From Library Journal
This 1965 novel is not among du Maurier's better-known works; indeed, it is not even mentioned in her obituary in the London Times, and The New Yorker called it "extraordinarily dull." It takes place in the fictional university town of Ruffano, Italy; tour guide Armino Fabbio has returned to his childhood home, now alcoholic and homeless, after the murder of an old family servant. There he finds his brother Aldo, supposedly killed during the war; Aldo in turn believed Armino and their mother had also been killed. Aldo, insane and vicious, undertakes a play about the founder of Ruffano, Duke Claudio, against a backdrop of political unrest and town and gown conflicts. It is a dark, harsh tale of good and evil, with family secrets unearthed amidst incest, murder, rapeAthis is not light listening. James Callis's reading is very good, with fine pacing and easily distinguishable voices. It is hard not to recommend a du Maurier title, but perhaps libraries on limited budgets should look to more widely appealing fare.AHarriet Edwards, East Meadow P.L., NY
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc. --Ce texte fait référence à l'édition Cassette .
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc. --Ce texte fait référence à l'édition Cassette .
From AudioFile
If ONLY Daphne du Maurier had written another book as wonderful as REBECCA. Alas, she didn't. This one is no exception. The plot--involving a cruel Italian duke and dual dimensions in time--is convoluted and tiresome. The performance, however, is something else. Narrator James Callis so inhabits the passionate and somewhat bitchy character of the protagonist, a European tour guide, it's as if one has been pulled aside from the tour group and privileged with his secrets. So uncannily real is his portrayal that one cannot quite square the earnest young face on the back of the audio package with the urbane voice coming out of the headphones. If Callis can do this much with such dull material, what could he do with something wonderful? E.K.D. © AudioFile 2001, Portland, Maine-- Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine
--Ce texte fait référence à l'édition
Cassette
.
