The Awakening cover art

The Awakening

 Preview

Get 30 days of Premium Plus free

£8.99/month after 30-day free trial. Cancel monthly.
Try for £0.00
More purchase options
Buy Now for £12.99

Buy Now for £12.99

About this listen

Edna Pontellier is married, twenty-eight, and at a crossroads in her life. She is passionate and artistic but has no one who understands her deep yearnings. She jumps at the chance to spend a summer away from her husband and the heat of New Orleans at a small coastal retreat.

Enveloped by a small circle of friends, she begins to throw off the strictures of the 1890s bourgeoisie. Stepwise, Edna renounces her obligations, takes a lover, and is propelled on a course that frees, consumes, and eventually destroys her.

In what was to be her last novel, Kate Chopin shocked the audiences of her day by depicting a woman being fulfilled by throwing off the ties of marriage and children.

Please note: This is a historical recording. The audio quality represents the technology of the time when it was produced.

(P)2005 Tantor Media, Inc. Classics Women's Fiction Marriage Romance

Critic reviews

"Interesting and timely...Chopin's oracular feminism and prophetic prophetic psychology almost outweigh her estimable literary talents." ( Newsweek)
All stars
Most relevant
This is not only an american Madame Bovary/Anna Karenina/La Regenta, it is also Madame Bovary/Anna Karenina/La Regenta written by a woman at last! Interesting how Edna Pontellier refuses being just the property of her husband and children and quits family life. The book works well in audio, as you get the southern american accents, though it gets confusing because of the french names read in an American accent. The voice of the reader sounded a bit boring on the narrated parts, but the dialogues were very well read.

Fascinating 100 year old feminist novel

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Emotionally insightful at times, otherwise frothy and tedious. Probably very enlightened for its time, but no longer enjoyable. Sound quality is VERY poor.

Mills and Boon X Feminism

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.