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The Emperor Waltz
- Narrated by: Hugh Ross, Anna Bentinck, Sandra Duncan, Philip Hensher, Penelope Rawlins
- Length: 22 hrs and 8 mins
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The Emperor Waltz
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Summary
The most ambitious and daring novel novel yet from Booker Prize-shortlisted Philip Hensher.
‘A novel that's almost fizzy to the touch … A performance of extraordinary flair and majesty from a writer who seems capable of anything’ Guardian
An astonishing novel, ‘The Emperor Waltz’ draws together various narrative strands into a compelling symphonic whole. In a third-century desert settlement on the fringes of the Roman Empire, a new wife becomes fascinated by a cult that is persecuted by the Emperor Diocletian. In 1922, Christian, a young artist, travels to Weimar to begin his studies at the Bauhaus, where the avant-garde confronts conservative elements around it. With postwar Germany in turmoil, while the Bauhaus attempts to explore radical ways of thinking and living, Christian finds that love will change him for ever. And in 1970s London Duncan uses his inheritance to establish the country’s first gay bookshop in the face of opposition from the neighbours and victimisation by the police.
Delving deep into the human spirit to explore connections between love, sanctity, commitment and virtue, Philip Hensher takes as his subject small groups of men and women, tightly bound together, trying to change the world through the example of their lives. ‘The Emperor Waltz’ is an absorbing echo-chamber of a novel, innovative and compelling, that explores what it means for us to belong to each other.
Critic reviews
‘A novel that is always a joy to read … Read it and allow yourself to become a better person’ Independent
‘Important … Glorious … He might have the iconoclastic temperament of a Kandinsky, but he is an old master when he glimpses the cat asleep under the table or the curve of a woman’s neck’ The Times
‘A glittering performance … “The Emperor Waltz” has the depth and pleasurable density of a 19th-century fiction; I loved it’ Ian Thomson, Evening Standard
‘Splendidly thought out and extraordinarily readable’ A S Byatt, Guardian
'A generous, courageous firework of a novel – a Roman candle, alive and fizzing in the hand' New Statesman
‘A book as joyful as its musical source … “The Emperor Waltz” is a beautiful book, both profound and funny. It is a powerful invocation to live a life of joy, surrounded by true friends’ Telegraph
What listeners say about The Emperor Waltz
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance2 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Diana Brighouse
- 22-01-18
I would have much preferred to read this
Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?
The book has such a dazzling scope, with many diverse characters, that the audio book can sorely disappoint and fail to do justice to the author.
What didn’t you like about the narrators’s performance?
The narrator who covered the death bed chapters almost made me give up. I found his delivery so slowly and excruciatingly enunciated that it totally intruded on my enjoyment, and even my understanding of the text. The other narrators were better, but I felt that none were good enough for the narratives.
Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?
Absolutely not! I think there would be time for nothing else, and I would probably go mad.
Any additional comments?
This is not a straightforward novel with a clear narrative. It is a big, bold, complex set of narratives, very loosely connected. I think that the right narrators could enhance the text and make it a richer experience than just reading the book. Unfortunately this set of narrators had the opposite effect for me.
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Overall1 out of 5 stars
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Performance1 out of 5 stars
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Story2 out of 5 stars
- Mrs. P.
- 02-01-18
Slooooooow!
What disappointed you about The Emperor Waltz?
I have returned this book as it failed to reach the level I expected from the very glowing reviews! 3 very different stories from different periods, with no apparent link! I have kept on with it in the hope that it would become clearer, but am too bored now! I found the male narrator's style extremely irritating and quite tedious too. suspect this wouldn't have helped to move the story along.
What will your next listen be?
Need something a bit more light and fun!
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1 person found this helpful