Captain Corelli's Mandolin

By: Louis de Bernières

Narrated by: Robert Powell

Robert Powell reads Louis De Bernières’ bestselling novel set in the early days of the second world war, and as heard on BBC Radio 4... Dr Iannis practices medicine on the island of Cephalonia, accompanied by his daughter, Pelagia, to whom he imparts much of his healing art. Even when the Italians do invade, life isn't so bad - at first anyway. The officer in command of the Italian garrison is the cultured Captain Antonio Corelli, whose most precious possession is his mandolin. It isn't long before Corelli and Pelagia are involved in a heated affair - despite her engagement to a young fisherman, Mandras, who has gone off to join Greek partisans. Love is complicated enough in wartime, even when the lovers are on the same side. And for Corelli and Pelagia, it becomes increasingly difficult to negotiate the minefield of allegiances, both personal and political, as all around them atrocities mount, former friends become enemies and the ugliness of war infects everyone it touches.

Chopped to pieces - the patient is dead

What could have made this a 4 or 5-star listening experience for you?

I read the book and loved it to death. This adaptation has instead carved it to death. Great passages from the book have been chopped out, rendering the story incoherent and completely losing the development of the characters. The narrator does a tremendous job on the male voices, but sounds comically amateurish on the female ones.

What reaction did this book spark in you? Anger, sadness, disappointment?

A feeling of having been robbed by Audible and their publishing partners.