Wolf Hall cover art

Wolf Hall

The Wolf Hall Trilogy, Book 1

Preview

Free with 30-day trial
A 30-day trial plus your first audiobook free.
1 credit/month after trial—to buy any title you like, yours to keep.
Listen all you want to a selection of thousands of Audible Originals, audiobooks and podcasts.
$16.45 a month after 30 day trial. Cancel anytime.

Wolf Hall

By: Hilary Mantel
Narrated by: Ben Miles
Free with 30-day trial

$16.45/month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy Now for $43.99

Buy Now for $43.99

Confirm Purchase
Pay using voucher balance (if applicable) then card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions Of Use and Privacy Notice and authorise Audible to charge your designated credit card or another available credit card on file.
Cancel

About this listen

Listen to the exciting new rendition of Wolf Hall, read by Ben Miles, who was personally cast by the author and played Thomas Cromwell in the Royal Shakespeare Company adaptation of Wolf Hall and Bring Up the Bodies. The winner of the Man Booker Prize and captivating first book in the Thomas Cromwell trilogy.

Winner of the Man Booker Prize.

Shortlisted for the Orange Prize.

Shortlisted for the Costa Novel Award.

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 character and richly overflowing with incident, it peels back history to show us Tudor England as a half-made society, moulding itself with great passion and suffering and courage.

Shortlisted for the Golden Man Booker Prize.

©2009 Hilary Mantel (P)2020 W. F. Howes Ltd
Fiction Genre Fiction Historical Fiction Literary Fiction England Royalty King Tudor

Critic Reviews

"Dizzyingly, dazzlingly good." (Daily Mail)

"Our most brilliant English writer." (Guardian)

What listeners say about Wolf Hall

Average Customer Ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    59
  • 4 Stars
    13
  • 3 Stars
    5
  • 2 Stars
    2
  • 1 Stars
    3
Performance
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    61
  • 4 Stars
    6
  • 3 Stars
    1
  • 2 Stars
    2
  • 1 Stars
    2
Story
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    51
  • 4 Stars
    13
  • 3 Stars
    1
  • 2 Stars
    2
  • 1 Stars
    3

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

History brought to life

The detail and characterisation in Mantel’s writing gives a vivid picture of the politics and personalities during Henry VIII’s reign. Ben Miles’ narration is absolutely marvellous and enhances her writing. His diction and expression brings the book to life, with suitable accents for different characters, and emphasis in just the right spots to make the whole story flow in a fluent and engaging way.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

"page turner"

I got this to listen on my way to work. Ben was such a great narrator I kept listening in the house. a. excellent book by Hilary Mantel, well worthy of the praise the work has received.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Bloody good

So well written, so well read - thoroughly enjoyed this telling of such an interesting time in our history

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

10/10

Ben Miles is fantastic as narrator, not only does he play the character with so much life and nuance, but he provides distinct voices for every other character as well.
And the story itself is still so sharp and rich, it’s a pleasure to hear it in another way.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Awseome

Great Narrator of a well written historical novel. Highly recommend for lovers of history.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Wonderful

The writing. The narrator. The craft. The journey. I have this Mantel series read by Ben Miles on constant repeat.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Totally engrossing

Performed beautifully
I was engaged from the start and absolutely recommend this, a different perspective on Cromwell

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Good read about this historical figure

A well written and spoken imagining of a fascinating character from England's Tudor history. Very enjoyable

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    1 out of 5 stars

Awful

I did not like this book, would not recommend to anyone,even peoplepeople who like the subject of the book.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

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

Dreary, long,meandering, lacks interesting content

DITTO THIS-
After around 20 odd hours of listening I feel like I have no idea what actually happened in this book, most of the characters I only vaguely know and much of this left me bored. I felt like I was having to do a lot of mental gymnastics to keep up and to stay focused enough on the story to understand the context of half the character interactions.

I personally don't particularly see the appeal to this book that has attracted so many others. I had to listen to everything on 2.3 speed just so I could finish it and get it over with.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

In the spirit of reconciliation, Audible acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.