The readers can download In the Midst of Winter: A Novel Audiobook for free via Audible Free Trial.
Summary
New York Times and worldwide bestselling "dazzling storyteller" (Associated Press) Isabel Allende returns with a sweeping novel about three very different people who are brought together in a mesmerizing story that journeys from present-day Brooklyn to Guatemala in the recent past to 1970s Chile and Brazil.
I absolutely loved 'In the Midst of Winter: A Novel' by Allende. It's definitely one of her finest works. The three narrators in this audiobook are absolutely top-notch. It's amazing how much narrators can elevate the audio experience. This set of narrators is hands down my favorite!
I absolutely adore Isabel Allende and her incredible talent for breathing life into her characters. Her storytelling is so captivating that I can't help but wish her stories would never end!
However, this time around, I wasn't quite as enamored with the narration. While two of the narrators did a fantastic job, one fell quite short. I had really hoped that the direction, post-production, or editing teams would have taken care of the mispronunciations and awkward pacing, as it made certain parts of the story a bit challenging to get through.
To be honest, this novel felt like it was written by someone else altogether. It had such a distinct vibe compared to the author's previous works. Personally, it didn't impress me as much as her other books typically do. It was just average, and that's not a critique I would normally associate with any other Allende book!
Isabel Allende is such an amazing storyteller, no doubt about it. It's just too bad that the service decided to switch between three different narrators, with varying levels of quality. The constant change in voices was really distracting and didn't really match the flow of the story. And let me tell you, there was this one narrator, a young woman, who couldn't even get the Spanish names right. It was quite a letdown.
This audiobook, titled 'In the Midst of Winter: A Novel', is truly a captivating and at times exhilarating psychological suspense mystery. The characters are well-developed and intriguing, with relationships that feel grounded in realistic psychology. The sense of impending disaster is effectively established, making the story all the more compelling. The only minor drawback, which actually turns out to be quite significant, is that upon discovering the truth about the events, one begins to question why certain crucial forensic evidence, presumably present at the time the crime was uncovered, was not thoroughly examined by anyone. However, despite this flaw, it remains an enjoyable listen overall.
This author consistently delivers well-crafted books, and "In the Midst of Winter: A Novel" is no exception. However, I found it challenging to reach the end due to the characters' deeply distressing life experiences.
Usually, I'm a huge fan of Allende's writing, but with this particular book, it's honestly difficult to say. Each of the three narrators seemed completely off the mark for their respective characters, and there were numerous instances where their narration for other characters just didn't hit the mark. It was genuinely agonizing.
I used to be a huge fan of Allende's books, but unfortunately, 'In the Midst of Winter: A Novel' didn't quite match up to my expectations. The story felt fragmented and lacked the depth I usually associate with her writing. I struggled to connect with the characters and found their sudden love for each other to be quite perplexing. Currently being in Guatemala, where one of the characters is from, I appreciated the accurate descriptions, but they seemed to lack the usual emotional depth that usually captivates me in Allende's writing.
The audiobook featured multiple narrators, and I have to say that two of them sounded breathy and monotonous, making it difficult to fully enjoy the experience. Despite my hopes for a great read, this book turned out to be a major letdown.
The reviews weren't as terrible as I expected, but I personally didn't find this book enjoyable. I don't want to label it as terrible, but I wouldn't recommend it to anyone looking for a captivating read. The story dragged on for me.
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