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A Ladder to the Sky

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A Ladder to the Sky

By: John Boyne
Narrated by: Richard E. Grant, Laurence Kennedy, Richard Cordery, Nina Sosanya
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About this listen

Random House presents the audiobook edition of A Ladder to the Sky by John Boyne, read by Richard E. Grant, Richard Cordery, Nina Sosanya and Laurence Kennedy.

A psychological drama of cat and mouse,
A Ladder to the Sky shows how easy it is to achieve the world if you are prepared to sacrifice your soul.

If you look hard enough, you can find stories pretty much anywhere. They don’t even have to be your own. Or so would-be writer Maurice Swift decides very early on in his career.

A chance encounter in a Berlin hotel with celebrated novelist Erich Ackermann gives him an opportunity to ingratiate himself with someone more powerful than him. For Erich is lonely, and he has a story to tell. Whether or not he should do so is another matter entirely.

Once Maurice has made his name, he sets off in pursuit of other people’s stories. He doesn’t care where he finds them – or to whom they belong – as long as they help him rise to the top.

Stories will make him famous but they will also make him beg, borrow and steal. They may even make him do worse.

©2018 John Boyne (P)2018 Random House Audiobooks
Fiction Genre Fiction Literary Fiction Scary Thought-Provoking

Critic reviews

"A deliciously dark tale of ambition, seduction and literary theft . . . compelling and terrifying, powerful and intensely unsettling. In Maurice Swift, Boyne has given us an unforgettable protagonist, dangerous and irresistible in equal measure. The result is an ingeniously conceived novel that confirms Boyne as one of the most assured writers of his generation." (Hannah Beckerman)

"Everything the wonderful Irish novelist John Boyne writes is special...a highly entertaining read" (Jake Kerridge)

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So glad I stayed with this after a slow start as the different threads all made for fabulous stories on their own, but the way the stories meld together by the end was pure joy. Thoroughly recommended.

Slow burner into brilliance

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I love his characterisation and the way everything always links together. Excellent at creating heinous but strangely relatable characters.

Another great John Boyle

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John Boyne is a great storyteller and this story might well be his best. Wonderful.

Engrossing and captivating.

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Another superb John Boyne novel. Great reading by Richard E. Grant. Not quite as goof as The Heart’s Invisible Furies - but almost!

Superb

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I do not normally leave reviews but I had to on this novel. It’s a great listen, strong visceral storytelling. The narration is simply perfect for this novel. it has all my key requirements - strong clear storytelling, not to complex in its plot line, gasp out loud moments, strong characters that you can feel. It is such a great story. I highly recommend.

Wonderful, infuriating and engrossing!

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