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Poor Things

By: Alasdair Gray
Narrated by: Russ Bain, Kathryn Drysdale
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Summary

Winner of the Whitbread Novel Award and the Guardian Fiction Prize

A life without freedom to choose is not worth having.

Godwin Baxter's scientific ambition to create the perfect companion is realized when he finds the drowned body of the beautiful Bella, who he brings back to life in a Frankenstein-esque feat. But his dream is thwarted by Dr. Archibald McCandless's jealous love for his creation...

But what does Bella think?

This story of true love and scientific daring whirls the listeners from the private operating-theatres of late-Victorian Glasgow through aristocratic casinos, low-life Alexandria and a Parisian bordello, reaching an interrupted climax in a Scottish church.

'A magnificently brisk, funny, dirty, brainy book' London Review of Books

'Visionary, ornate and outrageous' The Independent

'Witty and delightfully written' New York Times

'A brilliant marriage of technique, intelligence, and art.' Kirkus Reviews

©1992 Alasdair Gray (P)2023 W. F. Howes Ltd
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What listeners say about Poor Things

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A tale like no other

This is a most absorbing and original book. It is a wide canvas, but beautifully drawn.

Great performances, though I would take issue with a few of the place name pronunciations.

All in all it’s a triumph,

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Such great details in people

Such great book it a shame there a very few books written but the author

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Wonderful

Fabulous narration of a wonderful tale. Haven’t enjoyed a book this good for a wee while

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Intriguing, hilarious and incredibly clever

I really enjoyed this book on terms of the story and format. It's unlike anything else I've read/ listened to, and I thought it was brilliant. The narration wasn't as good as the story deserved.

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Great book

Listen to this before watching the movie if you can, it's depth is surprising and shows how little has changed in the world.

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Thought provoking tale

Great tale that keeps you guessing as to where it goes next, looking forward to the film.

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Discover where your moral compass lies

A superb morality tale…didn’t know there was a film so curious to see how that stands up

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thought provoking

I loved this book .
listened to it twice.
thought provoking and very interesting.
10 out of 10 .

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wonderful scope and story telling

wonderful scope and story telling interwoven with historic fact and flights of fancy. unputdownable and well worth a listen.

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Wonderfully original

The first book I have read by Alasdair Gray and not the last. This is a wonderfully original and imaginative story. it is cleverly structured so we get two versions of events.

The narration is superb. I was engrossed from start to finish.

Highly recommended.

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