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Wolf Hall
- Narrated by: Simon Slater
- Length: 24 hrs and 15 mins
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Wolf Hall
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Summary
Winner of the Man Booker Prize.
Shortlisted for the Golden Man Booker Prize.
England, the 1520s. Henry VIII is on the throne, but has no heir. Cardinal Wolsey is his chief advisor, charged with securing the divorce the pope refuses to grant. Into this atmosphere of distrust and need, comes Thomas Cromwell, first as Wolsey's clerk, and later his successor.
Cromwell is a wholly original man: the son of a brutal blacksmith, a political genius, a briber, a charmer, a bully, a man with a delicate and deadly expertise in manipulating people and events. Ruthless in pursuit of his own interests, he is as ambitious in his wider politics as he is for himself. His reforming agenda is carried out in the grip of a self-interested parliament and a king who fluctuates between romantic passions and murderous rages.
From one of our finest living writers, Wolf Hall is that very rare thing: a truly great English novel, one that explores the intersection of individual psychology and wider politics. With a vast array of characters, and richly overflowing with incident, it peels back history to show us Tudor England as a half-made society, moulding itself with great passion, suffering and courage.
Critic reviews
"...as soon as I opened the book I was gripped. I read it almost non-stop. When I did have to put it down, I was full of regret the story was over, a regret I still feel. This is a wonderful and intelligently imagined retelling of a familiar tale from an unfamiliar angle - one that makes the drama unfolding nearly five centuries ago look new again, and shocking again, too. " ( The Times)
"The reader, Simon Slater, skilfully adopts contrasting voices and the narrative has an immediacy close to a dramatisation... Provocative, rewarding listening." (The Times)
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What listeners say about Wolf Hall
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Irene
- 05-05-13
Excellent novel
As a historical novel this is superb and as a portrait of people in any age is also very good. Simon Slater is also fantastic and made the characters come to life.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Amazon Customer
- 14-01-17
Brilliant novel, outstanding narration
Would you consider the audio edition of Wolf Hall to be better than the print version?
I have not read the print version so cannot comment
Who was your favorite character and why?
Cromwell - engaging and intelligent. Very well drawn, full of nuances and depth.
What does Simon Slater bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you had only read the book?
The characterisation is exceptional. Without ever being over the top, the different voices given to the various characters works well. His voicing of Cromwell brings the character to life.
Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?
No, too long
Any additional comments?
I enjoyed the book enormously. I was sorry when it ended.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance3 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Gayle Taylor
- 15-02-21
Tough to get into
A very different style of writing for me, and so a very different way to listen. I got used to it and started to enjoy the story. Not sure if you do not know much about the time period of history that you would get all the references or what is going on.
Narrator was smooth and got used to his style.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Victoria Coley-Abdukayumova
- 07-05-20
omg
thought I would hate this, but got hooked!! Pretty much Henry VIII soap opera but why not?!
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Joni J Mielke
- 29-09-19
Excellent performance, very interesting history
I enjoyed listening to this period of English history as told from the point of view of Thomas Cromwell - NOT Anne Boleyn or Henry VIII himself. The setting is rich, the language vivid, and the historical figures beautifully brought to life. The narration was also excellent and captured the characters perfectly.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Ronan
- 26-09-13
Wolf Hall is a masterpiece.
What did you like most about Wolf Hall?
Seeing Tudor England from Cromwell's viewpoint really worked for me.
What was one of the most memorable moments of Wolf Hall?
Cromwells interaction with Wolsey was riveting.
Have you listened to any of Simon Slater’s other performances? How does this one compare?
No, first time.
Did you have an emotional reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?
Laughed several times, and winced at the casual brutality many times.
Any additional comments?
Thank God beheading has been eradicated ;-/
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Mrs Gallop
- 03-03-15
Enthralling from start to finish
Excellent, couldn't help but to stay awake to listen!
I cannot wait to listen to the next installment! Rock in Hillary!
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- pwes60
- 24-02-15
Best EVER book for me!
Could imagine being there, great atmosphere, characters well researched as was historic background, narrator brilliant. What more could you want.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
- David
- 09-04-13
Historical novel with a comtemporary feel
I have been listening and reading this in tandem. Picking up listening when it is not possible to read. The created human aspects of the story give a whole new take on a well known period of history making it feel like a contemporary drama. It took a little time to adjust to a different style reader after listening/reading to the whole series of GRRM but now I've settled to the style. After a long day looking at screens Audible is the ideal way to relax and rest eyes but not loose out on the joy of reading.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
- S. Binnendijk
- 08-04-13
Excellent book, but not an easy read
I found this book compellingly written and well-read, but it's not an easy read (or listen). I often listen to audiobooks on my work commute but that didn't work well with this novel, as I found myself missing things. Better to give it my full attention - and it's worth it, too.
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