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Fludd
- Narrated by: Gordon Griffin
- Length: 6 hrs and 37 mins
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Summary
Fetherhoughton is a dreary town in 1950s northern England. Father Angwin has lost his faith. Sister Philomena strains against convent life. The inhabitants of the town go about their lives in a haze. Then a stranger appears, bringing with him the hint of something new. But who is Fludd? An angel come to shake the dwellers from their stupor, or is he the devil himself, a wanderer of the darkest places in the human heart?
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What listeners say about Fludd
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- Victoria Elizabeth
- 17-04-15
Fludd
An engaging book that surprised me as it had been a 'chance' buy. The characters were rich and the story kept my attention so much that I listened within two days.
The narrator was good, and added depth to the characters however I was distracted quite a lot by his breathing and swallowing! Especially the breathing, to the point where I was so focused on whether he was struggling to breathe and read at the same time....maybe he was too close to the microphone I wondered, maybe he thought it added to the intimacy of the character's conversations or maybe he was asthmatic.... And then I tapped my phone back to find the spot I had started wondering this and my attention wandered.
Despite this the novel really was excellent and I would recommend to anyone who simply likes a good story, amusing at times with a bit of an edge to it. Think Father Ted with a bit of dark added!
9 people found this helpful
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- Survivor
- 26-12-21
intriguing story
intriguing story, gothic and ghostly. You'll have to make your own mind if he's a devil or an angel. I have a feeling this book needs to be read twice so I will probably return to it.
3 people found this helpful
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Beautifully written
This book is a charming view on Catholic believes but I couldn't get to the bottom of who the characters were, especially Fluid, but maybe that is Mantel wanted: for you to make up your own mind??
3 people found this helpful
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- EMMA
- 23-04-15
confusing...
a story that appears to be about to begin , yet never really does ... lost
3 people found this helpful
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- Catherine
- 17-04-15
Strangely compelling... A fascinating listen
Oh... It is so hard to discern who is who and what is what. A brilliant novel
3 people found this helpful
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- Manda N
- 16-10-19
An early and brilliant Mantel
An exploration of a Northern Catholic 1950’s community. Literary Fiction that is funny yet respectful of Christian Faith.
So good and such fun.
2 people found this helpful
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- Essex Hobart
- 30-10-22
Witty, clever writing
Entertaining listen full of wry, cleverly observed humour. I would recommend this audio book. Mantel a missed talent.
1 person found this helpful
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- writerbytrade
- 01-05-23
An absolute gem, full of surprises
I’d read several times that the late great Hilary Mantel often wished people would read her earlier work pre-Cromwell and having read two of her earlier novels so far, I can see why. Fludd is such a find, hilarious and thoughtful and intellectually probing in a most accessible and delightful way, and quite and full of unexpected twists and turns. Just loved this and a fine job of narration too.
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- tomomo
- 18-04-23
Not for me
A very unusual book. Definitely not one for me. But I'm not sorry to have read it.
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- Norma Miles
- 15-09-21
"I am, by nature nature, mostly an onlooker."
Fludd is a beautifully crafted teardrop of time which encloses and displays the small northern town of Featherhoughton in the 1950s, focusing on the convent and It's inhabitants, the house and person of the parish priest, Father Angwin, and the arrival of Fludd. The dreary little town is displayed in all of It's grey banality and superstition, the author sweeping through the cracks and crannies to open it up to the reader.
The narrator is Gordon Griffin, his reading crafted to fit the text, his voicing s of the various characters individual and appropriate. A fine performance of an outstanding novel.
"It's a wise man who can tell a firefighter from an arsonist."
Stunning.
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- Frances
- 04-02-13
A strange little gem
Where does Fludd rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?
It's among the best.
Who was your favorite character and why?
It would be hard to pick a favourite among half a dozen sympathetic characters. I think perhaps the old priest, because he is so clever, kind and flawed.
What about Gordon Griffin’s performance did you like?
In the dialogue, he differentiated among the various characters without caricaturing them. His reading was very sensitive and seemed to reveal things about the story and characters I had missed when I read the book myself a few years ago.
If you were to make a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?
Alchemy meets Catholicism in the north of England ... but I don't think that would sell the movie very well.
Any additional comments?
Hilary Mantel is a wonderful writer.