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Madame Burova
- Narrated by: Nina Wadia
- Length: 7 hrs and 55 mins
- Unabridged Audiobook
- Categories: Literature & Fiction, Genre Fiction
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Summary
Madame Burova - tarot reader, palmist and clairvoyant is retiring and leaving her booth on the Brighton seafront after 50 years, but before she does she has some promises to keep and some secrets to reveal - the new novel from The Sunday Times best-selling author of The Keeper of Lost Things.
Imelda Burova has spent a lifetime keeping other people's secrets, and her silence has come at a price. She has seen the lovers and the liars, the angels and the devils, the dreamers and the fools. Her cards had unmasked them all, and her cards never lied. But Madame Burova is weary of other people's lives and other people's secrets; she needs rest and a little piece of life for herself. Before that, however, she has to fulfil a promise made a long time ago. She holds two brown envelopes in her hand, and she has to deliver them.
In London, it is time for another woman to make a fresh start. Billie has lost her university job, her marriage and her place in the world when she discovers something that leaves her very identity in question. Determined to find answers, she must follow a trail which might just lead right to Madame Burova's door.
In a story spanning over 50 years, Ruth Hogan conjures a magical world of 1970s holiday camps and seaside entertainers, eccentrics, heroes and villains, the lost and the found. Young people, with their lives before them, make choices which echo down the years. And a wall of death rider is part of a love story which will last through time.
What listeners say about Madame Burova
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- Ms. M. Gendiboyd-nayli
- 04-04-21
An Book of Characters, With Little Story to Tell
I was hoping this book would delve into the lives of the characters the fortune teller had met on her journey through the story. The scene was a great setting just the story lacked umph. Shame as the author had the opportunity to bring in a lot more depth to the characters and the storyline. However, the narrator was good, and captured the characters well, and was the main reason I kept on listening
3 people found this helpful
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- Nicky W
- 04-04-21
Beautiful
I loved this book as much as I did the 1st and 3rd audio book. Lovely narrator
Thank you Ruth Hogan
3 people found this helpful
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- barbara
- 09-04-21
Escapism
Crime & thrillers are my usual listen but now & then I like to escape . Ruth hogan is brilliant for this . Beautifully read by Nina Wadia. 5 stars all round .
2 people found this helpful
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- mrs jane kennedy
- 26-07-21
Warm brilliant loved it!
Fantastic listen.
One of my top favourite books.
Listen ... you will not regret it !
Beautiful story.
1 person found this helpful
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- Queen Janey
- 14-04-21
Terrible
This book is awful. I gave up after about 3 chapters because it’s utter drivel. There is no substance or really story
1 person found this helpful
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- Ian
- 13-04-21
Okay, but thin.
I feel a little bad giving it a rating because it isn't my kind of book. I can imagine someone liking these kind of books and this one would be absolutely fine.
I got recommended it by Audible as 'Magical Realism'. It absolutely is not. One of the characters is a professional clairvoyant. There is one early scene which sets up some interesting alternate reality. But absolutely nothing comes of it. It isn't mentioned. It's an occasional tarot card reading from there on. Only one having a very tiny story significance, but far from being a revelation.
This is a rather simple romantic relationship story. Of the kind when the event happened decades ago, but you spend the book waiting for them to tell you. Though it wasn't the most emotional journey, it got a bit of a 'aw' happy ending.
The writing is reasonable. Occasionally there are juicy descriptions, but language is not the author's main interest. (Also categorised by Audible under 'Literary Fiction', um.)
Nina Wadia does a superb job of voicing the characters with slightly different accents and styles of speaking. And interestingly dropping her voice or speeding through the occasional clunky sentence.
There is a good range of characters. Different enough so they don't get too muddy. But none of them have particularly deep personalities. One of the two main characters is defined by the relationship question (50 years ago, did her man love her?). A second is mostly characterised by her hat.
But it was the setting I thought particularly disappointing. A clairvoyant, with early established supernatural powers, in a community of sideshow workers (wall of death rider, contortionist, underwater dancers) Oh yes please, nice setup! Imagine if some of those, like the clairvoyant, weren't just acting! Let's go... But no, a sitcom, instead (with one weird chapter of Downton Abbey inexplicable set in the late 90s!). A smattering of sexual harassment and racism... could be interesting drama, could have a point. But both are wrapped up in cheap wish-fulfilment pages. Passed by, to return to the relationship angst. The three prominent pet dogs get more frequent mentions. What a shame.
So yes. If you want a relationship tale, this book may push all the right buttons for you. If you enjoy the occasional juicy detail about what fashion the characters are wearing, this may also work. If you know in advance that the setting is a thin painted backdrop to the story, not the story itself. And particularly if you read a lot of books with this kind of storyline I think this won't disappoint.
But, sadly, don't believe the 'magical realism' tag.
1 person found this helpful
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- vallonaise
- 04-04-22
Not worth reading
I found this to be a highly irritating read/listen. I enjoyed The Keep of Lost Things but his was not worth the investment of time. The prose is overly descriptive and the plot is dull. I couldn't be interested in any of the characters with their silly ways and expressions, and I found the whole experience unremarkable. I don't really know how I got to the end and truly wish I hadn't.
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- Ms.C
- 24-03-22
Brilliant
Very much enjoyed it, 5* audio version, excellent Narrator,.puts feelings & energy into her words.
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- Donna W.
- 26-08-21
A right good listen
this was the first audio book I bought that I hadn't previously read and I found it a really relaxing listen.
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- Gina L
- 06-08-21
Beautiful
I just loved this book. Seemless jumping between the past and the present and such a gripping story to keep you enthralled.