The Great Believers

By: Rebecca Makkai

Narrated by: Michael Crouch

Length: 18 hrs and 17 mins

Publisher's summary

WINNER OF THE CARNEGIE MEDAL

FINALIST FOR THE PULITZER PRIZE

FINALIST FOR THE NATIONAL BOOK AWARDS

WINNER OF THE STONEWALL BOOK AWARD - BARBARA GITTINGS LITERATURE AWARD

FINALIST FOR THE LA TIMES FICTION AWARD

In 1985, Yale Tishman, the development director for an art gallery in Chicago, is about to pull off an amazing coup: bringing an extraordinary collection of 1920s paintings as a gift to the gallery. Yet as his career begins to flourish, the carnage of the AIDs epidemic grows around him. One by one, his friends are dying and after his friend Nico's funeral, he finds his partner is infected, and that he might even have the virus himself. The only person he has left is Fiona, Nico's little sister.
 

Thirty years later, Fiona is in Paris tracking down her estranged daughter who disappeared into a cult. While staying with an old friend, a famous photographer who documented the Chicago epidemic, she finds herself finally grappling with the devastating ways the AIDS crisis affected her life and her relationship with her daughter. Yale and Fiona's stories unfold in incredibly moving and sometimes surprising ways, as both struggle to find goodness in the face of disaster.

©2019 Rebecca Makkai (P)2019 Hachette Audio UK

Critic reviews

"Stirring, spellbinding and full of life." (Téa Obreht, New York Times best-selling author of The Tiger's Wife)

Great story and beautiful writing (and performance)

Really enjoyed this- so powerful to hear the stories of AIDS victims and the struggle in the US . And the contemporary story interwoven

A pandemic that was easier for many to ignore

After watching “Its a sin” on channel four, i found myself downloading this novel to remember more about this time period and the Hiv / AIDS crisis. Set in the US this novel perhaps did not have the same cultural resonance for me of the UK based Russell T Davies production, but it was still a very powerful portrayal of the devastating consequences a terrible disease can have on an entire community.
Well written characters, engaging, and interesting, whose lives were changed forever by a Hiv and AIDS.
In the face of Covid we have seen Governments pull out all the stops to help develop preventative strategies and vaccinations. It contrasts painfully with the relative lack of ‘official’ response to AIDS and HIV in the early days and the terrible prejudice that surrounded the disease. This is a moving book, one that will stay with you long after the last chapter has finished playing.

Potentially good, but not as structured

Interesting characters, and potentially a very good and moving story of a terrible time, but the chapters are very short and alternate between two time periods (currently a very fashionable plot line) so that it proved very difficult to keep track and I got so lost I had to abandon before the end. (One weakness of Audible is that you can’t flip back to recap if you are following the narration in several sittings.)

very slow burner

sensitively written. very very slow burner. interesting subject matter. not particularly likeable characters or gripping plot. still enjoyable

Highly recommended

I loved this book, being born in 86 I didn't know much of the Aids crisis part from little bit. This book brought it to life and the male characters are family. Fiona story I was less interested in however enjoyed the ending.

Beautiful engaging writing and wonderful narration

I loved it - the story, characters, the dialogue. I found it believable and touching, and brought back that time in the 80s/90s. Narration added to it, I was totally engaged.

Didn't find it gripping

I didn't love it, unfortunately. Did not find the characters that interesting or the story. I thought the sad theme was approached with sensitivity and care.

Incredibly moving

This novel, that kept reality and social history close really consumed me; I was held by the emotion, the relationships and events. It reflected, in the 80’s, a contrasting perspective - the personal realities and for me at the academic end of the Virus; the scientific articles as they appeared. I thought the author RM, crafted the connecting threads well enough.. and found the ending incredibly moving. Confidently recommended !

Brilliant

I loved this book. There were moment that I gasped at the beauty of the writing. It was so detailed and nuanced and the characters were so vivid. I can't wait to read more by the author. I also thought it was beautifully read, with such emotion. I was completely lost in it and at any given opportunity I was listening. Very highly recommended.

Moving and compelling

The best book I’ve listened to this year. I loved the characters and was completely drawn into the story. I resisted listening to this for ages thinking it would be too sad and it is sad but so beautiful. Highly recommended

Phenomenal

Completely heartbreaking. Such vivid, realistic characters - the novel's inevitable conclusion left me in tatters.

Themes of love, grief, memory, guilt, obligation; all handled masterfully by Makkai whose commitment to truth and nuance shines through the entire novel.

Such an incredible, important piece of work. Will be recommending widely.