World of Wonders

By: Robertson Davies

Narrated by: Marc Vietor

Length: 12 hrs and 30 mins

Publisher's Summary

Hailed by the Washington Post Book World as a "modern classic", Robertson Davies' acclaimed Deptford Trilogy is a glittering, fantastical, cunningly contrived series of novels, around which a mysterious death is woven.

World of Wonders, the third book in the series after The Manticore, follows the story of Magnus Eisengrim - the most illustrious magician of his age - who is spirited away from his home by a member of a traveling sideshow, the Wanless World of Wonders. After honing his skills and becoming better known, Magnus unfurls his life's courageous and adventurous tale in this third and final volume of a spectacular, soaring work.

Listen to the rest of The Deptford Trilogy.

©1975 Robertson Davies (P)2011 Audible, Inc.

Critic Reviews

"One of the splendid literary enterprises of this decade." ( Newsweek)

"Robertson Davies is one of the great modern novelists." (Malcolm Bradbury, The Sunday Times, London)

"Robertson Davies is a novelist whose books are thick and rich with humor, character and incident. They are plotted with skill and much flamboyance." ( The Observer)

essential reading for humans.

Robertson Davies was a master of his craft, and his potraits of the masters in the Deptford Trilogy are outstanding.

Hard to follow

It is a story full of symbols and family tragedies, that, if you can follow it, leads to interesting epiphanies on heartache and love.

Great North American Novel

I'm convinced, after this trilogy, that everyone after Twain trying to write a wistful, picaresque Bildungsroman and call it the Great American Novel, has actually written the Great Canadian Novel.

Don't Miss Thos Book

Brilliant end of the Deptford trilogy engrossing fiction so well narrated.
Read all three for a magical adventure tinto the human soul.

Compelling story; excellent reader

I listened to Fifth Business, The Manticore & World of Wonders straight through--just had to find out more about the characters.👍👍

Disappointing Finish

I finally finished Robertson Davies' modern classic, the Deptford trilogy, and I'm sorry to report that the third entry, World of Wonders, provided a disappointing finish to what started so brilliantly with the first book, Fifth Business. I almost gave World of Wonders one star, and not two, but couldnt quite bring myself to do that because it was a creative story with interesting characters. However, I just found the last book's series of biographical monologues to be really tedious.

1 of 2 people found this review helpful

Excellent book, performance ok

This is an outstanding piece of writing by Robertson Davies. I read these as books 20 years ago and have enjoyed listening to these versions thoroughly. Although the performance is not great, it is much less intrusive than in the other audio versions of the previous parts of the Deptford trilogy. It's possible I've got used to it but I think the narration is more consistent and the characters don't bleed into each other. Certainly highly recommended.

Wonderful

I read the Deptford Trilogy 35 years ago and remembered enjoying it but little else. Have just finished listening to the final book World of Wonders and it has surpassed my expectations. Robertson Davies has a playful touch yet deals with important issues. The novels have not dated one bit. There were times during the first novel that the narrator grated a little but by World of Wonders he did not intrude - despite an atrocious Scottish accent! Very enjoyable