Beast

By: Judith Ivory

Narrated by: Barbara Rosenblat

Judith Ivory's tantalizing romances are a hit with critics, readers, and fellow writers alike. When the brainy, luminous Louise Vandermeer embarks on a transoceanic quest to marry an aristocrat, she dives into a scorching affair with a stranger on the ship.

Their trysts take place in darkness, so Louise does not know her lover is Charles d'Harcourt, the passionate European playboy who just happens to be her intended! Charles is playing a game, but his plan has unexpected results. Louise has fallen for her shipboard Casanova, and Charles will have to open her eyes to his own charms if he expects to win her heart. With exotic tales featuring radiant women and vigorous men, Ivory builds her legions of fans every day. Narrator Barbara Rosenblat delivers a rousing reading that deliciously amplifies the intensity of Louise and Charles' search for love.

©1997 Judy Cuevas (P)2001 Recorded Books

I needed to stop by and leave a 5

I don’t think anything less than 5 starts does this one justice, so even though I’m burned out on leaving reviews given the amount of titi go through.. here I am.

If I had one negative I would agree would agree with other reviews, the story dragged towards the end. It xo have been better.. that said, it was still 5 stars.

It was pretty good, although

it seem a little different than her usual, somehow.

Great story and narrator. Don't miss this one.

What a thoroughly fantastic novel! I love Charles, the dark, beastly Prince. The heroine is young, but her youth is an interesting part of the story. She has the arrogant, careless whim and ignorance of youth. She also feels the emptiness of trying to figure out who she is at that crossroads between girl and woman.
Their story unfolds in a most compelling, interesting, and unusual way. I love this story. I love this narrator most. Her accents are fantastic. Her voice is enchanting. As is the very story she reads.

This is a favorite book of mine in a long time. I wanted the story to continue past the final words. And feel giddy to write this review.
Judith Ivory is a cherished author.

A bit boring

This book moves very slow I love the narrator she is on of my favorites but even she couldn't help the pace of this book.

Beauty and distaste

I loved this romance as much as other of Ivory’s other books. The retelling of Beauty and the Beast is delightful. Ivory is reminding while I read her of authors of the period. Proust’s accounting of Swan’s obsession with Odette, and Wharton’s Undine in Custom of the Country. Ivory’s characters are not quite so flawed. Louise is not so vapid as Odette or Undine, but Ivory flavors Louise with some of their arrogance, and coldness. Charles suffers a kind of emasculation at the hands of Louise’s blindness. All of these flawed characters only make their romances more entertaining. Ambergris, where it comes from, what is, I also enjoyed her metaphor in a kind of essay on the unusual places beauty can be found. I thought the narrator portrayed Louise’s cool American hubris, perfectly.

best recording of an excellent romance novel, ever

What did you love best about Beast?

Ivory writes complicated characters who are anything but run of the mill. Louise is, in my opinion, Ivory's best. A young woman raised by loving parents with endless resources, very beautiful, a master of social expectations and conventions of her time (circa 1900) and place (New York, and then then the Côte d'Azur) and she is interested in nothing so much as math and the sciences. She knows her own failings and owns them to Charles telling him that she is vain and self-centered, but he has seen the parts of herself she hides away.

What did you like best about this story?

The second half of the story, once Louise arrives at Charles' home on the Côte d'Azur.

What does Barbara Rosenblat bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

She narrates Charles to perfection. Perfect accent, intonation, tone. The dialogue between Charles and Louise is handled so well that sometimes I found myself breaking out in gooseflesh -- and I'm not talking about the sex scenes, which are beautifully done -- but the way they talk to each other.

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

No, I wanted to stretch it out.

Any additional comments?

Some people find the beginning of the book -- letters between Louise's parents and Charles -- go on too long. Rosenblatt narrates them so well that they fly right by.

Not very likable leads

The proposition by Judith ivory was better. On this one, Louise was too full of herself and Charles kinda mean. Still kept me wanting to listen on though. Great performance by the narrator.

An excellent plot overall. Bizarre stupidity meets calculating experience.

Excellent narrator, a skilled American with neutral cosmopolitan voice who did very well with the accents and genders.
bizarre plot with amusing and unlikely twists. beauty and the beast where they both grow up, a bit. the silly rich girl remains so but the mature lothario finds love, for a while anyhow. she definitely has mental health issues.

This Reader Brings an Expressive Author to Life!

Judith Ivory writes "rich" prose that are satisfying and imaginative. Combined with this reader's abilities, "Beast" is one of the best audiobooks I've experienced (and I've listened to a LOT!). If you want a story that is more "movie-like" than the average romance novel - buy this book. You won't be disappointed in either the author's storytelling or this reader's portrayal. She can do all of the accents flawlessly, and there will be no "cringe effect" for male voices done by a female reader. Great book!

Outstanding performance

Judith Ivory writes with such richness that I was able to overcome my rather frequent dislike of both of the main characters. And the combo of Ivory's words under Barbara Rosenblat's amazingly compelling performance definitely make this a memorable listen.