Listen free for 30 days
The Improbability of Love
People who bought this also bought...
-
House of Trelawney
- By: Hannah Rothschild
- Narrated by: Elaine Claxton
- Length: 14 hrs and 42 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 35
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 33
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 32
The seat of the Trelawney family for over 800 years, Trelawney Castle was once the jewel of the Cornish coast. Each successive Earl spent with abandon, turning the house and grounds into a sprawling, extravagant palimpsest of wings, turrets and follies. But recent generations have been better at spending than making money. Now living in isolated penury, unable to communicate with each other or the rest of the world, the family are running out of options.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Good characterisation of a wealth of people
- By Catriona Ferris on 01-06-20
-
The Baroness
- By: Hannah Rothschild
- Narrated by: Hannah Rothschild
- Length: 9 hrs and 14 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 20
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 15
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 14
She seemed to have it all: children, a handsome husband, and a trust fund. But in the early 1950s, Nica Rotschild heard "Round Midnight" by the jazz legend Thelonious Monk; the music overtook her like a magic spell, and she abandoned her marriage to go and find him. She was shunned by society but the musicians gave her friendship. She gave them material and emotional support. Her convertible Bentley was a familiar sight outside the clubs; her notoriety was sealed when Charlie Parker died in her apartment. But her real love was reserved for Monk, whom she cared for until his death in 1982.
-
3 out of 5 stars
-
More a documentary
- By Chris on 04-06-19
-
The Year of Taking Chances
- By: Lucy Diamond
- Narrated by: Antonia Beamish
- Length: 11 hrs and 55 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 963
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 874
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 870
It's New Year's Eve, and at a house party, three women bond over dodgy cocktails and fortune cookies, and vow to make this year their best one yet. But as the months unfold, Gemma, Saffron, and Caitlin find themselves tested to their limits. Under pressure, they are each forced to rethink their lives. But dare they take a chance on something new?
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
A Great Listen
- By Michele Ellen Colasuono on 11-03-15
-
Villa in Italy
- By: Elizabeth Edmondson
- Narrated by: Nicolette McKenzie
- Length: 13 hrs and 16 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 743
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 672
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 671
Marvellously atmospheric tale of strangers summoned to a grand but neglected villa on the Italian coast. Each of them has been named in a will, but nobody knows their benefactress.... Four very different people are named in a will. Delia, an opera singer robbed of her voice by illness; George, an idealistic scientist who cannot face what his skills have created; Marjorie, desperately poor and unable to dislodge her writer’s block; and Lucius, ostensibly in control but whose personal life is in chaos.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Excellent book
- By david dodson (purple triangle ltd) on 24-02-16
-
When Time Stopped
- A Memoir of My Father's War and What Remains
- By: Ariana Neumann
- Narrated by: Rebecca Lowman
- Length: 10 hrs and 6 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 13
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 11
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 11
In 1941, the first Neumann family member was taken by the Nazis, arrested in German-occupied Czechoslovakia for bathing in a stretch of river forbidden to Jews. He was transported to Auschwitz. Eighteen days later his prisoner number was entered into the morgue book. Of 34 Neumann family members, 25 were murdered by the Nazis. One of the survivors was Hans Neumann, who, to escape the German death net, travelled to Berlin and hid in plain sight under the Gestapo’s eyes.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Phenomenal memoir, beautifully written and read
- By L. V. Smith on 11-05-20
-
Amy Snow
- By: Tracy Rees
- Narrated by: Melody Grove
- Length: 15 hrs and 46 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 961
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 884
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 889
Winner of the 2014 Richard & Judy Search for a Bestseller competition. Abandoned on a bank of snow as a baby, Amy is taken in at nearby Hatville Court. But the masters and servants of the grand estate prove cold and unwelcoming. Amy's only friend and ally is the sparkling young heiress Aurelia Vennaway. So when Aurelia tragically dies young, Amy is devastated. But Aurelia leaves Amy one last gift. A bundle of letters with a coded key. A treasure hunt that only Amy can follow. A life-changing discovery awaits ... if only she can unlock the secret.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Loved this book
- By Hungrychics on 21-10-15
-
House of Trelawney
- By: Hannah Rothschild
- Narrated by: Elaine Claxton
- Length: 14 hrs and 42 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 35
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 33
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 32
The seat of the Trelawney family for over 800 years, Trelawney Castle was once the jewel of the Cornish coast. Each successive Earl spent with abandon, turning the house and grounds into a sprawling, extravagant palimpsest of wings, turrets and follies. But recent generations have been better at spending than making money. Now living in isolated penury, unable to communicate with each other or the rest of the world, the family are running out of options.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Good characterisation of a wealth of people
- By Catriona Ferris on 01-06-20
-
The Baroness
- By: Hannah Rothschild
- Narrated by: Hannah Rothschild
- Length: 9 hrs and 14 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 20
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 15
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 14
She seemed to have it all: children, a handsome husband, and a trust fund. But in the early 1950s, Nica Rotschild heard "Round Midnight" by the jazz legend Thelonious Monk; the music overtook her like a magic spell, and she abandoned her marriage to go and find him. She was shunned by society but the musicians gave her friendship. She gave them material and emotional support. Her convertible Bentley was a familiar sight outside the clubs; her notoriety was sealed when Charlie Parker died in her apartment. But her real love was reserved for Monk, whom she cared for until his death in 1982.
-
3 out of 5 stars
-
More a documentary
- By Chris on 04-06-19
-
The Year of Taking Chances
- By: Lucy Diamond
- Narrated by: Antonia Beamish
- Length: 11 hrs and 55 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 963
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 874
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 870
It's New Year's Eve, and at a house party, three women bond over dodgy cocktails and fortune cookies, and vow to make this year their best one yet. But as the months unfold, Gemma, Saffron, and Caitlin find themselves tested to their limits. Under pressure, they are each forced to rethink their lives. But dare they take a chance on something new?
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
A Great Listen
- By Michele Ellen Colasuono on 11-03-15
-
Villa in Italy
- By: Elizabeth Edmondson
- Narrated by: Nicolette McKenzie
- Length: 13 hrs and 16 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 743
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 672
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 671
Marvellously atmospheric tale of strangers summoned to a grand but neglected villa on the Italian coast. Each of them has been named in a will, but nobody knows their benefactress.... Four very different people are named in a will. Delia, an opera singer robbed of her voice by illness; George, an idealistic scientist who cannot face what his skills have created; Marjorie, desperately poor and unable to dislodge her writer’s block; and Lucius, ostensibly in control but whose personal life is in chaos.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Excellent book
- By david dodson (purple triangle ltd) on 24-02-16
-
When Time Stopped
- A Memoir of My Father's War and What Remains
- By: Ariana Neumann
- Narrated by: Rebecca Lowman
- Length: 10 hrs and 6 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 13
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 11
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 11
In 1941, the first Neumann family member was taken by the Nazis, arrested in German-occupied Czechoslovakia for bathing in a stretch of river forbidden to Jews. He was transported to Auschwitz. Eighteen days later his prisoner number was entered into the morgue book. Of 34 Neumann family members, 25 were murdered by the Nazis. One of the survivors was Hans Neumann, who, to escape the German death net, travelled to Berlin and hid in plain sight under the Gestapo’s eyes.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Phenomenal memoir, beautifully written and read
- By L. V. Smith on 11-05-20
-
Amy Snow
- By: Tracy Rees
- Narrated by: Melody Grove
- Length: 15 hrs and 46 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 961
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 884
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 889
Winner of the 2014 Richard & Judy Search for a Bestseller competition. Abandoned on a bank of snow as a baby, Amy is taken in at nearby Hatville Court. But the masters and servants of the grand estate prove cold and unwelcoming. Amy's only friend and ally is the sparkling young heiress Aurelia Vennaway. So when Aurelia tragically dies young, Amy is devastated. But Aurelia leaves Amy one last gift. A bundle of letters with a coded key. A treasure hunt that only Amy can follow. A life-changing discovery awaits ... if only she can unlock the secret.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Loved this book
- By Hungrychics on 21-10-15
-
The Dandelion Years
- By: Erica James
- Narrated by: Emma Gregory, Lee Maxwell Simpson
- Length: 14 hrs and 29 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 679
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 625
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 619
Ashcombe was the most beautiful house Saskia had ever seen as a little girl, providing a perfect sanctuary to hide from the tragedy which shattered her childhood. Now an adult, Saskia is still living at Ashcombe and, as a book restorer ,devotes her days tending to broken, battered books. When she discovers a notebook carefully concealed in an old Bible, Saskia finds herself drawn into a heart-rending tale of wartime love....
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Lovely story nicely read
- By Mr S Gregory on 30-06-15
-
The Glass of Time
- By: Michael Cox
- Narrated by: Multiple Narrators
- Length: 20 hrs and 2 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 247
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 104
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 107
Esperanza is no ordinary servant. She has been sent by her guardian, the mysterious Madame de l'Orme, to uncover the dark and dangerous secrets that her new mistress has sought to conceal, and to set right a past injustice in which Esperanza's own closest interests are bound up.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Read his first, first!
- By Nathanael on 10-09-09
-
The Dutch House
- By: Ann Patchett
- Narrated by: Tom Hanks
- Length: 9 hrs and 53 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 1,239
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 1,142
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 1,141
Danny Conroy grows up in the Dutch House, a lavish mansion. Though his father is distant and his mother is absent, Danny has his beloved sister Maeve: Maeve, with her wall of black hair, her wit, her brilliance. Life is coherent, played out under the watchful eyes of the house’s former owners in the frames of their oil paintings. Then one day their father brings Andrea home.
-
2 out of 5 stars
-
Underwhelming
- By Ted on 30-01-20
-
A Hundred Pieces of Me
- By: Lucy Dillon
- Narrated by: Juanita McMahon
- Length: 17 hrs and 27 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 1,226
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 1,097
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 1,101
Gina is starting her life again, after a difficult few years she'd rather forget. But the belongings she's treasured for so long just don't seem to fit who she is now. So Gina makes a resolution. She'll keep just a hundred items - the rest can go. But that means coming to terms with her past and learning to embrace the future, whatever it might bring…
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Uplifting and life affirming
- By Saffy on 24-04-14
-
The Secret Hours
- By: Santa Montefiore
- Narrated by: Genevieve Swallow
- Length: 16 hrs and 47 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 389
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 348
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 346
Arethusa Clayton has always been formidable, used to getting her own way. On her death, she leaves unexpected instructions. Instead of being buried in America, on the wealthy East Coast where she and her late husband raised their two children, Arethusa has decreed that her ashes be scattered in a remote corner of Ireland, on the hills overlooking the sea. All Arethusa ever told Faye was that she grew up in a poor farming family and left Ireland, alone, to start a new life in America, as did so many in those times of hardship and famine.
-
1 out of 5 stars
-
Don’t waste your life
- By Mrs J P Bowring on 20-02-20
-
American Wife
- By: Curtis Sittenfeld
- Narrated by: Kimberly Farr
- Length: 23 hrs and 25 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall3.5 out of 5 stars 9
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 9
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 9
In the year 2000, in the closest election in American history, Alice Blackwell's husband becomes President of the United States. Their time in the White House proves to be heady, tumultuous and controversial. In Alice Blackwell, Curtis Sittenfeld has created her most dynamic and complex heroine yet. American Wife is not a novel about politics. It is a gorgeously written novel that weaves race, class, fate and wealth into a brilliant tapestry. It is a novel in which the unexpected becomes inevitable and the pleasures and pain of intimacy and love are laid bare.
-
1 out of 5 stars
-
Childish
- By Elizabeth L Mitchell on 25-05-20
-
The Hourglass
- By: Tracy Rees
- Narrated by: Charlotte Strevens, Imogen Church
- Length: 15 hrs and 4 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 316
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 287
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 290
It's 2014. Sensible Nora has always taken success for granted until suddenly her life begins to fall apart. Troubled by anxiety and nightmares, she finds herself drawn to the sweeping beaches of Tenby, a place she's been only once before. Together with a local girl, she rents a beautiful townhouse and slowly begins to settle in to her new life. But Tenby hides a secret, and Nora will soon discover that this little town by the sea has the power to heal even the most painful memories.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
brilliantly evocative
- By Amazon Customer on 22-07-17
-
The Brightest Star in the Sky
- By: Marian Keyes
- Narrated by: Gerri Halligan
- Length: 16 hrs and 19 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 547
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 362
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 358
Fate is on its way to the tenants of 66 Star Street, bringing with it love and tragedy, friendship and heartbreak, and the power to change lives... One of them is falling in love; another is torn between two lovers. For some, secrets they want to stay buried will come to light, and for others, the unveiling of those secrets will have tragic consequences.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Marian Keyes can do no wrong!
- By Shon-EL on 20-11-09
-
The Gustav Sonata
- By: Rose Tremain
- Narrated by: Mark Meadows
- Length: 9 hrs and 3 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 582
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 534
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 537
Gustav Perle grows up in a small town in Switzerland where the horrors of the Second World War seem distant. He adores his mother, but she treats him with bitter severity, disapproving especially of his intense friendship with Anton, the Jewish boy at school. A gifted pianist, Anton is tortured by stage fright; only in secret games with Gustav does his imagination thrive. But Gustav is taught that he must develop a hard shell, 'like a coconut', to protect the softness inside - just like the hard shell perfected by his country to protect its neutrality.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
An outstanding tale of love,friendship & betrayal.
- By bookylady on 30-12-16
-
A Bachelor Establishment
- By: Jodi Taylor
- Narrated by: Anna Bentinck
- Length: 7 hrs and 21 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 696
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 647
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 644
High adventure and dark mystery combine in a sparkling historical romance, by Jodi Taylor writing as Isabella Barclay from The Chronicles of St. Mary's. Bascombe, widowed and tied to an impoverished estate, has learned to ask little of life. With no hope of leaving, the years have passed her by. Lord Ryde, exiled abroad after a scandal, has returned to strip his estate and make a new start in America.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Almost as good a discovering a new Georgette Heyer
- By Beccameriel on 24-01-16
-
The Light Years
- Cazalet Chronicle, Volume 1
- By: Elizabeth Jane Howard
- Narrated by: Jill Balcon
- Length: 16 hrs and 50 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 422
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 349
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 353
The tangled lives of three generations evoke a vanished world in this, the first volume of the Cazalet Chronicle. Home Place, Sussex, 1937. The English family at home.... For two unforgettable summers they gathered together, safe from the advancing storm clouds of war. In the heart of the Sussex countryside these were still sunlit days of childish games, lavish family meals and picnics on the beach.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
A snapshot of pre-WW2 upper middle class life
- By Knucklebones on 09-01-12
-
The Summer of Impossible Things
- By: Rowan Coleman
- Narrated by: Imogen Church
- Length: 12 hrs and 18 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 1,077
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 998
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 998
Thirty years ago something terrible happened to Luna's mother. Something she's prepared to reveal only after her death. In settling her mother's affairs, Luna finds more questions than answers until something impossible and magical happens.... Luna meets her mother as a young woman back in the summer of 1977. If she can truly travel back in time, she can change things. But in order to save her mother's life, will she have to sacrifice her own?
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
So lovely
- By Emma on 02-09-17
Summary
Annie McDee, alone after the disintegration of her long-term relationship and trapped in a dead-end job, is searching for a present for her unsuitable lover in a neglected secondhand shop. Within the jumble of junk and tack, a grimy painting catches her eye. Leaving the store with the picture after spending her meagre savings, she prepares an elaborate dinner for two - only to be stood up, the gift gathering dust on her mantelpiece.
But every painting has a story - and if it could speak, what would it tell us? For Annie has stumbled across The Improbability of Love, a lost masterpiece by Antoine Watteau, one of the most influential French painters of the 18th century. Soon Annie is drawn unwillingly into the art world and finds herself pursued by a host of interested parties that would do anything to possess her picture. For an exiled Russian oligarch, an avaricious Sheika, a desperate auctioneer, an unscrupulous dealer and several others, the painting symbolises their greatest hopes and fears.
In her search for the painting's true identity, Annie will uncover the darkest secrets of European history - and in doing so she will learn more about herself, opening up to the possibility of falling in love again.
Irreverent, witty and sharply sweet, The Improbability of Love explores the confusion and turmoil of life and the complexities of love, loss and hurt - revealing the lows to which human nature can stoop and the heights to which the soul can soar.
Critic reviews
"Though this novel goes into the darkest of dark places, the overall tone is totally delicious; conspicuous consumption on this scale hasn't been seen since the Eighties." ( The Times)
"Part of the novel's charm is that its characters, rich or poor, are all a mixture of frailties. Like a Rococo painting, this clever, funny, beguiling and wholly humane romance is a treat worthy of its subject." ( Independent)
More from the same
Author
Narrator
What members say
Average customer ratings
Overall
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
5 Stars320
-
4 Stars193
-
3 Stars95
-
2 Stars30
-
1 Stars16
Performance
-
4.5 out of 5 stars
-
5 Stars323
-
4 Stars184
-
3 Stars72
-
2 Stars18
-
1 Stars13
Story
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
5 Stars296
-
4 Stars179
-
3 Stars92
-
2 Stars30
-
1 Stars18
Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- bookylady
- 02-04-16
I Loved Every Minute of It. Great Characters.
Any additional comments?
This funny, moving, satirical story of love, food and good versus evil in the world of art history, art dealers, auctioneers, oligarchs, politicians and crooks is a real tonic. I laughed out loud at various points,seethed at various injustices, empathised with the love-lorn Jesse, cheered for the heroine as she found a new life and romance after the betrayal of her long-term partner and fumed about the duplicity of 'the great and the good.'
A surviving Nazi turned multi-millionaire art dealer hunts for a lost Watteau masterpiece, the Improbability of Love, which has personal importance and and social/moral implications for him. Its discovery in a very unexpected place triggers a story that is glorious in its complex and rich cast of characters, back stories and motivations for possessing the painting that is rumoured to bring love and happiness to its owner.
I really enjoyed the chapters narrated in the voice of the painting itself. That was a clever and unusual piece of storytelling.
The two narrators do an excellent job and make the story come alive, highlighting the comedy and the more serious elements of the plot very ably.
One of my favourite books of 2016 so far and I shall definitely listen to it again at some point.
20 people found this helpful
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Emily
- 12-05-16
Great fun!
Page-turning story and great voice acting! I would definitely recommend if you like your fun mysteries with a dose of history and culture.
13 people found this helpful
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- louisa cook
- 29-04-16
Addictive
Would you listen to The Improbability of Love again? Why?
I actually would listen to the book again as there was so many characters that perhaps I missed a few bits. To be honest I just thoroughly enjoyed it and feel slightly bereft without it.
Who was your favorite character and why?
Difficult one as the way Hannah Rothschild had written it each character had flaws and enough redeeming factors to make them your favourite.
What does Barnaby Edwards and Jilly Bond bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you had only read the book?
I liked having two narrators and I found each of them brilliant. Definitely enhanced the book. Having it read to me meant that I could cook, wash up (oh the exciting life I lead) whilst still enjoy the story, not something you can do when trying to read a book.
Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?
There was a couple of times that I found that I had stopped what I was doing as I had teared up. I don't want to spoil it for anyone by saying when.
Any additional comments?
I followed recommendations by others on Audible by getting this book and I was very pleased that I did. I look forward to more books by Ms Rothschild and will definitely be more inclined to try other books people have recommended.
11 people found this helpful
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story4 out of 5 stars
- Mrs L
- 13-08-16
Not the easiest listen, but worth it
Would you listen to The Improbability of Love again? Why?
I'd listen to this book again in a year or two. I wouldn't be keen to listen again too soon, because it felt like a bit of a marathon (it's long and quite complicated in parts) but it might be better second time around when I'd pick up on things I missed on the first listen. There's lots of detail given about lots of characters' backstories, and it would benefit me to know who I need to pay attention to and who's just an 'extra' in the story.
What was one of the most memorable moments of The Improbability of Love?
The scene in the shed - so tense I almost shouted!
What about Barnaby Edwards and Jilly Bond ’s performance did you like?
The shared narration was effective, I've not listened to this type of audio before and it worked well. Jilly Bond narrated most of the characters' speech, and her voice shifted well between them so it was easy to follow who was talking.
Did you have an emotional reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?
No emotional reaction. Perhaps that's why this isn't a five star review - it was good, I enjoyed it, but it didn't affect me in a deep way. It was just a story to pass the time with.
Any additional comments?
The ending was a bit of a let-down for me, I felt like I didn't need all the information that was given (so many years into the future, presented as though they were bullet points being read) and it diluted the effect of the denouement of the main plot.
9 people found this helpful
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars
-
Story4 out of 5 stars
- Kaggy
- 13-06-17
I know nothing about art but I liked this
I normally have a self imposed time limit tolerance of about 12 hours for my audible books so at 17 hours I thought this might be too heavy going for me. Fortunately this skipped along at a merry pace and I found myself fascinated by this convoluted tale about skulduggery in the world of art and the super-rich. Hannah Rothschild certainly seems to know what she is talking about, (which is reassuring since she is the chair of the London National Gallery Trustees) and I did actually feel I had learned a little about art and the people who make their money from it. There are many characters in the story and not all of them have much involvement in the plot, but this can be forgiven as they are so well drawn and a delight to read about. My only quibble is the ending, which drew a satisfactory conclusion but felt it was a little rushed and out of balance with a story that is so rich in detail.
Both narrators were good but I did flinch a little at some of Jilly Bond's male voices, particularly the Russian who sounded like he was struggling to speak with a mouthful of marbles. Given that Barnaby Edwards only narrated the voice of the picture, I wonder why he wasn't utilised more.
I have heard this as being likened to Dickens. In my view, with its vivid descriptions of lashings of food, I thought it was a little more like Enid Blyton for adults. There is nothing wrong with that of course!
7 people found this helpful
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Cynthia Curran
- 04-04-16
This book deserves all the prizes!
This is the sort of book I revel in reading. It is intelligent entertainment of the highest order. Well-written with a compelling narrative, the novel gives the reader a peak into the rarefied world of million pound art. Along with the presentation of timeless human themes such as moral integrity, family loyalties and--of course--love, the author sheds a bit of attention on issues such as the value of art and how publicity can influence artistic significance. What a delicious pleasure this audio book is.
7 people found this helpful
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Lyn
- 02-10-16
Wonderful
Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?
I loved this book. It has everything. A story about Art and love and some WW2 history thrown in.
What other book might you compare The Improbability of Love to, and why?
Never read anything like this.
What about Barnaby Edwards and Jilly Bond ’s performance did you like?
Barnaby Edwards as the painting was superb, Jilly Bond was also very good.
Any additional comments?
I will be looking for more books by this author and narrations by Barnaby Edwards
6 people found this helpful
-
Overall3 out of 5 stars
- Fleetwoodboy
- 28-04-16
artist of the other kind !!
I'm sorry to say that this was an indulgence by the author to pass on her knowledge of artists and the art world for the unsuspecting public. It became dull, boring and over long with masses of padding so in the end it lost any baring of excitement or purpose . It was clear what would happen so there we're no surprises at all.
Articulate and well read by the narrator's is the main reason I have scored this book so highly.
May I please point out that this is only one person's opinion,mine, a dit could be the right book for somebody who wishes to indulge in name dropping past art masters .
25 people found this helpful
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- A. Squire
- 14-06-16
Improbably enjoyable
A very entertaining story, read well and engaging until the end. A perfect end-of-day read.
4 people found this helpful
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- library
- 23-04-16
delightful
absolutely loved this book. amazing hannah rothschild. could not put it down. very highly recommended.
8 people found this helpful
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- kindle
- 17-04-16
Entertaining, Educational, Endless Characters
I was a little overwhelmed at first with the number of players in this book but was quickly pulled into each person and painting's back story and relationship to one another.
Read this book if you have an interest in history, painting, art dealers, trust fund babies, crooks, the working poor, fine cooking and love.
7 people found this helpful
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- comedy lover
- 15-08-17
Engaging story and memorable characters
A masterpiece. It is not only the story of a beautiful painting, but also the journey of the young woman who stumbled upon it, and its effect on those around the painting. The painting is the link to all of the characters.
3 people found this helpful
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story4 out of 5 stars
- Sharon
- 15-02-17
Fun Art Story
Fun to listen bro while working. Made my day go by quickly. Loved having the picture talk to me. He was quite entertaining.
2 people found this helpful
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Joanna
- 15-09-16
Storytelling at its Finest
From the very first word to the last I devoured this wonderful 'romp'. Quite apart from the first-class writing, the fantastic vocabulary and the feeling I was actually there; the narrators chosen were simply perfect. Discovering the Improbability of Love was a character made me laugh out loud. Brilliant. Please download - you'll feel better!!
2 people found this helpful
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- S D Ackerman - Berman
- 03-09-16
a superb exciting Historical art journey
this book had me riveted from the first line.. a brilliant plot using art as the link through history . absolutely brilliant. a must for any art historian, WW2 enthusiasts and romantics!
2 people found this helpful
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Cassanndra
- 14-01-20
I was sorry when it was finished
I enjoyed the well constructed plot and the sense that this could have been real. The performance was great with a variety of accents that helped you know who was speaking and a gossipy tone. I was sorry when I finished the book because I could have happily continued to eaves drop on this world.
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall1 out of 5 stars
-
Performance3 out of 5 stars
-
Story1 out of 5 stars
- CHRIS
- 08-03-19
Too arduous!!!!
I read one book per week and never do not finish a book. I gave up on this one.
This book was too wordy, too long & too detailed with an incredibly sluggish plot. At halfway through the book details, characters and story were still being developed. All in all boring, long, and too arduous.
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Hoopla!
- 27-04-20
Overflowing delights
What a delightful romp through several centuries of art history that infuse gravitas to a contemporary saga of an ordinary woman attempting to find balance in her ordinary life burdened by her mother, a practicing alcoholic who happens to own a mysterious treasure. Entertained by the profusion of detail, the listener follows protagonist’s unfortunate descent into a Nazi rathole. Gravitas indeed! Special flavor dérives from the expressive interpreters whose varied accents enhance Ms. Rothchild’s story of a significant painting that occasionally usurps the narration to express its feelings about being bandied about.
-
Overall3 out of 5 stars
-
Performance3 out of 5 stars
-
Story2 out of 5 stars
- Catharine Gilson
- 01-04-20
Too many minor characters
Perhaps this book is better read than listened to, but as an audio book it has far too many characters who play too little a role in the story. For instance Vladimir. (And for the life of me it was impossible to understand the reader’s mumbling accent). Why do we bother with him as a character? Having said that there is an excellent kernel of an idea here that with a good editor could produce a terrific book.
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Amazon Customer
- 19-02-20
read this book!
a great read. easy to follow via narration wonderful story. Very fun read as a former art history major.