Cry to Heaven

By: Anne Rice

Narrated by: Tim Curry

In a sweeping saga of music and vengeance, the acclaimed author of The Vampire Chronicles draws readers into eighteenth-century Italy, bringing to life the decadence beneath the shimmering surface of Venice, the wild frivolity of Naples, and the magnetic terror of its shadow, Vesuvius. This is the story of the castrati, the exquisite and otherworldly sopranos whose graceful bodies and glorious voices win the adulation of royal courts and grand opera houses throughout Europe. These men are revered as idols—and, at the same time, scorned for all they are not.

Praise for Anne Rice and Cry to Heaven

“Daring and imaginative . . . [Anne] Rice seems like nothing less than a magician: It is a pure and uncanny talent that can give a voice to monsters and angels both.”—The New York Times Book Review

“To read Anne Rice is to become giddy as if spinnning through the mind of time.”—San Francisco Chronicle

“If you surrender and go with her . . . you have surrendered to enchantment, as in a voluptuous dream.”—The Boston Globe

“Rice is eerily good at making the impossible seem self-evident.”—Time©1982 by Anne O'Brien Rice; (P)1991 by Random House, Inc.

Critic reviews

Praise for Anne Rice and Cry to Heaven

“Daring and imaginative . . . [Anne] Rice seems like nothing less than a magician: It is a pure and uncanny talent that can give a voice to monsters and angels both.”—The New York Times Book Review

“To read Anne Rice is to become giddy as if spinnning through the mind of time.”—San Francisco Chronicle

“If you surrender and go with her . . . you have surrendered to enchantment, as in a voluptuous dream.”—The Boston Globe

“Rice is eerily good at making the impossible seem self-evident.”—Time

This story will tear your heart out...

...And then it will put your heart back in nice and neat. it can be difficult to accept a story about early American black struggles, written by a white Boomer woman, but having spent her whole life immersed in the culture of New Orleans, she does a justifiably good job weaving this tail. It's not the longest of her stories, nor does it feature any supernatural events or creatures of preternatural abilities, but it is definitely one of her best works.

Outstanding Narration/Story

TIM CURRY'S NARRATION WAS EVERYTHING. And this was absolutely scrumptious prose by Anne Rice. I hope the movie does this justice.

One of my favorites by Anne Rice

A story of intrigue and revenge set in 18th Century Italy. Extremely well written characters captivated me from the very beginning. Tim Curry’s performance adds a deeper level of sensuality to a story already full of sensual descriptive writing.

Rich and compelling listen!

I highly recommend this to all Rice fans, and especially to those who are unfamiliar with her work, but curious. Rice puts her considerable descriptive talent to excellent use - she really makes the time period come alive. The story is compelling, and I found the characters to be very accessible, which surprised me. I enjoy the vampire and witchcraft books, but they may seem daunting to many. If you want a sample of Anne Rice's exceptional talent without the substantial commitment that some of her work requires, this is the place to start. Tim Curry gives an outstanding performance. The only reason I didn't give this five stars is that it was too short - I would love to hear the unabridged version.

Abbreviation ruins stroy.

I read this book years ago and was struck at how flat it seems in this abbreviated version. Stilll worth listening to, but really you should reat the actual book.