Hilary Mantel

Sara1954

Very sad, I’ve read quite a few of her books, but the Wolf Hall trilogy was fantastic, I’ve always been a little bit in love with Thomas Cromwell since reading them.
RIP Hillary,

HM made Cromwell human whereas he'd previously been portrayed as a bit of a monster. And Mark Rylance brought him to life on tv.

Do read her memoir Giving Up The Ghost, it is as you would expect, wonderfully written, amusing, tragic at times.
She grew up near Manchester in an Irish Catholic family and was always a thin angelic looking girl but with the mind of a warrior knight, the two things not really being compatible.
The book jumps about in time which I liked, juxtaposing different elements of her life.
RIP ‘our ‘Ilary’ I shall miss the books that you now cannot write.

Saw her speaking twice at the Oxford Lit Fest and was lucky enough to have her sign my copy of Bring Up The Bodies. A great speaker as well as writer.

Maybe70
Her autobiography is definitely worth a read.

Very sad, I’ve read quite a few of her books, but the Wolf Hall trilogy was fantastic, I’ve always been a little bit in love with Thomas Cromwell since reading them.
RIP Hillary,

Didn’t she write an autobiography as well?

To quote JKR, “we’ve lost a genius”.
HM herself found it quite amusing and a little exasperating when people told her they wished she’d started writing earlier in her life - she started at 21. But one has to wonder what other wonderful books she might have written?
I really hope her death encourages people to try some of her books other than the Wolf Hall trilogy. I loved the one about the French Revolution, A Place of Greater Safety.
RIP Hilary

MayBee70

I listened to The Mirror and the Light on book at bedtime at the start of the pandemic: it was the start of me using BBC Sounds to escape from things that worried me. Then saw a couple of documentaries about her her and found her absolutely delightful. What a great loss to the literary world. She must have had so much more to give.

I did exactly the same MayBee.

I did a fair bit of ‘escaping’ with BBC Sounds, at that time.

She was a delightful woman.
RIP Hilary.

I read the Thomas Cromwell trilogy. Hilary Mantel was a talented writer and it's sad that she has died.

I listened to The Mirror and the Light on book at bedtime at the start of the pandemic: it was the start of me using BBC Sounds to escape from things that worried me. Then saw a couple of documentaries about her her and found her absolutely delightful. What a great loss to the literary world. She must have had so much more to give.

So sorry to hear this such a talented writer. Loved the Cromwell trilogy you thought you were there. 70 is really young she’s only one year older than me, makes you think about your mortality

I've just seen the news and was upset to hear it.
I love her 'Wolf Hall' trilogy too. Amazing writing and for someone whose interests include the Tudor dynasty, they tick my boxes for historical accuracy (as far as a fictional work can) which is always a plus for me.
RIP Hilary.

Her literary agent has confirmed she died of a stroke, according to the New York Times.

I feel bad admitting that I couldn't get beyond the first chapter of Wolf Hall, let alone the whole trilogy.

I've only read the 'Wolf Hall' trilogy of hers, and actually started re-reading it (for the third time) about a week ago. I can get totally lost in it and find new details each time. Had no idea she was 70 or that she was ill, so quite shocked to see she had died.

Very sad, only 70.

Yammy she had to take steroids for years which contributed to her shape and loss of hair. She spoke about it frequently.

Bless Hilary Mantel . I existed in the world of Thomas Cromwell for most of the first lockdown, reading all 3 books back to back . I forgot I was reading; her extraordinary writing style simply took my every sense back the world of the Tudor Court. ?

Very unexpected. Only 70. What a loss. Her Cromwell trilogy was a triumph. RIP.

I think she had a stroke.

I am very sorry to hear that. I know she suffered debilitating illnesses when younger.

Shocking and sad news. RIP a great writer

RIP Hilary Mantel.
A wonderful author, especially the Wolf Hall trilogy in my opinion. Loved those novels so much I went to London with a friend to see the theatre productions a few years ago.

I was very shocked to read this news. I like her books, so thoughtfully written and well-researched.

So very sorry to hear this. I love her books.
I have just finished reading, for the first time, her earlier historical novel about the French Revolution "A Place of Greater Safety". It's an engrossing read.

I loved her books they were so descriptive and the historical ones made very good TV watching.
Poor woman only 70 the last time I saw her on T.V she did look bloated.R.I.P