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Phineas Redux Audiobook
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(4.00) - 693 listener ratings
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Publisher Description
His beloved wife having died in childbirth, Phineas Finn finds Irish society and his job as a poorhouse inspector dull and unsatisfying, particularly after the excitement of his former career as a member of Parliament. Back in England, the Whigs are determined to overturn the Tory majority in the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Since Finn had once been considered the most promising of the younger set, he is encouraged to run for office again. Bribery, romance, and murder are peppered throughout this Trollope novel.
The fourth novel in the Palliser series, Phineas Redux stands alone as a compelling work of political intrigue, personal crisis, and romantic jealousy.
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"My second Trollope having previously read Phineas Finn (this copy was originally sent by Amazon in error!). Once again, after a couple of chapters getting reacquainted with the Victorian language, it became increasingly clear why Trollope's novels are considered classics. Having read Phineas Finn I found the characters familiar and the political sections more palatable. Indeed, Trollope's insights into the workings of the parliamentary process are as relevant today as ever. Whilst some of the characters seemed naive by today's standards (particularly Phineas) they seemed believable although who knows whether the Victorians were really so high minded as regards matters such as inheritance. Phineas has some great friends/mentors with some notable and modern sounding advise on subjects ranging from manliness to looking out for number one. Looking forward to the next one."
— James (5 out of 5 stars)
Quotes
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“There are certain chapters in the middle of Phineas Redux that are Trollope at the highest power.”
— Sir Hugh Walpole, English novelist -
“At its core, Phineas Redux is more about friendship than romance, family life, or even politics…Alliances through friendship permeate political and romantic relationships alike and repeatedly entwine them together…Friendship is for Trollope one of the most stable of social bonds and yet also a transitory and transitional one, another in-between state, that is always in danger of becoming something less or more.”
— John Bowen, professor of nineteenth-century literature, University of York -
“Later Palliser novels such as Phineas Redux and The Prime Minister ennoble—at times even heroize—exemplary characters. The thoroughgoing corruption these novels depict does not neutralize or even privatize human virtue so much as portray public life as a grueling duty (Palliser) or exacting challenge (Finn) to which ethical exemplars must submit.”
— Lauren Goodlad, author of Victorian Literature and the Victorian State -
“There is a case for arguing that Phineas Redux, although perhaps less well-known and popular than Phineas Finn, is in some ways a greater achievement. In it Trollope displays, at times almost negligently, his two greatest strengths—his power of characterization and his capacity to dramatize the ordinary…In Phineas Redux, with its darker tone and more astringent style, it is recognizably a real world with which we are dealing and we pay it the ultimate tribute of feeling a genuine sense of loss when we leave it.”
— F. S. L. Lyons, author of Ireland Since the Famine
Phineas Redux Listener Reviews
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" Another great book in the Palliser series. Loved it! :-) "
— Tanya, 2/11/2014 -
" Excellent. One of those great books where I enjoyed the journey through it as much as finding out what happened. "
— Sophie, 1/30/2014 -
" Started over and I enjoyed this book much more. This is the 4th of the Palliser novels - full of British politics, Victorian society and the changing world. "
— Karen, 1/29/2014 -
" I'm struggling a little more through this series than others of Trollopes. The super long political chaptes get me feeling a little sleepy :) This did have some really good points about how vitriolic the offended newspaper man can be, and how damaging to one's political career it can be if one doesn't vote exactly with his party on every issue. "
— K., 1/28/2014 -
" phineas finally gains self knowledge and finds the love of his life; wouldn't you know, she was always there waiting throughout those 900 pages "
— Riodelmartians, 1/17/2014 -
" I re-read the Palliser novels about every five years. They are just fab! "
— Martha, 1/13/2014 -
" Very heady topics for a Victorian novel. A woman estranged from her husband confesses her love to another man. Murder, bigamy, and Parliamentary intrigue. Fascinating, entertaining, and insightful. Plus the fabulous Lady Glencora. "
— Elena, 1/13/2014 -
" I re-read the Palliser novels about every five years. They are just fab! "
— Martha, 1/10/2014 -
" Perhaps not my favourite of the Palliser novels so far. As others have said, the first half is too focussed on the church disestablishment issue which Trollope must have been on a soapbox about at the time. Even book 2 doesn't make the most of the suspense around Phineas' predicament (which I won't divulge)but it does keep his marital intentions a mystery until almost the end of the book. "
— Les, 1/6/2014 -
" This volume has a little bit of everything--relationships, detective work, politics, psychology--but you won't appreciate it fully unless you have read the three previous novels in the series: Can You Forgive Her, Phineas Finn, and The Eustace Diamonds. "
— Elizabeth, 12/25/2013 -
" Conveniently widowed Phineas makes it back to Parliament to relive the glory of his early political career, but maturity brings him a lot more than he bargained for. I get why people love it, but I just liked it. "
— Claire, 11/24/2013 -
" 4th book in the Palliser Saga but basically a direct sequel to book 2 and fixes the ending of that book :) Some of the political back and forth is hard to follow from 175 years in the future in a different country, but I still enjoyed my time with these characters and the second half picks up. "
— Steve, 11/19/2013 -
" Very enjoyable read. I happened to read Eustace Diamonds first, so I read Phineas Finn and Phineas Redux back to back. He's a very strong character, and it was a pleasure to accompany him through the two novels. "
— Stan, 11/17/2013 -
" I didn't like this book nearly as well as the three previous in the series. Actually I found Phineas Finn a bit slow going too. Perhaps it is the amount of space devoted to the British Parliament. Let us hope we have heard the last of the virtuous but tedious Mr Finn. "
— Tabitha, 11/2/2013 -
" Excellent. One of those great books where I enjoyed the journey through it as much as finding out what happened. "
— Sophie, 10/25/2013 -
" Fourth of the Palliser novels, some people might be bored by their focus on imaginary politics, but I couldn't put it down! Phineas returns to Parliament in this book, but soon encounters some devastating trouble. Of course Lady Glencora and Mme Max Goesler interest themselves in his troubles. "
— Nikki, 10/22/2013 -
" Conveniently widowed Phineas makes it back to Parliament to relive the glory of his early political career, but maturity brings him a lot more than he bargained for. I get why people love it, but I just liked it. "
— Claire, 9/12/2013 -
" Phineas ends up with Madame Max. Poor Lady Laura ends up miserable. Trollope is definitely an addiction; somehow even his weaknesses are charming. I listened to a recording by Timothy West I got through Audible. West is wonderful. "
— carl, 9/8/2013 -
" Another fine novel by Trollope: sprawling, sometimes overly wordy, but full of sharply delineated characters, strange turns of plot, 'happy endings' and life as it was lived by the upper classes in England 150 years ago. "
— Cooper, 8/24/2013 -
" 4th book in the Palliser Saga but basically a direct sequel to book 2 and fixes the ending of that book :) Some of the political back and forth is hard to follow from 175 years in the future in a different country, but I still enjoyed my time with these characters and the second half picks up. "
— Steve, 7/20/2013 -
" I like Trollope's novels. He created a complete world with people you enjoy following from novel to novel "
— Nancy, 1/20/2013 -
" Apparently Trollope decided to go for edge-of-your-seat fiction for a spell. A great follow-up to Eustace Diamonds. "
— Amy, 1/14/2013 -
" Apparently Trollope decided to go for edge-of-your-seat fiction for a spell. A great follow-up to Eustace Diamonds. "
— Amy, 9/6/2012 -
" I didn't like this book nearly as well as the three previous in the series. Actually I found Phineas Finn a bit slow going too. Perhaps it is the amount of space devoted to the British Parliament. Let us hope we have heard the last of the virtuous but tedious Mr Finn. "
— Tabitha, 9/3/2012 -
" I'm about halfway through the audiobook of this, read by Timothy West. This one's a nailbiter. Yes, Trollope wrote nailbiters. :) "
— MeiLin, 7/23/2012 -
" This is number 4 in the "Palliser Novels" series. I love this series! Although this one could have been 100 pages shorter and been the better for it. It gets a little redundant by the end. But a great plot. "
— Julie, 5/17/2012 -
" A mature "coming of age" story in some sense. Unlike most coming of age stories, Phineas begins as a responsible adult. By the end though, he has become a wise and sober adult. "
— Tawn, 12/24/2011 -
" Another great book in the Palliser series. Loved it! :-) "
— Tanya, 9/6/2011 -
" This is #5 in the Palliser Novels. There are 6 books in this series. "
— Maureen, 4/10/2011
About Anthony Trollope
Anthony Trollope (1815–1882) grew up in London. He inherited his mother’s ambition to write and was famously disciplined in the development of his craft. His first novel was published in 1847 while he was working in Ireland as a surveyor for the General Post Office. He wrote a series of books set in the English countryside as well as those set in the political life, works that show great psychological penetration. One of his greatest strengths was his ability to re-create in his fiction his own vision of the social structures of Victorian England. The author of forty-seven novels, he was one of the most prolific and respected English novelists of the Victorian era.
About Simon Vance
Simon Vance (a.k.a. Robert Whitfield) is an award-winning actor and narrator. He has earned more than fifty Earphones Awards and won the prestigious Audie Award for best narration thirteen times. He was named Booklist’s very first Voice of Choice in 2008 and has been named an AudioFile Golden Voice as well as an AudioFile Best Voice of 2009. He has narrated more than eight hundred audiobooks over almost thirty years, beginning when he was a radio newsreader for the BBC in London. He is also an actor who has appeared on both stage and television.