Romola

Author George Eliot
Narrator Wanda McCaddon
Run Time 21 hours and 54 minutes
Format Audio
Genre Classic fiction.

Listen to a sample

What to expect

"There is no book of mine about which I more thoroughly feel that I swear by every sentence as having been written with my best blood." Thus wrote George Eliot about Romola, the book which is central in her career as a novelist and amongst her most colorful, fluent, and persuasive works.

Set in Florence in 1492, a time of great political and religious turmoil, Eliot's novel blends vivid fictional characters with historical figures such as Savonarola, Machiavelli, and the Medicis. When Romola, the virtuous daughter of a blind scholar, marries Tito Melema, a charismatic young Greek, she is bound to a man whose escalating betrayals threaten to destroy all that she holds dear. Profoundly inspired by Savonarola's teachings, then crushed by the religious leader's ultimate failure, Romola finds her salvation in noble self-sacrifice.

Critics Review

“George Eliot’s humanity colors all her other gifts—her humor, her morality, and her exquisite rhetoric.”

Henry James

“One of the greatest works of modern fiction…probably the author’s greatest work.”

Richard Hutton, Spectator

“[Eliot’s] narrative seems not so much a conventional historical novel as a rewriting of history with imaginary characters struggling to find their way in the labyrinth of circumstances largely beyond their control.”

Robert Kiely, Loker Professor of English, emeritus, Harvard University

“For readers interested in gender, language, and history, the difficulty of reading is more than offset by the novel’s complex and intriguing treatment of these three issues—issues that are at the core of contemporary literary criticism and theory.”

Dorothea Barrett, professor, New York University at La Pietra

More from the same

Author

Narrator

About xigxag

Enjoy the best audiobooks on xigxag, an innovative, user-friendly audiobook platform that makes it easy to find, purchase, and enjoy your favorite books in audio format. xigxag’s flexible pricing model offers bestselling audiobooks for less – affordable prices and the best audiobook deals with no subscription required. Give the perfect gift with our audiobook gift cards and in-app audiobook gifting options.

xigxag’s commitment to sustainability and ethical practices ensures a guilt-free listening experience from an exceptional digital book platform – an exciting alternative to big tech. Enjoy audiobooks from the only B Corp certified UK audiobook service and a leader in audiobook innovation.

Search effortlessly, read honest audiobook reviews evaluating both the book and the narration, and discover hidden gems. Download or stream top audiobook titles anytime, anywhere and get the best possible listening experience on the UK’s best independent audiobook app. Experience the future of audiobooks today.

Subscribe to our newsletter

Sign up to get tailored content recommendations, product updates and info on new releases. Your data is your own: we commit to protect your data and respect your privacy.

Find your favourite titles