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Restless

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Restless

By: William Boyd
Narrated by: Rosamund Pike
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About this listen

 Bloomsbury presents Restless by William Boyd, read by Rosamund Pike.

READ BY ROSAMUND PIKE

CHOSEN FOR THE DUCHESS OF CORNWALL'S READING ROOM BOOK CLUB

‘Eva Delectorskaya,' I said mystified. ‘ Who's that?'
‘Me,' she said. ‘I am Eva Delectorskaya.'

What happens to your life when everything you thought you knew about your mother turns out to be an elaborate lie? During the long, hot summer of 1976, Ruth Gilmartin discovers that her very English mother Sally is really Eva Delectorskaya, a Russian émigré and one-time spy.

In 1939 Eva is a beautiful twenty-eight year old living in Paris. As war breaks out, she is recruited for the British Secret Service by Lucas Romer, a mysterious, patrician Englishman. Under his tutelage she learns to become the perfect spy, to mask her emotions and trust no one. Even those she loves most.

Since then Eva has carefully rebuilt her life – but once a spy, always a spy. Ruth discovers her mother has one final assignment. This time, though, Eva can't do it alone: she needs Ruth's help.

Restless is a tour de force from William Boyd. Exploring the devastating consequences of duplicity and betrayal it is a gripping novel that captures the drama of the Second World War and a remarkable portrait of a female spy. Full of suspense, emotion and history, this is storytelling at its very finest.©2006 William Boyd (P)2006 Bloomsbury Publishing Genre Fiction Historical Literary Fiction Mystery Fiction Exciting Scary Suspense Espionage

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All stars
Most relevant
My second WB in as many weeks. I really loved this book, even better than Any Human Heart, which I also rated as 5 stars.



His writing is really perfect, racing where there is pace (and the pace is feverish at times) and then meandering and gentle. But the best part is the way he paints the characters. There is more humour than I had expected - dry but still engaging. I was very sorry indeed when it ended.



The narration was perfect.

Even better than Any Human Heart

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I really enjoyed this book particularly the idea that for most of us I suspect although our parents know us probably us better than anyone else, we know so little of them. It made me think about how much I know about my parents. My father steadfastly refused to speak about his time in WW2.
Some parts of the story are a bit over blown and I thought clumsy, for instance trying to link the then present day terrorist activities in Germany with the war but for me they didn't detract from the overall compelling nature of the plot.
I thought the narration was spot on .
It was a shame that the interview at the end with the author is cut off quite literally mid sentence.

Interesting portrait of a family

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This is a book about a daughter who discovers that her mother was a spy during WW2 and also about the mothers experience of the war. The author says he was interested in the after effects of such an experience and how you live with it afterwards. Sadly he then goes on to devote great chunks of the book to the daughter who is rather unappealing. She’s a failure in life having given up on her PhD to teach English to adults after having a (rather whiny) child with a married man. There’s a very awkward non-relationship with a student which comes about because, as far as I can tell, she can’t say no to a date then fancies a shag but it all seems a bit pointless. The interest is with the mother, her background, war and life afterwards. Sadly the mother as old woman doesn’t get to tell her own story so it’s an opportunity wasted.

A game of two halves

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a gripping story with a rich and convincing plot that made me want to drive an extra hundred miles just to hear more in the car, delivered by an evocative story teller with a great range of characteristics.

intriguing. seductive.

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Where does Restless rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

At the top. I will listen to it again.

What did you like best about this story?

Learning about the life of a spy, even a fictional one!

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes, had I had the time.

Any additional comments?

I have not yet read a William Boyd book, and I have read many of them, that is not excellent.

William Boyd never fails to please!

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