Wolf Hall took me so long to finish because it’s the first time I’ve properly listened to an audiobook, realising I could multitask whilst monotonously filing emails and pricing fabrics at work. This both improves my opinion on the book as it gave me something pleasant to listen to whilst working, a habit I will be continuing, but also hindered Mantel’s writing as the words just went in one ear and out of the other, parts just not being taken in and I frequently lost track of the plot. This wasn’t assisted by the frequent small jumps in time Mantel includes before going back again. Wolf Hall was really just a recount of Thomas Cromwell’s time working under Henry VIII, therefore majority of the plot is just a novelisation of the history books and she doesn’t add a huge amount of her own touch, just retelling it a little bluntly. I can however praise the consideration given to the few female characters, many wives of the ministers being given brief scenes providing voices that had been silenced by history. Toward the end also had a lot more merit to the plot and writing, the execution of Thomas More (this isn’t a spoiler because it’s just how history played out) being genuinely saddening despite the cruelties he committed during his life. As a historical figure I find More extremely interesting and the quote Mantel attached to him of “words, words, just words” tugged at some heartstring, though we will see if that’s upheld when I have to read Utopia for uni in a few weeks. The 3.25 stars could have been different as I may have got note out of reading this physically, the elements missed in listening to it on audio possibly hindering my rating.