The Enchantress of Florence

By: Salman Rushdie

Narrated by: Firdous Bamji

Length: 13 hrs and 15 mins

Publisher's Summary

Few writers living or dead have received the monumental acclaim that has been accorded to Salman Rushdie for his richly textured, superbly crafted works. The Enchantress of Florence once again demonstrates the author's unparalleled mastery of his craft.

In the imperial capital of the Mughal Empire, a traveler arrives at the court of Emperor Akbar. The traveler, Mogor dell'Amore, has a tale to tell, and as the words flow out of him, the tale's rich tapestry of power and desire begins to take on a life of its own. Fueled by the urgency of his narrative and its growing effect on his audience, the traveler paints a vivid portrait of faraway Florence, a beautiful enchantress, and the infamous figure of Niccolò Machiavelli.

Winner of the Booker Prize, Rushdie delights all those who revel in literature of sublime achievement. Narrator Firdous Bamji matches the author's exquisite prose with a reading that conveys the full breadth of this lovingly detailed novel.

©2008 Salman Rushdie (P)2008 Recorded Books, LLC

Critic Reviews

“This is ‘history’ jubilantly mixed with postmodernist magic realism.” (Joyce Carol Oates, The New York Review of Books)

“A romance of beauty and power from Italy to India . . . so delightful an homage to Renaissance magic and wonder.” (Michael Dirda, The Washington Post Book World)

"Ingenious...[a] sparkling return to form." ( Publishers Weekly)

The Enchantress of Florence ... Why?!

So much writing talent devoted to such highly embellished and extremely well written meaninglessness. Way too much pointless detail, unending sentences (phrased to death), and mountains of fully spelled out Florentine and Hindustani names. With full respect for Rushdie's phenomenal abilities, I nevertheless suggest that there is too much talent thrown at too little substance. A real disappointment, and unending!

Rushdie: GGMarquez Wannabe

What a lame load of signature male fantasy! More or less like Marquez, Rushdie goes far to demonstrate how deeply the fantasy of a silent, obedient, sexually available automaton is the sine qua non of his imagination. This basic datum is moved from one exotic locale through time and space, but never progresses to anything worth reading. Pathological.

Wish I could get my money back

This book covers some of my main areas of interest, so I was very surprised that I couldn't get into listening to it. I've started it several times, but can't stay engaged. I listen to many audio books each month and usually complete them and listen to the more entertaining ones again, but this one just didn't pull me in. Perhaps it is the writer's elaborate style. If you are similar to me and like fact filled, straight forward historical fiction with an intriguing plot, you might want to look elsewhere.

Trying too Hard

While this is a reasonably good listen, it struck me again and again that Rushdie is simply trying too hard. One person's art may be another's pretention, but this struck me as the latter. The uneven production and narration didn't help.

Rich and haunting

This book is a feast of language. Textured, intense, and lyrical, especially as read by this narrator, the prose resonates. The characters are certainly memorable and their stories capture the imagination, but it is the depth of the language that brings this book repeatedly to my mind at odd moments and makes me want to read or listen to every other novel Rushdie has ever written.

There are "easier" books out there. If you're looking for an action yarn or a bit of romantic fluff, look elsewhere. If however you want something that enriches you, that is worth the time you spend with it, and that will keep you sitting out in the car just to hear a little more of the magic, consider listening to this.

Mesmerizing

This book is mesmerizing. The language, the story, and the characters kept me fascinated throughout. Beautifully told and magical throughout.

Enjoy!

An absolute delight

This book is more accessible to a Western audience than many of Rushdie's. And the satire is less bitter than some of his more famous works (Midnight's Children and the Satanic Verses). The story line will be of particular interest to those fascinated with late 15th and early 16th Century (global) history.

It is not his best book. My personal favorites are Shalimar the Clown and Fury. But it is his most delightful -- enchanting in fact.

Jim

Ok

The book is ok. It isn't one that I would chose as a favorite. It has a lot of bad language and the storyline wasn't what I thought it was going to be base summary.I'm not saying it is a bad book it just isn't my type of book.

Dreadful, Boring, Confusing

When I finally made it to the end I asked myself why. I still have no idea why I did not give up sooner. Too many names, places, repeated names and repeated places. On and on...

Dreadful!

So wordy and delivered in a pretentious monotone! I am thoroughly disappointed in this book. It is expensive too! I wish I had never downloaded it. What a wasted credit.