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The Hippopotamus

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The Hippopotamus

By: Stephen Fry
Narrated by: Stephen Fry
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About this listen

Ted Wallace is an old, sour, womanising, cantankerous, whisky-sodden beast of a failed poet and drama critic, but he has his faults too. Fired from his newspaper, months behind on his alimony payments, and disgusted with a world that undervalues him, Ted seeks a few months repose and free drink at Swafford Hall, the country mansion of his old friend Lord Logan.

But strange things have been going on at Swafford. Miracles. Healings. Phenomena beyond the comprehension of a mud-caked hippopotamus like Ted....

©1994 Stephen Fry (P)1994 Random House Audio Dark Humour Genre Fiction Literary Fiction Literature & Fiction Movie, TV & Video Game Tie-Ins Fiction Funny Witty Mind-bending Thought-Provoking

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All stars
Most relevant
I'm not sure whether I can really profess to have enjoyed this story. There were some interesting passages, some more difficult to endure than others. I knew nothing of the story before embarking upon this book and having had more than one WTF moment, I'm not sure I would have bothered if I had. The trouble is on one hand it is well written and quite funny but on the other it is also deeply unsettling. Suffice to say if casual misogyny, homophobia, bullying, rape and bestiality are your thing you might fare better than I.

A Challenging Listen

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Would you listen to The Hippopotamus again? Why?

No, very rarely do I feel the need to re-listen to a story.

What did you like best about this story?

Stephen Fry's narration and characterisation of the lead character. The main character Ted is Fry's alter ego having a bad day.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

There were a couple of graphic scenes, anyone who enjoyed the play Equus would adore this book.

Any additional comments?

The main narrative of the book fizzles out o be something of a damp squib. The appeal of the book is in the curmudgeonly main character Ted. Whilst not exactly a person you would warm to - his tirades against everyone and everything he encounters are hilarious and delivered with real conviction by Mr. Fry.

A dark but witty potrayal of upper class neuroses

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I loved it. I giggled involuntarily to surprise of other people around me. But I don't care if they think I am mad as I enjoy this audiobook a lot ;) Thank you Mr Fry.

Marvellous however listen away from other people!!

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As with The Liar, Fry, with a deftness and sureness of touch sets up a beguiling flight of fancy, to subsequently bring it and the reader back down to earth with a realistic, and yet warm and moving, explanation of events. A quite brilliant story by a quite brilliant man

Subtle excellence

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Loved this. brilliant story fantastically foul language and incredibly funny. Not to mention incredibly well performed.

fabulously funny!

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