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Hotel World

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Hotel World

By: Ali Smith
Narrated by: Siobhan Redmond, Katie Leung, Kristin Atherton, Lois Chimimba, Sheila Reid, Roy McMillan
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About this listen

Brought to you by Penguin.

SHORTLISTED FOR THE MAN BOOKER PRIZE and the ORANGE PRIZE FOR FICTION

A masterful, exuberant novel from the acclaimed author of How to be both and the ongoing Seasonal quartet

Five people: four are living, three are strangers, two are sisters, one is dead. In her highly acclaimed and most ambitious book to date, the brilliant young Scottish writer Ali Smith brings alive five unforgettable characters and traces their intersecting lives. This is a short novel with big themes (time, chance, money, death) but an eye for tiny detail: the taste of dust, the weight of a few coins in the hand, the pleasurable pain of a stone in one's shoe . . .

'Ali Smith has got style, ideas and punch. Read her' Jeanette Winterson

'As infectious as a pop song, the story bursts open from the very first page and demands to be read in one sitting' The Times

'Hotel World is essential reading from a major talent' Independent

© Ali Smith 2001 (P) Penguin Audio 2021

 Fiction Genre Fiction Literary Fiction Psychological Women's Fiction

Critic reviews

Ali Smith has got style, ideas and punch. Read her (Jeanette Winterson)
All stars
Most relevant
I read this for my degree and listened to it at the same time.The persormance of the actors brought it to life. It was a though I was watching a play. I could feel the emotions coming out at me.

Loved it

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What a wonderful performance of this book! I so enjoyed it. Each of the characters demonstrate so well how the human mind works, with all its movement around trivialities, neuroses and metaphysical imaginings. At times hilarious and at other times so moving. Love all the interconnections between the various characters.

Brilliant!

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This story grows slowly but inexorably, to the extent that I had doubts about my choice to begin with, but by the end I was utterly captivated and will seek out her other work.
It works very well on audio and will suit those who like to be captivated over an extended time.

Slow burn

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I loved the way each chapter reveals each character and the insightful perspectives of others and internal monologue. This novel perfectly shows how one small action has multiple ripples of effect reaching further than we perhaps initially thought.

Captivating narrative

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Really unusual novel. I was completely spellbound but I think that was more to do with the actors' performances - they were absolutely brilliant - and I'm not sure I would've enjoyed reading it. I was left feeling a bit dissatisfied with the story but I would definitely recommend listening to it if you enjoy different narratives within a novel. Some of it reads like a poem and her attention to the mundane and ordinary is often beautifully described.

Superb performance

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