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Siracusa  By  cover art

Siracusa

By: Delia Ephron
Narrated by: Talia Balsam,Katie Finneran,Darren Goldstein,John Slattery
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Publisher's summary

An electrifying novel about marriage and deceit from best-selling author Delia Ephron that follows two couples on vacation in Siracusa, a town on the coast of Sicily, where the secrets they have hidden from each other are exposed and relationships are unraveled.

New Yorkers Michael, a famous writer, and Lizzie, a journalist, travel to Italy with their friends from Maine - Finn; his wife, Taylor; and their daughter, Snow. "From the beginning," says Taylor, "it was a conspiracy for Lizzie and Finn to be together." In Rashomon style, with alternating points of view, the characters expose and stumble upon lies and infidelities past and present. Snow, 10 years old and precociously drawn into a far more adult drama, becomes the catalyst for catastrophe as the novel explores collusion and betrayal in marriage.

With her inimitable psychological astuteness and uncanny understanding of the human heart, Ephron delivers a powerful meditation on marriage, friendship, and the meaning of travel. Set on the sun-drenched coast of the Ionian Sea, Siracusa unfolds with the pacing of a psychological thriller and delivers an unexpected final act that none can see coming.

Cast of narrators:

Lizzie read by Talia Balsam
Taylor read by Katie Finneran
Finn read by Darren Goldstein
Michael read by John Slattery

©2016 Delia Ephron (P)2016 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

“[Ephron] excels at [depicting] characters’ unintended comedy, their emotional warfare and witty observations of travel and consumption....with a deft, stinging touch. They are a wise reminder that the hungers driving these people are a ravenous, even violent, business.” (The New York Times Book Review)

“An irresistible novel for fans of psychological thrillers, or those considering vacationing with former lovers and spouses (often one and the same).” (Oprah Magazine)

“Sophisticated, elegantly written, delightfully cynical…Ephron’s novel has the feel of a classic.” (Patrick Anderson, Washington Post)

What listeners say about Siracusa

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  • Overall
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ENORME!!!!

Siracusa by Delia Ephron is different from her other works, which might put some of her fans off kilter. I applaud the author in this endeavor to take a plunge and coming up with a work that is so clever and fresh. I encourage you to not allow yourself to read a book report type review for fear of glimpsing one revelation before it’s time.

Everything I normally dislike in a novel, this novel possessed. Yet showed me how to, not only to like it and embrace it, but love it. Such as - I generally dislike switching different narrators/characters each chapter. In this book, before long, I was begging for a switch for I needed to hear the other side of the story. It starts in the manner where the reader feels like they came into the middle of the story and it takes work to understand the relationships of the characters. Keep with it – it’s so worth the effort. There are just a handful of two of characters throughout so once you got everyone in their place – you know all their little ticks…well, you think you do.

For me the epilogue ending was the cherry on this cheeky sundae. It’s kept me thinking long after the last page was turned.

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17 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Glad I'm Not Friends with These People

Where does Siracusa rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

Top 20.

What other book might you compare Siracusa to and why?

Most of Diane Chamberlaine's books. Lots of grown ups acting badly and giving in to impulses and then trying not to get caught.

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

Not sure but she was a very good narrator.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes.

Any additional comments?

Definitely worth a credit!

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3 people found this helpful

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    4 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

Pretty good.

Book was not bad. Kinda predictable but I wasn't sure if I'd be thrown a curveball at the end so it kept me interested. Easy listen.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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This Is A Relationship Deep Dive

The characters are unique and very interesting. Each has a story and a set of circumstances that keep you interested. I love the intimate look into the two marriages and how they are intertwined yet also individual. The story is set in a magical location that also plays into the story and adds depth. I really enjoyed this book and it was refreshing after a long, dry spell where good novels are concerned.

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1 person found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Exquisite!

Perfect reading of a perfectly exquisite book. More suspense than a mystery -- this story captures Siracusa and the dynamics of strange relationships.

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1 person found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Makes you think about blind faith...

Wow! I listened to this book while on vacation, and highly recommend the audible version. The 4 narrators do a wonderful job of bringing the author's characters to life.
After reading the blurb, I thought I'd dislike certain characters, but found my feelings changing, as the story untold. This book had everything I look for in a great story. There was romance, humor, mystery, and surprise. I don't want to give the surprise away, but the biggest surprise, to me, was where loyalties lie, and how blind they can make people.
I highly recommend this book!

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Incredibly entertaining

I enjoyed Ms. Ephron’s writing style which is sharp, witty sometimes wry. The characters are well drawn, the story engaging. Each chapter is read by one of four characters detailing their perspective. I highly recommend.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Great non-likable characters!

If you like stories with complicated, non-likable characters , then you’ll definitely like Siracusa. This story of two couples and the young daughter of one of said couples on a trip to Siracusa, Italy shows how great of a storyteller Delia Ephron is. All of these individuals are kind of messed up and are a deceitful bunch who make for great entertainment… I thought it was quite brilliant!

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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Worth sticking with it

First of all, how fun to have two real life celebrity couples narrate the book! I enjoyed the story and trying to figure out who I hated most. The reveal took a while, but it was worth it. Fun read.

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  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars
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I didn't like a single character

Hard to hang with a book when you find everyone repugnant. Everyone was snarky and secretly upset with each other, so immature. Yuck.

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