The Europeans

By: Henry James

Narrated by: Eleanor Bron

Eugenia, an American expatriate brought up in Europe, arrives in rural New England with her charming brother Felix, hoping to find a wealthy second husband after the collapse of her marriage to a German prince.

Their exotic, sophisticated airs cause quite a stir with their affluent, God-fearing American cousins, the Wentworth's - and provoke the disapproval of their uncle, suspicious of foreign influences. To Gertrude Wentworth, struggling against her somber puritan upbringing, the arrival of the handsome Felix is especially enchanting.

©2009 Henry James (P)2014 Audible, Inc.

Bit of a dull chew

Henry James has some good works and some not so good works. This one about some Europeans who come to America blunder about fall in love and then leave is mildly entertaining, but mostly dull and unmemorable. The reader who reads in a monotone with little expression, doesn’t help much. Overall, doesn’t suck but not great either.

Lovely but boring

The performed partially redeemed a very weak plot. The characters were less than interesting and by the end you wish they would all just disappear. The book lead June likes something big going to happen but it never does.

The Golddiggers of 1863

On the verge of having her marriage annulled and title removed, a Countess and her hedonistic brother visit their restrained, principled, Bostonian cousins with an aim at manipulating their way into their lives... and riches.
Terrific.

wonderful novel, wonderful reader, poor recording

I'd probably be happy listening to Eleanor Bron read the dictionary aloud, so a chance to hear her read Henry James is a real treat. Sadly, however, the volume on this recording is very uneven. It varies so much and changes so often I have to keep a thumb on the volume control of my device. Very disappointing and distracting.

Agile and modulated

What did you like best about this story?

The subtle tone and speech of Henry James.

Which character – as performed by Eleanor Bron – was your favorite?

Eugene

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

I have not listen to all in one sitting.

Not the best HJ but solid

This book was a bit hard to get into at first, but it ended up getting my attention. A short and sweet read, well narrated. Funny ending, not altogether satisfying, as is the author's way.

Henry James clearly sets his stages…

I have always appreciated the way that Henry James sets the scene for his characters. He uses such vivid imagery that I often feel I am in the room as the scene is taking place.

Good

Enjoyable classic story contrasting rigidly narrow New Englanders with free spirited Europeans, but the ending was disapointing. Yes, Eugenia was somewhat artificial and dishonest. But she was interesting and colorful and I liked her. I genuinely wanted her to end up with Acton. Having the story end with "and he married a very nice girl" (not Eugenia) felt like a slap in the face.

Meh

The story has good descriptions and interesting characters, but leaves much to be desired. It has a nebulous plot and anti-climatic ending. It left me frustrated that I cannot get back the time I spent listening to it. Best part of the book was that it was narrated by Eleanor Bron, Her narration was probably the only reason why I listened to the entire book.

A Cheerful James Story

I had recently read several short stories written by James later in life that dealt thoughtfully about death, dying, and the meaning of life. All very heavy. This charming story was a breath of fresh air. What happens when people of different cultures and "circles" suddenly find themselves together? The characters are deftly written and their crisp dialogue brings the reader right into the room with them. I laughed out loud several times and found myself smiling whenever the spirited and good-natured Felix was present. The contrasts between the Americans and Europeans seemed well-balanced. It's a delightful read.