Magic Flutes

By: Eva Ibbotson

Narrated by: Kate Lock

Spring, 1922. Tessa is a beautiful, tiny, dark-eyed princess who’s given up her duties to follow her heart and work backstage at the Viennese opera. She keeps her true identity a well-guarded secret, but when a wealthy, handsome Englishman discovers this bewitching urchin backstage, Tessa’s two lives collide - and in escaping her inheritance, she finds her destiny....

©2009 Eva Ibbotson (P)2012 W F Howes Ltd

Strong Performance with a Flaw

This narrator was great, except for the mispronunciation of German words. It took some time for me to realize what the words were. Emphasis on the wrong syllable and mixing up ie and ei were the primary problems. The characterizations were wonderful, though, and the story was charming.

The reader makes it hard to listen

The sub-characters are way overdone in a painful sort of way…I found it unfortunate. the plot is fun and writing detailed in the authors usual way and enjoyable.

delightful story spoiled by the reader

the reader has a pleasant voice when normal, but the squeaks, grates, shrieks .... just no.

Really enjoyable listen

What did you love best about Magic Flutes?

it was a predictable story with a happy ending - that's what I liked about.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Tessa - I really admired her grace.

Have you listened to any of Kate Lock’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

She did a great job with all the voices.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

There were several.

Any additional comments?

Good romantic read - especially of you books set in the early twenties

Very entertaining.

I really enjoyed this tale set in Austria. The kind caring backstage worker at the opera who has a passion for her work. Guy and Martha - hard working, caring people. Juxtaposed by the greedy self interested woman who would like to marry Guy. All the quaint characters bought to life by the narration of Kate Lock. She does and incredible job of narrating them all and making it sound like a whole cast of narrators.

Nice book, dreadful reading

A sweet story - vintage Eva Ibbotson. The reading is the worst in my experience. Puerile, overwrought, over emphatic, very difficult to take.

An unfortunate audiobook

The accents and voices the narrator does for the characters are so tortured and overwrought that this book is unlistenable. Read the book yourself, it is a cute story.