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Title: Trapeze

Author: Simon Mawer

Narrator: Kate Reading

Format: Unabridged

Length: 11 hrs and 26 mins

Language: English

Release date: 05-01-12

Publisher: Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 166 votes

Genres: Fiction, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

A propulsive novel of World War II espionage by the author of The Glass Room

Barely out of school and doing her bit for the British war effort, Marian Sutro has one quality that makes her stand outshe is a native French speaker. It is this that attracts the attention of the SOE, the Special Operations Executive, which trains agents to operate in occupied Europe. Drawn into this strange, secret world at the age of nineteen, she finds herself undergoing commando training, attending a school for spies, and ultimately, one autumn night, parachuting into France from an Royal Air Force bomber to join the Wordsmith resistance network.

But theres more to Marians mission than meets the eye of her SOE controllers; her mission has been hijacked by another secret organization that wants her to go to Paris and persuade a frienda research physicistto join the Allied war effort. The outcome could affect the whole course of the war.

A fascinating blend of fact and fiction, Trapeze is both an old-fashioned adventure story and a modern exploration of a young womans growth into adulthood. There is violence, and there is love. There is death and betrayal, deception and revelation. But above all there is Marian Sutro, an ordinary young woman who, like her real-life counterparts in the SOE, did the most extraordinary things at a time when the ordinary was not enough.

Critic Reviews:

A war-torn adventure story thats eerily erotic and tremendously exciting[A] gorgeous novel. (Washington PostonThe Glass Room)

Members Reviews:

Great personal look at history

Any additional comments?

I enjoyed getting a glimpse into the secret lives of women undercover in France, and especially enjoyed the moral questions faced by these very young women who didn't have much life experience upon which to base their choices.

Well written and excellently read.

Somewhat tedious

I loved The Glass Room, and was excited about this book, but I can't bring myself to finish it. I've tried to hang on to get to what other readers say is the exciting last part of the book, but I'm not going to get there (I'm two-thirds through it). The writing is clumsy, repetitive, and too literal. What should be implied is stated obviously, then restated a few times. It seems more like a romance novel than Simon Mawer. I had some difficulty with the narration: I loved Kate Reading in Pride and Prejudice, but here she seems to fall into the style of the book and over-play, over-emphasize the text. The male characters all sound monotonous and dull, due to the lowering of her vocal tone. I would rather have a higher voice with expression!

I'm disappointed! I really expected to love this book.

tight gripping and believable WW2 espionage

What did you love best about Trapeze?

Gripping story with believable characters

Any additional comments?

This was a great listen. It caught my interest immediately. The characters were interesting and the time period ans situation of occupied France was great. I couldn't wait to get to the ironing so I could get back to my listen!

Good story...distracting narration

Any additional comments?

The story was interesting, but the over-the-top accents made me not want to listen. I might try to read it in print instead because my friends love this book, and I feel like I am missing out.

Very good book; excellent narrator

An interesting story, well read.