Can You Believe This Was Not Nominated For The Man Booker Prize, Girls????????????????????????????????????????

                                        This is the final volume in Mantel's Cromwell Trilogy, which began with "Wolf Hall."  Both that and "Bring Up The Bodies," which followed, were nominated for the Booker--and won.  Many, including myself, thought Manel would pull a triple play with this one.

                                            Alas, she did not, and I fear I know why.  Panoramic and all encompassing, the epic scope of "The Mirror And The Light" is almost too much of a good thing.  At 700+ pages, it  is like binging of DVD's of every movie made about Henry VIII, as well as "A Man For All Seasons," and "Anne Of The Thousand Days."

                                               There are peaks and valleys throughout the novel.  The peaks involve the political intrigue, between Henry and his queens, and the Machiavellian tactics of Cromwell.  But there are too many minor characters and details in this mixture.  One involves a cook who sticks his finger up a handmaiden's "quim," and then stirs what is in his pot with said finger!  Forget ouch, this is just plain disgusting, and what does it add to the novel?  Nothing!

                                                  I like how the novel opens and closes with a beheading.  It starts with that of Anne Boleyn, and ends with Cromwell.  As long as the political intrigue and dialogue is engaging the reader, "The Mirror And The Light" is breathless, engrossing, and hard to tear oneself away from.  But then Mantel goes off on too many non sequitur tangents that detract from the power of the overall story.

                                                       The end result is a fitting, but flawed, closing to a trilogy many readers have been waiting for the conclusion to.  It is sad to see it is a bit of a disappointment, as I had great hope when I picked it up.

                                                         Nevertheless, if you have read the trilogy, then "The Mirror And The Light" is a necessity.  If one has not, then start with "Wolf Hall," which is the best, by far.

                                                           The rest is up to you, darlings!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!