The Snow Queen (audiobook review)

Title: The Snow Queen
Author: Michael Cunningham
Narrator: Claire Danes
Publisher: Macmillian Audio
Pub. Date: May 2014
Length: 7 hours

Audiobook Info:

A darkly luminous new novel from the Pulitzer Prize–winning author of The Hours
Michael Cunningham’s luminous novel begins with a vision. It’s November 2004. Barrett Meeks, having lost love yet again, is walking through Central Park when he is inspired to look up at the sky; there he sees a pale, translucent light that seems to regard him in a distinctly godlike way. Barrett doesn’t believe in visions—or in God—but he can’t deny what he’s seen.
At the same time, in the not-quite-gentrified Bushwick neighborhood of Brooklyn, Tyler, Barrett’s older brother, a struggling musician, is trying—and failing—to write a wedding song for Beth, his wife-to-be, who is seriously ill. Tyler is determined to write a song that will be not merely a sentimental ballad but an enduring expression of love.
Barrett, haunted by the light, turns unexpectedly to religion. Tyler grows increasingly convinced that only drugs can release his creative powers. Beth tries to face mortality with as much courage as she can summon.
Cunningham follows the Meeks brothers as each travels down a different path in his search for transcendence. In subtle, lucid prose, he demonstrates a profound empathy for his conflicted characters and a singular understanding of what lies at the core of the human soul.
The Snow Queen, beautiful and heartbreaking, comic and tragic, proves again that Cunningham is one of the great novelists of his generation.

Author Info:
Michael Cunningham is the author of the novels A Home at the End of the World, Flesh and Blood, The Hours (winner of the Pen/Faulkner Award and the Pulitzer Prize), and Specimen Days. He lives in New York.












My review:
This was a tough one for me. The audiobook was beautifully written, I liked its prose alot. The problem is the story is not as enjoyable. The story is boring and hard to connect with. During the whole audiobook I found myself uninterested and not caring what happens. The characters are also boring and unmemorable, I couldnt relate to any of them and I didnt like any of them either. I think another issue with this book is that its just depressing. Now dont get me wrong but sometimes I enjoy reading a depressing book but this one not so much.

The narration:
This was the frist time I heard Claire Danes read an audiobook and I am very glad I got the experience! Her narration was very well done. It was well animated and acted. She makes the beautifully prose even more beautiful to listen to!

My final verdict:
Overall I didnt enjoy the book so I cant reccomend it. If you are a fan of this author you may enjoy this audiobook and if you want to hear Claire Danes as a narrator then maybe you should listen to this book but overall it was not an audiobook for me.

I would like to thank the people from Macmillan audio for letting me listen to and review this audiobook.