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Publisher's Summary

This is the summer that Lewis Little, precocious thirteen-year-old, is spending in Paris with his mother, Alice. Alice is translating the latest medieval romance by Valentina Gavrilovich, the bestselling and exotic Russian émigré, Lewis is there to make his first acquaintance with one of the greatest cities in the world; neither can foresee the momentous events that lie in wait for them. Valentina slowly casts a spell over Lewis, but when her past begins to encroach on all their lives and, as this enchanted world is gradually lost, Lewis is driven on a terrifying quest.

Rose Tremain's novels have won many prizes including: the Whitbread Novel of the Year (Music and Silence); the James Tait Black Memorial Prize and the Prix Femina Etranger (Sacred Country); the Sunday Express Book of the Year, the Angel Literary Award and shortlisted for the Booker Prize (Restoration) and a Giles Cooper Award (for her radio play, Temporary Shelter). Her novel The Colour, was shortlisted for the Orange Prize, and selected for the Daily Mail Reading Club promotion. In June 2007 Rose was made a CBE in the Queen's Birthday Honours.
©1997 Rose Tremain (P)2014 Audible Studios

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Patricia
  • 03-30-15

Poor narration

The Adrian mole-type main character has the same type of "voice" as Sue Townsend's hero but in this story is meant to be a pretty fluent French speaker. This narrator is woefully poor at even basic French pronunciation. Why on earth was he chosen to read it and why didn't the editor of the audio book take him to task for making such a hash of it?
The story itself is pretty silly and unbelievable and not up to Rose Tremain's usual standard. Sorry.

3 of 3 people found this review helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
  • John
  • 08-03-16

Heartfelt tale of a boy growing up fast

Mother and son go to Paris to help translate a Russian's authors new novel. Life will never be the same again for any of them.. you can feel the boys heartfelt emotions in the narration, which can be hard to listen to at timesbut as the story progresses you don't want to stop listening.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

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    2 out of 5 stars
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  • samantha bryant
  • 02-14-18

Cant believe its this author

So boring and monotonous. The last 2 chapters were bearable but the rest was just slow and awful.