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The Absolutist

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The Absolutist

By: John Boyne
Narrated by: Michael Maloney
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About this listen

September 1919: 21-year-old Tristan Sadler takes a train from London to Norwich to deliver some letters to Marian Bancroft. Tristan fought alongside Marian’s brother Will during the Great War, but in 1917 Will laid down his guns on the battlefield, declared himself a conscientious objector and was shot as a traitor, an act which has brought shame and dishonour on the Bancroft family. But the letters are not the real reason for Tristan’s visit. He holds a secret deep in his soul. One that he is desperate to unburden himself of to Marian, if he can only find the courage. As he recalls his friendship with Will, from the training ground at Aldershot to the trenches of Northern France, he speaks of how the intensity of their friendship brought him both happiness and self-discovery as well as despair and pain. The Absolutist is a novel that examines the events of the Great War from the perspective of two young soldiers, both struggling with the complexity of their emotions and the confusion of their friendship.

©2011 John Boyne (P)2011 Random House Audio Go Fiction Genre Fiction Historical Historical Fiction Literary Fiction Literature & Fiction War & Military War Emotionally Gripping Heartfelt Inspiring Tear-jerking Thought-Provoking

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All stars
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Love Boyne and I am never disappointed. That last killer line is a wonderful habit of his!

Boyne surpasses again - just superb.

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A beautifully tragic story told during the most brutal of times, the 1st World War. I'm now hooked on John Boyne. Amazing narration too.

Tragic, Bleak and brilliant

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Another fantastic book I couldn't stop listening the narrator's voice was mesmerising .My favourite writer

excellent

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I have only recently discovered Jon Boyne and am now rattling through his work. I love his style of writing and this book is both thought provoking and moving

Moving

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There are so many adjectives that come to mind when reflecting back on this book. Set in the First World War when fixed attitudes were handed down by our "betters" and a man was on Earth to do his duty, the story made me seethe with suppressed anger at times. I never lost my sympathy for the main character despite his cowardice (perhaps because he was the narrator). I am left with pointless, useless sorrow once again for the loss of so many young boys.

Intolerable, unfair, unjust, bloody, muddy etc etc

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What a wonderful story teller John Boyne is.
This is a very moving insight into a terrible time in our history.
Extremely well read.

A touching tale from a terrible time

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WW1, the attitudes that surround those times beautifully and painfully evoked. And the narration is superb.

As ever, John Boyne is brilliant

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Another brilliant story, well told. Loved the narrator too, change of voices was natural and added to the story.

A moving story of the absolute horrors of WW1

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Up to John Boyne's usual high standards as a novel but I felt the reading had too much volume variation to listen to comfortably.

A memorable listen

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Did not know what the title meant. Totally absorbing WW1 story. John Boyne triumphs again.

Fully enjoyed this.

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