ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Dissolution (Sansom novel)

Ok kiddo, let's talk about "dissolution," which is the title of a novel by C.J. Sansom. It's a big word that means "breaking apart" or "falling apart."

In the context of the novel, it refers to the breaking apart of something very important - the Catholic Church. You see, in the 16th century, England was a Catholic country. But then, the king of England, who was named Henry VIII, wanted to get a divorce from his wife, who was Catholic.

The Catholic Church wouldn't let him get a divorce, so Henry got really mad and decided to break away from the Catholic Church altogether. He started his own church, called the Church of England, which was Protestant.

This was a very big deal, because the Catholic Church had been around for hundreds of years, and it was seen as the most important institution in the country. When Henry broke away, it caused a lot of problems and turmoil. People didn't know what to do - should they stay Catholic or follow the new Church of England?

The novel "Dissolution" is set in the aftermath of all this. It follows a character named Matthew Shardlake, who is a lawyer working for the king. He's sent to investigate a monastery (a place where monks live) to see if they're still loyal to the Catholic Church, or if they've switched to the new Protestant church.

But when Shardlake arrives at the monastery, he finds that things are falling apart. The monks are fighting with each other, the buildings are falling apart, and everyone is scared and anxious. It's like the dissolution of the church has caused everything to fall apart.

So, in summary, "dissolution" is a big word that means "breaking apart," and in the context of the novel, it refers to the breaking apart of the Catholic Church in England in the 16th century and the resulting chaos and turmoil.