Bloomsbury Girls

A Novel

By: Natalie Jenner

Narrated by: Juliet Stevenson

Length: 12 hrs and 29 mins

Publisher's summary

Named a Most Anticipated Book of 2022 by Katie Couric Media, Audible, the CBC, the Globe and Mail, BookBub, POPSUGAR, SheReads, Women.com and more!

“Juliet Stevenson’s luminous narration is a delight for the ears and makes for an entertaining and moving listening experience.”–Library Journal (Starred review)

"Juliet Stevenson's performance of this novel about a post-WWII bookshop is vocal virtuosity."—AudioFile

“Juliet Stevenson narrates the novel in her lovely, versatile voice, nicely capturing different personalities of the book”–The Washington Post

Multi-award-winning actor Juliet Stevenson narrates this Earphones Award-winning, heartwarming audiobook from the internationally bestselling author of The Jane Austen Society. Natalie Jenner returns with a compelling story of postwar London, a century-old bookstore, and three women determined to find their way in a fast-changing world in Bloomsbury Girls.

Bloomsbury Books is an old-fashioned new and rare book store that has persisted and resisted change for a hundred years, run by men and guided by the general manager's unbreakable fifty-one rules. But in 1950, the world is changing, especially the world of books and publishing, and at Bloomsbury Books, the girls in the shop have plans:

Vivien Lowry: Single since her aristocratic fiance was killed in action during World War II, the brilliant and stylish Vivien has a long list of grievances—most of them well justified and the biggest of which is Alec McDonough, the Head of Fiction.

Grace Perkins: Married with two sons, she's been working to support the family following her husband's breakdown in the aftermath of the war. Torn between duty to her family and dreams of her own.

Evie Stone: In the first class of female students from Cambridge permitted to earn a degree, Evie was denied an academic position in favor of her less accomplished male rival. Now she's working at Bloomsbury Books while she plans to remake her own future.

As they interact with various literary figures of the time—Daphne Du Maurier, Ellen Doubleday, Sonia Blair (widow of George Orwell), Samuel Beckett, Peggy Guggenheim, and others—these three women with their complex web of relationships, goals and dreams are all working to plot out a future that is richer and more rewarding than anything society will allow.

A Macmillan Audio production from St. Martin's Press.

©2022 Natalie Jenner (P)2022 Macmillan Audio

Critic reviews

"Juliet Stevenson's performance of this novel about a post-WWII bookshop is vocal virtuosity. Stevenson enlivens a multitude of characters through a spectrum of dialects spanning from plummy to country.... Stevenson delivers the satisfying triumph at the end with perfect polish." (AudioFile)

Delightfully good!

I agree with others that this book started out a bit slow, but after awhile I couldn’t stop listening! As someone familiar with the oppression of women in the workplace, I cheered on these three wonderful women and the other women that came along. Stick with it, you won’t be disappointed!

Bloomsbury Girls

Slow at first then finished great! The characters can be a bit confusing to keep track of but each develops into full bloom by the end.

Enjoyed it

Perhaps it’d because ai don’t listen at 2 speed but I didn’t find the story slow or boring. I wanted to know how it ended. Lots of characters to keep straight but an enjoyable book. Voice performer was superb!

Soul Uplifting

A delightful listening experience ! Highly recommended. A glimpse into life without mobile phones and social media.

Such an exceptionally well written book

What was not to love about this exquisite book, another masterpiece from a gifted writer. This book is filled with so many wonderful characters, especially Grace, Vivian, and Evie. The telling of the three women's story was storytelling at its finest. I felt like I had visited London myself the way the author described the setting, scenes, and landmarks;so very descriptive. This book was selected by the ladies living on our neighborhood street for our June book club book which I will be hosting. The narrator knocked this read out of the ball park. What an ward winning performance by Juliet Stevenson. She is on my list to listen to her past as well as future narrations. I purchased this book for my home library and read along while listening to Audible's production. I will gobble up any and every future book Natalie Jenner creates in the future. Be sure and search for the author's interviews online and sign up for her newsletter. Her love for the books she has written shines through in her interviews. This author is passionate about the stories she has written. She puts her all into her books and does not settle for less. Thank you Natalie Jenner!👏📚

Let's Hear It for Women!

I was instantly in love with Evie's character. Her quiet demeanor made me feel at home and not alone in this world of quiet, country mice who have powers unbeknownst to the outside world until the right time. This book led me to watch all of the Jane Austen movies made to date, while reading this book. In the end, women have continued to prove their prowess, power, intellect, charms, and professionalism equal to their male counterparts.

Fun and entertaining

Lovely story, beautifully narrated with historical features re books that were interesting
The narration contributes to the flow of the story.

Enjoyable read

I thoroughly liked this follow up to the Jane Austen Society. The characters interested me and I already liked this narrator as she also does North & South by Gaskell.

Narration took away from experience.

Loved the story, the details of post WWII life for young women and working in the literary trades were well done. I cared about the characters and enjoyed the slower pace. I wish I had read it, rather than listened to it. Love JS as an actress, but the voices she used for young women who were not to the manor born were awful. They sounded like old Cockney fishwives. It really took away from my experience.

A little boring

And very British! The story drug for a while, and listening, I think, was harder than if I were reading. Lots of characters and lots of subtlety. The ending was wonderful!