THE CARDINAL

Unless you have a time machine, the best way to visit the court of Henry VIII is to listen to this flawlessly researched audiobook. Accomplished narrator Rosalyn Landor delivers this lengthy fictionalized account of the life of Cardinal Wolsey in a low-pitched smoky voice that captures the drama, intrigue, and uncertainty of the time and place. Listeners learn how powerful Wolsey was in the court of Henry VIII. Wolsey is shown as a rag-to-riches hero, the lover of a woman he could never acknowledge, and the father of illegitimate children he couldn't recognize. Some male voices are a challenge for Landor, but the confidence and sensitivity in her narration compensate for any vocal limitations. D.L.G. © AudioFile 2025, Portland, Maine [Published: AUGUST 2025]