Listen to a sample
The Dictator’s Muse
- Author
- Nigel Farndale
- Narrator
- Rachel Bavidge
- Publisher
- Transworld
- Publish Date
- 24 June 2021
- Run Time
- 11 hours 21 minutes
- Format
- Audiobook
What to expect
Brought to you by Penguin.
From the bestselling author of The Blasphemer, shortlisted for the Costa Novel Award and a Richard & Judy Bookclub Pick
It is the early 1930s, and Europe is holding its breath. As Hitler's grip on power tightens, preparations are being made for the Berlin Olympics.
Leni Riefenstahl is the pioneering, sexually-liberated star film-maker of the Third Reich. She has been chosen by Hitler to capture the Olympics on celluloid but is about to find that even his closest friends have much to fear. Kim Newlands is the English athlete 'sponsored' by the Blackshirts and devoted to his mercurial, socialite girlfriend Connie. He is driven by a desire to win an Olympic gold but to do that he must first pretend to be someone he is not. Alun Pryce is the Welsh communist sent to infiltrate the Blackshirts. When he befriends Kim and Connie, his belief that the end justifies the means will be tested to the core.
Through her camera lens and memoirs, Leni is able to manipulate the truth about what happens when their fates collide at the Olympics. But while some scenes from her life end up on the cutting room floor, this does not mean they are lost forever...
PRAISE FOR THE BLASPHEMER:
'A great achievement...remarkable.' Melvyn Bragg
'A book that won't leave your fingernails intact' Daily Mail
'A fine novel...unforgettable.' The Times
'Beautiful...exhilarating.' Sunday Telegraph
'A constantly engaging and witty novel from a tremendously clever writer.' Telegraph
© Nigel Farndale 2021 (P) Penguin Audio 2021
Critics Review
-
[A] riveting novel... a fast-paced, brilliantly constructed thriller, in which the fates of the three young British protagonists hang in the balance at the end of every chapter. The period detail is as sharply focussed as one of Riefenstahl's own films.
A. N. Wilson, SPECTATOR
-
[A] richly evocative historical novel.
THE TIMES
-
Fascinating... Farndale's panoramic view of pre-war German society on the verge of irreparable change is persuasively evoked.
THE OBSERVER
-
A novel rich in historical detail, but wearing its research lightly, and the story is told in a French Lieutenant's Woman kind of way, veering from the present to the past with superb flair. With the rise of the alt right again polluting our democracies, this novel has an uncomfortable prescience, with a plot twist at the end which is ingenious.
IRISH INDEPENDENT
See more reviews See fewer reviews
-
Enthralling... profound and moving, this is a beautifully written evocation of turbulent times.
DAILY EXPRESS / DAILY MIRROR
-
A masterly exploration of conflicting loyalties set against the 1936 Olympic Games. Sharply characterised, richly atmospheric and completely engrossing.
JOHN PRESTON, author of THE DIG
-
A darkly compelling novel, powerfully evocative and beautifully written.
JENNY McCARTNEY, author of the The Ghost Factory
-
Farndale interweaves history and fiction in a heady mix... engrossing, intriguing and thought-provoking.
NB MAGAZINE
User Reviews
No reviews yet.
Details
- Author
- Nigel Farndale
- Narrator
- Rachel Bavidge
- Duration
- 11 hours 21 minutes
- Release Date
- 24 June 2021
- ISBN
- 9781473597396
- Format
- Audiobook
- Publisher
- Transworld
- Genre
- Historical fiction, Modern and contemporary fiction: literary and general
Synopsis
Brought to you by Penguin. From the bestselling author of The Blasphemer, shortlisted for the Costa Novel Award and a Richard & Judy Bookclub PickIt is the early 1930s, and Europe is holding its breath. As Hitler's grip on power tightens, preparations are being made for the Berlin Olympics.Leni Riefenstahl is the pioneering, sexually-liberated star film-maker of the Third Reich. She has been chosen by Hitler to capture the Olympics on celluloid but is about to find that even his closest friends have much to fear. Kim Newlands is the English athlete 'sponsored' by the Blackshirts and devoted to his mercurial, socialite girlfriend Connie. He is driven by a desire to win an Olympic gold but to do that he must first pretend to be someone he is not. Alun Pryce is the Welsh communist sent to infiltrate the Blackshirts. When he befriends Kim and Connie, his belief that the end justifies the means will be tested to the core.Through her camera lens and memoirs, Leni is able to manipulate the truth about what happens when their fates collide at the Olympics. But while some scenes from her life end up on the cutting room floor, this does not mean they are lost forever...PRAISE FOR THE BLASPHEMER:'A great achievement...remarkable.' Melvyn Bragg'A book that won't leave your fingernails intact' Daily Mail'A fine novel...unforgettable.' The Times'Beautiful...exhilarating.' Sunday Telegraph'A constantly engaging and witty novel from a tremendously clever writer.' Telegraph© Nigel Farndale 2021 (P) Penguin Audio 2021
About xigxag
xigxag is an independent, UK-based audiobook platform and the UK's only B Corp certified audiobook company. We offer nearly 150,000 audiobooks, all with professional human narration. No AI-generated voices. xigxag is rated an Ethical Consumer Best Buy for audiobooks and a top-rated ethical bookshop.
There is no subscription. You buy the audiobooks you want, you own them permanently, and prices start at $13.95. The more you listen over the year, the less you pay per book, and there is always a selection in Listen for Less from $7.95. You can also send audiobooks as gifts using our audiobook gift cards or in-app gifting.
Every audiobook on xigxag has honest reviews covering both the book and the narration, and our community features make it easy to share what you are listening to, discover what others recommend, and find your next listen.
Download or stream on iOS, Android, or in your browser. Browse the full catalogue at xigxag.co.uk.