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The Age of Innocence cover art

The Age of Innocence

By: Edith Wharton
Narrated by: David Horovitch
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Summary

Exclusively from Audible

Countess Ellen Olenska, separated from her European husband, returns to old New York society. She bears with her an independence and an awareness of life which stirs the educated sensitivity of the charming Newland Archer, engaged to be married to her cousin, May Welland. Though he accepts the society's standards and rules he is acutely aware of their limitations. He knows May will assure him a conventional future but Ellen, scandalously separated from her husband, forces Archer to question his values and beliefs. With their love intensifying where does Archer's ultimate loyalty lie?

Wharton's audiobook is a love story that accurately portrays upper-class New York society in the late 19th century due to her insider's view of America's privileged classes. Having grown up in upper-class society, Wharton ended up becoming one of its most shrewd critics. Her depiction of the snobbery and hypocrisy of the wealthy elite, combined with her subtle use of dramatic irony, propelled The Age of Innocence to the position of an instant classic, winning the Pulitzer Prize in 1921 and making Wharton the first woman to win the prize.

Narrator Biography

Having studied at the Central School of Speech and Drama in London, David Horovitch has had a television career spanning over 40 years. One of his most notable roles was in 1984 as Detective Inspector Slack in the first BBC Miss Marple adaptation The Body in the Library. Due to the success of his character, he returned for four Christmas specials. He has had roles in other shows such as Just William (1994), Foyle's War (2002) and Wire in the Blood (2005) as well as film appearances in The Young Victoria (2009), 102 Dalmatians (2000) The Infiltrator (2016) and Mike Leigh's Mr Turner (2014). A long time star of the stage, in 2015 he played the role of George Frideric Handel in All the Angels by Nick Drake at the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse. As well as narrating numerous audiobooks, David Horovitch also appeared in Audible's multicast drama The Oedipus Plays.

Public Domain (P)2014 Audible, Inc.

What listeners say about The Age of Innocence

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

A book I won't forget

This incredibly moving, yet at the same time gentle, tale of thwarted love is beautifully written and very well narrated. The story itself is subtly powerful, and the characters' emotions are conveyed in the writing with a quiet force which I found extremely effective. The language is strikingly poetic, containing beautiful images and metaphors which I found a delight to listen to. The narrator reads with calmness but with real feeling, and I became totally absorbed in it every time I listened. Maybe I'm just susceptible to the charms of this particular book, but I honestly was bowled over by it, and would really recommend anyone to give it a try.

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22 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

Most enjoyable

This book conveys you to a lost world. On the surface there is much that was attractive about the life of the wealthy upper class in New York in the 1870s. In this book, however, you are also presented with the constraints and restrictions of what, all too often, was a meaningless life.

Edith Wharton presents you with the agonising choices facing the young, in particular, when passion and the wish for freedom tempts them to flaunt accepted conventions and morality.

The book is beautifully written with many touches of humour.

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18 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Sardonic, subtle and absorbing

I became completely immersed in this novel and loved every minute of it. It is a masterclass in writing, both in style and content. The social niceties of New York in the 1870s is wonderfully evoked and the characters beautifully drawn. Edith Wharton had a keen eye and a sharp wit. The reader, whom I have not come across before, also did a superb job. So many audiobooks are let down by poor narrators, David Horovitch gets it absolutely right. Highly recommended.

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14 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

A wonderful book

Would you consider the audio edition of The Age of Innocence to be better than the print version?

yes, but I am a big audio book fan

What did you like best about this story?

The family obligations of the time

Which character – as performed by David Horovitch – was your favourite?

Countess Olenska

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

Yes in terms of enjoyabilty but No, at 12 hours long probably not

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10 people found this helpful

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    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
  • TJ
  • 10-04-16

Overall a very good story

It is well written and well read. The story is interesting and had a good plot. It seems to give a good representation of the upper class New York society which Wharton belonged to in her youth.

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8 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    2 out of 5 stars
  • W
  • 07-10-18

Overrated

Sorry I don’t agree with the rest of these reviews declaring how wonderful it is. It’s just so boring , the main character doesn’t come across very well, just rather selfish. The narrator is excellent but there’s so much waffle , when you want the writer to just get back to main story instead of hearing about dresses. Safe your self 11 hrs and just rent the movie. This has got to be one of the worst audio books I’ve listened to. This book could of been half or quarter of the size.

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7 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Excellent

This was a novel I thought I knew - and the movie is so faithful to its detail and tone, it is possible to believe one has read it already. More than the film, it reveals that Archer is trapped and unhappy from the start. This seemed a flaw and there was an impatience that he seemed so passive and so ill-attuned to his own conscience, but this makes the climax all the more horrifying - there never was an escape - and its ending all the more wise. It is beautifully read.

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7 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

What a Classic!

At the start I wondered if there was enough of a story to hold me . It's a book where nothing happens but everything is happening. The character depiction is excellent. I'm now watching the movie and loving that too.

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6 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

I really enjoyed this!

I didn't really know what to expect but I absolutely loved this story and enjoyed the narration immensely. I thought the story was superbly woven and I liked the characters. very very enjoyable

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5 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Wonderful

Edith Wharton's books are amazing. This is such a melancholy story. The film adaptation is great but lacks the subtleties of the novel.

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5 people found this helpful