Play Audiobook Sample
Island Beneath the Sea: A Novel Audiobook
Play Audiobook Sample
(3.00) - 10,057 listener ratings
Quick Stats About this Audiobook
Total Audiobook Chapters:
Longest Chapter Length:
Shortest Chapter Length:
Average Chapter Length:
Audiobooks by this Author:
Publisher Description
“Allende is a master storyteller at the peak of her powers.”
— Los Angeles Times
From the sugar plantations of Saint-Domingue to the lavish parlors of New Orleans at the turn of the 19th century, the latest novel from New York Times bestselling author Isabel Allende (Inés of My Soul, The House of the Spirits, Portrait in Sepia) tells the story of a mulatta woman, a slave and concubine, determined to take control of her own destiny.
Download and start listening now!
"I really enjoyed this novel. I read some other reviews of the book, and many commented on the depressing nature of the subject matter. I didn't really feel that as I read it because I felt the character of Zarite persevered and remained strong despite being a slave. "
— Amy (4 out of 5 stars)
Quotes
-
“[An] entertaining sweep...The canvas contains no less than the revolutionary history of the world’s first black republic...Allende revels in period details, [and] her cast is equally vibrant.”
— New York Times Book Review -
“Exuberant passions, strong heroines, and intricate plots...a world as enchanted—and enchanting—as it is brutal and unjust...A page-turning drama.”
— San Francisco Chronicle -
“Epic scope and sweep…[Allende’s] characters, linked by blood, love triangles, and even incest, have a depth and complexity that…imbues the proceedings with a lushness bordering on magic realism.”
— Associated Press -
“Enthralling, blood-chilling, and heart-breaking.”
— Huffington Post -
“A remarkable feat of prescience…Island Beneath the Sea is rich in drama, setting, themes, characters, dialogue, and symbolism…an intriguing and wonderfully woven story.”
— San Antonio Express-News -
“Two remarkable women whose destinies are entwined face the chaos of this time [eighteenth century Saint-Domingue]…Uncannily relevant.”
— Elle -
“[Merkerson’s] slightly deep voice lends the novel a mythical quality, illustrating the spirit of the times in the late eighteenth century. Merkerson deals adeptly with the French names scattered throughout the text without breaking the rhythm of the story. She also varies her pace, speeding up and slowing down to indicate shifts in viewpoint from female to male characters.”
— AudioFile -
“Allende, an entrancing and astute storyteller cherished the world over, returns to historical fiction to portray another resilient woman whose life embodies the complex forces at work in the bloody forging of the New World...Allende is grace incarnate in her evocations of the spiritual energy that still sustains the beleaguered people of Haiti and New Orleans...[A] transporting, remarkably topical novel of men and women of courage risking all for liberty.”
— Booklist (starred review) -
“Timely and absorbing…filled with adventure, vivid characters, and richly detailed descriptions of life in the Caribbean.”
— Library Journal
Awards
-
A New York Times bestseller
-
A Publishers Weekly bestseller
Island Beneath the Sea Listener Reviews
-
" This was an intense book. A story of Haiti's roots in the 18th century, interwoven with the political happenings of the time. But most of all, it is a story of a mother whose essence of life is her children. "
— Gita, 2/14/2014 -
" I like the literary myticism of Latin American writers. Although this was more historical fiction it still had the feel of the mystical. "
— Kate, 1/30/2014 -
" I'm so glad I forced myself past the first half of this book, where it felt like absolutely nothing was happening, to the second half- which was like it was written by a whole different person. The writing, always beautiful, seemed to finally mesh with the characters to make things happen, and the end by far saved the beginning. All in all, I give it a 3/5. "
— Niko, 1/27/2014 -
" I wanted to enjoy this book, but was quickly turned off by graphic scenes of sexual acts. "
— JoAnn, 1/22/2014 -
" I'm sure this is a great book, but I read it during 16 hours in the air, so it unfortunately became "airplane book" rather than "literature." Really, no matter how good a book is, at about hour 8 it becomes about "please let those last 50 pages somehow have taken 2 hours to read" rather than about any interesting or compelling literary, informative, or political aspects. "
— Madeleine, 1/17/2014 -
" Absolutely loved this book;great story and historical perspective. Allende has an amazing skill to make you feel like you know each one intimately. "
— Caroline, 1/12/2014 -
" A little anticlimactic - but the character Tete is wonderful. As is the 'villainy' of Valmorain... "
— Rachel, 1/9/2014 -
" As always, enchanting, provoking, and with some really interesting history thrown in. "
— Holyn, 1/7/2014 -
" I enjoyed reading a historical novel about Haiti. It was thought provoking as i look at the current situation in Haiti. "
— Deanna, 1/6/2014 -
" For the longest time, could not tell if this book was fiction or nonfiction. "
— Allie, 1/2/2014 -
" A masterpiece that spans the live of a slave and her master over several decades in the 17th century. This is a rare historical fictitious tale that will have the reader riveted from page 1 and would highly recommend it to anyone whom is interested in this genre. "
— Sydney, 12/17/2013
About Isabel Allende
Isabel Allende is the author of a number of critically acclaimed books, including twelve novels that have made the New York Times bestsellers list. Her books have been translated into more than forty-two languages and have sold more than seventy-four million copies worldwide. She was born in Peru, raised in Chile, and lives in California.
About S. Epatha Merkerson
S. Epatha Merkerson plays the role of Lieutenant Anita Van Buren on the perennial hit series Law & Order. An Emmy, Golden Globe, and SAG Award winner, Merkerson has won critical acclaim for her brilliant work in theater, television, and film. She is a native of Detroit and received a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Wayne State University. She lives in New York City.