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The Matisse Stories Audiobook
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(3.65) - 80 listener ratings
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Publisher Description
In this elegant set of stories, three modern women are touched in different ways by the paintings of Henri Matisse.
In “Medusa’s Ankles,” a distinguished translator visits a hair salon hoping to regain a hint of her youthful looks. Hung on the wall before her is one of Matisse’s iconic portraits.
In “Art Works,” the three inhabitants of one household—a generous wife, her petulant husband, and their regal housekeeper—make very different artists.
And in “The Chinese Lobster,” a self-tortured, anorexic art student confronts the smug opulence of Matisse’s nudes while pondering suicide.
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"These three stories impressed me deeply. Each sets up interesting characters in particular mental states, and in the last page sprung twists that were each shockingly well-conceived and well-written. They hit to the emotional core in a way that's almost devastating. "
— Heather (5 out of 5 stars)
Quotes
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“Hits the imagination’s retina with all the vibrant splatter of an exploding paint-box…Everywhere, scenes sizzle with chromatic intensity.”
— Sunday Times (London) -
“I have the hardback, but it is better to hear [McCaddon] linger on some of Byatt’s finely honed description…Virtually every phrase is a treat for the ears. [McCaddon], a professional narrator from way back, knows how to make each word count.”
— Philadelphia Inquirer -
“[Wanda McCaddon] brings just the right amount of emotion to three subtle and witty stories…The combination of [McCaddon’s] animated style and Byatt’s vivid workmanship results in a seamless and engrossing audio production.”
— AudioFile -
“Ravishing descriptions of sounds, colors, and smells…bring each setting to life and steer each conflict to its eviscerating conclusion…These are breathtakingly beautiful stories, rendered with precision and poetry.”
— Booklist -
“Byatt uses bright splashes of verbal color…to paint word pictures similar to the oil paintings of Matisse…[The] plots are expertly crafted and completely believable, with surprising twists and turns…These are memorable portraits.”
— Library Journal -
“[McCaddon’s]…excellent pacing and authoritative grip on the material won me over. Her narration commands attention from beginning to end.”
— Kliatt
The Matisse Stories Listener Reviews
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" Two out of 3 of the stories in this collection have a satisfying twist towards the end. A pity the 3rd one is so lame. Altogether there are too many descriptions of objects and the link with Matisse is tenuous at best. "
— Pascale, 2/18/2014 -
" I don't generally care for fiction that uses works of art as a point of departure, but this collection worked becaue Byatt makes such skillful use of the themes of feminism and feminine body images. "
— Peter, 2/4/2014 -
" Three longish short stories that are pleasant to read. "
— Jonah, 1/31/2014 -
" A.S. Byatt is one of my favourite authors, and this book of short stories inspired by artwork from Matisse was edifying. "
— Fiona, 1/26/2014 -
" A.S. Byatt is an almost perfect novelist for the Anglophilic history lover. Her works are satisfyingly dense and voluble. This collection of short stories is easier to take in (small doses) than her longer tomes, but nuanced and enjoyable as well. "
— Megan, 1/20/2014 -
" The stories remind how unhinged art, and artists, can be, but more importantly how crazy the art world can be. Does art reflect this loopiness? I enjoyed this a lot and now intend to read more A S Byatt. "
— Nigel, 1/10/2014 -
" 2 out of 3 stories are good. Nice for BART. "
— Jen, 1/6/2014 -
" great quick read...details and great characters "
— Jami, 12/27/2013 -
" Good, varied, intriguing, subtle. Each vaguely inspired by a Matisse painting. Probably worth 3.5*. "
— Cecily, 11/29/2013 -
" Pefect little book of short stories that shows the relationship of art and liturature... Brilliant as all of Byatt's work is. You will fall in love with Matisse in a new way. "
— Jessica, 11/12/2013 -
" There should be a green star for "read it, but don't remember a thing about it," altho that in itself is sort of a review. "
— Ruth, 11/12/2013 -
" ehhhh, probably more like 3 stars, but I started reading The Fire Next Time right after it, and pretty much anything would suffer in comparison. Found this a little literal for me, but would still be interested in Little Black Book of Stories. "
— Alwa, 11/5/2013 -
" Three amazing stories about art. "
— Holly, 5/29/2013 -
" Gorgeous prose, especially if you love art. Felt like I was back in English class. Savored every word. "
— Betsy, 11/19/2012 -
" 3 short stories. I loved the second and third. In-depth knowledge of Matisse not necessary, but probably helpful. "
— Anne, 11/15/2012 -
" Thoughtful series of stories that stick with the reader afterwards. "
— Selma, 6/15/2012 -
" A. S. Byatt is a terrific author. I liked some of these short stories. "
— Kim, 5/4/2012 -
" Not as incredible as Possession, but I do love Matisse. "
— Zoe, 2/21/2012 -
" What I am reading... "
— Alisa, 2/16/2012 -
" Interesting and very well written stories. I found them to be a vibrant description of human nature. "
— Andrea, 9/20/2011 -
" I prefer novels to short stories. She is an outstanding writer. "
— Kerri, 5/2/2011 -
" I totally did not get it. "
— Kara, 3/1/2011 -
" ehhhh, probably more like 3 stars, but I started reading <em>The Fire Next Time</em> right after it, and pretty much anything would suffer in comparison. Found this a little literal for me, but would still be interested in <em>Little Black Book of Stories</em>. "
— Alwa, 2/1/2011 -
" ehhhh, probably more like 3 stars, but I started reading <em>The Fire Next Time</em> right after it, and pretty much anything would suffer in comparison. Found this a little literal for me, but would still be interested in <em>Little Black Book of Stories</em>. "
— Alwa, 2/1/2011 -
" Byatt has the rare gift of writing about art, color and vision. These stories vividly evoke the way that artists see. Each is a gem! "
— Patricia, 1/27/2011 -
" A.S. Byatt is one of my favourite authors, and this book of short stories inspired by artwork from Matisse was edifying. "
— Fiona, 1/16/2011 -
" A.S. Byatt is one of my favourite authors, and this book of short stories inspired by artwork from Matisse was edifying. "
— Fiona, 1/16/2011 -
" I'm always interested in how far Byatt will veer in the direction of being politically incorrect, but then draw back before it's too late. "
— Dwwebber, 5/27/2010 -
" I'm always interested in how far Byatt will veer in the direction of being politically incorrect, but then draw back before it's too late. "
— Dwwebber, 5/27/2010 -
" Three beautifully written treasures to make you think about art and how it affects our lives. A good introduction to A. S. Byatt. "
— Ann, 10/23/2009 -
" Three beautifully written treasures to make you think about art and how it affects our lives. A good introduction to A. S. Byatt. "
— Ann, 10/23/2009 -
" These three stories impressed me deeply. Each sets up interesting characters in particular mental states, and in the last page sprung twists that were each shockingly well-conceived and well-written. They hit to the emotional core in a way that's almost devastating. "
— Heather, 10/8/2009 -
" I only read "Art Work", but it was a very well-written story. Wonderful depth of character combined with a social perspective. "
— Rosemary, 10/1/2009 -
" Her style is elegant and her characters are poignant. Stories are not much about plot as they are about the language and the tone. "
— Daniel, 7/7/2009 -
" Her style is elegant and her characters are poignant. Stories are not much about plot as they are about the language and the tone. "
— Daniel, 7/7/2009 -
" wonderful little book esp the last story. She always does the wonderful little contradictions of academia particularly well. Book work reading for the last story which stays with you like a painting. The woman is an art historian by trade I believe. IT works. "
— Gloria, 7/4/2009 -
" wonderful little book esp the last story. She always does the wonderful little contradictions of academia particularly well. Book work reading for the last story which stays with you like a painting. The woman is an art historian by trade I believe. IT works. "
— Gloria, 7/4/2009 -
" A. S. Byatt is a terrific author. I liked some of these short stories. "
— Kim, 6/21/2009 -
" A. S. Byatt is a terrific author. I liked some of these short stories. "
— Kim, 6/21/2009
About A. S. Byatt
A. S. Byatt (1936–2023) was a distinguished critic and author of numerous works, including Possession: A Romance, which won the Booker Prize for Fiction, the Irish Times International Fiction Prize, and the Commonwealth Writers Prize. Her other works also garnered awards and acclaim, and she was granted numerous honorary degrees. She was educated at Newnham College, Cambridge; Bryn Mawr College; and Somerville College, Oxford. In 1999 she was made Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire.
About Wanda McCaddon
Wanda McCaddon (d. 2023) narrated well over six hundred titles for major audiobook publishers, sometimes with the pseudonym Nadia May or Donada Peters. She earned the prestigious Audio Award for best narration and numerous Earphones Awards. She was named a Golden Voice by AudioFile magazine.