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The English Girl
- Narrated by: Penelope Rawlins
- Length: 14 hrs and 51 mins
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The English Girl
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Summary
When 17-year-old Stella Whittaker is offered the chance to study at the Academy of Music in Vienna it's a dream come true, made possible by old family friends, Rainer and Marthe Kraus, who offer her a place to live.
Seduced by the elegant beauty of the city, Stella explores the magnificent palaces, gardens, and fashionable coffeehouses, and after a chance meeting in an art gallery, falls in love with Harri Reznik, a young Jewish doctor. But as the threat of war casts a dark shadow over Europe, Stella soon discovers that both the household where she lives and the city she has come to call home are not as welcoming as they once seemed. And at the dawn of this terrifying new world, no one is safe.
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Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance3 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- Amanda
- 09-04-15
A little slow
I was interested in this story from the viewpoint of Hitler invading Austria. I haven't read much about this and was fascinated to learn how quickly it happened. But overall I found the story a little ponderous, too many 'darlings' to keep me completely fascinated. I also felt that for a 17 year old Stella was a little too mature for my liking, but maybe that's a factor of the era. The second half was better than the first to my mind.
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2 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Claudia G.
- 01-02-15
superb!!
what a pleasant read. I will start with the narrator. she is like something new, an invigorating narration, not like some stuff reading.
the story is amazing. I usually avoid reading stories of wars. it is not a subject I like to read as it depresses me, but not this one. the love story is beautiful enough.
the ending was not predictable. some. aspects of the story were, but it is a book I would recommend.
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance3 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- CC
- 13-02-17
Interesting historical exploration
Is there anything you would change about this book?
I found the central romance of the book unconvincing and I was waiting for it to unravel. I would have liked more build-up to Stella and Harri's love to make it real, rather than just something the author expected the reader to believe in.
What was the most interesting aspect of this story? The least interesting?
Exploring the period just before the Second World War, when things were changing but people didn't understand it, was very interesting. Also the slippery moral choices that the characters were faced with.
Would you listen to another book narrated by Penelope Rawlins?
The narrator did an excellent job with the voices of the female characters and children. She didn't do so well with the male voices, and I thought she made Harri sound rather sinister, which I don't think was the author's intention.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Jenny
- 25-03-15
A TENDER LOVE STORY SET AGAINST A TYRANICAL FORCE
Would you consider the audio edition of The English Girl to be better than the print version?
I haven't read the print version but I would say the audio edition would add a tense atmosphere.
What other book might you compare The English Girl to, and why?
I think it stands on its own!
What does Penelope Rawlins bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you had only read the book?
Atmosphere and emotion
Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?
Yes but thinking about it I think at times the story was so strong and emotional that I would have to leave it for a little while and start again. But it was so compelling I just couldn't stop listening no matter what!
Any additional comments?
This book came to life for me because at the end of WW2 my father was one of the soldiers who were the first into the Concentration Camps and had to dig the communal graves and bury the Jewish corpses. He never got over it! This should never happen again!!!
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1 person found this helpful