The Midnight Palace

By: Carlos Ruiz Zafon

Narrated by: Jonathan Davis

Length: 7 hrs and 9 mins

Publisher's Summary

In the heart of Calcutta lurks a dark mystery....

Set in Calcutta in the 1930s, The Midnight Palace begins on a dark night when an English lieutenant fights to save newborn twins Ben and Sheere from an unthinkable threat. Despite monsoon-force rains and terrible danger lurking around every street corner, the young lieutenant manages to get them to safety, but not without losing his own life....

Years later, on the eve of Ben and Sheere's 16th birthday, the mysterious threat reenters their lives. This time, it may be impossible to escape. With the help of their brave friends, the twins will have to take a stand against the terror that watches them in the shadows of the night - and face the most frightening creature in the history of the City of Palaces.

©2011 Carlos Ruiz Zafon (P)2011 Hachette Audio

Another lovely book, beautifully presented.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Mr Zafon's prose is magical. There is a rhythm and meter to his work that captures my imagination, inspires it to new heights, then flings it free to fly along the story. I would recommend this book to anyone that enjoys a tall tale, beautiful imagery, and a little magic. Jonathan Davis is an excellent narrator, he brings so much to the characters but doesn't overpower the beauty of the story.

13 of 13 people found this review helpful

One of my favorite authors!

Would you consider the audio edition of The Midnight Palace to be better than the print version?

Carlos Ruiz Zafon is one of my favorite authors. I have read and listened to his books, both are stellar formats since Carlos is a fantastic writer and the translations from Spanish are rich and fluid.

Any additional comments?

In general, I prefer 'standard reading' audio books, but I have enjoyed the theatrical presentation in this book.

4 of 4 people found this review helpful

good listen!

Would you consider the audio edition of The Midnight Palace to be better than the print version?

I thought that the sound effects in the book added to the drama of the story. The reader has a great voice, I enjoyed him!

7 of 8 people found this review helpful

The Midnight Palace

I'm a little confused about this book. I didn't quite get the reason behind why Ben and Sheere were such a target. It was explained in the book, but I thought the reasoning was a bit simplistic and didn't really make sense. But then, maybe the reasoning was complex and over my head. Or maybe, it was lost in translation.

Another thing that I questioned was the characters' names. The setting is Calcutta and several of the main characters' names were English. Ben, Ian, Isabella. Mind you, it was easier to follow the story with the simple names and it is Young Adult.

As for the story, I did enjoy it when I set aside my grumblings. I liked the characters and their relationship to each other. It was short and sweet, and the descriptions allowed me to paint the pictures in my mind.

The narration by Jonathan Davis was very good. I enjoyed his characterizations with various accents. You could hear the evil of Jawahal in his voice. My only complaint was that there were no breaks between chapters to warn you of a change. It was one sentence after another, in spite of a switch in location or character. That may have happened in editting, so I won't blame Jonathan Davis for that.

6 of 7 people found this review helpful

Do Not Miss this Book!

This is yet another fantastic story written by the master storyteller Carlos Ruiz Zafon. It will keep you enthralled and on the edge of your seat from start to finish! The narration and sound effects are exceptional and truly added to the enjoyment of this audio book. The end of the book actually gave me chills. Great Book!!!

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

Carlos Ruiz Zafon: Master Storyteller

I never tire of the works by Mr. Zafon. He is a master storyteller. His skill at crafting words and sentences is world-class. I have no idea as to how he comes up with his ideas, but they are always original and dramatic and hold one's interest. The Midnight Palace is another example of this author's gift at original storytelling.

If you have ever been a part of a young group of pre-adults who have banded together to support each other's young lives, then you will like this story. If you have never been a part of a young group of pre-adults who have banded together to support each other's young lives, then for a moment in time, join this young group and be a part of this extraordinary story.

Some have said that the author only writes for young readers. As I write this review, I am 68. Perhaps I am just young at heart. No...that might be, but the reason is that I like a great story written by someone who knows how to write.

Many thank-yous to the translator for allowing the English-speaking people to enjoy another work by Mr. Zafon. And, many thank-yous to the narrator, Jonathan Davis, for a job well done.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Echos of Star Wars a little too prominent

The villain was a grab bag of types, and his ultimate goal seemed inconsistent with his raison d'être.

Disaster

Would you try another book from Carlos Ruiz Zafon and/or Jonathan Davis?

Carlos yes, Davis - NO

What do you think your next listen will be?

I listen to audible books continuously.

Who would you have cast as narrator instead of Jonathan Davis?

I would find a narrator who can pronounce the names in the book correctly.

If you could play editor, what scene or scenes would you have cut from The Midnight Palace?

Dont Know

Any additional comments?

As a Bengali listener to this audiobook, I say shame on the audiobook producer. The narrator pronounced almost every name in the book incorrectly. His pronunciation of the names and places in the great city of Calcutta (now called Kolkata) was an insult to my ears. It was an utter disgrace. Why is it that you people can find the right narrators when the situation in a book is a Western location, but when comes to an Asian country you cannot find a narrator who can pronounce the words and names in a book correctly? Having been born in the great City of Calcutta this narration was an immense insult to me. This should be corrected.

0 of 2 people found this review helpful

Worst Production In History?

What disappointed you about The Midnight Palace?

The production (reading style, absurd music) is a self-indulgent and absurd noir

How did the narrator detract from the book?

It is impossible to listen to the book due to the over-the top reading style and the addition of constant

Any additional comments?

I want my credit back!

0 of 11 people found this review helpful