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Tulip Fever
- Narrated by: Rula Lenska
- Length: 7 hrs and 24 mins
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Tulip Fever
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Summary
Seventeenth-century Amsterdam is a city in the grip of tulip mania, basking in the wealth it has generated.
Sophia’s husband Cornelis, an ageing merchant, is among those grown rich from this exotic new flower. To celebrate, he commissions a talented young artist to paint him with his young bride. But as the portrait grows, so does the passion between Sophia and the painter; and as ambitions, desires and dreams breed an intricate deception, their reckless gamble propels their lives towards a thrilling and tragic conclusion.
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What listeners say about Tulip Fever
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance2 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Claire
- 04-11-15
Adultery, Amsterdam, mania
Is there anything you would change about this book?
I'm afraid I didn't enjoy Rula Lenska's narration. I thought I would, but she didn't always pronounce things correctly. Her tone was very drab in the low notes and croaky higher up, making some of the characters quite annoying, and I found her interpretation of Cornelis made him creepier than he needed to be! She didn't encourage my sympathy with the protagonist either.
What other book might you compare Tulip Fever to, and why?
I guess the Girl with the Pearl Earring, owing to the Amsterdam setting, its famous painters, the 17th century, and the focus on female characters.
Would you be willing to try another one of Rula Lenska’s performances?
Not for me, I'm afraid. I can still hear one of the characters crying and it was grating like nails on a blackboard. Sorry, Rula!
Did Tulip Fever inspire you to do anything?
I purchased because I have recently visited Amsterdam and learned a lot more about its history, and the book had good reviews. I'm going to read Black Tulip by Dumas next, to explore another/older take on tulip mania.
Any additional comments?
I know this has been made into a film which I think will be released next year - I can see it being more compelling on screen, with the evocative shadows in the dark canal houses, and shimmering reflections from the canals, the mists and sounds of the period, and the haunting pace which could be achieved by following characters around the narrow streets: a good director could make a really great film, but I'm afraid Rula Lenska's reading soured me towards the book more than if I'd just read it myself.
6 people found this helpful
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Overall1 out of 5 stars
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Performance1 out of 5 stars
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Story1 out of 5 stars
- Mark Arr
- 03-09-19
boring and vapid
boring, lazy, disconnected and a waste of time. the romance was empty and i ultimately didnt care about any of it
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Dina Karoomi
- 20-12-18
excellent read
very good story. had me hooked from beginning. reading by Rula was fabulous and very soothing to listen to
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Kevin Crumpton
- 31-01-17
Very interesting book
This book was unpredictable in many ways which made it fun to listen to. The reader was excellent as she navigated between half a dozen characters. I listened on a trip to Amsterdam and it was perfect for the history and the setting the time of The Golden Age in Holland.
5 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- SUSAN
- 04-09-17
Simply loved this book
The characters were deep and well defined. Remarkable story that I had no idea how it would end. Author's grasp of language made it intriguing and smart. Narration was perfect. I felt as though I was part of the story.
3 people found this helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Elise Fitts
- 24-05-16
The ending seemed rushed
Overall this was a captivating and easy listen. The story was interesting and easy to follow even though it switched between several characters. The ending did seem very rushed compared to the rest of the dtory, but it was still a good read.
3 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Andrea
- 03-11-16
Well worth a credit!
I love this book and couldn't wait to listen to it each day! Now I can't wait to see the movie!
2 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- Julia von Schilling
- 25-02-18
Stunning performance
The narrator creates a captivating atmosphere. One of the best audio performances in the hundreds of books I have heard.
1 person found this helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- lisa
- 19-09-17
Finished in a day
It was well written and an easy listen, starts off slow but quickly picks up.
1 person found this helpful
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- Amazon Customer
- 17-09-17
tulips<br />
I liked the various quotes at the beginning of each chapter. It is very well narrated.
1 person found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Carol L. Trapp
- 17-03-22
A good story
This was very good story with a lot of twists and turns And unbelievable conniving! A little bawdy but it did show real life!
I liked it!
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Kaysee
- 30-01-19
Slow, but Enjoyable!
love the details provided by the author and tune of the performance. great story!! love it.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- Martha
- 27-10-18
Fantastic Reading
Story is fascinating! Real treat is the vocal actor that brings the nuances of the characters to life. Brilliant performance!