The Swan Thieves

By: Elizabeth Kostova

Narrated by: Treat Williams, Anne Heche, Erin Cottrell, Sarah Zimmerman, John Lee

Length: 17 hrs and 56 mins

Publisher's summary

Psychiatrist Andrew Marlowe has a perfectly ordered life--solitary, perhaps, but full of devotion to his profession and the painting hobby he loves. This order is destroyed when renowned painter Robert Oliver attacks a canvas in the National Gallery of Art and becomes his patient. In response, Marlowe finds himself going beyond his own legal and ethical boundaries to understand the secret that torments this genius, a journey that will lead him into the lives of the women closest to Robert Oliver and toward a tragedy at the heart of French Impressionism.

Ranging from American museums to the coast of Normandy, from the late 19th century to the late twentieth, from young love to last love, The Swan Thieves is a story of obsession, the losses of history, and the power of art to preserve human hope.

©2010 Elizabeth Kostova (P)2010 Hachette

A great listen!!!

I thoroughly enjoyed this story, I found myself looking forward to my commutes and this is usually a good gauge for me. The narration was quite good and well suited to the characters I thought. I was not bored with the story - maybe because I have an art background and loved the subject, but it was really very well done with a lot going on especially at the end of the storyline. It may not be for everyone - but then what story is!

Slow build to nothing

Kostova is talented. No one can doubt that. Her imagination hit the ceiling in The Historian. But sadly, The Swan Thieves didn't make it off the desk. Her characters were beautiful and deep, but went nowhere. The ever intriguing plot bounced around the centuries, tying in several characters to a certain theme and object. This object was referred to early on, but never really mentioned again, unlike the dragon book in The Historian. In her way, Kostova winds and unravels people and their stories in the only way she can do. However, the climax was predictable, low reaching the "could have" goal, and ....boring. I only kept up the book, all 3 parts, to see if the twists and turns are as good as their predecessor. It was disappointing. The plot and climax could have been so much better. Being a historian allows me to see the research, drive, and complexity of her work, but as a reader, I was expecting much more.

Patience Young Grasshoper

I almost quit. I put it down then started and finished another book, and came back to The Swan Thieves. But I am glad I re-engaged as the second half was so amazing. Yes, it took forever to get past the character setup. I must say, I liked the last half so much I listened to parts of it again. If you love the process of painting and making art and Art History you will enjoy the book. But you must be patient. The second narrative is amazing. The back story was a bit wearing and redundant. But I so enjoyed the time in France and the unraveling of the mystery. Not sure about the reality of the doctor patient component, a bit far fetched. Not entirely believable, but a great tale with an elegant story telling style and so many twists and turns. Just be very patient

compelling but awkward

The characters were interesting and the storytelling deep and complex as with her other books, but I found the psychiatrist's compulsion to investigate strange and disturbing. If I had heard about this in real life, I would have reported him to ethics boards immediately. his inappropriate behavior again and again was distracting and felt a very wrong narrative device to move the story forward. I finished feeling like I liked the idea of the book, but not the execution.

Excellent Novel Superbly Read

I really enjoyed this novel. It was hauntingly lovely, and the readers were superb. I was very impressed with Sarah Zimmerman and John Lee, who read French-speaking characters, which can be particularly tricky. Ms. Zimmerman was especially charming. She made her character positively sparkle! Thank you, Elizabeth Kostova, and thank you to the entire cast for one of the most enjoyable listens I've heard this year!

Loved it!

Outstanding story, and I enjoyed listening to it with the actors' accents and dramatic presentation -- a little music here and there. Great! I enjoy reading, and having a book to listen to allows me to make good use of my drive time. I also listen on my iPod while I'm doing housework.

The Swan Thieves

Excellent, beautiful imagery. Particularly for those who love art.

Treat was a disappointment

Book is so-so. Treat is a one-dimensional voice. Disappointed.

Oh my! I may have dated Oliver...

...at least his type anyway. Great fiction! many great description of painters and their relationships.

Two stories - one good book

Very well put together book. Some twists and turns but I feel I always knew where the book was going. The narrators did a great job.