The Reader on the 6.27 cover art

The Reader on the 6.27

A Heartwarming and Uplifting Love Story that Celebrates the Power of Reading

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About this listen

An irresistible French sensation - Mr Penumbra's 24- hour Bookstore meets Amélie - The Reader on the 6.27 explores the power of books through the lives of the people they save. It is sure to capture the hearts of book lovers everywhere.
Guylain Vignolles leads a dull and solitary life. He hates his job and his only company at home is a goldfish. Every morning he takes the 6.27 to his tedious job at a book pulping factory. He hates his boss and his assistant but he finds companionship with the factory's guard, an eccentric aficionado of classical literature. On the train each morning on the way to work, Guylain reads aloud to his fellow commuters the disparate pages that he rescues from the jaws of the monstrous pulping machine.
One morning on the train, he finds a USB stick which contains the diary of a young woman. As Guylain reads the diary, he finds himself falling love with its author . . .
This enchanting novel is a warm and funny fable about literature's power to uplift even the most monotonous of lives; and how there can be dignity and poetry for even the most misunderstood.

 City Life Contemporary Contemporary Romance Genre Fiction Literary Fiction Literature & Fiction Romance Romantic Comedy Urban Fiction Comedy Heartfelt Feel-Good

Critic reviews

This contemporary fable was acquired by more than twenty countries. A beautiful testimony to the universality of the love of books
The humanity of the characters . . . the re-enchantment of everyday life, the power of words and literature, tenderness and humor . . . The Reader on the 6.27 is a must.
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This small book has such originality and elegance in its delightful process, and the ordinary Ness of it characters and setting with the narrators charm and poise in executing the reading. Such a delight, and while I shall recommend to many people.

Delightful in its elegance.

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A delightful short read. Beautiful narration - that enhanced the book. Almost a fairy tale but filled with rounded and delightful characters. Celebrating the depth and richness of every day life.

The followup book is read by someone else and I so enjoyed this one (consumed in one sitting this morning) that I feel I'll need to wait a little before listening to it. As having a different narrator just won't be the same.

This is a magical book and one I'll be sharing with lots of people.

Sublime - both writing and narration

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I loved this quirky, unusual story, with its medley of characters who have dull jobs and ordinary lives. It's their reflections about their lives which make this such an enjoyable book. Will the reader ever get to meet the writer?

Quirky story, beautifully narrated.

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Although slow to start ‘The Reader’ is a delightfully quirky, beautifully written and expertly performed audiobook. Really a delight to have listened to and so very clever.

Spectacular read

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The originality, gentility, humanity and warmth perfuse this story. Don’t let it pass you by.

A glorious surprise

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