A Fatal Inversion cover art

A Fatal Inversion

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A Fatal Inversion

By: Barbara Vine
Narrated by: William Gaminara
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About this listen

In the long, hot summer of 1976 Adam, Rufus, Shiva, Vivien and Zosie are camping at Wyvis Hall. They don’t ask why they are there or how they are to live; they simply scavenge, steal and sell the family heirlooms.

Ten years later, the bodies of a woman and child are discovered in the Hall’s animal cemetery. But which woman? And whose child?

©1987 Kingsmarkham Enterprises (P)2014 Audible, Inc. Family Life Genre Fiction Mystery Private Investigators Suspense Thriller & Suspense Traditional Detectives Fiction Detective

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All stars
Most relevant  
This has been a favourite book of mine since I first read it not long after publication. I listen to the audio version every now and again. I must have listened half a dozen times. It still entertains me despite knowing the story so well. Reading other reviews I see that others find it hard to follow because of the time shifts. I don’t. Others find the portrayal of Shiva and his wife and family stereotypical and perhaps racist. I suppose that any portrayal of people of colour by a white author is going to be open to this charge. And it may be that every such portrayal will be guilty of racism to a greater or lesser extent. I think of it as a human story involving passions, chance, guile and consequences. The title is a touch of genius, I think. It captures so much of the story in a pithy phrase. As you listen consider the inversions described in the text.

I liked this a lot

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Having read this at least twice in print form and watched the BBC TV adaptation, it was great to hear the unabridged audiobook. The story, set in rural Suffolk and London back in the long hot summer of 1976 and ten years on in the mid-late 1980s was brilliant to explore and the attention to detail was amazing. That said, the majority of the characters were pretty loathsome.

The narrator, William Gaminara was extremely accomplished and performed a wide selection of characters with aplomb.

A Fatal Inversion

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A brilliant story, well worth it!! Great plot twist and well read. I’m off to find another 😀

Fantastic

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This has been a favourite book of mine for decades and my most recommended ever. I have read and re read it but still I was delighted to hear it on audible as an included choice. Again I loved it and felt the narration was excellent, offering this in a new dimension. My only slight gripe is that I didn’t like the narrator’s take on Zoe’s voice, she sounded like a cranky!

Layers of story never fail to intrigue

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Good story but goes from ten years ago to storyline present day without a break, making it very confusing. Also some stilted language I don’t know anyone who calls a nappy a napkin even in 76 or 86.

Good story

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I love this novel, read it first as a young adult and it resonated, the characters weren’t likeable but their predicament was involving, I found parts of it darkly funny, and the narrator’s voice was great company.

Not so this time round, the narrator can certainly ‘do’ a posh voice and Adam and Rufus, and Shiva, were convincing, as was Mary Gage; I could live with Lily, although her full-on Indian accent was far from the south-Asian lilt described in the book, but my god, poor Zosie. We are told that she looks like a beautiful illustration of a fairy girl, but in this narrator’s mouth she sounds like Baldrick. It’s not the first time I’ve been enjoying an audiobook very much only to switch off in disgust when the first working class character to be voiced sounds gormless (I’m looking at you, Little Dorrit). Perhaps it’s unfair to expect every voice to be spot on, in such a polyphonic work, but I’m sensitive to the sound of working class people being patronised, and that’s how this came across to me.

Great story but narration no good for me

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Interesting story. Slightly old fashioned In style. Rather a strange and, to me, uncomfortable ending.

Fatal Inversion

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Great story fantastically written & read. Horrible people being horrible.

Editing is unfortunate. Not even the slightest pause when jumping between timelines. If you're confused, rewind and get your bearings again!

Very hard to follow

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rendell's command of narrative technique is astonishing here, every bit as worthy as Philip Roth's novels. masterly. and a terrific story.

masterly narrative

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I lost the will to live with this book. One minute in the present next minute with no warning in the past. I wasn’t into the story after chapter 3, not persevered as I like to finish what I start.

Confusing

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