Download the Top 100 Audiobooks in Fiction, Historical

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Title: The Romanov Cross

Author: Robert Masello

Narrator: Paul Boehmer

Format: Unabridged

Length: 18 hrs and 16 mins

Language: English

Release date: 01-05-16

Publisher: Tantor Audio

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 286 votes

Genres: Fiction, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

Army epidemiologist Frank Slater is facing a court-martial, but after his punishment is mysteriously lifted, he is offered a job no one else wants - to travel to a small island off the coast of Alaska and investigate a potentially lethal phenomenon. The permafrost has begun to melt, exposing bodies from a colony that was wiped out by the dreaded Spanish flu of 1918. Frank must determine if the thawed remains still carry the deadly virus in their frozen flesh and, if so, ensure that it doesn't come back to life.

Frank and his handpicked team arrive by helicopter, prepared to exhume history. The colony, it transpires, was once settled by a sect devoted to the mad Russian monk Rasputin, but there is even more hiding in the past than Frank's team is aware of. Any hope of success hinges on their willingness to accept the fact that even their cutting-edge science has its limits and that the ancient wisdom of the Inuit people who once inhabited this eerie land is as essential as any serum. Frank soon finds himself in a brutal race against time. With a young, strong-willed Inuit woman by his side, he must put a deadly genie back in the bottle before all of humanity pays the price.

Critic Reviews:

"Tense, taut and impossible to put down." (Kirkus Reviews)

Members Reviews:

Meh

The plot is intriguing and interesting and how I wish It had been better handled by the publisher!

PROS:

The basic plot idea is excellent. Expert epidemiologist is recruited to go to Alaska to see what is happening to the graves on a remote island where everyone died from the Spanish Flu in 1918. The Romanovs of Russia are involved and the Inuit Indians. And the US Military. And lots of mystical, magical events. And why all this good stuff was necessary is an intriguing part of the story so - no spoilers. The principal characters start out with engaging and/or interesting and/or compelling stories.

Then it derails, ever so slowly. Various side plots were potentially SO interesting and engaging and they could have added SO much to the narrative. But they were all unfortunately read by a bad narrator and buried in detail and more detail and still more detail until I began to wonder if the author had been paid by the word. So, while this is a pro, its also a con.

Cons:

1. The narration is mostly overdone and, while not always terrible, it was just mostly terrible. For starters, Paul Boehmer is a scenery chewer. Everything that happens is delivered in florid tones so that no one ever speaks like normal humans speak. I cant convey it with the written word, but try to imagine if you were ordering a burger and fries in the same tone and with the same passion you would use if you were defending yourself against a charge of murder. Nobody in this story just talks. They all gush and declaim and ooze passion. I blame this on the narrator AND on the director.

1.a. Also about the narration he has about 3 voices - all male - and 2 accents (American and Russian). And thats pretty much it.

2. Too, too, too, too, too, too, too, too much detail. Way too much detail. An ocean of irrelevant unnecessary detail. Details that s . l . o . w . the pace of the story to an absolute crawl in some places or... more precisely in many places.

Overall:

Its a pretty OK book that could have been a really good book with the help of a good editor.

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Title: Fire Catcher

Subtitle: Charlie Tuesday, Book 2

Author: C. S. Quinn

Narrator: Napoleon Ryan

Format: Unabridged

Length: 14 hrs and 30 mins

Language: English

Release date: 11-11-15

Publisher: Brilliance Audio

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 195 votes

Genres: Fiction, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

Hidden in London is a legendary power. A fabled chest guards secrets more precious than gold.

But in 1666 secrets are deadly, and London is burning....

Charlie Tuesday is the city's best thief taker. But one case still eludes him, a mysterious key entrusted by the mother he barely knew. The key opens a chest of priceless papers - papers said to hold the dark alchemy of a lost Brotherhood.

As flames ravage the city, the thief taker must track the chest into London's blackest heart, where smugglers trade and sorcerers conjure. What Charlie begins to unravel is more ancient and powerful than he ever dreamed.

But time is running out and fire is the greatest purge of all.

Members Reviews:

A Fantastic Follow Up To The First Story!

A lot can happen for Charlie Tuesday in a year's time. The pace of this story and exposition of the recurring characters will keep listeners engaged and waiting eagerly for what comes next. I am thoroughly enjoying this series.

slow

ponderous. I enjoyed the first book but don't think I will continue with the series. this book seemed to cover the same thing over and over again. moved very slowly.

Very good historical picture of jolly old England

I have to say that I am pleased to have not been born during this time period. This account, though fictitious, paints a very good picture of London of old. the story is a very good intrigue, if a bit long. I enjoyed it immensely.

Fabulous

I loved this story, especially for the fascinating history of the Great Fire of London and the great narration.

Brilliant

This book was made even more exciting with the narration . it keeps you on the edge of your seat

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Title: Fin Gall - A Novel of Viking Age Ireland

Subtitle: Norsemen Saga Series #1

Author: James L. Nelson

Narrator: Shaun Grindell

Format: Unabridged

Length: 13 hrs and 3 mins

Language: English

Release date: 11-10-15

Publisher: Tantor Audio

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 289 votes

Genres: Fiction, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

AD 852. For centuries the Vikings have swept out of the Norse countries and fallen on whatever lands they could reach aboard their longships, and few could resist the power of their violent onslaught. They came at first to plunder and then to settle, an encroachment fiercely resisted wherever they went.

Such was the case in the southern lands of Ireland. En route to the Viking longphort there, known as Dubh-linn, Thorgrim Night Wolf and Ornolf the Restless stumble across an Irish ship that carries aboard it a single item: a crown. The Vikings eagerly snatch the prize, unaware of its significance to the people of Ireland and the power granted to the king who wears it. Soon the Norsemen are plunged into the violence and intrigue of Medieval Ireland, where local kings fight with each other and with the invaders from the north for rule of the island nation. With enemies at every hand and loyalties as fickle as the weather, Thorgrim must lead his men, the white invaders, the Fin Gall, in the fight of their lives, with both Irish and Dane eager to see them dead.

Members Reviews:

Tolerable with this trick

The story is good, not great, but good enough that I've bought the second in series. Narrator is intolerably slow however, not bad, just slow---so I used a trick I read in another audible review and upped the narration speed to 1.25 and it's great! Historically interesting about the Vikings in Ireland as well as Irish history.

Hard to hear

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

I didn't listen to the entire book. The narration was really bad. So no the short time I spend listening to this was not time well spent.

What was most disappointing about James L. Nelsons story?

Couldn't get thru the book b/c of the performance.

How could the performance have been better?

I'm sure the narrator thought he was channeling HBO's Peter Balish, but really he sounded like Ben Affleck's Batman loudly whispering

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

When I read my physical copy I'll let you know.

Any additional comments?

The story seems interesting. I think I'll use my eyes to enjoy it however.

Not bad

Overall not a bad book and well researched but the narrator has the Vikings as cockneys and his Irish accents are diabolical... And his pronunciation of Irish names is even worse, they're so badly done that even as an Irish-speaker I can't recognize them!

Great Story

Would you listen to Fin Gall - A Novel of Viking Age Ireland again? Why?

Maybe

What do you think the narrator could have done better?

I didn't much care for the narration. It was done in almost a whisper and did not seem to change with the action. It is a good thing the story itself was exciting. Otherwise, I would have stopped listening in the first 10 minutes.

Any additional comments?

I am a huge fan of Bernard Cornwell's Saxon Tales. When I first saw this book I wondered how it would stack up against Cornwell. I can tell you that, while it does stand on its own, if you love Saxon Tales, you will love this book.

Well done historical period piece- lots of twists

Good book...seemed to be accurate and the plot was well thought out. Almost like a mystery novel, in some respects.

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Title: Muralist

Author: B. A. Shapiro

Narrator: Xe Sands

Format: Unabridged

Length: 9 hrs and 9 mins

Language: English

Release date: 11-03-15

Publisher: HighBridge, a Division of Recorded Books

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 347 votes

Genres: Fiction, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

Alizée Benoit, an American painter working for the Works Progress Administration (WPA), vanishes in New York City in 1940 amid personal and political turmoil. No one knows what happened to her. Not her Jewish family living in German-occupied France. Not her artistic patron and political compatriot, Eleanor Roosevelt. Not her close-knit group of friends, including Mark Rothko, Jackson Pollock, and Lee Krasner. And, some 70 years later, not her great-niece, Danielle Abrams, who, while working at Christie's auction house, uncovers enigmatic paintings hidden behind recently found works by those now famous abstract expressionist artists. Do they hold answers to the questions surrounding her missing aunt?

Entwining the lives of both historical and fictional characters and moving between the past and the present, The Muralist plunges listeners into the divisiveness of prewar politics and the largely forgotten plight of European refugees refused entrance to the United States. It captures both the inner workings of today's New York art scene and the beginnings of the vibrant and quintessentially American school of abstract expressionism.

B. A. Shapiro is a master at telling a gripping story while exploring provocative themes. In Alizée and Danielle, she has created two unforgettable women, artists both, who compel us to ask, What happens when luminous talent collides with inexorable historical forces? Does great art have the power to change the world? And to what lengths should a person go to thwart evil?

Critic Reviews:

"B. A. Shapiro once again pens the art world into vivid, sensual life. Set during World War II and the dawn of Abstract Expressionism,

The Muralist is an intriguing story masterfully imagined about art, war, family, truth, and freedom. If you liked

The Art Forger, you're going to love

The Muralist!" (Lisa Genova, author of

Love, Anthony)

"B. A. Shapiro's

The Muralist is an expertly constructed, riveting tale of art, politics, love, and consequences in the Depression Era. I admire so much the way she vividly brings to life this passionate world of the past - it rings with originality and authenticity. What a compelling read!" (Jami Attenberg, author of

The Middlesteins)

"I am a great fan of B. A. Shapiro, especially her new novel

The Muralist. It is a tantalizing mystery, as well as an involving meditation on the meaning of art over time." (Scott Turow, author of

Identical)

Contact me for any questions: [email protected]

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Title: The Tsar of Love and Techno

Subtitle: Stories

Author: Anthony Marra

Narrator: Mark Bramhall, Beata Pozniak, Rustam Kasymov

Format: Unabridged

Length: 10 hrs and 46 mins

Language: English

Release date: 10-06-15

Publisher: Random House Audio

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 277 votes

Genres: Fiction, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

From the New York Times best-selling author of A Constellation of Vital Phenomena - dazzling, poignant, and lyrical interwoven stories about family, sacrifice, the legacy of war, and the redemptive power of art.

This stunning, exquisitely written collection introduces a cast of remarkable characters whose lives intersect in ways both life-affirming and heartbreaking. A 1930s Soviet censor painstakingly corrects offending photographs deep underneath Leningrad, bewitched by the image of a disgraced prima ballerina. A chorus of women recount their stories and those of their grandmothers, former gulag prisoners who settled their Siberian mining town. Two pairs of brothers share a fierce, protective love. Young men across the former USSR face violence at home and in the military. And great sacrifices are made in the name of an oil landscape unremarkable except for the almost incomprehensibly peaceful past it depicts.

In stunning prose, with rich character portraits and a sense of history reverberating into the present, The Tsar of Love and Techno is a captivating work from one of our greatest new talents.

Critic Reviews:

"Powerful...strikingly reimagines a nearly a century of changes in Russia. [T]he book's brilliance and humor are laced with the somber feeling that the country is allergic to evolution." (Kirkus Reviews)

"As in his acclaimed novel, Marra finds in Chechnya an inspiration for his uniquely funny, tragic, bizarre, and memorable fiction." (Publishers Weekly)

Members Reviews:

I switched to print.

What did you like best about The Tsar of Love and Techno? What did you like least?

The narration, in my opinion, was not worthy of the story. I lost so much in that the voices didn't sound as intelligent as the words being spoken. I missed SO MUCH. I am very glad the library had it so I could go back and appreciate the entire text. And I am usually not one to complain about voices but this didn't work for me.

What other book might you compare The Tsar of Love and Techno to and why?

Maybe, the Imerfectionists by Tom Rachman - for linked stories.

Would you be willing to try another one of the narratorss performances?

No.

Did The Tsar of Love and Techno inspire you to do anything?

I want to read everything Marra writes.

The Nutcracker's Cosmonautic March

I normally find it difficult to complete even half of a short story collection, except on the rare occasion the stories are intertwined by characters and events. I'll listen to 1 or 2 but eventually go back to the traditional Freytag's Pyramid, invest myself in a novel, and then forget about the collection of nice, but not compelling, stories.

In comparison, I quickly became absorbed by the lofty TSAR OF LOVE AND TECHNO because, for one thing, the first story is both chilling and compelling, and another, these stories make you want to discover the interlacing threads and watch the magic of the completed whole. That is to say, the reader learns through each story which characters are primary, and discovers that character has returned in a later story in some other context. The stories so complement the others that, aside from the 1st, 3d and 4th stories, I'm not sure the others would have nearly the impact they do had any one of them stood on its own outside the context of the collection.

I enjoyed the entire collection excepting the second story.

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Title: The Secret Chord

Subtitle: A Novel

Author: Geraldine Brooks

Narrator: Paul Boehmer

Format: Unabridged

Length: 13 hrs and 6 mins

Language: English

Release date: 10-06-15

Publisher: Penguin Audio

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 527 votes

Genres: Fiction, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

A rich and utterly absorbing novel about the life of King David, from the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of People of the Book and March.

With more than two million copies of her novels sold, New York Times best-selling author Geraldine Brooks has achieved both popular and critical acclaim. Now, Brooks takes on one of literature's richest and most enigmatic figures: a man who shimmers between history and legend. Peeling away the myth to bring David to life in Second Iron Age Israel, Brooks traces the arc of his journey from obscurity to fame, from shepherd to soldier, from hero to traitor, from beloved king to murderous despot and into his remorseful and diminished dotage.

The Secret Chord provides new context for some of the best-known episodes of David's life while also focusing on others, even more remarkable and emotionally intense, that have been neglected. We see David through the eyes of those who love him or fear him - from the prophet Natan, voice of his conscience; to his wives, Mikal, Avigail, and Batsheva; and finally to Solomon, the late-born son who redeems his Lear-like old age. Brooks has an uncanny ability to hear and transform characters from history, and this beautifully written, unvarnished saga of faith, desire, family, ambition, betrayal, and power will enthrall her many fans.

Critic Reviews:

"Narrator Paul Boehmer delivers a superb performance of Geraldine Brooks's reimagining of the life of King David. Boehmer's characters live through his vocal magic." (AudioFile)

Members Reviews:

Flawed Perfection

Rare is the book that can take an historic personage and incarnate it with realistic flesh and blood. Brooks is a master of this art. As a clergyman I thought I knew the biblical David even with his ever so public flaws. Brooks has introduced a very human David...a man who can and does still inspire because he truly is a biblical 'Everyman'.

Disappointing

I have always found David a fascinating character, so I was looking forward to this book. Listening to it makes me wish I had the King James Bible instead. The performance is terribly over done, so perhaps the novel would be better in print. But I don't feel I've learned anything from it, and writing sometimes reminds me of fan fiction.

Brooks at her best

Loved this book. Am a history buff and very interested in Biblical characters especially David. It is told by Nathan, David,s prophet. I know it is partially fiction but Brooks has a remarkable gift of filling in the blanks l.e.the thoughts and feelings of the characters and what could so logically could have happened. The narrator is fabulous. He uses the Hebrew pronunciation of all the names which can be confusing I went to 1&2 Samuel when I couldn't figure out the character I have a different attitude toward David now that I have read Brooks' insightful story.

Another excellent novel

While March remains my favorite by this author, she never disappoints in the way she writes or knits a story together.

loved it

good read mostly true to scripture , followed Davids life very well and added alot of emotion to the Bible narrative . I understand it's hard to stay100% true to scripture in a novel as there's alot of blanks to fill in .Hence it's fiction .

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Title: Mexico

Subtitle: A Novel

Author: James A. Michener

Narrator: Alexander Adams

Format: Unabridged

Length: 23 hrs and 29 mins

Language: English

Release date: 08-04-15

Publisher: Random House Audio

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 155 votes

Genres: Fiction, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

Pulitzer Prize-winning author James A. Michener, whose novels hurtle from the far reaches of history to the dark corners of the world, paints an intoxicating portrait of a land whose past and present are as turbulent, fascinating, and colorful as any other on Earth. When an American journalist travels to report on the upcoming duel between two great matadors, he is ultimately swept up in the dramatic story of his own Mexican ancestry - from the brilliance and brutality of the ancients to the iron fist of the invading Spaniards to modern Mexico, fighting through dust and bloodshed to build a nation upon the ashes of revolution. Architectural splendors, frenzied bullfights, horrific human sacrifice: Michener weaves them all into an epic human story that ranks with the best of his beloved best-selling novels.

Critic Reviews:

"Michener the storyteller at his finest.... There are splendid and authentic scenes in the

plaza de toros that are as dramatic as any written by Ernest Hemingway or Barnaby Conrad." (

The New York Times Book Review)

"Astounding...fast-moving, intriguing.... Michener is back in huge, familiar form with

Mexico." (Los Angeles

Daily News)

"An enthralling story.... Michener artfully combines the history of Mexico with the art of bullfighting, teaching the reader about both and telling a grand story at the same time." (

St. Louis Post-Dispatch)

Members Reviews:

I wanted to learn more about Mexican history and culture...

This fit the bill very well. Reader is excellent. Great historical facts presented in a vivid narrative. Characters are a bit trite but fitting fit the time period.

Long Overdue Overview of the Nation to our South

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Absolutely because it brings a knowledge of the history (struggles, successes and people) to a nation which is hardly known to most of us, even in border states.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Mexico?

The book is chock-full of "moments" so I would have to say the details about bullfighting and how it is created brought some understanding to me of how anyone could find pleasure in watching an animal tortured and killed before a huge audience. Educational.

What does Alexander Adams bring to the story that you wouldnt experience if you just read the book?

His voice intonation brought a needed variety to the many characters. If he were not so adept, the book could have been muddled and confusing.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

Too many to describe.

Any additional comments?

Books by Michener are a real time-machine that carries us to places we could never go with today's technology. The color and spirit of his writing bring to life things and places that most of our imaginations could not. I am well into my next Michener book from Audible and am enjoying the journey very much.

Must read

For all of us in North America to better understand our neighbors to the south.

Enjoyed it and recommend

I will admit it was difficult to get into at first and I got a little confused when the author jumped around in history and characters. However, after a few rewinds, since my confusion was likely more because of my lack of focus, I loved it. Great tale of a family and their history by a family member reflecting his past, sent home by his employers.

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Title: Orphan Number Eight

Subtitle: A Novel

Author: Kim van Alkemade

Narrator: Ginny Auer, Andi Arndt

Format: Unabridged

Length: 11 hrs and 1 min

Language: English

Release date: 08-04-15

Publisher: HarperAudio

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 248 votes

Genres: Fiction, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

A stunning debut novel in the vein of Sarah Waters' historical fiction and inspired by true events, it tells the fascinating story of a woman who must choose between revenge and mercy when she encounters the doctor who subjected her to dangerous medical experiments in a New York City Jewish orphanage.

In 1919, Rachel Rabinowitz is a vivacious four-year-old living with her family in a crowded tenement on New York City's Lower East Side. When tragedy strikes, Rachel is separated from her brother, Sam, and sent to a Jewish orphanage where Dr. Mildred Solomon is conducting medical research. Subjected to X-ray treatments that leave her disfigured, Rachel suffers years of cruel harassment from the other orphans. But when she turns 15, she runs away to Colorado, hoping to find the brother she lost, and discovers a family she never knew she had.

Though Rachel believes she's shut out her painful childhood memories, years later she is confronted with her dark past when she becomes a nurse at Manhattan's Old Hebrews Home, and her patient is none other than the elderly, cancer-stricken Dr. Solomon. Rachel becomes obsessed with making Dr. Solomon acknowledge and pay for her wrongdoing. But each passing hour Rachel spends with the old doctor reveals to Rachel the complexities of her own nature. She realizes that a person's fate - to be one who inflicts harm or one who heals - is not always set in stone.

Lush in historical detail, rich in atmosphere, and based on true events, Orphan Number 8 is a powerful, affecting novel of the unexpected choices we are compelled to make that can shape our destinies.

Members Reviews:

Characters not fleshed out enough

I didnt feel like either the current or past storyline was fleshed out enough, at times it felt disjointed and I think it was because of not knowing enough about the characters. However I did find the story fascinating I never knew anything about these test done at orphanages also after reading some stories on the authors website I really wish she would have went deeper into these characters I feel like she just brushed the surface and I wish I knew more.

I hated the romance aspect of this book every time she grabbed someones face and pulled them into a kiss I was no longer in the story and Rachels sexual orientation had absolutely nothing to do with it , if she had been grabbing mens faces I would have felt exactly the same. To me there was no reason for these it added nothing to the story and in fact detracted from it.

I cant put my finger on what it is I dont like about the narration, Im not sure if its the tone, cadence or accent that I dont like but there were times when the narration really annoyed me and other times I didnt mind it. I am not sure who narrated what either so it may be that I like one narrator over the other but I am just not sure.

This book was okay; I liked the storyline about the Orphans Home even though I wish I knew more. I guess in the end this book just fell flat for me.

2 Stars

Good Story, Needs Fact Checking

Beginning is rather slow, but the story picks up nicely, knowing that the conflict will arrive eventually. I enjoyed the main premise, but as a Colorado native who knows just about everything there is to know about its history, there are some glaring errors in the research. Baby Doe Tabor is referred to as "Baby Jane", the trolley cars along Colfax were not called "streetcars".

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Title: Pastel Orphans

Author: Gemma Liviero

Narrator: Whitney Dykhouse, Nick Podehl, Amy McFadden

Format: Unabridged

Length: 10 hrs and 7 mins

Language: English

Release date: 06-02-15

Publisher: Brilliance Audio

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 1302 votes

Genres: Fiction, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

In 1930s Berlin, young Henrik, the son of a Jewish father and Aryan mother, watches the world around him crumbling: people are rioting in the streets, a strange yellow star begins appearing in shop windows, and friends are forced to move - or they simply disappear.

After his father becomes gravely ill, Henrik and his little sister, Greta, are taken by their mother to Poland for safety. However, not even the pastoral surroundings of their new home can protect them from the terrors of war. When the Nazis invade and Greta is kidnapped, Henrik must shed his youthful innocence and search for his lost sister, a quest that will further reveal a harrowing landscape of violence and struggle - but also unexpected connections.

Uniquely told from the perspective of youth plunged into adult chaos, Pastel Orphans is a coming-of-age story that explores profound lessons in self-belief, kindness, and human endurance.

Revised edition: This edition of Pastel Orphans includes editorial revisions.

Members Reviews:

"Family over anything"

What would you do for your family - your loved ones? For me, I'd do anything - give my last breath for them. This story is about a family that wIll do ANYTHING for each other. It's did everything to my heart - it warmed it, broke it, twisted it, and warmed I it. It made laugh, cry, rage, gag and cry again. happy, sad, torn tears. This book is a must read. It's a story of family loyalty. Love has no boundaries.

Powerful, tragic and beautiful story

Pastel orphans were children with strong Aryan appearances kidnapped by the Nazis for future breeding of the Aryan race.

This novel is about the Salomon family in Germany starting in 1931 and except for the final chapter ending at the end of WWII. The settings are Germany and Poland. The Salomon's are a German Jew husband, his German Aryan wife and their son Henrik and their daughter Greta. Henrik is 7 years older than Greta. Rebecca, a German Jewish girl who befriends Henrik, is also a main character. Greta, who resembles her Aryan mother with light skin, blond hair and blue eyes, is kidnapped by the Nazis and is one of the pastel orphans. The novel is beautifully written.

The story is told in the first person first of Henrik, then Rebecca, and finally Greta. The two women narrators are flawless. Nick Podehl, the voice of Henrik, takes on the almost impossible task of doing his voice from early childhood to early adulthood. Although I'm not particularly fond of the early childhood voice, Podehl does a remarkable job.

This is a great book for all ages from elementary school to age 100. I recommend this book without reservation.

An amazing story of brotherly love

I've read many books about the Holocaust and each time I do, it breaks my heart. This is one story I couldn't put down. It gives insight to the events during that era and the harrowing experiences that many suffered through. I had no idea that there were children that had been kidnapped and raised by the Nazis or entered into breeding programs to create a pure "Aryan" race.

Great characters that you can relate to, an unusual angle to look at the war. A great read.

Told by Children of War, During War, Powerful

A very different tale of life for Jews during WWII . . . Pastel Orphans, told in the voices of the children who are running, who are hiding . . .

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Title: Villa in Italy

Author: Elizabeth Edmondson

Narrator: Nicolette McKenzie

Format: Unabridged

Length: 13 hrs and 16 mins

Language: English

Release date: 05-19-15

Publisher: Audible Studios

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 758 votes

Genres: Fiction, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

Marvellously atmospheric tale of strangers summoned to a grand but neglected villa on the Italian coast. Each of them has been named in a will, but nobody knows their benefactress....

Four very different people are named in a will. Delia, an opera singer robbed of her voice by illness; George, an idealistic scientist who cannot face what his skills have created; Marjorie, desperately poor and unable to dislodge her writers block; and Lucius, ostensibly in control but whose personal life is in chaos. All are summoned to the Villa Dante, home of the late Beatrice Malaspina. But who was she?

While they wait to find out, the villa begins to work its seductive magic. With its faded frescoes, overgrown garden, and magnificent mediaeval tower, it is unlike anywhere they have been before.

Slowly four characters who have gone to great lengths to hide their troubles find that change - and even hope - is possible after all. But the mysterious Beatrice has a devastating secret to reveal that will affect them all....

A beautiful evocation of Italy in the aftermath of World War Two and the personal consequences of living through such a time and a celebration of humankinds ability to heal and learn to love again, this most absorbing novel will win Elizabeth Edmondson a host of new fans.

Members Reviews:

A gentle mystery.

I was having a bad week. I listened to this book and, as corny as it sounds, it lifted my spirits. This book is not what I'd consider 'high art' or a classic but it's wonderfully evocative and a good escape. If I had to pick one word it would be 'soothing' and I'll be listening to it again.

This is a slow building story with the first 2/3 of the book fleshing out the characters, their backstories and the villa itself. The main characters are very likable, even the often irritating Marjorie, and you really get a sense of their burdens and how the villa and its inhabitants help them 'come alive' again. The visitors are mostly unlikable and come off as shallow and selfish, which is a nice contrast to the main players. However, on getting to know them a little better as the story unfolds they're actually OK (Theo & Felicity)... except Richie; he's a jerk. The last 1/3 has the reveals coming thick and fast (but it's not hard to guess them). Relationships are revealed, mended, ended and cemented and everything is wrapped up nicely. I came away from this book feeling a lighter and happier.

Excellent narration. With so many characters, it would be easy for the listener to become confused but Nicolette McKenzie has given them each a unique voice. I think I'll try one of the other Elizabeth Edmondson books she's narrated, maybe Villa on the Riviera.

Everything I look for in a book

I loved everything about this book: plot, characters, setting, time period, and references. It was completely engrossing and a wonderful mystery that kept me guessing through most of the book.