A place of greater safety

This is a novel by Hilary Mantel from 1994. It is about the French Revolution and follows many famous characters from their childhood to around 1794, perhaps the peak of ‘The Terror’. It ends with the execution of the Dantonists.

Mantel lists hundreds of characters and tells many stories from various points of view. The main characters are Danton and Desmoulins, who become interesting and dear. Robespierre is also at the centre, losing his lustre by the end. Danton is shown as a humane revolutionary with faults and vices.

In the introduction Mantel says that she would be interested in the future to write about Marat. It’s over 25 years and she has not, so it may not happen. Instead we’ve been treated to novels about Thomas Cromwell. Perhaps it’s a good thing.