Shrines of Gaiety

A Novel

De: Kate Atkinson

Narrado por: Jason Watkins

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • The award-winning author of Life after Life transports us to a restless London in the wake of the Great War—a city bursting with money, glamour, and corruption—in this spellbinding tale of seduction and betrayal.

A BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR: WASHINGTON POST, TIME, THE GUARDIAN, BOOKLIST

"Set during Jazz Age London, in all its fizzy madness and desperation.... As dark as [Atkinson's] stories can get, within them always shines a beacon of humanity.” —Gillian Flynn, bestselling author of Dark Places

1926, and in a country still recovering from the Great War, London has become the focus for a delirious new nightlife. In the clubs of Soho, peers of the realm rub shoulders with starlets, foreign dignitaries with gangsters, and girls sell dances for a shilling a time.

The notorious queen of this glittering world is Nellie Coker, ruthless but also ambitious to advance her six children, including the enigmatic eldest, Niven, whose character has been forged in the crucible of the Somme. But success breeds enemies, and Nellie’s empire faces threats from without and within. For beneath the dazzle of Soho’s gaiety, there is a dark underbelly, a world in which it is all too easy to become lost.

With her unique Dickensian flair, Kate Atkinson gives us a window in a vanished world. Slyly funny, brilliantly observant, and ingeniously plotted, Shrines of Gaiety showcases the myriad talents that have made Atkinson one of the most lauded writers of our time.

A Different kind of Kate Atkinson Novel

Even with Jason Watkins’ entertaining narration, I struggled to take much interest in any of the many characters in this book. Ms. Atkinson never lets the reader get too close to the protagonists. Nelly, Frieda, Gwendolyn, Frobisher-they’re all frustratingly just out of emotional, psychological reach. I was left wanting more in depth character studies as in Ms. Atkinson’s many other novels. The settings were more forthcoming and outshone the plot and characters.

Magnificent

True Kate Atkinson beautifully drawn characters, compelling story. Riveting & charming along with murders & mystery. This writer’s style is compelling. Her stories leave the reader satisfied & surprised. The reader is perfectly matched to Atkinson’s characters.
I may wait a week or to & begin this book again.

Very enjoyable

I am always looking for Kate Atkinson's new books. This one was good, too. Maybe not as good as the Jackson Brody novels or Life After Life, but still very good. I love her style, her sentences are brilliant and her unique sense of humor is always a bonus.

5

5 * all around is pretty generous for me. Narrator was a good fit. Wonderfully nuanced characters. Good writing: “don’t do anything I wouldn’t do, leaving a narrow margin for …”.

Improves as you go

I truly loved this novel. The era is one I don’t read enough about. And I love it historical references. The characters, to me, were riveting. And the development of the story was well-paced.
Critics have complained about the ending. But for me, it matched much of that tone of the novel. I highly recommend.