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Beatrice and Virgil: A Novel Audiobook
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(3.00) - 9,427 listener ratings
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Publisher Description
Fate takes many forms. . . . When Henry receives a letter from an elderly taxidermist, it poses a puzzle that he cannot resist. As he is pulled further into the world of this strange and calculating man, Henry becomes increasingly involved with the lives of a donkey and a howler monkey—named Beatrice and Virgil—and the epic journey they undertake together. With all the spirit and originality that made Life of Pi so beloved, this brilliant new novel takes the reader on a haunting odyssey. On the way Martel asks profound questions about life and art, truth and deception, responsibility and complicity.
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"No doubt a darkly disturbing take, but you have to admit that Martel has style. What an amazing bit of excellence to move from novel, to play, to essay, back to novel as flawlessly as he does. I read the first bit in a bookstore in Boston and loved it just for the beginning essay and although the ending was unexpectedly sad, I still am glad I read it. Yes it is disturbing and lacks the lightness and freedom of Life of Pi, but his protagonist is not only likable, but endearing even when he is blind-sided by his own creativity."
— K. (4 out of 5 stars)
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“Dark but divine…Everything comes into focus by the end, leaving the reader startled, astonished, and moved.”
— USA Today -
“A slim but potent exploration of the nature of survival in the face of evil.”
— Huffington Post -
“A thought-provoking delight.”
— Marie Claire -
“Inventive, provocative, and artful.”
— Good Housekeeping -
“Yann Martel’s new novel not only opens us to the emotional and psychological truths of fiction, but also provides keys to open its fictions ourselves, and to become, in some way, active participants in their creation.”
— Globe and Mail (Toronto) -
“Martel has a boundless imagination and an astonishing way with words, taking the novel where it has never been before…Beatrice and Virgil is a weird, brave, looping book that does not pull punches. I can’t stop thinking about it.”
— Australian Literary Review -
“Brilliant…with this short, crisply written, many-layered book, Martel has once again demonstrated that nothing tells the truth like fiction…Another philosophical winner.”
— Cleveland Plain Dealer -
“An unusual and provocative take on a profound, hauntingly enduring subject.”
— Washington Times -
“[A] stunning holocaust fable.”
— Buffalo News -
“Has many wonders…Martel’s latest book does something extraordinary. It causes the reader to contemplate serious ideas and to think. Beatrice and Virgil will haunt you long after the final page.”
— BookPage
Awards
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Selected for the May 2010 Indie Next List
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A New York Times bestseller
Beatrice and Virgil Listener Reviews
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" Hauntingly original. "
— Kera, 2/12/2014 -
" I really wanted to like this book because I loved life of Pi, but I just couldn't...I understand where he was going and it's a creative concept but I didn't enjoy it. "
— Cc, 2/1/2014 -
" Well, I can honestly say that I really hated this book! There may have been a few quotes that I would walk away with as interesting, but I can't quite get over the oddness of this book! I absolutely loved Life of Pi and I guess I expected this to have some redeeming qualities, but I feel I was wrong. I see from the reviews that many people loved it. It was not for me! In his goal to deliver the same news in a different manner than I have ever experienced, the author does get an A+. "
— Dana, 1/30/2014 -
" I loved Yann Martel's Life of Pi - but found Beatrice and Virgil disturbing. Well written and good imagery -- but too philosophical for me and too much EVIL. "
— Monica, 1/15/2014 -
" I had an incling about the ending but it still came with quite a surprise!!! "
— Suzanna, 1/1/2014 -
" a strong and disturbing read. "
— Curdin, 12/17/2013 -
" a let down. not bad writing, just bad storytelling. I like the way he writes but this took too long to get to the point and when it did, the ending was disappointing to me. "
— Cassandra, 11/30/2013 -
" bad. bad. bad. depraved. gross. bad. "
— jana, 10/7/2013 -
" I did not really enjoy the audiobook, but I imagine that reading the actual book would be a better experience. Maybe my expectations were too high given that I liked Life of Pi so much. "
— Theresa, 8/9/2013 -
" I really tried to get into this book, but I couldn't. I gave up reading or trying to understand it. Was very disappointed as I did enjoy Life Of Pi. "
— Laura, 6/28/2013 -
" After reading the Life of Pi, I was anxious to read this one, and was very disappointed. "
— Sarah, 11/24/2012 -
" Extremely well written, Martel's descriptions were beautiful. I liked the novel less and less as it went on, but still found it to be an enjoyable read. I read it in just one afternoon, too. "
— Mallory, 11/10/2012 -
" I read this in hopes that it would be as memorable as "Life of Pi", it was anything but. It just seemed like it was trying to be unique and thought provoking but it just didn't really make any sense and it was lackluster. I was disappointed. "
— Melina, 11/6/2012 -
" Loved the book and Martel's wonderful way of telling a story. The ending seemed to happen quickly and perhaps with a bit of a cliche. "
— Scott, 8/19/2012 -
" Good but not as good as Life of Pi. Still an interesting story. More of an extended short story, but still good. "
— Thomas, 9/25/2011 -
" This book ... I found it intoxicatingly readable, and read it in one sitting (on a flight). Then, suddenly, the ending was so disturbing that I'm not sure what to think. Which, I think, was the author's point. So I'm glad I read it, even though I felt a little bit slapped in the face at the end. "
— Gina, 7/28/2011 -
" the book leaves me sad (in a horrified way, maybe). but that's the purpose, and maybe a perspective to understand the greatest horror in history of mankind. his horror is over and also not over. atleast, not yet. "
— Shreeja, 7/23/2011 -
" FUCKIN TAXIDERMIST. That's all I have to say about that. I'm still so puzzled :/ "
— Bec, 6/30/2011 -
" I really liked Life of Pi and was looking forward to reading this novel, but was very disappointed with it. Although I found the end thought provoking, it really wasn't worth wasting the time I did to get there. I would not recommend this book to anyone. "
— Margaret, 5/23/2011 -
" Still scratching my head about this, and I finished it a month ago. "
— Katelyn, 5/22/2011 -
" If the intent of the book was to provoke dialogue and critical thinking, it most certainly did...though some parts of the book just did not make sense. Do tend to agree some of the text were arbituary. Love or hate it, but shall not disect it from a politically correct standpoint. "
— Kuen, 5/20/2011 -
" Highly recommended - very beautiful, but so, so sad.<br/>Tells the story of an author with severe writers block's unlikely friendship with a taxidermist who needs help with a play he is writing. "
— Elin, 5/18/2011 -
" This book was a little hard to get into, but once I did, wow. Again, so much to chew on. It was a quick read in that it wasn't long, but it contained a lot to think about. "
— Sabrina, 5/14/2011 -
" I don't know why everyone is raving about this book. I tried reading it and i just couldn't get through it. There was no real plot. I think i just got through the first half and just chucked the book down. Not a good read!!!! "
— Andrea, 5/11/2011 -
" If anyone else has ready this, I'd love to talk about it... "
— Kirsten, 5/7/2011 -
" Not sure I liked this book much. It was interesting and I read the whole thing, but the last qarter was pretty troubled and not too sure it made sense. The screen play and novel within the novel was an interesting idea as was another way to see things. "
— Cynthia, 5/7/2011 -
" Very strange notnearly as good as Life of Pye "
— Joanne, 5/5/2011
About Yann Martel
Yann Martel was born in Spain in 1963. After majoring in philosophy, he worked odd jobs and traveled before turning to writing at the age of twenty-six. He is the author of the internationally acclaimed 2002 Man Booker Prize–winning bestseller, Life of Pi. He currently lives in Saskatchewan, Canada.
About Mark Bramhall
Arthur Morey has won three AudioFile Magazine “Best Of” Awards, and his work has garnered numerous AudioFile Earphones Awards and placed him as a finalist for two Audie Awards. He has acted in a number of productions, both off Broadway in New York and off Loop in Chicago. He graduated from Harvard and did graduate work at the University of Chicago. He has won awards for his fiction and drama, worked as an editor with several book publishers, and taught literature and writing at Northwestern University. His plays and songs have been produced in New York, Chicago, and Milan, where he has also performed.