Romola

By: George Eliot

Narrated by: Lucy Scott

Length: 22 hrs and 59 mins

Publisher's summary

Set in the turbulent years following the death of Lorenzo de' Medici, George Eliot's fourth novel, Romola, moves the stage from the English countryside of the 19th century to an Italy four centuries before her time. It tells the tale of a young Florentine woman, Romola de' Bardi, and her coming of age through her troubled marriage to the suave and self-absorbed Greek Tito. Slowly Tito's true character begins to unfurl, and his lies and treachery push Romola toward a more spiritual path, where she transcends into a majestic, Madonna-like role, while Tito descends further into corruption and villainy....

Impeccably researched, the novel features a cast of historical characters, including Girolamo Savonarola, Piero di Cosimo, and Niccolò Machiavelli, and draws parallels between the Republic of Rome of Eliot's day and the Republic of Florence ruled by Savonarola, most famous for its Bonfire of the Vanities, depicted here in vivid detail.

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Public Domain (P)2020 Naxos AudioBooks

Another great Eliot

I am a huge fan ofGeorge Eliot, but I delayed in reading this because I didn’t know if I’d like the historical setting. But I shouldn’t have worried. It has all the elements we count on— great story, complex characters who go through big changes, and plenty of twists of fate. Clearly the research was extensive, which makes the author at home in this long-ago world and allows her to write with her usual fluidity. There is more about the political and religious intrigues of the day than I would have preferred, but I learned a lot too. The reader is amazing. Each character comes alive with her in depth portrayal.
It’s not my favorite of Eliot’s works, but, like all of them, it is brilliant.

Wonderful novel, beautifully read

I love all of George Eliot’s better-known novels, but this may be her best! The reader does a lovely job with character voices and pronunciation — really helps bring the story to life.

A departure from Eliot’s usual

Skillfully and compellingly performed in this version, Romola ventures into foreign territory in terms of time and place. A history told from the periphery of great happenings, it is an impressive work, but not my personal favorite. Worth reading for the vivid, spirited, and well researched details of Florentine life at the turn of the 15th century and for the representation of the protagonists.

Late 15th Century Florence brought to life

Brilliantly brought to life and full of historical detail with perceptive insights into human nature. The depth of characterisation is remarkable. This novel is probably less universally accessible than other George Eliot novels I’ve read - namely Middlemarch, Silas Marner and Adam Bede - because of the setting but to those interested in Florentine history and the Renaissance should particularly enjoy it.
The character of Romola is believable and appealing as Tito is fascinating.

Romola

I found this work along with its historical detail to be exquisite. It seems widely undervalued. I’ve dread numerous critiques that judge it’s extensive Renaissance scholarship to detract. I can not imagine why.

Fascinating telling of the bonfire of the vanities

The story starts slowly but gains momentum with interesting events in 1492-1498 feudal Italy, as told by a young woman

Good Book, Phenomenal Narration

George Eliot is hard to beat, and Lucy Scott's narration is incredibly good. It's probably the best narration I've heard, with every word given it's tone and meaning and phenomenal accents. Tito's accent alone is perfect, as she captures his charming good humor and easy nature with perfect skill.

The book itself is good too. Like all of Eliot's novels, it has a bad marriage and a moralistic, but questioning, character at it's center. Unlike the husbands in MiddleMarch and Daniel Deronda, Tito is neither cold nor brutal. Romola's repulsion of him is perhaps hard for modern readers to grasp. But the strong moral sense underlying Eliot's work makes it easier to see why she could not reconcile with his acts.

The 15th century Florence setting should be taken with a grain of salt. The historical events are real, and Eliot does a great job with side characters who give an "Italian" feel to the scene, but Romola is purely Victorian in her attitude, complete with it's moralism, individualism, and belief that personal conscience alone should dictate one's ethics. Highly recommended!

Listened to it 4 times in a row

This book is unlike anything else George Eliot wrote, and is, in my opinion, her best work, and worthy of a posthumous nobel prize for literature.

Florence from the death of Lorenzo de Medici to that of Girolamo Savonarola is brought to life by a cast of beautifully painted and engaging characters, both fictional and historical.

Lucy Scott's narration is captivating. Her ability to bring, with equal ease, young women and old men to life makes this pairing of author and narrator exceptional. It is the best I have heard.

Up there with Middlemarch.

Lillian Gish, Dorothy Gish and Bill Powell made a movie based on Romola. Excellent.

Couldn't keep my attention

I actually gave up and although this may be a great book, I didn't think the characters strong enough to care about. But, thank you for the audible read.