• Beatrice and Virgil

  • A Novel
  • By: Yann Martel
  • Narrated by: Mark Bramhall
  • Length: 6 hrs
  • 3.3 out of 5 stars (287 ratings)

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Beatrice and Virgil  By  cover art

Beatrice and Virgil

By: Yann Martel
Narrated by: Mark Bramhall
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Publisher's summary

Fate takes many forms.

When Henry receives a letter from an elderly taxidermist, it poses a puzzle that he cannot resist. As he is pulled further into the world of this strange and calculating man, Henry becomes increasingly involved with the lives of a donkey and a howler monkey named Beatrice and Virgil and the epic journey they undertake together.

With all the spirit and originality that made Life of Pi so beloved, this brilliant new novel takes the reader on a haunting odyssey. On the way, Martel asks profound questions about life and art, truth and deception, responsibility and complicity.

©2010 Yann Martel (P)2010 Random House

Critic reviews

"[A] fable-type story with iceberg-deep dimensions reaching far below the surface of its general premise." (Booklist)

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What listeners say about Beatrice and Virgil

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 3.5 out of 5 stars
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Story
  • 3.5 out of 5 stars
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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

Excellent writing and reading, but...

This is the saddest book I have ever read! It struck my soul to its core. Because I read for pleasure as well as education I cannot recommend this book to anyone who does not want to be affected on such a level, however the writing and reading is undeniably excellent! It uncovers the horrors of the holocaust in a new and, at first, unrecognizable way. Then hits you with slow creeping revelations.

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42 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

Love and Death Await: Wake Up!

The negative listener reviews nearly convinced me not to listen. But my sister had read the book and was so affected that she called needing someone to talk to about it. Having been prepared for something awful to happen, I could let the book happen, to be carried along by the narrator whose voice and tone I liked very much. The book is deeply affecting and haunting--the contrast between the palpable love the narrator conveys in the voices of Beatrice and Virgil and the horror of the story increase its effect. I cannot say I completely understand the ending of the book; but I remember having the same feeling at the end of Life of Pi. The author almost lulls you into a feeling of safety and then springs a trap. There is no escape. Suddenly life is revealed for what it really is. You cannot pretend or sleep through it. To survive, you have to wake up. And even this may not be enough. But that is what is most true. It is, I think, the author's intention not to make things easy. And it is the nature of parables to reveal their meanings only over time. So I encourage anyone interested in Yann Martel's work to take a listen. Like the hero of the story, I miss Beatrice and Virgil. You may, too.

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11 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars

Torture

Reading this book, with the exception of some really interesting passages like the description of the pear, was torture. The graphic depiction of the torture of animals, metaphoric though it was, was just impossible for me to listen to once I saw where it was going. For those of us like me who read and enjoyed the quirky Life of Pi, and based on the somewhat whimsical nature of this book's cover art, this story unfolded in an unexpected and devastating fashion. I don't like putting the sort of images that Mr. Martel created into my head, where they will remain. I felt blindsided.

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10 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

I don't do reviews

If you expect life of pi 2 forget it.If you expect to get uplifted and smile at a great end, forget it.
If you want to search your soul as a human being
then read it. Good luck and thanks to the author.

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9 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars

Make an informed decision to read this

Not a beach read, but if you need to be reminded of the horrors (word used intentionally as those who have read will recognize) of the holocaust in a novel (my pun) way, then this might be for you.

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5 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Unusual

If you could sum up Beatrice and Virgil in three words, what would they be?

Glad I listened.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Virgil

Which scene was your favorite?

I can't answer this.

If you could take any character from Beatrice and Virgil out to dinner, who would it be and why?

The Taxidermist. Definetely. Maybe Henry, to another restaurant.

Any additional comments?

Virgil and Beatrice helped me understand. I hope it made me better.

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4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars

IF YOU LOVE PI - DON'T LISTEN

I had high expectations for this book. I am a big fan of Life of Pi. This book is a HUGE disappointment! It is a dark, depressing, sick book with no redeeming qualities. I kept listening, hoping it would get better. It never did.

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4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars

Ever have one of those dreams.....

.... where what is happening seems provocative and the story is developing nicely just as the alarm clock sounds and you're jolted awake with that disappointing feeling that you'll never get back to it?That's the way I felt when this book ended. And, no, the conclusion was not thought-provoking or mysterious. Just disappointing. This book really missed the interplay between the good and evil in human nature that Life of Pi had and doesn't seem to succeed in conveying any of its grander themes.

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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars

Brutal!

This is the first audible book I've ever deleted. The violent imagery is not what I expected from the writer of the Life of Pi. The "story" is disjointed, goes nowhere and is just dark & disturbing. I don't recommend this title to anyone.

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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Great auditory reading

Mark Bramhall did an excellent job reading the book. He is now one of my three favorite readers, the other two being Joe Barrett and Campbell Scott.
The story was interesting a kept me involved. Not as good as PI, but still quality writing. It will definately appeal to the morbid soul.

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3 people found this helpful