Wolf Hall

A Novel

By: Hilary Mantel

Narrated by: Simon Slater

WINNER OF THE MAN BOOKER PRIZE
WINNER OF THE NATIONAL BOOK CRITICS CIRCLE AWARD FOR FICTION

In inimitable style, Hilary Mantel's New York Times bestselling Wolf Hall is "a darkly brilliant reimagining of life under Henry VIII. . . . Magnificent." (The Boston Globe).

The basis for the TV series on BBC and PBS Masterpiece starring Mark Rylance as Thomas Cromwell.

England in the 1520s is a heartbeat from disaster. If the king dies without a male heir, the country could be destroyed by civil war. Henry VIII wants to annul his marriage of twenty years and marry Anne Boleyn. The pope and most of Europe opposes him. Into this impasse steps Thomas Cromwell: a wholly original man, a charmer and a bully, both idealist and opportunist, astute in reading people, and implacable in his ambition. But Henry is volatile: one day tender, one day murderous. Cromwell helps him break the opposition, but what will be the price of his triumph?

©2009 Hilary Mantel; (P)2009 Macmillan Audio

Had to WORK to stay awake...

Would you try another book from Hilary Mantel and/or Simon Slater?

There could not possibly be a more boring perspective from which to tell the dynamic happenings of Henry VIII's court than that of Thomas Cromwell. In this telling, Cromwell is just a work-a-day secretary/ attorney to Henry. So it's like hearing about say, JFK's presidency from his executive assisant. It is interesting but I cannot fathom the people who say they LOVE this book. I love this time period so I stayed committed despite putting it down and getting lost innumerable times.

What three words best describe Simon Slater’s voice?

He is pretty good.

You didn’t love this book... but did it have any redeeming qualities?

It was a new perspective on a much told tale.

Great writing but oh so tedious...

Hilary Mantel is a fab writer her craft and description a 10...but ugh such a long tedious venture-z-z-z.

Confused Character

Would you listen to Wolf Hall again? Why?

Not of this performance.

Would you be willing to try another one of Simon Slater’s performances?

Probably not.

Who was the most memorable character of Wolf Hall and why?

Mantel's revisionist view of Cromwell is the heart and soul of the text. More and Henry VIII are distant secondary characters.

Any additional comments?

Slater would often time confuse voices or inflect no voice difference where he had previously provided a distinct voice to a character. Consequently, the listener is often times unsure of who is speaking the text. Pauses were sometimes absent between conversations and even between chapters, adding to the confusion. This latter annoyance may have very well been the result of poor editing. Luckily, I had the text to follow, which helped to clarify the character placement. Anyone without a printed or e-copy of the book will likely run through spells of confusion.

Excellent Story and Performance

This is an amazing book, the voice of Thomas Cromwell sounds so authentic, I wonder if she is a time traveler. This book captivated me, his manner of speaking, his comportment; his entire being is there as if he were speaking to you. Hilary Mantel’s tour de force is matched by Simon Slater’s performance. I felt transported to the Henry the Eighth’s England, and now that I have finished the book, I have a hard time leaving it. This is a book I will listen to again and again, it is so rich in content I will gladly revisit it and glean more for the author’s command of people and history, and the narrator’s stellar performance. I recommend this listen with no reservations.

My favorite book

I learn more every time I listen to it - a fantastic book and a wonderful performance.