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Music and Silence

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About this listen

 Winner of the Whitbread Novel of the Year, 1999.
Winner of the Costa First Novel Award, 2008.
A Radio 4 Book Club Selection.

In the year 1629, a young English lutenist named Peter Claire arrives at the Danish Court to join King Christian IV's Royal Orchestra. From the moment when he realizes that the musicians perform in a freezing cellar underneath the royal apartments, Peter Clair understands that he's come to a place where the opposing states of light and dark, good and evil, are waging war to the death.

©1999 Rose Tremain (P)2014 Audible, Inc. Fiction Genre Fiction Historical Fiction Literary Fiction Royalty Heartfelt War
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Took time to settle in but as the narrator settled in, the book became alive and flowing. Amazing story telling with many contemplative ideas. Would recommend and the narration excellent.

Different and excellent

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A fairytale with adult twists. Wonderful language. There were times when I felt it was slow and the melancholy overwhelming. I enjoyed it for its uniqueness.

Unique but may not be for everyone.

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I have just completed my listening/reading of Music and Silence and it massively reinforces for me the trust that I have come to place in Rose Tremain. I did not find this a comfortable book, but I did find it compelling. Tremain has a genuine capacity to get into characters' heads, so sharing their worlds and thoughts with us. She also shows her wonderful thoughtfulness in expressing things in a way that makes you say, "Yes, she's right." There is much to enjoy in this novel, and there is warmth too - though there are some upsets. The novel resolves itself and there is no bitter after-taste. I listened to the novel at 1.25 speed, even then there were some odd pauses, but not enough to ruin the flow. The narrator does well with foreign names. (If this novel ever comes to be re-recorded it would fly in the hands of Fenella Woolgar.) Straight after reading this novel I bought two further Rose Tremain audiobooks; what better testimony?

Quality, Quality, Quality

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I normally avoid "historical" novels, and only decided to download this having read "The Colour" and "Sacred Country". I was so impressed with Rose Tremain's writing that I gave this a go. And I am glad I did.

A really interesting story .. on the surface about events during two years surrounding the breakdown of the marriages of King Christian, and associated subplots (which are really the main plots). But like Rose Tremain's other novels: lots of insights into the nature of what makes life interesting and worth living. How to create meaning, happiness... ...very existential stuff , and some great quotes . Beautiful writing. Loved both the "goodies" and the "baddies".

Jenny Agutter is masterful in her rendition of this book.. Beautifully read and a joy to listen to. She captures the essence of the characters really well, from the prickly and nasty Kirsten to the daydreaming Marcus.

A great listen

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In places I felt this was Rose Tremain at her best. It offers many delightful observations and expresses them elegantly. But ultimately it felt way overlong. I enjoy writing that is slow or descriptive but this felt like it moved too slowly without achieving a deeper immersion or more powerful perspective. Jenny Agutter is a wonderful reader but this performance is spoiled by a large number of inappropriate pauses which should have been edited out.

Rather dragged out

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