The Charm School

By: Nelson DeMille

Narrated by: Scott Brick

Length: 24 hrs and 56 mins

Publisher's summary

Something very strange -- and sinister -- is going on in the Russian woods at Borodino. In a place called Mrs. Ivanova's Charm School, young KGB agents are being taught by American POW's how to be model citizens of the USA. The Soviet goal -- to infiltrate the United States undetected.

When an unsuspecting American tourist stumbles upon this secret, he sets in motion a CIA investigation that will reveal horrifying police state savagery and superpower treachery.

©1999 Nelson DeMille (P)2009 Hachette

Critic reviews

"Riveting." ( Publishers Weekly)

Incredibly Good

I have read at least 200 books in the last couple of years and mostly murder mysteries. This book falls into that category but also a great history lesson with Russia in years past and possibly present. It is fiction, but truly possible. Maybe the Charm School itself is not truly realistic but it doesn't matter. This was a book that made me want to call in sick from work and just get into it until the end. It is not a happy book and not totally a happy ending but it is a glimpse of a piece of our history with Russia that certainly could have happened and in other ways, probably did. I consider this book one of two that I have read that I consider the best I've ever listened to. The other book of this caliber is "Black Cross" by Greg Iles. Do not miss this one either. I love murder mysteries with cops and robbers and all of that but these are truly special and not to be missed. I will definitely read this book and Black Cross again in the future. They are both astounding in my estimation.

Love to predict plot? Forget it! What a thriller!!

This book does not insult the intelligence. It feeds thrills upon thrills of unexpected plot twist and turns. I lost so many hours of sleep because I could not turn off my bedside compact audio book player tuned for 30 min and then sleep. I kept resetting it for another 30 min....and then another 30 minutes...and then...heck, I was so stimulated I could not sleep and had to take a sleep aid if I wanted 6.5 hours sleep before work. Nelson Demille has created a true fan in me. Just get this book. It is one of the best I have read in 60 years, to include 4.5 years as a USMC officer. Love spy craft? This is a fine read.

Scott Brick

I know a lot of you love Scott Brick as a narrator, and I will give him credit for his Russian. That being said, I find his sing-song narrating obnoxious. There! I said it!

Creepy. And terrific.

This is a bit like "The Truman Show" mixed in with espionage and the KGB. The premise is plausible and that's what makes it SO terrifying. Of course there are some unbelievable events - that's fiction for you - but listening to this now reminded me of the fear we all had of the Russians back when I was a kid.

I never really knew how this would go and that's what I like about DeMille as an author. His books are just as good today as they are when they were new. This is a good, long listen.

Started off great but....

I have listened to all of Nelson DeMille's books that audible has and I've read others in print. I have to say, this book had real potential and then went absolutely nowhere. This is the first book I've actually fast forwarded through. Also, I used to love listening to Scott Brick but he's really wearing on me. Far too dramatic. There were times where he may have been reading a non-dramatic sentence but read it with such thrust and drama that I was becoming annoyed.

This book could have been cut in half and it might have been better. The xenophobia was over the top in this one. Bad, bad Russia -- enough already! We get it! Overall, I was very disappointed.

Could NOT stop listening!!!

Would you listen to The Charm School again? Why?

No, not because it was bad, but I know... I know... the gory details

Any additional comments?

Incredible plot: you get: intrigue, romance, spies, good & evil, drama and if you have ever been to Russia or former Soviet Union, you will giggle and laugh at how accurate Nelson DeMille's descriptions are, gosh, it was like I was there again!! He nails the small details, the pattern of thoughts, and the absolute corruption communism represents. But keep on reading, there is MORE!! The book has been very well researched and the information on the history and, at the time, current circumstances in the U.S.S.R. is absolutely correct. Dialogue is excellent, the characters are deep and their motives easily understood
Do get it - worth the price or the credit!!

The Charm School

This is the best Audio Book I have listened to since joining many years ago. Scott Brick's naration is superb.

Gripping and disturbing

Very very gripping. Scott Brick's reading is superb. He imitates accents and inflections really well. While I know the book is fiction. It's also feasible at least by analogy and in that disturbing.

Demille is one of my favorites but...

Would you try another book from Nelson DeMille and/or Scott Brick?

Yes

Would you be willing to try another book from Nelson DeMille? Why or why not?

Yes, he's one of my favorite authors.

What does Scott Brick bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

I love his voice & he told the story like it should be told. His Russian was perfection (to me) & he made the story great. He gets 5 stars from me!

Did The Charm School inspire you to do anything?

If I ever become a spy to KEEP MY MOUTH SHUT! Unlike the characters in the book.

Any additional comments?

I absolutely HATE the character Lisa. She's screwing everything that walks. Dates married men. She's a pain in the butt, asks stupid questions & acts like a child. If not for this character I would've given this book 5 stars all the way around. I'd like to know what Demille was thinking when he cooked up that tramp. She adds NOTHING to the story besides annoyance. Oh & thank you Demille for making the main character Sam the worse spy ever. He tells his all of his secrets to a 20 something bimbo & couldn't doge the KGB if his life depended on it. Premise of story was EXCELLENT but the execution was lacking for me. Better characters would've made it perfect.

Long But Worth The Time

DeMille has a talent of making me laugh even in the most outrageous circumstances. This was a very different setting than the typical DeMille books, but I found it to be very informative and entertaining. No matter what the subject matter, his dry humor and wit make his books interesting plus this one adds a history lesson. A little long and rambling in some spots, but easy to overlook if you just enjoy the story rather than analyze the circumstances behind it.

Quite boring and too long!

The idea of the story was interesting but lacked depth. The book could have done with 100% more action (you hardly ever have to hold your breath), most action seems to come from a couple of love scenes, the characters are not particularly likeable, the female lead character is often childish and shallow, the end is predictable. I never read/listened to a book where the sentence: "we are low on gas", carries the story for more than one hour... Too bad.