Prime logo Prime members: New to Audible?
Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
Premium Plus auto-renews for $14.95/mo after 30 days. Cancel anytime.
Loon Lake  By  cover art

Loon Lake

By: E. L. Doctorow
Narrated by: Mark Bramhall
Try for $0.00

$14.95/month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy for $18.00

Buy for $18.00

Pay using card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Taxes where applicable.

Publisher's summary

It is the Great Depression of the 1930s, and a passionate young man from Paterson, New Jersey, leaves home to find his fortune. What he finds, on a cold and lonely night in the Adirondack Mountains, is a vision of life so different from his own that it changes his destiny, leading him from the side of a railroad track to a magical place called Loon Lake.

©2010 E. L. Doctorow (P)2014 Random House Audio

What listeners say about Loon Lake

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 3.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    5
  • 4 Stars
    4
  • 3 Stars
    5
  • 2 Stars
    1
  • 1 Stars
    4
Performance
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    6
  • 4 Stars
    3
  • 3 Stars
    1
  • 2 Stars
    3
  • 1 Stars
    0
Story
  • 3.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    4
  • 4 Stars
    3
  • 3 Stars
    3
  • 2 Stars
    1
  • 1 Stars
    3

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Like a test balloon for Billy Bathgate that popped

Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

No. I am a big fan of Doctrow. I've read several of his novels. Billy Bathgate is one of my favorite novels. This book, Loon Lake - which I read after Billy Bathgate, really disappointed. It could have gone is so many more interesting directions - but this fell flat.

Would you recommend Loon Lake to your friends? Why or why not?

No - see above

What didn’t you like about Mark Bramhall’s performance?

His performance did not add to the book at all - and at times diminished from the story.

Did Loon Lake inspire you to do anything?

Find a different book.

Any additional comments?

This book reads like a first attempt at some of the sub plots used in Billy Bathgate.

I wish Doctrow would have used this story to better explore the life of the circus/carnival in the Depression Era - beyond the Fat Lady subplot.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

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

Ulysses-like

Very difficult going for the first half, but the payoff is worthwhile. Arguably more graphic than needed.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    2 out of 5 stars

Not my cup of tea.

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

I was lost most of the time. This has happened to me before, with this author. Some of his books I love...others, not so much. The performance was great!!

Would you ever listen to anything by E. L. Doctorow again?

I would try.

Have you listened to any of Mark Bramhall’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

No...but he was great. Actually that was the main reason I continued listening to this book to the very end.

Was Loon Lake worth the listening time?

Not for me.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!