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The Swan Thieves Audiobook
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(3.39) - 66 listener ratings
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Publisher Description
Psychiatrist Andrew Marlow, devoted to his profession and the painting hobby he loves, has a solitary but ordered life. When renowned painter Robert Oliver attacks a canvas in the National Gallery of Art and becomes his patient, Marlow finds that order destroyed. Desperate to understand the secret that torments the genius, he embarks on a journey that leads him into the lives of the women closest to Oliver and a tragedy at the heart of French Impressionism.
Kostova's masterful new novel travels from American cities to the coast of Normandy, from the late 19th century to the late 20th, from young love to last love. The Swan Theives is a story of obsession, history's losses, and the power of art to preserve human hope.
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"Wow, this was an ambitious novel! And for the most part, it really delivered. My one complaint is that the ending was a little too happily ever after. I enjoyed the subject matter; though I know little about the world of visual art, I have always deeply appreciated it."
— Caitlin (4 out of 5 stars)
Quotes
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“Five narrators weave a story that moves through several centuries as it examines the power of creativity. In soft, measured tones, Treat Williams portrays psychiatrist Andrew Marlowe…Heche as Oliver’s frank wife, Cottrell as his mistress, and Zimmerman and Lee as French ghosts all contribute to an exhilarating listening experience.”
— AudioFile -
“The many ardent admirers of The Historian will be happy to learn that The Swan Thieves offers plenty of the same pleasures.”
— Washington Post -
“Kostova knows how to craft a breathless ending.”
— Entertainment Weekly -
“A compelling story…Fans of The Historian have been waiting a long time for a new work from Kostova. They won’t be disappointed.”
— Denver Post -
“A must-read for lovers of historical fiction…The Swan Thieves shows the same meticulous historical research and scene-setting description that elevated The Historian from a vampire tale to a work of art.”
— Associated Press -
“The Swan Thieves succeeds both in its echoes of The Historian and as it maps new territory for this canny and successful writer.”
— Publishers Weekly
Awards
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New York Times bestseller
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Selected for the January 2010 Indie Next List
The Swan Thieves Listener Reviews
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" Absolutely sneaks up on you... beautiful endings like short little films. "
— Kirsten, 2/19/2014 -
" I enjoyed getting reacquainted with the Impressionist artists of France. The story, however, was slow and took a long time to get to a conclusion (560 pages). "
— Lori, 2/11/2014 -
" I wasn't sure I would like this novel. Kostova creates indelible characters and weaves her characters' humanity into a tapestry of art and history. The novel's structure is similar to "The Historian" but that structure is not as effective in this novel. Still a very enjoyable read -- "
— Molly, 2/6/2014 -
" I'd give it 3.5 if I could. I loved the secondary story, but I didn't like Marlow and his romance at all "
— Genisee, 2/2/2014 -
" I listened to this audio book and enjoyed it. The readers were great and gave each character a very distinct voice and the voices really reflected the characters, their emotions, mindset, culture, etc. Interesting characters and storyline; it wasn't your run-of-the-mill novel. I was caught by surprise by some of the connections and I liked that. I thought there were times when the author was long-winded and it took it from being 4 stars to just 3 stars. "
— Mirah, 2/1/2014 -
" Fantastic book. Well-written, deep. I loved it, and highly recommend it. "
— Ann, 1/16/2014 -
" Kostova has a way with both pacing that make her books easy to lose one's self in for hours at a time. "
— Ceri, 1/7/2014 -
" This book was all right, but it just wasn't as good as "The Historian." I struggled to sit down and finish it quite honestly. I guess I had too many other distractions for my time around the holidays. "
— Melanie, 12/23/2013 -
" Fascinating look at obsessive behavior. "
— Sara, 11/28/2013 -
" I was extremely disappointed in this book after her wonderful book, the Historian. This one felt stilted with no flow. Really quite boring and slow. "
— Andie, 10/31/2013 -
" Not as good as the Historian but definitely appealed to my love of Art History novels. "
— Kate, 10/3/2013 -
" Took a really long time to get into - I was expecting it to be more immediate, after my experience with The Historian. Now it's pretty good, but I'm already half-way through! "
— Lizzy, 8/26/2013 -
" Okay so it took me about six months to read this, but it was worth it in the end. I would never have guessed. Plus there's like six different love stories at play. It's nice. "
— Lost, 8/11/2013 -
" Though I am not always a fan of the romance type novel this one does not get confined by the genre. The prose is lyrical and smooth and the story has so many layers that it holds your attention and mind. At the root of it a tragic tale of obsession. Pick it up! "
— Albert, 6/29/2013 -
" Started a little slow, but I really got hooked when the excerpts from Beatrice and Olivier's time changed from letters to short chapters. Loved the details about painting and the Impressionists. Fascinating. "
— Amy, 4/15/2013 -
" Engrossing read. Great for art lovers and those who enjoy a multi-layered plot. "
— Caitlin, 3/18/2013 -
" I absolutely loved this book. Totally gripping. Gorgeously written. "
— Barbara, 10/21/2012 -
" I loved "The Historian" - couldn't put it down. This was a disappointment in comparison. I have a hard time with stories that romanticize mental illness. "
— Adele, 4/14/2012 -
" learning alot about greek mythology and painting... fun fun. more to come "
— Robin, 5/26/2011 -
" I loved this book! It's literary/art mystery with a great historical setting and a love story. Dual narrative. Would appeal to fans of novels about art. Character Driven but with a pretty strong plot. "
— Julia, 5/23/2011 -
" Kostova's second novel is fantastic. Keep 'em coming. "
— Rick, 5/20/2011 -
" Eh. Kind of a 2.5 for me. "
— Leigh, 5/20/2011 -
" It just was a bit boring. "
— Annemieke, 5/20/2011 -
" The only good thing about this book is that it made me want to put it down and pick up a paint brush. "
— Michelle, 5/18/2011 -
" Loved this book so much that I'm reading The Historian now. I wish she wrote more than two books! "
— Lauren, 5/15/2011 -
" Ok -- so I read 180 pages of the book and still couldn't get into the story line. Just not my cup of tea. Doubt if I will try to finish it. There are too many other good books out there to read, and life is too short to waste on an uninteresting book. "
— Jeanne, 5/12/2011 -
" 3.5--a past-and-present story, artists are main characters, old letters, etc. Faye, you would like this I think. "
— Leslie, 5/12/2011 -
" It was a very captivating story of love across time. Very well written. Interesting characters. "
— Mary, 5/12/2011 -
" I would actually give this 3 1/2 stars. Good beach read. I read it in 1 1/2 days. (I was on vacation with no kids!). "
— Gretel, 5/11/2011 -
" Very slow start, but the second half is exciting and adventurous in the way that the Historian was. "
— Kazamov, 5/10/2011 -
" I enjoy a good mystery and this started out OK, and was somewhat compelling as it moved along. The ending was extremely disappointing, tho, and that's why it only gets two stars. Felt like the author just needed to finish it, and didn't do a very good job of it. "
— Linda, 5/10/2011 -
" Absolutely fabulous historical fiction. The characters are amazing. A must read. "
— Deborah, 5/8/2011
About Elizabeth Kostova
Elizabeth Kostova graduated from Yale and holds an MFA from the University of Michigan, where she won the Hopwood Award for Novel-in-Progress for The Historian.
About the Narrators
Anne Heche is an American actress. She has had leading roles in two theatrically released films Six Days, Seven Nights and Return to Paradise, as well as many supporting roles in films such as I Know What You Did Last Summer, Volcano, John Q, and Donnie Brasco. She also starred in the television series Men in Trees, Hung, and most recently Save Me.
Sarah Zimmerman is an actress and Audie Award–nominated narrator. She has performed on Broadway, in regional theaters across America, and in numerous guest-starring TV roles. She is a graduate of the Boston Conservatory and the Old Globe/USD.
John Lee is the winner of numerous Earphones Awards and the prestigious Audie Award for Best Narration. He has twice won acclaim as AudioFile’s Best Voice in Fiction & Classics. He also narrates video games, does voice-over work, and writes plays. He is an accomplished stage actor and has written and coproduced the feature films Breathing Hard and Forfeit. He played Alydon in the 1963–64 Doctor Who serial The Daleks.