descriptions. She looks quite critically at Mantel’s sympathetic take on Cromwell without ever passing jugdment herself (one of the main reasons that make me want to read Mantel’s books, by the way). Thus, although one will probably never know how Thomas Cromwell really was, what he thought and felt, the man stood before me in three dimensions, a human being with weaknesses and strong points, put into the frame of his time, his position, and his surroundings.

Never dry or dull, Dr Mackay’s book is a very good introduction into the intricacies of Henry VIII’s court at that pivotal moment when the king planned to cast aside his first wife of twenty years, Catherine of Aragon, in favour of his paramour Anne Boleyn, with all its far-reaching consequences, then the fall of Anne Boleyn, the king’s third mariage with Anne of Cleves, and finally Cromwell’s own falling out with the king and his execution. I was drawn in from the beginning and went through the book in one swift go. A very good read. My only niggle would be that the ARC I received had some issues concerning the layout (family trees a complete shambles, text passages put erroneously two pages later than expected)—I hope that the final, published ebook will be free of these annoying problems.

I feel as though some people have mistaken what this book is; it isn't meant to be a history book, rather a companion to the wolf hall series which takes considerable artistic licence. This book makes an excellent companion and does help people interested in the truth behind the fiction to find it, but it isn't presented as a history book, and isn't meant to be read as such. For anyone who's read the wolf hall series I'd heartedly recommend this book, but if you're looking for more of a history on Thomas Cromwell, I'd recommend seeking a history book instead

I have read The Wolf Hall series and can say this is a perfect companion novel to the series. It has through research on the lives of people in the Tudor Era.

Thanks to NetGalley and Pavilion books for an early review copy in exchange for my honest review.

160 pages

5 stars

This book works very well as a companion to Hilary Mantel's Wolf Hall series. I have read all three books and Ms. Mackay makes some very good points.

Ms. Mantel's book, while it is speculative fiction does make some very good points based on what historical data she could find. Especially Cromwell's friendship with Eustace Chapuys was useful. Chapuys wrote several letters on a daily basis. He was a great chronicler and very observant. Of the writers of the day, Chapuys may have been the most detached and reliable.

I was interested in Ms. Mackay's take on just who was responsible for Anne's downfall. Was it Henry VIII or Cromwell? It is a known fact that Anne and Cromwell's relationship deteriorated over time. She wanted to see him beheaded. Henry seemed to still be supporting Anne in early 1536. But by May, she was done.

Neither had Cromwell forgotten the identities of the men who participated in a satire about Thomas Wolsey's demise.

It appears that the major testimony against Anne may have come from her own ladies, primarily Jane, George Boleyn's wife. In the mini-series “The Tudors,” Cromwell appeared to have to drag information out of the ladies – except Jane. Mackay goes on to say that there is no real evidence to show that Jane had much to do with Anne's downfall.

Was Cromwell doing Henry's bidding? Or, were the proceedings Cromwell's own idea? Mackay's theory is that Henry and Cromwell worked in concert to rid themselves of Anne. By this time, Henry already had his eye on another woman – Jane Seymour.

This is a very well written treatise on the Wolf Hall trilogy. Ms. Mackay has done a masterful job in helping the reader to interpret and understand Hilary Mantel's three books. This book is wonderfully accessible and easy to read. I highly recommend it to everyone who has read even one of the trilogy. There is also a nice list of further reading interests for those who would like to further explore the subject.

Ms. Mackay ends the treatment of the Wolf Hall trilogy with a very true statement> “...beneath every history is indeed another history, and each one deserves to be told.”

I want to thank NetGalley and Pavilion Books/Batsford for forwarding to me this wonderfully done companion piece to read, enjoy and review.

I loved this companion to Hilary Mantel's Wolf Hall. I have read the trilogy plus all of the reviews and podcasts with the writer. I was thrilled to discover that this "companion" was written for readers/fans like me. It is a thorough and researched book that dutifully presents the people, their lives
and customs of the Tudor era. A very detailed summary of Ms. Mantel's trilogy. The characters themselves are described and referenced with respect to the novels' world. I thought it was definitely worth reading and Recommend it Tudor enthusiasts and lovers of the wolf hall trilogy.

I would like to thank Lauren MacKay, Pavilion Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this advance copy in exchange for a fair and honest review.

I loved Hilary Mantel's Wolf Hall trilogy and after finishing "The Mirror & the Light" I was reluctant to leave Cromwell's world. I was reading all reviews, listening all podcasts with the writer - so I guess this "Companion" was created with readers like me in mind.

It is really thorough and detailed book, presenting the customs and people from the era, but I have to point out that it is rather a summary of the trilogy rather than a deep background. Most characters are described with references to "Mantel's Cromwell", "Mantel's More" etc. So this isn't a deep dive into 16th century, rather a pleasant journey trough the novels' world. Nonetheless, for true fans like me, it's worth reading.

Thanks to the publisher, Pavilion Books, and NetGalley for the advance copy of this book.