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Title: The Meaning of Night

Author: Michael Cox

Narrator: David Timson

Format: Unabridged

Length: 22 hrs and 53 mins

Language: English

Release date: 09-29-06

Publisher: Whole Story Audiobooks

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 21 votes

Genres: Fiction, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

In a dark passageway, an innocent man is stabbed to death.

So begins the extraordinary story of Edward Glyver, book lover, scholar and murderer. As a young boy, Glyver always believed he was destined for greatness. This seems the stuff of dreams, until a chance discovery convinces Glyver that he was right: greatness does await him, along with immense wealth and influence. And he will stop at nothing to win back a prize that he now knows is rightfully his.

Glyver's path leads him from the depths of Victorian London, with its foggy streets, brothels and opium dens, to Evenwood, one of England's most enchanting country houses. His is a story of betrayal and treachery, of death and delusion, of ruthless obsession and ambition. And at every turn, driving Glyver irresistibly onwards, is his deadly rival: the poet-criminal Phoebus Rainsford Daunt.

Thirty years in the writing, The Meaning of Night is a stunning achievement. Full of drama and passion, it is an enthralling novel that will captivate listeners right up to its final thrilling revelation.

Includes an exclusive recorded interview with the author.

Members Reviews:

great narration

A very interesting story of anger and revenge. Wonderful narration!

Pantomime

I enjoy most of the Victorian classic writers, but this modern attempt to emulate them simply did not work for me. John Fowles managed the trick masterfully, but Michael Cox does not. The book simply seemed to be trying too hard, with characters speaking as wooden caricatures, and cliches rolling in thick and fast. This was not helped by the narrator, who played it out as an amateur pantomime. I'm aware that the book has had rave reviews, so others may well enjoy it.

Enthralling

A truly captivating tale, one that unravels tantalisingly yet satisfyingly. I have rarely been so swept up in a narrative, so impatient at being interrupted by real life, so eager to return to the haunts of E.G. in any of his varied guises. Where I would once have secluded myself by the fireside or by the pool to read, I now do housework and gardening oblivious to the drudgery, in thrall to my ipod and stunning works of fiction such as 'The Meaning of Night'. A masterpiece indeed!

A little bit unpleasant

I'm a fan of the neo Victorian novel and this had quite a lot going for it. The central mystery is interesting, and the final explanation of it satisfying. The first person narration and flashbacks generally worked well. There was lots of suspense (if I had read it rather than listened to it, I would have said that it was a page turner).

However, I never warmed to the central character (I know he's supposed to be morally ambiguous, but I just found him unpleasant). I also felt that some of the revelations and twists were drawn out too long, or telegraphed too far in advance.

Overall it was clever and interesting, but I was quite relieved when I finally finished it and could go on to something else.

Utterly Captivating

I had put this in 'My next listen' a while ago and downloaded it to my iPod, so when I started to listen, I had forgotten about it and why I'd chosen it, so everything came as a surprise.