• The Crimson Petal and the White

  • By: Michel Faber
  • Narrated by: Jill Tanner
  • Length: 41 hrs and 32 mins
  • 4.0 out of 5 stars (1,160 ratings)

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The Crimson Petal and the White  By  cover art

The Crimson Petal and the White

By: Michel Faber
Narrated by: Jill Tanner
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Publisher's summary

NOW A MAJOR BBC DRAMA starring Romola Garai, Chris O'Dowd, Gillian Anderson, Richard E. Grant, Shirley Henderson, and Mark Gatiss.

'Watch your step. Keep your wits about you; you will need them....' So begins this irresistible voyage into the dark side of Victorian London. Amongst an unforgettable cast of low-lifes, physicians, businessmen, and prostitutes, meet our heroine Sugar, a young woman trying to drag herself up from the gutter any way she can. Be prepared for a mesmerising tale of passion, intrigue, ambition, and revenge.

©2011 Michel Faber (P)2011 W.F. Howes Ltd

Critic reviews

"A big, sexy, bravura novel...wildly entertaining." (The New York Times)
"Irresistibly readable." (Ruth Rendell)
"Faber is the master of the spine-tingling page-turner, while creating a wholly believable universe." (Dazed and Confused)

What listeners say about The Crimson Petal and the White

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    571
  • 4 Stars
    282
  • 3 Stars
    157
  • 2 Stars
    62
  • 1 Stars
    88
Performance
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
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  • 4 Stars
    174
  • 3 Stars
    62
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    29
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Story
  • 4 out of 5 stars
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    501
  • 4 Stars
    251
  • 3 Stars
    141
  • 2 Stars
    57
  • 1 Stars
    85

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

I was warned by others but?????

This book has no conclusion 😳 and totally leaves you hanging and scratching your head, what happens next???

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

Great narration, engaging story, but...

I have a long commute everyday, so I'm always looking for a good long book that will engage me for a long drive, and this book definitely did that. First I have to say that Jill Tanner is an excellent narrator and I would look for any books that she narrates. She makes the story comes alive and it is easy to follow the many characters.

I love historical novels that take me to a different time and place, and this book definitely did that. The characters were interesting and story was engaging and kept me interested. I could see and smell the streets and houses of Victorian London. Sugar, Emeline Fox and Agnes were fascinating characters and I enjoyed seeing how the lives of women in different classes played out.

I found the Dear Reader narration, where the author is speaking directly to the reader annoying; it didn't enhance the story for me at all. It also seemed to pop up randomly without a reason or a thread that was woven through the entire story. And the ending... that is my "but..." I'm one of the camp that did not like the ending. I don't need a story to be wrapped up neatly, however using the annoying "dear reader" format to simply say - that's it, I'm done now, good bye - was irritating to say the least.

Overall the audio book gave me hours of enjoyable entertainment with an excellent narrator, so 4 stars.

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

A dissatisfying read

Beautifully narrated but the characters and plot fell quite flat overall. It lacks balance and dimension.

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

Don’t waste your time!

Long and laborious with a terrible ending. I hate that I just wasted so much of my life on it, but I kept thinking it had to get better. Alas, it never did...

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

Language tough with strange abrubpt ending

Not sure what to say enjoyed but at times abit vulgar and did not like ending

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

needs a sequel

A wonderful book...but the ending is so unsatisfactory... In fact, there is no ending at all - there is an abrupt stop - it actually made me mad and wanting. Listen anyway - it is a masterpiece.

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17 people found this helpful

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

Great story, superb narration!

What about Jill Tanner’s performance did you like?

Others have commented on the compelling story and the wonderful characters, especially that of Sugar, so I want to comment on the performance. The voice with which this book was narrated was perfect. It had an edge to it that was bitter and even a little cruel, giving voice flawlessly to the overall atmosphere of this novel. When necessary, however Jill Tanner could sound sweet or lovely, especially with Sugar's or Agnes's lines. The narration significantly enhanced the enjoyment of this book. It is impossible to imagine this novel with a different one.

Any additional comments?

The book didn't end so much as stop but, having read two other of Michel Faber's novels, his was not surprising. The net effect is the recognition that life, and presumably the characters, continues. I wonder if The Soprano's got its idea for an ending from Faber.

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5 people found this helpful

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

I appreciated the depiction of women's lives

What did you love best about The Crimson Petal and the White?

I appreciate exploring historic tales of women's options, challenges and the difficult choices women have faced throughout the ages.

Any additional comments?

Some people were disappointed by the ending, but I felt it suited the story, as our actions in true life, lead into the unknown.

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

Tough but good

Took me awhile to take to it but such good character development it pulled me in. Many frustrations though

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

Slap in the face!

If I had read this book and gotten to that ending?!?!?! I would have LOST MY SH*T! I only listened to 32hours and still wanted to scream at the end!!!! R U kidding me?!?!?! 32 hours and THAT was the end?? Had I known that it would end in that manner I NEVER would have listened! It started great!! A cool story being told in a 3rd person perspective… lots and lots of build up…. Then…. NADA, NOTHING!!! Ugh!!!!! The narrator was great. The idea of this story was great….

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