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Title: Smoke

Subtitle: A Novel

Author: Dan Vyleta

Narrator: Allan Corduner

Format: Unabridged

Length: 18 hrs and 35 mins

Language: English

Release date: 05-24-16

Publisher: Random House Audio

Ratings: 3.5 of 5 out of 103 votes

Genres: Fiction, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

"The laws of Smoke are complex. Not every lie will trigger it. A fleeting thought of evil may pass unseen; a fib, an excuse, a piece of flattery. Next thing you know, its smell is in your nose. There is no more hateful smell in the world than the smell of Smoke."

England. A century ago, give or take a few years.

An England where people who are wicked in thought or deed are marked by the Smoke that pours forth from their bodies, a sign of their fallen state. The aristocracy do not smoke, proof of their virtue and right to rule, while the lower classes are drenched in sin and soot. An England utterly strange and utterly real.

An elite boarding school where the sons of the wealthy are groomed to take power as their birthright. Teachers with mysterious ties to warring political factions at the highest levels of government. Three young people who learn everything they've been taught is a lie - knowledge that could cost them their lives. A grand estate where secrets lurk in attic rooms and hidden laboratories. A love triangle. A desperate chase. Revolutionaries and secret police. Religious fanatics and coldhearted scientists. Murder. A London filled with danger and wonder. A tortured relationship between a mother and a daughter and a mother and a son. Unexpected villains and unexpected heroes. Cool reason versus passion. Rich versus poor. Right versus wrong, though which is which isn't clear.

This is the world of Smoke, a narrative tour de force, a tale of Dickensian intricacy and ferocious imaginative power, richly atmospheric and intensely suspenseful.

Members Reviews:

Great concept terrible story.

This was difficult to get through. I was intrigued by the concept but was bored.

Good start but burns out fast.

Very intrigued at start, the plot draws you in but it becomes dull and boring. Just kept reading curious of how the story ties up. Disappointed. Great narrator though.

Interesting concept. Requires your concentration

A book that addresses social consciousness and social order. Very interesting concept but requires your concentration. Not an easy, breezy beach summer read. The writing is excellent and the performance is first rate. You have to "tackle" this book but if you do, I think you will agree that it is well worth your time.

Brilliant

I see some people mentioned the book "slows down." All I can imagine is they enjoy a fast paced spy novel. Although this is sometimes described as a mystery, I would describe it as fine literature with themes of good versus evil, social classes, passion versus safety and sterility. Vyleta has crafted a world you can fall into. His language is so rich it subtly coaxes me into one emotion after another. For those that enjoy a thoughtful, brilliant novel, you've found it.

Not for me

After countless attempts, I still do not have an idea what was the deal with the smoke. Of course I did not finish the book.