Er...brilliantly written, but did i want to know ?

Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

Yes, couldnt put it down, yet so frustrating that even the breakout didnt make up for it

If you’ve listened to books by Hilary Mantel before, how does this one compare?

How did she get from this to the joyous Cromwell

What didn’t you like about Sandra Duncan’s performance?

Didnt like the male voice, clipped and gratey may have reflected the story, but enough already!

If this book were a film would you go see it?

Depends on the actors

Any additional comments?

Worth reading but ... Dont know, feel worthy that i got to the end but so well written.

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10 people found this helpful

Relatable

Beautifully precise rendition of a family’s relatable lives. Hard but true. Often moving. Never mawkish. A light hand in weaving points of view.

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A Great Listen

My first Hilary Mantel book apart from the Wolf Hall trilogy. I really enjoyed it. I like fiction that depicts human nature, the invisible strands that bind people together and the secrets they keep. I was not disappointed in anyway. A well thought out story with characters demonstrate strengths and weaknesses and some who aren't that likeable. Extremely well read by the narrator who really captured the different people. I will now explore other Mantel books to read and to listen to.

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6 people found this helpful

Wide ranging and engrossing

Well plotted, the South African parts were the most vivid. Credible characters and structure.

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4 people found this helpful

Slow to start but loved it once got into it

Found it hard to get into at first but couldn’t stop listening at the end. There is a sadness at the heart of the story but we only learn about it half way through. Very real understated characters.

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1 person found this helpful

Compelling

I found this book difficult to put down. The story was written with style, and each character was expertly brought to life by the brilliant narrator.

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This such a beautiful book

I've never read or listened to anything by Hilary Mantel before. Her description of feelings and events are so beautiful drawn, moving away from the words that are used endless to describe pain and loss. She reminds me of Steinbeck.. Brilliant. Can't wait to listen to more.

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2 people found this helpful

Disappointed in the end.

Having
read and enjoyed other works by Mantel, I was disappointed in this one. Characters flat, and plot end a damp sqibb.

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1 person found this helpful

Outstanding as always

So well written. Extremely well narrated. A slow burner but Hillary knows how to bring her characters and story to life and makes it impossible to stop.

Another fantastic book by the extraordinary Hilary Mantel

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Needing concentration!

I found it difficult to get into this book for most of the first part. Every time I thought I had the characters worked out I would come back to it after a break and then wonder again what or who it was talking about! I really had to concentrate on every detail!
However, I am glad I stayed with it because when I got the hang of the flash-backs to Africa from Norfolk and the various family characters of two generations fell into place it was an extremely good story of family secrets and the change these made on the characters as they develop their lives and get older.
No happy endings and conclusion a little open-ended but personally I would rather have that kind of reality!

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13 people found this helpful