The Little Red Chairs

By: Edna O'Brien

Narrated by: Juliet Stevenson

Length: 9 hrs and 40 mins

Publisher's summary

A woman discovers that the foreigner she thinks will redeem her life is a notorious war criminal.

Vlad, a stranger from Eastern Europe masquerading as a healer, settles in a small Irish village where the locals fall under his spell. One woman, Fidelma McBride, becomes so enamored that she begs him for a child. All that world is shattered when Vlad is arrested, and his identity as a war criminal is revealed.

Fidelma, disgraced, flees to England and seeks work among the other migrants displaced by wars and persecution. But it is not until she confronts him - her nemesis - at the tribunal in The Hague that her physical and emotional journey reaches its breathtaking climax.

The Little Red Chairs is a book about love and the endless search for it. It is also a book about mankind's fascination with evil and how long, how crooked, is the road toward home.

©2016 Edna O'Brien (P)2016 Hachette Audio

Critic reviews

"The great Edna O'Brien has written her masterpiece." (Philip Roth)

" The Little Red Chairs is a daring invention set at the bloody crossroads where worlds collide: savage, tender, and true." (John Banville)

"O'Brien, a master at weaving the personal with the political, has a perfect partner in narrator Juliet Stevenson...this is no mere tale of love gone wrong - it's a powerfully read modern parable." (AudioFile)

A wonderful book

This book is wonderful and the narration is amazing. A long ride but well worth the journey

Beautiful writing, beautiful narrating

First, the narration was perfect. I think the narrator's voice is my favorite that I've listened to. Second, the writing is beautiful, but sometimes the plot was jarring. At times I even checked to make sure I hadn't skipped chapters accidentally. Some of the characters felt a little shallowly developed. I found myself wishing for more information and more development of the relationship between Vlad and Fidelma. I had a hard time understanding how she could make some of the decisions she had, so quickly. It seemed like a lost opportunity that their relationship was glazed over. Then as I listened I understood; that was not the point of the story. This is not a love story and it certainly wasn't about the love affair. In my summation it's about how people deal with, or don't deal with, grief and trauma and the implications of that choice. There are many themes and topics that are intensely interesting and heartbreaking. This book was picked for a book club and I can't wait to discuss it.

excellent

fabulous narration, wonderful variation of character voices. great story. memorable characters in beautifully detailed settings.

Red, as Scarlet, as Enraging, as Bloody

You live in a quaint, if a little busybody, Irish hamlet, a beauty swept off her feet by a much older man, marrying in your well-earned white dress. 15, 20 years pass, your life is humdrum, sort of nice with your much older husband but your clock is ticking and his dock ain't kicking.

A very distinguished, intriguing, attractive foreign (perhaps Russian) doctor/chiropractor in his early 40s moves into town, renting a room near your art shop. He subtly suggests that you look like you need a lover. Your biological clock starts to wind in the corner of your mind, and you seek a child with this man, a child your husband cannot give you.

Weeks/months pass by and you become pregnant despite knowing now of a few negative character traits. One day government agents blow into this little village to make a highly publicized arrest of the most wanted Serbian war criminal (think, Milosevic, Karadzic).

PapaDaddy is, as it turns out, the Prince of Darkness, Beëlzebub in the body, Father of Lies in the flesh, Author of Evil, the Old Serpent.

The novel blasts with double-barrels, driven by morally difficult questions and, to my mind, unloading on some leaders in the Catholic Church as, at best, judgmental and indifferent to humanity and not at all worthy of reflecting the Redeemer, or, worse, complicit in abetting such a monstrous castigation that even Lucifer would have to look away. Ms. O'Brien has never shied away from criticizing or offending the Catholic Church of her Ireland.

Warning: this book contains one of the most diabolical and horrendous acts of sexual violence against a female in all literature, at least that I've read.

Superb narration of multi-cultural characters

While remaining firmly rooted in the lives of main characters, this novel explores grand questions of the nature of evil and put global interventions

Dark and Convoluted

Better to read than to listen to. Not the Edna Obrien story that I was expecting.

Writer Great, Reader Great

Fidelma surprised me again and again. And hearing this read by Juliet Stevenson was extraordinary. I guess there exist characters she can't bring to life but I've never heard one.

Masterpiece.

Edna O'Brian's beautiful, searing, soaring novel. Narrated with meticulous care by Juliet Stevenson, she of the lyrical, shape-shifting voice and astonishing acting chops. Virtuosic in every way.

Edna O'Brien Never Disappoints

What made the experience of listening to The Little Red Chairs the most enjoyable?

The language is so beautiful. And the main character holds her head up despite repeated trauma. This is a masterpiece.

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Little Red Chairs?

Near the end when she is in the pub and takes pity on her antagonist.

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

Everything. She is perhaps your best reader. The Irish accent, with proper inflection made the story very real and immediate.

Who was the most memorable character of The Little Red Chairs and why?

Vlad was incredibly well drawn - a conniving psychopath with typical seductive skills.

Any additional comments?

I can't express just how much I regard Ms. O'Brien's work. I doubt that there is an American writer with her gifts.

Ann Gordon

Wow

Wow, b
You will not forget this book
None of us will . A story I wish we didn’t need. Read masterfully