That Summer in Sicily

A Love Story

By: Marlena de Blasi

Narrated by: Marlena de Blasi

One summer in Sicily, Marlena de Blasi entered a world of unforgettable magic when she discovered the secret Sicilian villa of Donnafugata. There life was ruled by ritual and by an unassailable 70-year-old matriarch and protectress, Tosca.

Willowy and aloof, with an aura of a distant time, Tosca was a woman whose life story begged to be told. In the warmth of Tosca's garden, Marlena would receive bountiful lessons of life and love as the story of Tosca's fairy-tale romance with an Italian prince unfolded.

©2008 Marlena de Blasi (P)2008 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Critic reviews

"[A] fragrant tale of life and love in the mountains of Sicily....Swift, sinuous, deep and brimming with cultural artifacts." ( Kirkus Reviews)

Listen to the voice sample first!

Personally I do not care for the sound of a whisper or near whisper for narration. Because of this I was unable to listen to this production. I love her previously published books, but as Marlena de Blasi narrated, this must be the effect she wanted and I 'll go back to reading any new books in hardback.

No idea what the book was about.

Was unable to finish the book because I couldn't hear it. i had read it a few years ago.

What a beautiful Poetic Voice

Would you listen to That Summer in Sicily again? Why?

Yes I would listen to this story again because it is so well and poetically written, and the audio is absolutely beautiful.

Who was your favorite character and why?

In this one instance I can honestly say I loved them all because each one added texture and depth to the story, drawing me completely into the landscape and period

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

I would hate to give away the ending, but it was the last letter disclosing information about the prince

Any additional comments?

There was nothing about this book other than the reviews and sample audio that interested me, I'm not a romance or drama reader except on occasion. But after starting this book I couldn't put it down and loved every moment, never hurrying through a single point. Wow was I ever touched at the deepest places in my heart. An all around perfect book.

Haunting

I have just finished " Summer in Sciliy". I found it to be a most haunting love story. It was not drippy or sappy. It had substance. I was thinking about it even when I wasn't listening to it. I feel Marlena de Blasi's voice was perfect for the reading of the story. It was soft and very enjoyable to hear. A must listen.

Needed a different narrator

What did you love best about That Summer in Sicily?

The love story and the setting.

How could the performance have been better?

The author should have used a different narrator. It was extremely difficult to hear this narrator because she whispered the whole book, so Ss were pronounced and then she would trail off at end of sentences so even at full volume, you couldn't always hear what she was saying. The whispering was so annoying at times that I could only listen to 20 minutes and then I would turn it off, which made it hard to get into the story and the characters. I am sorry to say that the author ruined her own book by being the narrator.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

The only reaction that I had was that I found myself yelling at the narrator to speak up and speak clearly and not whisper everything. The sad part was I wanted to know what happened to the characters, but lost interest because I kept having to start and stop it.

compelling!

I had been concerned about the narration, and almost did not purchase the book. Reviews were not kind. I am so glad I did buy it. Once I found the rhythm of performance, It was quite enjoyable. The prose are exquisite. The story mesmerizing.

Lovely story -

Last prince indeed. The reading is powerful full of emotion and life.

Can't wait to visit Sicily

Blah

The author needed to stick to writing and not narrating. Her voice is so annoying and overly soft and dramatic that I could not get past the first fifteen minutes. Do Not waste your credits on this one!

Terrible narration

I couldn't get through this one. The author should have stepped away from the mic and allow a professional to narrate, so I could have enjoyed her story. She continually sounds as if she's without breath and about to faint. Very, very distracting.

Narration makes it impossible to listen to

I wanted to love this audiobook because I loved The Lady in the Palazzo and because I'm going to be in Sicily in a couple of months. But the whispered narration drove me crazy and I couldn't get beyond chapter one. My rating of the story is made up because I didn't actually listen to it, but I had to rate it in order to review the book. I would suggest to potential listeners to listen to the sample and see if they're comfortable with a quiet, breathy reading before they decide whether to purchase the book. Apparently some people are.