A capital listen

I downloaded the book because of all the good reviews it received in the media. And, yes, it is a fantastic listen, not only very interesting but most entertaining and well read too. One of the best books I listened to over the past months. A real treat.

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20 people found this helpful

excellent story for our times

very enjoyable story set around 2008 2009 financial collapse with super London characters and themes story for our times. superb oh read with great accents

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A Dickensian tale for our times

You can't help admire and the scope and intelligence of this great book. It is a great read revealing much about what has happened to our society and ten years on a poignant mirror of the extremes of wealth and divisions that fragment is and London especially.

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An engaging story

I feel connected to the characters, they’ve become old neighbours. The reading was very good, sensitive without being mawkish or sentimental.

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He just managed to capture the London life in full

I was astonished by the detail in which John Lanchester has managed to capture the London life, in all nuances, layers and in such detail. I listened to this book with such interest, unable to put it down! It was such a true description, I lived in Clapham for more than six years myself, and then in the area for over 11 years, so it really felt like I had a closer glimpse into my neighbours' lives! It is more true for Clapham than anywhere else in London that the change for the past couple of generations is unbelievable, and this area is still climbing up the market, with property prices going through the roof!! This is a collection of stories about London life, so colourful, so unpredictable! I almost did not believe when I came to the end of the book, as I if expected the stories to go on, a bit like reality tv, it was addictive to have this peek into other people's lives.

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18 people found this helpful

Lots of good ideas

This book is full of good ideas but is perhaps let down by just how many of those ideas there are. Some of the characters and stories are great but some are a bit clichéd and you find yourself inevitably looking forward to getting back to the bits that interest you more. It's especially puzzling when you look back on the (long) book and realise that some characters only appeared once or twice.

I found a couple of the storylines quite predictable although that didn't necessarily detract from my overall enjoyment. And I would have liked more well-drawn female characters who I felt (with the exception of one touching mother and daughter storyline) were somewhat two-dimensional.

Overall definitely worth reading: enjoyable, great pace, funny and moving in places. But somehow not quite as satisfying as I wanted it to be.

I thought the read was really good. I both read and listed to this book and the two slotted together perfectly, in large part thanks to the quality of the read.

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9 people found this helpful

It’s very original and emotional

A perfect picture of the 2008 financial crisis eve. It’s seems to me as I have been few months in Pepsy Road with Roger and companies. I never red a book like this, really unique and original. Special tanks to the narrator, He made my journey into the game exciting. Very good.

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Really enjoyed it.

The story and narrator were great match. I loved all the story lines. Really enjoyed it.

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Interesting

I enjoyed the diversity of characters and how you see a small part of them

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Excellent

I read this book a while ago and while it was a decent enough read , I thought I’d give the audiobook a try . I have to say it is very enjoyable, I normally have to concentrate when listening, but with Capital, I was on chapter 6 before I knew it and was very reluctant when I had to stop listening . Colin Mace is an excellent narrator, I will definitely look out for more of his work.
The book follows a group of people living in the same street in London and you get very invested in the characters stories, whether you like them or not. Highly recommended.

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1 person found this helpful