Transcription

A Novel

By: Kate Atkinson

Narrated by: Fenella Woolgar

A dramatic story of WWII espionage, betrayal, and loyalty, by the #1 bestselling author of Life After Life

In 1940, eighteen-year old Juliet Armstrong is reluctantly recruited into the world of espionage. Sent to an obscure department of MI5 tasked with monitoring the comings and goings of British Fascist sympathizers, she discovers the work to be by turns both tedious and terrifying. But after the war has ended, she presumes the events of those years have been relegated to the past forever.

Ten years later, now a radio producer at the BBC, Juliet is unexpectedly confronted by figures from her past. A different war is being fought now, on a different battleground, but Juliet finds herself once more under threat. A bill of reckoning is due, and she finally begins to realize that there is no action without consequence.

Transcription is a work of rare depth and texture, a bravura modern novel of extraordinary power, wit, and empathy. It is a triumphant work of fiction from one of the best writers of our time.

Critic reviews

"Endlessly devious... Atkinson loves her research, but she doesn't need much help concocting original stories that resemble no one else's and take the breath away. Even her literary allusions sparkle."—Janet Maslin, New York Times

"[Atkinson] occupies that rare cultural sweet spot wherein she scoops up awards for artistic excellence while also reliably hitting the best-seller lists. In her best work-a category in which her latest, "Transcription," certainly belongs-she maneuvers the tropes of the murder-mystery genre, of historical fiction, and of privileged white Britishness into a kind of critical salvage of women's work, women's lives..."—New Yorker

"Although engrossing from beginning to end, "Transcription" starts at a measured pace, with the tandem narratives only gradually gaining velocity. But when they are finally in sync and operating at peak capacity, the result is exhilarating...Transcription" is another triumph for Atkinson - suspenseful, moving, insightful and original."—The San Francisco Chronicle

"Atkinson is brilliant. Her characters are brilliant. Her command of the back-and-forth narrative, the un-fixedness of memory, the weight that guilt accrues over time and how we carry it is remarkable."—NPR.org

"In her novel's complex web of fiction and fact, copies and originals, Atkinson shows that transcription can take us closer to the truth."—Financial Times

"Atkinson's style is singular and delightful. No matter the genre, Atkinson displays more wit and word play, more delight in the fecundity of the English language, than just about any contemporary novelist."—The Boston Globe

"Kate Atkinson has carved out a niche as a stylistic interloper, elevating seemingly grimy crime fiction with her mordant wit and skipping from family sagas to speculative fiction. She returns to radiant form with her latest, Transcription, a deceptively subversive spy novel..."—Vogue

"Atkinson's writing is, as always, heaven to read... Atkinson has that gift, throughout her detective novels (the splendid Jackson Brodie series) and her recent wartime fiction -- she's both telling us a story and pulling back the curtain just a bit, showing us how she tells the story, how she builds this delicate house of cards. It's mesmerizing, from every angle."—Seattle Times

"Transcription is historical fiction at its best. Atkinson enjoys her research and uses it creatively to charm and inform her readers. She's not a pedant, but an accomplished storyteller with history as her background."—Dallas Morning News

"A sharp, witty espionage tale from best-seller and true lieterary master Kate Aktinson...It's thrilling and darkly funny."—Marie Claire

"The acclaimed author of Life After Life, Atkinson brings her trademark shar, insightful writing to this fascinating tale of intrigue."—Good Housekeeping

Read this.

I adore everything by Kate Atkinson. Transcription merges the shape-shifting of her two WW II novels (Life after Life and A God in Ruins) with a bit of John Le Carre tradecraft that you don't see coming right away. And of course, there's a dog. Two, actually. The narration by Fenella Woolgar was perfect. As soon as I finished it last night, I wanted to start all over again, to savor the bits I may have missed on the first go-round.

Unremarkable

Well written but turns out yet another spy story with nothing to distinguish it from the rest.

Fantastic story and fantastic narrator!

I loved this so much I listened to it twice back-to-back. Great story, masterfully told. And I loved the narrator. Highly recommended.

great audiobook!

This is an interesting story and the book is well written. Fenella Woolgar does an excellent job bringing it to life and differentiating the characters. she can also read with humour.

My Best Listen for 2018

What a book! - fascinating story / intriguing characters / excellent narration. - best listen of the year!