• Less Than Angels

  • A Novel
  • By: Barbara Pym
  • Narrated by: Mary Sarah
  • Length: 8 hrs and 14 mins
  • 3.6 out of 5 stars (21 ratings)

Access a growing selection of included Audible Originals, audiobooks, and podcasts.
You will get an email reminder before your trial ends.
Audible Plus auto-renews for $7.95/mo after 30 days. Upgrade or cancel anytime.
Less Than Angels  By  cover art

Less Than Angels

By: Barbara Pym
Narrated by: Mary Sarah
Try for $0.00

$7.95 a month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy for $17.19

Buy for $17.19

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

A tale of a woman's romantic entanglements with two anthropologists - and the odd mating habits of humans - from the author of Jane and Prudence.

Catherine Oliphant writes for women's magazines and lives comfortably with anthropologist Tom Mallow - although she's starting to wonder if they'll ever get married. Then Tom drops his bombshell: He's leaving her for a 19-year-old student.

Though stunned by Tom's betrayal, Catherine quickly becomes fascinated by another anthropologist, Alaric Lydgate, a reclusive eccentric recently returned from Africa. As Catherine starts to weigh her options, she must figure out who she is and what she really wants.

With a lively cast of characters and a witty look at the insular world of academia, this novel from the much-loved author of Excellent Women and other modern classics is filled with poignant, playful observations about the traits that separate us from our anthropological forebears - far fewer than we may imagine.

©1955 Barbara Pym (P)2020 Tantor

What listeners say about Less Than Angels

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 3.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    6
  • 4 Stars
    6
  • 3 Stars
    5
  • 2 Stars
    2
  • 1 Stars
    2
Performance
  • 3 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    5
  • 4 Stars
    4
  • 3 Stars
    1
  • 2 Stars
    2
  • 1 Stars
    7
Story
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    11
  • 4 Stars
    4
  • 3 Stars
    3
  • 2 Stars
    0
  • 1 Stars
    1

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

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

Terrible narrator for a wonderful book

I have been a fan of Barbara Pym for many years. I purchased the Pym book , Excellent Women from Audible and the narrator was perfect. I was so disappointed that this book didn’t have the same narrator.
Hopefully, Audible will offer more Barbara Pym books and that they will have excellent narrators.

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

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

15 people found this helpful

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

Agree Excellent Book Exerable Narrator

Love Barbara Pym and loved the recording and narrator of Excellent Women. This narrator uses a breathy over-dramatic voice that is annoying and out of sync with the material in places. Disappointed.

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

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

10 people found this helpful

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

Narrator more suited to Barbara Cartland

It's jarring to hear Pym's grounded prose read in the style of a bodice-ripper. PLEASE replace this narrator. I would love to have the audios of her other books, but I can't listen to them read like this.

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

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

4 people found this helpful

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

So slow and boring

I only got half way through this book. The pace is so slow and has no energy.

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

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

4 people found this helpful

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

Agree Atrocious Narrator for a Lovely Book

Barbara Pym is a wonderful writer. It’s painful and irritating to hear this narrator mangle the delightful characters and story. More Barbara Pym books please WITHOUT this narrator

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

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful

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

Saccharine voice gets in way of story

This recording is so sing-song and sweet that it is almost impossible to actually pay attention to the words. She reads this like it’s a children’s book, overly feminine, and sickly sweet, which is so annoying and, looses all the subtle humor.

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

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

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

Problems here with both story and performance

I always like Barbara Pym but this one was marred for me by the very dated and racist thinking, very unlike anthropology’s repect for the peoples they study.
The worst thing was the appalling British accent of the reader! Why not use a British actor or just read it in a good American accent?

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

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

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

Barbara Pym excellent! Narrator a mismatch

Wonderful Barbara Pym novel. Really enjoyed it. Surprised that whomever chose The narrator was so off the mark. The narrator was just fine for another book. But not for a Barbara Pym novel. Unfortunate selection.

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

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

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

Incisive and fun insight and irony

Among my most favorite Barbara Pym's, this one reflects her insight and irony at its most incisive while still being fun. In combination with a superbly drawn view into the life of an anthropologist at a particular time and place, this one features Catherine. Catherine, with all her foibles, is a hugely compelling character, and is the perfect (though somewhat unlikely) writer of light articles for women's magazines. Alaric Lydgate and Esther Clovis win the best supporting character awards from me. That's saying quite a lot, as I have never found a supporting character in Pym lacking in any way. Highly recommended.

It is extremely well-narrated. I wasn't fond of Tom's voice, but somehow it fit his character very well, and all the other voices were just perfect.

Many thanks to Audible for making another Barbara Pym available in the States!

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

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!