The Gustav Sonata cover art

The Gustav Sonata

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The Gustav Sonata

By: Rose Tremain
Narrated by: Mark Meadows
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About this listen

Gustav Perle grows up in a small town in Switzerland where the horrors of the Second World War seem distant. He adores his mother, but she treats him with bitter severity, disapproving especially of his intense friendship with Anton, the Jewish boy at school. A gifted pianist, Anton is tortured by stage fright; only in secret games with Gustav does his imagination thrive.

But Gustav is taught that he must develop a hard shell, 'like a coconut', to protect the softness inside - just like the hard shell perfected by his country to protect its neutrality. But despite this hard shell, nothing in Gustav's life can be called neutral. Older and increasingly curious about his absent father, Gustav discovers the traces of an erotic love affair - traces which still glow white-hot even now.

Fierce, astringent, profoundly tender and spanning the 20th century, Rose Tremain's beautifully orchestrated novel explores the big themes of betrayal and the struggle for happiness and, above all, the passionate love of a childhood friendship as it is tested over a lifetime.

©2016 Rose Tremain (P)2016 Audible, Ltd Fiction Genre Fiction Literary Fiction Heartfelt Friendship

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All stars
Most relevant  
I have read everything rose remain has written but I had to give up on this novel. It was a relentlessly grim tale of a boy and his mother with not one chink of light or hope in the story. I accept some people's lives are grim but surely they have moments of happiness. Every time gustav has a happy moment he is knocked over by a tide of miserable events. Miserable reading.

Relentlessly Grim

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This was fab. Firstly the performance was brilliant- characters had distinct voices, there was real emotion and it was really clear who was meant to be speaking. I don't think I've ever heard a man play an 80 year old woman so effectively!!

The story was lovely - I'm a massive fan of rose tremain but this had it all, drama and romance and music. Would highly recommend and sat in the pouring rain outside Tesco unwilling to go home until I had heard the last ten minutes.

Loved this

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I loved this angle on a story of wartime, it is now a favourite. The relationships of parents, friends lovers, colleagues all expertly observed. Excellent

So moving

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The book started off really well. About halfway through, I felt bored and wanted it to finish. I persevered to the end, hoping for something interesting to happen, but I was disappointed. it was dull and predictable. I didn't like the narrator. I thought that some of the voices he used were ridiculous. I thought his performance was disjointed, as though he wasn't interested in the story and just reading from a page. Not recommended!

Disappointing

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Wonderful and enjoyable but I must admit that the partition of the novel into parts and the disjointed narrative didn't sit well with me
The first half was much more enjoyable and I wanted more of that. Some questions unanswered
That all said it was very compelling listening with lovely characters and language
Not bad at all.

Enjoyable

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I really enjoyed this book, everything was perfect, the originality of the slowly unfolding story, the characterisations, the masterful and plausible narration.

Rose Tremain at her best.

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This was everything a good story should be, from the start you will be hooked. Rose Tremain never disappoints. This is based on Switzerland post WWII, and the suffering they went through. The two main characters are so believable, I recommend this book.

Fantastic

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Perfect narrator for a beautiful, rich and sensory-filled story which I definitely recommend to all.

I loved this

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Rose tremain is a wonderful author who brings the soul of her sympathtic characters to the fore and interweaves them into stories that are interesting and plausible.

Unfortunately, I found Mark Meadows narration irritating and distracting with an upward inflection every 2 or 3 words.

Irritating narration

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Rose Tremain writes with authority; I felt as if I really knew the two central characters in this story which is so different to the last of her books I listened to. The plot is convincing and the peripheral characters are also colourful and plausible. Kept me listening and intrigued as to how two different lives and a long friendship would work out. I wasn't disappointed!

Quirky and revelatory

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