Poor Things

De: Alasdair Gray

Narrado por: Russ Bain, Kathryn Drysdale

Duración: 9 h y 15 m

Resumen del Editor

Winner of the Whitbread Novel Award and the Guardian Fiction Prize

A life without freedom to choose is not worth having.

Godwin Baxter's scientific ambition to create the perfect companion is realized when he finds the drowned body of the beautiful Bella, who he brings back to life in a Frankenstein-esque feat. But his dream is thwarted by Dr. Archibald McCandless's jealous love for his creation...

But what does Bella think?

This story of true love and scientific daring whirls the listeners from the private operating-theatres of late-Victorian Glasgow through aristocratic casinos, low-life Alexandria and a Parisian bordello, reaching an interrupted climax in a Scottish church.

'A magnificently brisk, funny, dirty, brainy book' London Review of Books

'Visionary, ornate and outrageous' The Independent

'Witty and delightfully written' New York Times

'A brilliant marriage of technique, intelligence, and art.' Kirkus Reviews

©1992 Alasdair Gray (P)2023 W. F. Howes Ltd

Fiction or Nonfiction I must know!

I found this book because I don’t think I will get to see the movie. I have enjoyed the book. I want to know if it’s fiction or nonfiction but do not know. It takes twists I did not expect which is rare for me. I love that they have a female and male voice. It helps to know who is speaking. The book is no where near what I was expecting from the trailer to the movie. The book is way better than I feel the movie can be. Spoiler alert: it gives off “Fight Club” vibes that is funny in how they twisted it.

The narration was superb

I just didn’t care for the story line much. Although it highlighted the civilization and its mores , this story left me flat

Social commentary

I liked the social commentary on women, wives, nurses, classism, science & education vs money & politics.

Great Fun

At first I thought this was just a reworking of Frankenstein with a kinder Dr.
However as the story progressed there was more at play here. While Frankie explores science unfettered and God and man, Poor Things explores gender roles, parenthood, perspective (Think Roshomon) and a variety of other things. Well worth your time and with some unusual surprises.

crazy faire tale

It was a little slow in places other than that made my morning commute better than usual.

Universally enjoyable

How has this book not been reviewed more?! This one has everything! Intelligence, wit, heart…all the things! Fantastic story can’t wait to see the screen adaptation!

Better than the film but not by much

A shallow dive into socialism, classism & the male gaze. There are some great lines and I laughed out loud here and there. But overall I found it meandering and trailing off . I definitely had the book hyped up to me so that may be effecting my review, I do try to take that into account.

As much for what I didn't like, as for what I did

First, the framing device for the story, the competing narratives of the life of Bella/Victoria - one from her husband's perspective and one in her own voice, is brilliant. I found myself asking, not only which was easier to believe, but if there was a reason I might prefer one to the other.

Throw in how the author establishes the realism by creating an entire history and provenance for the "discovered" book, and it is all very clever and worth the price of admission, and that gets four stars.

The voice work of the narrators was amazing, establishing characters that felt real, even in such strange circumstances.

I understand that social commentary is the point of the book, but where early it is done neatly through conversations and the competing stories themselves, later there are long passages that feel more like lectures.

I also could not tell if the aggressive tone in the later passages was an intentional character trait that was meant to enhance the differences in the story, or if it was just the author expressing social commentary and not the character.

I was tempted to go to three stars over this, and the sense that it betrayed the early part, but the fact that it stayed with me ultimately made the difference.

It is worthwhile as a thought exercise as much for what I didn't like, as for what I did.

Originality

I enjoyed the liberated thought and freedom physically and mentally that Bell demanded. The combination of women’s lib and love

The strangeness of the story is great

Nothing to dislike at all completely enjoyably to listen to
The accents on the readers was perfect
Story much more I. Depth from movie
Loved all the new uses of words and the way all the work was worded
Amazing performance by the readers