Melmoth

A Novel

By: Sarah Perry

Narrated by: Jan Cramer

For centuries, the mysterious dark-robed figure has roamed the globe, searching for those whose complicity and cowardice have fed into the rapids of history’s darkest waters - and now, in Sarah Perry’s breathtaking follow-up to The Essex Serpent, it is heading in our direction.

It has been years since Helen Franklin left England. In Prague, working as a translator, she has found a home of sorts - or, at least, refuge. That changes when her friend Karel discovers a mysterious letter in the library, a strange confession and a curious warning that speaks of Melmoth the Witness, a dark legend found in obscure fairy tales and antique village lore. As such superstition has it, Melmoth travels through the ages, dooming those she persuades to join her to a damnation of timeless, itinerant solitude. To Helen it all seems the stuff of unenlightened fantasy.

But, unaware, as she wanders the cobblestone streets Helen is being watched. And then Karel disappears....

©2018 Sarah Perry (P)2018 HarperCollins Publishers

Story > performance

Performance was at times overly dramatic and nearly always much too slow. Listened at 1.5x speed (which is faster than I usually listen) and only then did it feel paced appropriately.

Story was interesting and well-written. Some really killer metaphors and descriptive passages. A very timely theme of not shying away from that which is terrible

thoroughly enjoyable just a bit slow paced

Good story, I just found it exceedingly slow and if we're being honest a bit boring but I am glad I persevered.

Love Sarah Perry, Love Melmoth

Fell in love with the Essex Serpent about a year and a half ago, and I was so excited when I saw Melmoth's release. I have never heard a better intro to a book probably in my life. It captivates you as soon as it begins. It is just like the Essex Serpent where you cannot tell if it is going to be spooky/fantastical or if it is merely all in one's head. Even after reading it I'm not sure.

Enchanting, disturbing, deeply moving

Hits you like a load of bricks in a very unexpected way. Leaves you thinking and tying it all together . Narration is wonderful- and really makes the book .

One of my favorite books!

Chills on chills on chills every time I read this! I’d first found it in paperback in a Goodwill, LOVED it from the first read, and it’s been kept in such a prominent place on my bookshelf all these years. Loved hearing the audio rendition, the voice actor was PERFECT like just how I’d imagined from reading! Ugh just chilllsss, love this story and concept.

Hoped for a bit more......

Very loosely based off of the 18th century novel Melmoth the Wander, I was hoping for a Gothic Halloween season style read that would put me on the edge of my seat. But it just didn't live up to that. A very slow building story that never hooked me. I couldn't get into or relate to the characters in the story. And the way the story finally unfolds just left me wanting a better overall plot. I give this just a 2 1/2 star rating out of 5.

very good. intense

this book is for those who have had to come to terms with what they have done in life. I'm not sure it's for those who have fresh wounds. it is complex and makes you think. now days it's fashionable to make the mythical character either the focus point or to allow for the question of whether or not it only exists in the mind of the main character. Sarah Perry embraces what Melmoth is and tells several stories of what she whitenesses. she raised questions of whether or not to witness is enough in life. sorry for not a well written review but I'm not good typing on my phone.

Interesting Point of View and Theme

At times the narrator was hard to follow as the points of view weave in and out, switching from character to character. If you don’t mind an omniscient narrator who addresses the reader and has an I slip in once or twice, then this won’t be an issue for you. I did want this book to end and get somewhere, so the pacing is a bit slow at times.

But it’s really at its best with believable characters and motivations, even those we only see snippets of. The mystery and prevailing question throughout are what drive this novel, and it doesn’t disappoint in that regard.

The performance of the audiobook is also well done. Some of the voices and delivery made me shudder.

Grim

What a depressing book! Brutal and just plain depressing. I liked Essex Serpent but this one is a slow nightmare.

Couldn’t Finish

The narration is so bad that I couldn’t continue the story. There is no consistency in the voices for each character and I couldn’t follow to story or stay engaged. Very disappointed. I think this may be a good story and I might read it myself.