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  • The Mirror and the Light

  • The Wolf Hall Trilogy, Book 3
  • By: Hilary Mantel
  • Narrated by: Ben Miles
  • Length: 38 hrs and 11 mins
  • 4.8 out of 5 stars (3,380 ratings)
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The Mirror and the Light cover art

The Mirror and the Light

By: Hilary Mantel
Narrated by: Ben Miles
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Summary

Shortlisted for the Women's Prize for Fiction 2020

Longlisted for the Booker Prize 2020

The long-awaited sequel to Wolf Hall and Bring Up the Bodies, the stunning conclusion to Hilary Mantel’s Man Booker Prize-winning Thomas Cromwell trilogy. 

‘If you cannot speak truth at a beheading, when can you speak it?’ 

England, May 1536. Anne Boleyn is dead, decapitated in the space of a heartbeat by a hired French executioner. As her remains are bundled into oblivion, Thomas Cromwell breakfasts with the victors. The blacksmith’s son from Putney emerges from the spring’s bloodbath to continue his climb to power and wealth, while his formidable master, Henry VIII, settles to short-lived happiness with his third queen. Cromwell is a man with only his wits to rely on; he has no great family to back him, no private army. Despite rebellion at home, traitors plotting abroad and the threat of invasion testing Henry’s regime to breaking point, Cromwell’s robust imagination sees a new country in the mirror of the future. But can a nation, or a person, shed the past like a skin? Do the dead continually unbury themselves? What will you do, the Spanish ambassador asks Cromwell, when the king turns on you, as sooner or later he turns on everyone close to him?

With The Mirror and the Light, Hilary Mantel brings to a triumphant close the trilogy she began with Wolf Hall and Bring Up the Bodies. She traces the final years of Thomas Cromwell, the boy from nowhere who climbs to the heights of power, offering a defining portrait of predator and prey, of a ferocious contest between present and past, between royal will and a common man’s vision: of a modern nation making itself through conflict, passion and courage.

©2020 Hilary Mantel (P)2020 W. F. Howes Ltd

Critic reviews

“You’ll frequently hit the rewind button to fully appreciate the many, many perfect passages.” (Irish Times)

“Actor Ben Miles played Cromwell in the Royal Shakespeare Company’s adaptations of Hilary Mantel’s Wolf Hall and Bring Up the Bodies, making him the perfect choice to narrate the remarkable final instalment in the Man Booker Prize-winning trilogy.” (Vogue)

What listeners say about The Mirror and the Light

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

The narrator is fine

I was concerned when purchasing this due to the poor reviews of the narrator, however I have not had a problem with him. While he is not as good as Simon Slater (narrator of Wolf Hall), I would argue that he is an improvement from his predecessor Simon Vance (Bring up the Bodies), who would default to a monotone when he couldn't keep up with some of the longer sentences. Ben Miles injects good expression into his narration which makes for a much easier listen for a book so long.

The main problem these reviewers have appears to be Cromwell's voice, which is not 'posh' enough. I agree the accents are not always perfect, but I personally find Cromwell's 'rougher' voice enhances the story by serving as a constant reminder of his low background and what the courtiers will be thinking of him (something easy to forget when you're in the man's eloquent head). In some cases I honestly think these reviews come off as slightly prejudiced, which is disappointing to see.

Given audibles policy on returns, I would encourage those considering this audiobook to give it a go, and judge for yourself whether the narration works for you.

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115 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
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    1 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Wrong narrator

How to ruin a great book. This guy has no understanding of how to read this book. The previous narrators had a subtlety and skill, this narrator makes a mockery of the book. Incredibly disappointing, after eagerly looking forward to it. I'm returning my copy and hoping at some stage they re-think their decision. Can I encourage you to do the same?

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103 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

The Narration is Fine - Ignore the Naysayers!

I'm about a quarter of the way into the book so am not in a position to give a definitive review. However, it has garnered almost universal praise and from what I've listened to thus far it is easy to see why. What has prompted me to post this review is the surprising number of listeners who have been disappointed with the narration ("awful", "terrible", "appalling", etc). This genuinely perplexes me as I think Ben Miles does an excellent job. He was also chosen for the job by Mantel herself. He has played Cromwell in the RSC production of "Wolf Hall" and "Bring Up the Bodies" and so understands the character inside out. Mantel, in a statement issued by Macmillan Audio in January, said: "“His insights from the rehearsal room helped shape the story. He is familiar with how all the characters grow, from first page to last. His voice is as close as can be to the voice that’s in my head as I write.” [Edit: 29/3/20 - I finished the book yesterday. Absolutely brilliant from start to finish. Thank you Hilary Mantel and thank you Ben Miles for the outstanding narration.]

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69 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Ruined by narration again

Disappointed by narrator again. The trilogy is a masterpiece but why so little attention given to narration after wolf Hall

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66 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
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    1 out of 5 stars
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Story brilliant - Narration dreadful!

Eagerly anticipated but bitterly disappointed. The poor narration lacks characterisation and empathy with the the long awaited and usual brilliant Mantel storytelling.

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51 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
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    1 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Awful narrator

The narrator reads this with about as much conviction as he reads a shopping list. From the get go, a sombre scene of Anne Boleyn's body being lifted away with all the horror, tragedy and ramifications is almost momotone. Awful accents and characterisations. I can't listen to it. I will be returning it.

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47 people found this helpful

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    1 out of 5 stars
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    1 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Ruined by narration style

I don’t know if the narrator was given a direction to follow but it has made the audiobook unlistenable. Wish 4thEstateBooks had used either the first or second narrator for #TheMirrorandtheLight The new one sounds like a bad actor from Eastenders when speaking as Cromwell. Harsh critique I know but it is quite a change from the approach in the first two audiobooks. Also names of characters pronounced differently from the previous books, which is a bit jarring as well. Have been waiting months for this release and am desperately disappointed. Have abandoned it and opting to read the hardback instead.

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    1 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars
  • KT
  • 07-03-20

Appalling Narration

The narrator is terrible, I’m not sure I can finish this. There’s no narrative continuity between this and the previous 2 books. Names are pronounced differently. It’s a real shame as I’ve waited a long time for this. I’m looking at my options to return this. Really disappointing.

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38 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    1 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Writing of perfection, reading disappointing

Like many people, I've waited with baited breath for this book. Now, listening to this reader, I don't know whether I can finish it. So hard to tell who's speaking. Why don't people realise the reader can make or break the book. It's a criminal offence to trample over her words like this. Sometimes Cromwell sounds like (as someone else has said) a thug from East Enders and sometimes he has a slight Northern accent. I think Ben Miles is listening to his own voice, and therefore he blocks Hilary Mantel's voice. Bitterly disappointing.

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35 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

I Can't Believe That We're Reviewing the Same Book

The narration is excellent and the book is marvellous. I honestly don't know why people are complaining. Just listen for yourself

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33 people found this helpful