Nights at the Circus

By: Angela Carter

Narrated by: Adjoa Andoh

Length: 12 hrs and 38 mins

Publisher's summary

This Audible Exclusive recording of Angela Carter's iconic novel, Nights at the Circus, is brought to you by celebrated actress and voice artist, Adjoa Andoh. It is described by Carter herself as a 'psychedelic Dickens.'

A compelling and thought provoking novel which heralds a new age, we're introduced to the unique and mesmerizing character of Sophi Fevvers and her illustrious wings....

About the book

Said to be part woman, part swan, Sophi Fevvers stars in Colonel Kearney's Circus, beloved and admired by audiences all around Europe.

Courted by the Prince of Wales himself and fawned on by American journalist, Jack Walser, Sophi defies expectation by embarking on a journey of self-discovery, and taking the listener on an intoxicating trip around London, St Petersburg and Siberia.

One of Carter's most empowered female protagonists, Fevvers heralds a 'new Age in which no women will be bound down to the ground,' making this a timeless and wholly inspiring literary masterpiece.

About the author

Angela Carter was born in 1940, in Sussex. She grew up in the shabbily respectable south London district of Balham, the second child of an eccentric journalist father and a neurotic housewife mother.

She studied English at Bristol University before travelling extensively, teaching and writing numerous best-selling novels. They have all received considerable critical acclaim and remain firm favourites of modern English literature.

Angela was a devout feminist throughout her life, wrote for Spare Rib magazine and voted Labour. Her novels are wholly reflective of her world views and continue to inspire new generations of men and women worldwide.

About the narrator

Adjoa Andoh is a British film, television, stage and radio actress, best-known for her roles in Invictus, Doctor Who, Liar and National Theatre Live: Les Liaisons Dangereuses.

She is well versed in the art of narration and has voiced over 100 audiobooks, including Naomi Alderman's The Power, Marcus Chown's The Ascent of Gravity, Alexander McCall Smith's The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency and Fiona Barton's The Child.

Adjoa has had many leading roles with the Royal Shakespeare Company, The National Theatre, The Royal Court Theatre and the Almeida Theatre, and she's acted in a production of Nights at the Circus.

©1984 Angela Carter (P)2018 Audible, Ltd

Critic reviews

"A remarkable book by any standards." ( The Guardian)

Such a good story, such a GREAT narrator

The story itself, especially the lengthy monologue in the first part by the main character relating her life history, was fantastic. But the narrator managed to raise the level to enthralling, with her mesmerizing delivery and (please excuse my American ears) wonderful, varied accents.

A magical, immersive experience

I originally read this book in 1996 and loved it. Enough time elapsed for me to forget the key details that made the retelling of the story just as precious as it first was. The characters’ voices were each distinct and matched them, and the only flaw I could find is that Walser’s accent was cartoonishly dopey. I feel his character could have done with a less comic voice. I loved this book in audio form just as much as in written form.

A Great and Intriguing Listen

The story is narrated in a range of voices and kept me interested. The story itself is hilarious and engaging, covering serious topics like sexism but from a tongue-in-cheek ironic perspective. I highly recommend it.

Not planing to finish this

Didn't grab me at all and the narration is absolutely not for my ears.

acid trip

I've never done acid, but this book has to be the closest thing to an acid trip that I could imagine. The accents are very hard to understand and the story is just completely incomprehensible. I have no idea what I just listened to.