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Midnight's Children
- Narrated by: Homer Todiwala
- Length: 25 hrs and 39 mins
- Unabridged Audiobook
- Categories: Literature & Fiction, Genre Fiction
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Summary
This Audible production expertly brings to life Salman Rushdie’s postcolonial masterpiece Midnight’s Children, available for the first time unabridged in audio. A magical tale of discovery and identity, Midnight’s Children explores the wonders and perils of India’s birth through the eyes and actions of a child blessed with extraordinary powers.
About the book
Salman Rushdie’s second novel, Midnight’s Children, was an immediate success following its publication in 1981. The winner of both the Booker Prize and the James Tait Black Memorial Prize that year, it also went on to win the Booker best all-time prize in both 1993 and 2008.
Written in the magical-realist style that Rushdie is renowned for, Midnight’s Children follows Saleem Sinai - a child gifted with extraordinary powers after being born at the exact moment India becomes independent. The captivating events that unfold act as an allegory for India’s transition from colonialism to independence as Saleem finds himself 'handcuffed to history', with his fate entwined with that of his newly independent state.
Midnight’s Children is both comedy and tragedy, blending the real with the surreal as an enthralling family saga unwinds against the backdrop of a postcolonial India. A stunning story, rich with vibrant images and delightful characters, it thoroughly deserves its place as a modern masterpiece and an inspiration for a whole generation of future Indian writers.
About the author
One of the most celebrated and controversial authors in modern literature, Salman Rushdie is a multi-award-winning British Indian novelist whose writings on magical realism and postcolonialism have inspired and enchanted millions of people around the world. Born in Bombay in 1947, his early years were spent in India before moving to England and eventually reading history at King's College, University of Cambridge.
Rushdie first gained fame following the publication of his second novel, Midnight’s Children, but it was the publication of his fourth book, The Satanic Verses, that resulted in global notoriety. Iran’s Ayatollah Khomeini issued a fatwa against him which resulted in death threats and the banning of the book in 13 countries. A winner of dozens of the highest awards in literature, Rushdie was also the recipient of a knighthood in the UK in 2007.
‘I am the sum total of everything that went before me’
Watch the exclusive trailerMore from the same
What listeners say about Midnight's Children
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- Anonymous User
- 09-04-19
Good book, maybe not as an audiobook
I enjoyed the plot however I don’t think that the nature of the writing works well as an audiobook. I frequently found it difficult to follow, even when rewinding and repeating passages. I intend to read the book properly to see if this improves it.
This is not a criticism of the reading, which was good.
23 people found this helpful
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- Holly H.
- 09-03-20
I couldn’t get into this one....
I was disappointed with this story. I’ve read other stories by salman Rushdie “ Haroun and the sea of stories” and “ Grimus” which I found wonderfully engaging. I really couldn’t get into this one and didn’t get past the first few chapters.
15 people found this helpful
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- Debbie
- 01-01-19
What a boringly meandering dull dirge.
After just over an hour, I’m giving up. The basic concept sounded good, & it’s a prize winner and controversial so had to be worth a try. But it’s so rambling, repetitive & boring that I keep drifting off. I can’t face another 23 hours of this. Maybe I’ll try the 4-hour BBC radio play.
29 people found this helpful
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- Scott at the Junction
- 08-01-19
Magical, historical confusion
Nearly gave up early on. some great moments but somehow overblown and pretentious at times too.
Good narration.
12 people found this helpful
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- Regina Podsiadly
- 17-10-19
amazing. captivating. mind-boggling
Amazing. captivating. mind-boggling. plots thicken in every chapter like spicy chutney from Bombay. recommending to book lovers!
11 people found this helpful
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- Zoe McMinn
- 12-06-20
Exceptional Narration of a beautiful story
I have taken to seeking out more books narrated by Homer Todiwala - his reading of this magical book made it the best audiobook i've come across. This is the second book i've read by Rushdie, I am not surprised that it was such a wonderful story. Strange, complex, political, wry, heartbroken, arresting and deeply moving.
10 people found this helpful
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- Gavin S.
- 26-10-20
Wonderful
Listened to the bbc adaptation a while back and always wanted to hear the full book by audio.....so glad I purchased this....Rushdie is a brilliant writer, so much humour and dazzling pictures he has left in my head ....cheers man....I loved it again and again.
7 people found this helpful
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- Tommi Jokela
- 04-08-19
Nice reading, book sometimes slow
Rushdie's style is unique - the narrative is very colourful and a bit all over the place. Some will probably find it very entertaining while others frustrating. The book starts out quite slow and you will have to keep going quite a while before the book even starts to focus on its main character. About a third into the book it gets better though and anyone with any interest in Indian history will appreciate how the story connects to historical events. Reading is good and expressionate.
5 people found this helpful
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- Ryan Whelan
- 10-05-19
A tough read
A struggle to readwith no cohesive aspect to the narrative at all. Very difficult to understand overall.
11 people found this helpful
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- Laura
- 09-11-18
Totally unfathomable
This book really was a struggle, saved only by the superb narration. The storyline is all over the place and very difficult to follow, even with reading the Shmoop summaries after each chapter. I persevered hoping that at some point I would get to grips with what was going on but it never came. Unsure if this is actually something really clever and I’m just not able to understand it... or a load of absolute rubbish? Certainly one or the other.
17 people found this helpful
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- Vikrant Vivek
- 05-10-19
Brilliant
My first Rushdie...now I understand why he is in the haloed circles. Great style, tempo, and a cutting sense of humour. A must read for the style of bombayyia and Indian English captured so well.
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- Ade
- 23-09-19
Just wow
What a fantastical brain that dreamt up this incredible journey of a book! I am in awe and feel like I've come across literary genius for the first time in my life. informative and spellbinding!