
Sylvia
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Narrated by:
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Edwina Wren
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By:
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Bryce Courtenay
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Best skipped or forgotten
Same thing over and over. Disappointing
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Nonetheless, I persisted. Sylvia is a fictional character who accompanies the historical Nicholas of Cologne in his crusade to peacefully reclaim the Holy Sepulchre in the Holy Land. The Church did not support this endeavor, making it even harder for the thousands of children who made the journey--or tried to. Many thousands died in the attempt. Sylvia herself is an intriguing character. She perceives herself as ordinary, but because she can call the birds and has a fish-shaped birthmark on her back, many think her a holy emissary. She struggles with the desire to be holy and the knowledge that she is not throughout the book. In the end, it is her desire for sanctity that is her undoing.
Sylvia is befriended and accompanied by a gay rat catcher who wants to be a musician, and Reinhardt is one of the most appealing characters in the book. He is clearly based on the Pied Piper, and his abilities to soundlessly pipe the rats and control dogs were also viewed as miracles. I don't know if I believed in the amazing abilities of this unlikely duo, but I enjoyed their adventures anyway.
Long story short: if you can endure the narration, you will probably enjoy this book.
Good Story, Narration Irritates
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Very good, yet not Courtenay's best
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Would you listen to Sylvia again? Why?
YesWhat did you like best about this story?
Not only the history given in the story but also the continually moving pace of the story.Which character – as performed by Edwina Wren – was your favorite?
SylviaIf you could take any character from Sylvia out to dinner, who would it be and why?
SylviaAny additional comments?
Nice to see something different from BryceNew Territory for Bryce but done well
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What did you love best about Sylvia?
The fact that Sylvia kept questioning herself regarding her performance.Who was your favorite character and why?
The Pied Piper of Hamlin. He was Sylvia's constant support who did not judge what she did.Have you listened to any of Edwina Wren’s other performances before? How does this one compare?
NoA really good read.
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Who would you have cast as narrator instead of Edwina Wren?
The narrator's voice was pleasant and expressive but the contrived German accent almost ruined the whole thing for me.accent annoying
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A Creative Good Yarn but Not a Courtnay Best
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What made the experience of listening to Sylvia the most enjoyable?
The story itself.Who was your favorite character and why?
Sylvia Honeyeater-she overcame so much.Who would you have cast as narrator instead of Edwina Wren?
Someone with a soft clear voice and NO ACCENT!Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?
No, I actually stopped on chapter 9 and downloaded Bryce Courteney's "Fishing for the Stars". I read "The Persimmon Tree" before this book, and felt the need to get back to Nicholas.Any additional comments?
for Bryce this was a departure and I can’t blame him for trying something new—the narrator was not the best—she kept trying to add a German accent to the script's characters, it led to a high pitched tone and it didn’t work. It actually hurt my ears when I used my headphones.Ears hurt
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A fantastic read where Courtenay weaves a beautiful story around Sylvia and the Pied Piper of Hamlin bringing to life the children’s crusade.
Excellent book wonderfully narrated. Thank you Bryce and Edwina.
Another stunner by Courtenay
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Is there anything you would change about this book?
The narrator's attempt to imitate German accent and way of speaking English is pretty disgraceful. I admit, I heard myself some of my countrymen speaking this way, but it's just a handful of all of us who migrated to so many English-speaking countries and embraced English as their own language.The narrator has a pleasant voice, but she made every possible effort to spoil this story with this mocking / caricaturing way she choose to present it to us.
VERY DISAPPOINTING - to say the less.
Horrible narration
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