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The Reserve Audiobook
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(2.70) - 20 listener ratings
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Publisher Description
Part love story, part murder mystery, set on the cusp of the Second World War, Russell Banks' sharp-witted and deeply engaging new novel raises dangerous questions about class, politics, art, love, and madness-and explores what happens when two powerful personalities begin to break the rules.
29-year-old Vanessa Cole is a wild, stunningly beautiful heiress, scandalously linked to any number of rich and famous men. But at her parents' country home in a remote Adirondack Mountain enclave known as The Reserve, two events coincide to permanently alter the course of Vanessa's callow life: her father dies suddenly of a heart attack, and a mysteriously seductive local artist, Jordan Groves, lands his biplane in the forbidden Upper Lake...
Internationally known as much for his exploits and conquests as for his paintings themselves, Jordan's leftist loyalties seem suspiciously undercut by his wealth and upper-crust clientele. But for all his worldly swagger, Jordon is as staggered by Vanessa's beauty and charm as she is by his defiant independence. He falls easy prey to her electrifying personality, but it is not long before he discovers that the heiress carries a dark, deeply scarring family secret. Emotionally unstable from the start, and further unhinged by her father's unexpected death, Vanessa begins to spin wildly out of control, manipulating and destroying the lives of all who cross her path. The Reserve is a clever, incisive, and passionately romantic novel of suspense that adds a new dimension to this acclaimed author's extraordinary repertoire.
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"Read this some time ago - loved the setting and great story - however difficult at times to follow. Once I finished, felt I should g back and read again - which I did with many of the chapters! "
— Gail (4 out of 5 stars)
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“A vividly imagined book. It has the romantic atmosphere of those great 1930s tales in film and prose, and it speeds the reader along from its first pages…Banks’ talents are so large - and the novel so fundamentally engaging…The Rederve is a pleasure well worth savoring.”
— Scott Turow, New York Times bestselling author -
“A cool noir thriller...This is new and wonderful turf for this masterful storyteller.”
— William Kennedy, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Ironweed and Roscoe -
“At once harrowing mystery, an illuminating psychological novel of subverted love and family dyfunction and a powerful commentary on class structure in American…[from] one of America’s finest contemporary fiction writers.”
— Boston Globe -
“As a love letter to the mountains and greenery and water, [The Reserve] conveys deep feeling.”
— Chicago Sun-Times -
“[A]n almost pot-boiling love story set against a backdrop of global unrest and clearly demarcated class tensions…[it] has character and scene--as well as suspense and surprisein abundance.”
— Los Angeles Times
Awards
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Indie Next List
The Reserve Listener Reviews
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" Not my favorite Russel Banks book, pretty slow. "
— Hannah, 5/17/2011 -
" If you like the Adirondacks and Finger Lakes you may find this book interesting. Best thing about the book, was that it was a fast read. "
— Melanie, 5/1/2011 -
" Nowhere near Banks' other work (which is my abosulte favorite of all time), this book is just, well, fine. Totally entertaining. I read it in two sittings. Moments of brillance, but nothing that'll stick with me. <br/> <br/>The setting is interesting and his descriptions are delish. <br/> <br/> "
— Libby, 3/28/2011 -
" Didn't finish it. I got bored. "
— Natasha, 3/25/2011 -
" This book has its ups and downs. I have considered giving up but something about it keeps me reading. I wanted to like this book more than I did. It is a psychological novel that never really gets far enough into the mind to understand why characters do what they do. "
— Margaret, 2/6/2011 -
" I love you Russell Banks. What happened? "
— Jenny, 1/17/2011 -
" This book creeped me out a bit. Too much insanity and madness. "
— Diane, 1/7/2011 -
" My first by Russell Banks. Highly recommended author. I like the setting especially. "
— Lori, 11/28/2010 -
" My first Russell Banks, and it was pretty good. I don't think I'll rush out to get another, though. "
— MacDuff, 10/13/2010
About Russell Banks
Russell Banks (1940-2023), twice a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize, was one of America’s most prestigious fiction writers. Two of his novels, The Sweet Hereafter and Affliction, have been made into award-winning films. He was a member of the International Parliament of Writers and former New York State Author and was elected a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 1996. He was a past president of the International Parliament of Writers. His work has been translated into twenty languages and has received numerous prizes and awards, including the Common Wealth Award for Literature.
About Tom Stechschulte
Tom Stechschulte (1948–2021) was an acclaimed narrator and winner of the prestigious Audie Award for Best Narration. He had been a college athlete and business major when a friend dared him to audition for a play. He got the part and traded the locker room for the dressing room, eventually taking him to New York City and to recording audiobooks.