Cromwell, once a blacksmith's son, gained influence and prestige through cunning and intelligence. Standing beside the king is like playing with fire. Mantel powerfully shows how Cromwell uses strategic thinking and political maneuvering to maintain his position while satisfying the king's whims.

Henry's obsession with Anne Boleyn paved the way for the English Reformation, but her inability to bear a male heir sealed her fate. Mantel paints a complex picture of Anne's fall from Cromwell's perspective, who is torn between his growing respect for Anne and his loyalty to the king.

In a world full of intrigue and power struggles, the boundaries between truth and manipulation blur. Mantel questions whether objective truth exists and shows how history is written by the victors. Cromwell, master of political staging, uses the power of words and perception to guide the kingdom's fate.