Ayala's Angel

By: Anthony Trollope

Narrated by: Katharine Brooks

Length: 19 hrs and 17 mins

Publisher's summary

"Ayala's Angel" (1878) is a novel by Anthony Trollope. The story focuses on two orphaned sisters, Ayala and Lucy Dormer, and their trials, first with their relatives, then of the heart. As in most Trollope novels, pages are given over to subplots related to the main plot.

Excerpt from the book:

"It was now the beginning of February. As Tom and his uncle had walked from Somerset House the streets were dry and the weather fine; but, as Mr. Dosett had remarked, the wind was changing a little out of the east and threatened rain. When Tom left the house it was already falling. He had walked there with a top coat and umbrella, but he had forgotten both as he banged the door after him in his passion; and, though he remembered them as he hurried down the steps, he would not turn and knock at the door and ask for them. He was in that humour which converts outward bodily sufferings almost into a relief."

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Great story! Poor narration.

This was a great Trollope love story about our silly ideas of love. I laughed out loud several times. But the narration was not good. Sound quality was fine, but the narrator didn’t pause between paragraphs and it was often hard to follow where the reader was located inside the story.

Very enjoyable overall

I read this as a paper book, and enjoyed it, then saw this on audible- the reader is not a great favorite, but she does a good job, and clearly reads as though she understands the story completely. If you are a fan of Trollope, you’ll like it. You can adjust the speed of the narration if you like to do that

Very good

Actually the narrator is very good, very soothing voice, don’t understand why some people didn’t like it

Great Story for Trollope Fans

I'm crazy for Trollope audio novels read by English readers, and Katharine Brooks has a smooth RP British reading voice which gives this 19th century the right nuances. I'm a little sad it's over. I became quite interested in the characters as the novel developed, and I'd like these ones to go on as in the Barchester chronicles. I really like Victorian novels, and Trollope in particular. I'm very happy with the novel and the reader.

Lesser known Trollope novel is very good

Reading Trollope’s best novels is joining the lives of his characters until you have to let them go at the end. This ranks as very good. Ayala acknowledges her perversity/stubborn romantic notions to the confounding of the more practical/realistic people in her life. Blessed with several heroes, two uncles, one a wealthy arriviste with a generous heart, another who has little but generous with his humble home; the Angel, Jonathan Stubbs who marries her. Ayala is a timeless young beauty intent upon a fairytale.

Narrator has a mouthful of mashed potatoes

Katherine Brooks mumbles so badly that she might as well be speaking in a foreign language, or at least, a strong dialect. She sounds like her mouth is stuffed with mashed potatoes. This potentially entertaining novel is spoiled by her narration.

Worst of narratins

This is probably a good story as most of Trollope's. Who can tell the narrator just reads the book with no effort th express anything. She simply goes on and on ,making a very dull listen. In this case you get what you pay for. I've listened to other audible books that in spite of the low price are much better narrated.