Sylvester

Gossip, scandal and an unforgettable Regency romance

By: Georgette Heyer

Narrated by: Matt Addis

Length: 12 hrs and 19 mins

Publisher's Summary

Brought to you by Penguin.

Sylvester is read by Matt Addis, who appears in Doctors and Doctor Who.

Sylvester, Duke of Salford, is considering marriage.

Endowed with rank, wealth and elegance, Sylvester, Duke of Salford, posts into Wiltshire to discover if the Honorable Phoebe Marlow will meet his exacting requirements for a bride. If he does not expect to meet a tongue-tied stripling wanting both manners and conduct, then he is intrigued indeed when his visit causes Phoebe to flee her home. They meet again on the road to London, where her carriage has come to grief in the snow. Yet Phoebe, already caught in one imbroglio, now knows she soon could be well deep in another.... 

A typically wonderful historical novel, Sylvester shows once more why Georgette Heyer is the undisputed queen of the genre she created - the Regency romance.  

©1957 Georgette Heyer (P)2021 Penguin Audio

Marvellous!

Matt Addis, thank you!
One of my favourite books by this writer of zany plots and sparkling dialogue, performed perfectly. Dear Mr Addis, please read ''Arabella'' for us.

Best of Heyer

This is one of favourite Heyer novels...laugh out loud funny..brilliantly read by Matt Addis. He really makes Heyer's story come alive.

A lovely listen

Sylvester is one of my favourite Georgette Heyer novels. I own three copies of it in Audible books. This is the best unabridged version. The narrator voices the characters believably, and the delightful story shines.

Excellent narration Super story

I have enjoyed many Heyer audible books and this one has particularly good narration. A male voice often struggles with females but not so here. This is an excellent and satisfyingly long story. With some very amusing characters and a very modern heroine. Very much recommended as perfect escapism.

Absolutely terrific

My main comment here is to congratulate the narrator. What a brilliant performance. All characters were given their own shape; I believe myself entirely in love with Tom Orde as voiced here.

Really good listen, so much so that I'm going to do this one again straight away. Bravo!

Absolute favourite

I have been looking for this Heyer story for some time now having read it many over 30 years ago. I still remember some of the witticisms and comments in the dialogue since then. A few tears, lots of laughs and a satisfying ending. Loved the narrator’s voices and ‘acting’. A great job all round.

Fantastic performance

The narrator has done an excellent job, making the story flowing in an excellent pace. His acting makes the scenes surrounding the ball extremely touching (I cried, yeah). I particularly love his portrayals of Tom and Sylvester.
The story itself, however, I do not love quite as much. It is a bit slow burn — indeed, the first a few chapters could be described as “quite dull”. Heyer skillfully digs deeper into the themes of pride and prejudice though.

Regency Romp

Great unabridged reading by Matt Addis of Georgette Heyer's 'Sylvester'. Mr Addis gives a perfectly pleasant performance of the book making it a delight to listen to. There are other readers of 'Sylvester' (who are also very good) however, this is the only unabridged edition currently available (2021).
As for the story itself, Ms Heyer weaves as ever a wonderfully gentle romance. Where Jane Austen could rely on her contemporary readers to know the manners and fashions of her day, Heyer gives subtle explanations through characterisation which forwards the plot, enlightens her reader and brings the Regency world to life.

Sebastian by Georgette Heyer

Fantastic narrator - loved the story and characters brought vividly to life. One of Heyer’s best.

Perfect!

A much read book wonderfully narrated. Georgette Heyer's wit and characterisation is flawless as always.

Wonderful narration

Was very pleased to find an unabridged version of Sylvester, but thought no one could live up to the wonderful Richard Armitage. I was wrong. Matt Addis in this version was absolutely fantastic. Every character was different and so believable, this is one of my favourite Heyer’s and I know the story well, but Matt conveyed it in such a way that had me in tears, please get him to do the whole Heyer back catalogue!

Good but some characters don't work for me

Most of this version of Sylvester is good. But one or two of the interpretations of the characters fall short for me, ( Maybe because I love the book, have my own mental version fo how people should sound, and also have an excellent earlier narration of it). The little boy 'Edmund', and Tom, both sound too old for their characters which hampers some of the very funny scenes they take part in. Also Sir Nugent Fotherby needs to be a 'larger' character to give him his true outlandish persona.
Having said all this, its still a very enjoyable version of the book, and a true Heyer Romance.

Very good recording of an entertaining story

I have been so disappointed by the new recordings of Heyer's books, but finally here is one that does not disappoint. The reading is clear and entertaining and, although I agree with another reviewer that Tom and Edmund sound a bit too old, overall this version ranks alongside the previous one read by Nicholas Rowe. I still wish the other version were available for people new to Heyer audiobooks but I am so glad I have them all in my library as they have been my comfort listens over the last four years.