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Sixth Lamentation: Father Anselm Series, Book 1
- Narrated by: Nathaniel Parker
- Length: 6 hrs and 22 mins
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Sixth Lamentation: Father Anselm Series, Book 1
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Summary
A Richard and Judy Book Club Selection.
A man arrives at Larkwood Monastery claiming sanctuary. Edward Schwermann is accused of Nazi war crimes: the chances are he's stained with blood, but politics demand that Larkwood shelter him. And Schwermann has intimated that the Church offered him sanctuary once before, during the war. It is this potentially embarrassing claim which brings Father Anselm onto centre stage. Once a lawyer, Anselm is sanctioned to make discreet enquiries in Rome, but as he edges towards the truth behind Schwermann's crimes, his renewed contact with the outside world threatens to overwhelm his fragile spiritual identity.
For Agnes Embleton, seeing Schwermann's face on the television has brought back a flood of memories: of Paris, of The Round Table, a group of idealistic students who tried to save thousands of Jewish children from deportation, of the Frenchman who betrayed them, and of Schwermann, the German officer who sent the children to their deaths. But what Agnes doesn't know and Anselm discovers is the personal investment Schwermann had in The Round Table, the silent bargains made by its members and the true extent of Schwermann's final treachery.
2005, Nibbies, Short-listed
2005, Theakstons, Long-listed
2004, McKitterick Prize, Runner-up
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What listeners say about Sixth Lamentation: Father Anselm Series, Book 1
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- Trixie
- 26-03-17
Prepare to be confused
There are so many characters in this story that it's sometimes difficult to remember who's who. The loud piano music between sections is unnecessary (especially if you listen into the small hours and are just dozing off) although I can see why the producer thought it a nice added touch. It isn't.
Nathaniel Parker does a very good job of narrating the complex tale of betrayal, lost love and, ultimately, forgiveness but I think it's one of those books that is better read rather than listened to, even if only to flick back a few pages to check the plot.
Maybe I'll listen to it again in a while and see if it improves on second acquaintance......
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance3 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Kizzy Beagledore
- 17-09-23
Great story not the best narration
I enjoyed The Sixth Lamentation as a book so bought the audio book for the car. Its a great story and if the author rather over complicates the twist is less noticeable in a written text as you are able to take your time to unpick the story in a!way an audio book marches on regardless.
My slight disappointment with this version is the narration. While characterising English speaking characters it's fine but the narrators ear for and ability to reproduce French, German and especially the Irish accent of Father Conway is truly dreadful. His German lurks comedically on the edge of Chinese, his French is Monty Pythonesque and his Irish turns into a mid Atlantic drawl which destroys the charter and cadence of the easy and expansive character. If you know the book it's truly distracting.
All in all its a reasonable listen and the twist in the plot unexpected. Definitely worth a try.
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Overall1 out of 5 stars
- David
- 15-07-07
Too long
Well Richard and Judy you got it wrong. A good story, but the author weaves such an elaborate web that half way through the point seems lost although it is gathered again at the end. A good idea but loses emphasis and focus. By all means draw a picture of interesting charactors and their lives, the key point being interesting.
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