Listen free for 30 days
-
Swimming in the Dark
- A Novel
- Narrated by: Will M. Watt
- Length: 6 hrs and 30 mins
Add to Cart failed.
Add to Wish List failed.
Remove from wish list failed.
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
Buy Now for $31.44
No default payment method selected.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
Buy it with
-
These Violent Delights
- A Novel
- Written by: Micah Nemerever
- Narrated by: Michael Crouch
- Length: 14 hrs and 13 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
When Paul enters university in early 1970s Pittsburgh, it’s with the hope of moving past the recent death of his father. Sensitive, insecure, and incomprehensible to his grieving family, Paul feels isolated and alone. When he meets the worldly Julian in his freshman ethics class, Paul is immediately drawn to his classmate’s effortless charm. Paul sees Julian as his sole intellectual equal — an ally against the conventional world he finds so suffocating.
-
-
An Intellectual Novel of Toxic Codependence and Unspeakable Violence
- By Matthew on 2022-09-17
Written by: Micah Nemerever
-
Young Mungo
- A Novel
- Written by: Douglas Stuart
- Narrated by: Chris Reilly
- Length: 13 hrs and 41 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Born under different stars, Protestant Mungo and Catholic James live in a hyper-masculine world. They are caught between two of Glasgow’s housing estates where young working-class men divide themselves along sectarian lines, and fight territorial battles for the sake of reputation. They should be sworn enemies if they’re to be seen as men at all, and yet they become best friends as they find a sanctuary in the dovecote that James has built for his prize racing pigeons.
-
-
Awestruck!!
- By Tre2020 on 2022-12-17
Written by: Douglas Stuart
-
Lie with Me
- A Novel
- Written by: Philippe Besson, Molly Ringwald - translator
- Narrated by: Jacques Roy
- Length: 3 hrs and 35 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Just outside a hotel in Bordeaux, Philippe chances upon a young man who bears a striking resemblance to his first love. What follows is a look back at the relationship he’s never forgotten, a hidden affair with a gorgeous boy named Thomas during their last year of high school. Without ever acknowledging they know each other in the halls, they steal time to meet in secret, carrying on a passionate, world-altering affair.
-
-
Beautiful and tragic
- By theonufry on 2023-09-17
Written by: Philippe Besson, and others
-
All That’s Left in the World
- Written by: Erik J. Brown
- Narrated by: Barrett Leddy, Andrew Gibson
- Length: 10 hrs and 6 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
When Andrew stumbles upon Jamie’s house, he’s injured, starved, and has nothing left to lose. A deadly pathogen has killed off most of the world’s population, including everyone both boys have ever loved. And if this new world has taught them anything, it’s to be scared of what other desperate people will do . . . so why does it seem so easy for them to trust each other? After danger breaches their shelter, they flee south in search of civilization. But something isn’t adding up about Andrew’s story, and it could cost them everything.
-
-
What it says on the tin:)
- By katherine on 2023-01-29
Written by: Erik J. Brown
-
Love, Hate & Clickbait
- Written by: Liz Bowery
- Narrated by: Michael Crouch
- Length: 9 hrs and 58 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Cutthroat political consultant Thom Morgan is thriving, working on the governor of California’s presidential campaign. If only he didn’t have to deal with Clay Parker, the infuriatingly smug data analyst who gets under Thom’s skin like it’s his job. In the midst of one of their heated and very public arguments, a journalist snaps a photo, but the image makes it look like they’re kissing. As if that weren’t already worst-nightmare territory, the photo goes viral—and in a bid to secure the liberal vote, the governor asks them to lean into it. Hard.
-
-
Really Fun
- By loic alexandre on 2023-08-23
Written by: Liz Bowery
-
Giovanni's Room
- Written by: James Baldwin
- Narrated by: Dan Butler
- Length: 6 hrs and 49 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Set in the 1950’s Paris of American expatriates, liaisons, and violence, a young man finds himself caught between desire and conventional morality. With a sharp, probing imagination, James Baldwin’s now-classic narrative delves into the mystery of loving and creates a moving, highly controversial story of death and passion that reveals the unspoken complexities of the human heart.
-
-
Classic!
- By Alexandre L'Écuyer on 2019-06-26
Written by: James Baldwin
-
These Violent Delights
- A Novel
- Written by: Micah Nemerever
- Narrated by: Michael Crouch
- Length: 14 hrs and 13 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
When Paul enters university in early 1970s Pittsburgh, it’s with the hope of moving past the recent death of his father. Sensitive, insecure, and incomprehensible to his grieving family, Paul feels isolated and alone. When he meets the worldly Julian in his freshman ethics class, Paul is immediately drawn to his classmate’s effortless charm. Paul sees Julian as his sole intellectual equal — an ally against the conventional world he finds so suffocating.
-
-
An Intellectual Novel of Toxic Codependence and Unspeakable Violence
- By Matthew on 2022-09-17
Written by: Micah Nemerever
-
Young Mungo
- A Novel
- Written by: Douglas Stuart
- Narrated by: Chris Reilly
- Length: 13 hrs and 41 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Born under different stars, Protestant Mungo and Catholic James live in a hyper-masculine world. They are caught between two of Glasgow’s housing estates where young working-class men divide themselves along sectarian lines, and fight territorial battles for the sake of reputation. They should be sworn enemies if they’re to be seen as men at all, and yet they become best friends as they find a sanctuary in the dovecote that James has built for his prize racing pigeons.
-
-
Awestruck!!
- By Tre2020 on 2022-12-17
Written by: Douglas Stuart
-
Lie with Me
- A Novel
- Written by: Philippe Besson, Molly Ringwald - translator
- Narrated by: Jacques Roy
- Length: 3 hrs and 35 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Just outside a hotel in Bordeaux, Philippe chances upon a young man who bears a striking resemblance to his first love. What follows is a look back at the relationship he’s never forgotten, a hidden affair with a gorgeous boy named Thomas during their last year of high school. Without ever acknowledging they know each other in the halls, they steal time to meet in secret, carrying on a passionate, world-altering affair.
-
-
Beautiful and tragic
- By theonufry on 2023-09-17
Written by: Philippe Besson, and others
-
All That’s Left in the World
- Written by: Erik J. Brown
- Narrated by: Barrett Leddy, Andrew Gibson
- Length: 10 hrs and 6 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
When Andrew stumbles upon Jamie’s house, he’s injured, starved, and has nothing left to lose. A deadly pathogen has killed off most of the world’s population, including everyone both boys have ever loved. And if this new world has taught them anything, it’s to be scared of what other desperate people will do . . . so why does it seem so easy for them to trust each other? After danger breaches their shelter, they flee south in search of civilization. But something isn’t adding up about Andrew’s story, and it could cost them everything.
-
-
What it says on the tin:)
- By katherine on 2023-01-29
Written by: Erik J. Brown
-
Love, Hate & Clickbait
- Written by: Liz Bowery
- Narrated by: Michael Crouch
- Length: 9 hrs and 58 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Cutthroat political consultant Thom Morgan is thriving, working on the governor of California’s presidential campaign. If only he didn’t have to deal with Clay Parker, the infuriatingly smug data analyst who gets under Thom’s skin like it’s his job. In the midst of one of their heated and very public arguments, a journalist snaps a photo, but the image makes it look like they’re kissing. As if that weren’t already worst-nightmare territory, the photo goes viral—and in a bid to secure the liberal vote, the governor asks them to lean into it. Hard.
-
-
Really Fun
- By loic alexandre on 2023-08-23
Written by: Liz Bowery
-
Giovanni's Room
- Written by: James Baldwin
- Narrated by: Dan Butler
- Length: 6 hrs and 49 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Set in the 1950’s Paris of American expatriates, liaisons, and violence, a young man finds himself caught between desire and conventional morality. With a sharp, probing imagination, James Baldwin’s now-classic narrative delves into the mystery of loving and creates a moving, highly controversial story of death and passion that reveals the unspoken complexities of the human heart.
-
-
Classic!
- By Alexandre L'Écuyer on 2019-06-26
Written by: James Baldwin
-
The First to Die at the End
- Written by: Adam Silvera
- Narrated by: Jason Genao, Anthony Keyvan, Kyla Garcia
- Length: 10 hrs and 25 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
It’s the night before Death-Cast goes live, and there’s one question on everyone’s mind: Can Death-Cast actually predict when someone will die, or is it just an elaborate hoax? Orion Pagan has waited years for someone to tell him that he’s going to die. He has a serious heart condition, and he signed up for Death-Cast so he could know what’s coming. Valentino Prince is restarting his life in New York. He has a long and promising future ahead and he only registered for Death-Cast after his twin sister nearly died in a car accident.
-
-
Phenomenal Story Telling
- By Victor on 2023-01-25
Written by: Adam Silvera
-
Facing West
- A Forever Wilde Novel
- Written by: Lucy Lennox
- Narrated by: Michael Dean
- Length: 9 hrs and 26 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
I left my family and tiny Texas hometown 15 years ago to escape small-town gossips and to give my mom and sister the chance at a better life. But when a phone call from an attorney back home informs me that my sister passed away, leaving me custody of her newborn baby, I'm shocked out of the steady life I've built for myself running a tattoo shop in San Francisco. The thing is: I don't do babies. And I don't do small towns. Or commitment. And I especially don't do family.
-
-
awesome story great narrator
- By Anonymous User on 2021-06-23
Written by: Lucy Lennox
-
The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue
- Written by: Mackenzi Lee
- Narrated by: Christian Coulson
- Length: 10 hrs and 47 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Henry "Monty" Montague doesn't care that his roguish passions are far from suitable for the gentleman he was born to be. But as Monty embarks on his grand tour of Europe, his quests for pleasure and vice are in danger of coming to an end. Not only does his father expect him to take over the family's estate upon his return, but Monty is also nursing an impossible crush on his best friend and traveling companion, Percy.
-
-
Disastrous socialite bisexual meets love
- By Amazon Customer on 2018-06-03
Written by: Mackenzi Lee
-
Boy Parts
- Written by: Eliza Clark
- Narrated by: Eliza Clark
- Length: 8 hrs and 10 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Irina obsessively takes explicit photographs of the average-looking men she persuades to model for her, scouted from the streets of Newcastle. Placed on sabbatical from her dead-end bar job, she is offered an exhibition at a fashionable London gallery, promising to revive her career in the art world and offering an escape from her rut of drugs, alcohol and extreme cinema. The news triggers a self-destructive tailspin, centred around Irina's relationship with her obsessive best friend and a shy young man from her local supermarket who has attracted her attention....
-
-
Interesting as a piece of literature, but not for everyone
- By Cori on 2022-08-22
Written by: Eliza Clark
-
Maurice
- Written by: E. M. Forster
- Narrated by: Peter Firth
- Length: 6 hrs and 22 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
'Ah for darkness...not the darkness of a house which coops up a man among furniture, but the darkness where he can be free!' Maurice Hall knows he must choose between living life in the shadows or denying himself a chance at love and fulfilment. Aware of his attraction to the same sex, in a time where it was considered unlawful and immoral to have homosexual desires, Maurice must decide whether to battle or submit to a prejudiced 20th-century English society.
-
-
Excellent all round.
- By K.C. Brock on 2018-08-31
Written by: E. M. Forster
-
Jay's Gay Agenda
- Written by: Jason June
- Narrated by: Mark Sanderlin
- Length: 9 hrs and 5 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
There’s one thing Jay Collier knows for sure - he’s a statistical anomaly as the only out gay kid in his small rural Washington town. While all his friends can’t stop talking about their heterosexual hookups and relationships, Jay can only dream of his own firsts, compiling a romance to-do list of all the things he hopes to one day experience - his Gay Agenda. Then, against all odds, Jay’s family moves to Seattle, and he starts his senior year at a new high school with a thriving LGBTQIA+ community. For the first time ever, Jay feels like he’s found where he truly belongs.
-
-
Digi Hips!
- By Vanna on 2021-06-09
Written by: Jason June
-
The Lightkeeper's Daughters
- A Novel
- Written by: Jean E. Pendziwol
- Narrated by: Dara Rosenberg, Dawn Harvey, Tom Parks
- Length: 9 hrs and 46 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Though her mind is still sharp, Elizabeth's eyes have failed. No longer able to linger over her beloved books or gaze at the paintings that move her spirit, she fills the void with music and memories of her family, especially her beloved twin sister, Emily. When her late father's journals are discovered after an accident, the past suddenly becomes all too present.
-
-
A beautiful tribute to the lives of the lighthouse keeper
- By Amazon Customer on 2020-07-01
Written by: Jean E. Pendziwol
-
10 Things That Never Happened
- Material World, Book 1
- Written by: Alexis Hall
- Narrated by: Will Watt
- Length: 10 hrs and 9 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Jonathan Forest should never have hired Sam. It was a sentimental decision, and Jonathan didn't get where he is by following his heart. Determined to set things right, Jonathan orders Sam down to London for a difficult talk…only for a panicking Sam to trip, bump his head, and maybe accidentally imply he doesn't remember anything?
-
-
so stinkin' cute
- By kinnetik on 2023-11-28
Written by: Alexis Hall
-
Gay Bar
- Why We Went Out
- Written by: Jeremy Atherton Lin
- Narrated by: Jeremy Atherton Lin
- Length: 7 hrs and 52 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In the era of Grindr and same-sex marriage, gay bars are closing down at an alarming rate. What, then, was the gay bar? Set between Los Angeles, San Francisco, and London, Gay Bar takes us on a time-traveling, transatlantic bar hop through pulsing nightclubs, after-work dives, hardcore leather bars, gay cafes, and saunas, asking what these places meant to their original clientele, what they meant to the author as a younger man, and what they mean now.
-
-
Amazing!
- By Kyle Rich on 2022-11-28
Written by: Jeremy Atherton Lin
-
What If It's Us
- Written by: Becky Albertalli, Adam Silvera
- Narrated by: Noah Galvin, Froy Gutierrez
- Length: 9 hrs and 48 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Arthur is only in New York for the summer, but if Broadway has taught him anything, it’s that the universe can deliver a showstopping romance when you least expect it. Ben thinks the universe needs to mind its business. If the universe had his back, he wouldn’t be on his way to the post office carrying a box of his ex-boyfriend’s things. But when Arthur and Ben meet-cute at the post office, what exactly does the universe have in store for them? Maybe nothing. After all, they get separated. Maybe everything. After all, they get reunited.
-
-
Not even done
- By bj kilganan on 2019-04-06
Written by: Becky Albertalli, and others
-
We Contain Multitudes
- Written by: Sarah Henstra
- Narrated by: Matthew Gouveia, Tony Kim
- Length: 9 hrs and 14 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Thrown together by a zealous English teacher's classroom-mailbox assignment, notorious scrapper, Adam "Kurl" Kurlansky, and Jonathan Hopkirk, a flamboyant Walt Whitman wannabe, have to write an old-fashioned letter to each other every week. Kurl is a senior, an ex-high school football player, held back a year, while Jo is a nerdy, out tenth grader with a penchant for vintage clothes and a deep love for poetry. But with homophobia, bullying, and familial abuse, Jonathan and Kurl must struggle to overcome their conflicts and hold onto their growing relationship.
-
-
Clever and Poetic
- By AthleteTO on 2023-11-28
Written by: Sarah Henstra
-
Shuggie Bain
- Written by: Douglas Stuart
- Narrated by: Angus King
- Length: 17 hrs and 30 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Shuggie’s mother Agnes walks a wayward path: She is Shuggie’s guiding light but a burden for him and his siblings. She dreams of a house with its own front door while she flicks through the pages of the Freemans catalogue, ordering a little happiness on credit, anything to brighten up her grey life. Married to a philandering taxi-driver husband, Agnes keeps her pride by looking good - her beehive, make-up, and pearly-white false teeth offer a glamourous image of a Glaswegian Elizabeth Taylor.
-
-
Didn’t finish
- By Cheryl Benoit on 2021-03-25
Written by: Douglas Stuart
Publisher's Summary
"Imagine Call Me by Your Name set in Communist Poland and you'll get a sense of Jedrowski's moving debut about a consuming love affair amidst a country being torn apart." (O Magazine, LGBTQ Books That'll Change the Literary Landscape in 2020)
"Captivating both for its shimmering surfaces and its terrifying depths. Tomasz Jedrowski is a remarkable writer." (Justin Torres, best-selling author of We the Animals)
Set in early 1980s Poland against the violent decline of communism, a tender and passionate story of first love between two young men who eventually find themselves on opposite sides of the political divide - a stunningly poetic and heartrending literary debut for fans of Andre Aciman, Garth Greenwell, and Alan Hollinghurst.
When university student Ludwik meets Janusz at a summer agricultural camp, he is fascinated yet wary of this handsome, carefree stranger. But a chance meeting by the river soon becomes an intense, exhilarating, and all-consuming affair. After their camp duties are fulfilled, the pair spend a dreamlike few weeks camping in the countryside, bonding over an illicit copy of James Baldwin's Giovanni's Room. Inhabiting a beautiful natural world removed from society and its constraints, Ludwik and Janusz fall deeply in love. But in their repressive communist and Catholic society, the passion they share is utterly unthinkable.
Once they return to Warsaw, the charismatic Janusz quickly rises in the political ranks of the party and is rewarded with a highly-coveted position in the ministry. Ludwik is drawn toward impulsive acts of protest, unable to ignore rising food prices and the stark economic disparity around them. Their secret love and personal and political differences slowly begin to tear them apart as both men struggle to survive in a regime on the brink of collapse.
Shifting from the intoxication of first love to the quiet melancholy of growing up and growing apart, Swimming in the Dark is a potent blend of romance, post-war politics, intrigue, and history. Lyrical and sensual, immersive and intense, Tomasz Jedrowski has crafted an indelible and thought-provoking literary debut that explores freedom and love in all its incarnations.
More from the same
What listeners say about Swimming in the Dark
Average Customer RatingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Shane
- 2023-01-25
Such a moving story
I didn't want it to end. The narration was perfect and kept me wanting more.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Roman
- 2023-11-23
Meh
As an ESL I would have appreciated if it was narrated by North American accent so I can understand at least half of it ñ. And not by some twat from London suburbs that struggles with Polish names
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- theonufry
- 2023-11-12
Beautiful story of love
The story is written with with care and elegance. It’s full of sorrow but also hope. The author pays great attention to detail when it comes to the setting of communist Poland. The performance however took me out of the story, as the narrator repeatedly mispronounces Polish names and words. It was disappointing that there was no care taken to cast a native Polish speaker but rather someone with a British accent. Nevertheless I loved this book despite this one negative.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Andy Chen
- 2023-10-29
A beautiful bittersweet tale
It pulls at heartstrings. Life’s painful sorrow and yearning to love without fear and limits. Set in a time where such privilege would be unthinkable.
Performance is wonderfully delivered just as the story is written.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Joseph Fantetti
- 2021-09-02
Heartbreaking and beautifully written
An examination of love in a dangerous time. Precisely written to evoke the emotions of the main characters in a deft and delicate way. Very good.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Bryan Jamieson
- 2021-06-10
A gorgeous debut
Melancholia and nostalgia to wrap yourself up in . This novel felt so sincere , natural flow and easy rhythm . I was carried along so effortlessly . A beautifully recounted story of young queer love
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Artur
- 2021-05-13
Average at best
Complexity, Wit, Depth, and Sophistication is very average at best. I only gave this book an hour or so.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Jeffrey veals
- 2020-05-11
One of the Best Contemporary Novels Ever
As long as the 'Gay and Lesbian' "slash" 'LGBT' genres exist, I don't think that the masses will ever be able to appreciate the brilliant, beautiful, and stunning prose that is contained inside this book. Since I was nine years old, I've wanted to be a writer and there are books here and there than inspire me to continue with my passion. Tomasz Jedrowski's 'Swimming in the Dark' is one of the books that has done this--one of the pieces of writing that makes me believe that contemporary novels are just as important as all of the classics that have given me hope.
The novel takes place in the 1970's and early 1980's Poland and follows Ludwik as he discovers his orientation at a young age with a young Jewish boy and then with the love of his life, Janusz. After university, Ludwik is required by the government to participate in an agricultural project and notices Janusz from afar. After stumbling into him at a nearby lake, they begin speaking about various things, especially Ludwik's escapism into the world of literature. Ludwik is currently reading Baldwin's famous novel 'Giovanni's Room,' which has never been published in Poland. He manages to get his hands on this book and a discussion arises between the two men about what he's reading. After lending Janusz the book, Ludwik never visits the lake again, for fear of a reaction and questions about his sexuality. After the required agricultural work, Janusz and Ludwik decide to go camping, suspending time in a lot of ways and discovering so much about each other. After heading back into the real world, things complicate with Ludwik's hatred of the government and Janusz desire to move up with connections. The love is obvious, but things aren't simple and never will be.
I can't express how much this novel has done for me with my own personal goals, but it is so much more than that. Polish history is something I'd never really studied besides bits here and there in reference to World War II. With their city being under the control of basic dictatorship, there is a strong fear with two men being in love. This book is written in such beauty and tells the story and history with perfection. It is honestly one of the most beautiful books I've ever read. As I've stated before, I don't like that this is in the 'Gay and Lesbian' genre, because I think that people need to read this book! There are some people that will read this book, who are not part of the LGBT community, but the book offers so much more than a love story between two men. The political climate of Poland during the time period of this book is fascinating and is more powerful than most books in the genre it has been placed into. There are no gratuitous or graphic scenes in this book; if that's anyone's fear, it can be dispelled right now.
Please read this powerful, incredible novel! You won't regret it.
The novel will obviously receive an A+ on my grading scale for EVERYTHING that the reader will discover inside.
Normally, I do not talk about how I read or listen to a book, because it doesn't really matter. I would say that I physically read about 50% of the books I review. Some are best in physical form, but I think this book is just as powerful in audio.
I want to talk about the narrator for a second. Normally, I would just say one or two things and give him/her a grade, but Mr. Watt is beyond exceptional. I do not know his background and it is possible that he has Polish heritage or could be fluent in the language. There was a scene where a radio announcer is speaking with an English accent and it is posh, beautiful, and different from how he narrates through Ludwik. I'm assuming this is his natural speaking voice and am astounded that he can pull off such a range. I love various narrators and have given a lot of A's when speaking about audio books. Mr. Will M. Watt deserves and will receive an A+ from me, since he is incredible. If you are not going to read this physically or if you've already read it this way, I would suggest that you listen to this version and you will know exactly what I'm talking about. If he doesn't win an award for this performance, I will be shocked.
I want to thank both Mr. Tomasz Jedrowski for writing one of the best books I've ever read and Mr. Will M. Watt for bringing it to life!
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
77 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Amazon reader
- 2020-10-26
Not that interesting
I don’t know what the big deal was. Excellent writer. Beautiful prose. And a boring rather uninteresting story.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
13 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Amazon Customer
- 2020-08-28
Heartbreakingly beautiful
Will Watt’s voice is so soothing. He did a wonderful job. This is my second time listening to this book and it breaks me every time. These two men are navigating life in socialist Poland in opposite ways and views: one a bit of a hopeless romantic, and the other narrowly ambitious. Both catalysts for their relationship’s downfall. (One more than the other). Jedrowski’s use of second-person was perfectly done. This is very similar to The Song of Achilles in the way that we know the outcome but it’s still hurts and that the narrator portrays their lover so tenderly even when they are in the wrong.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
12 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Casey
- 2020-10-20
This is a stunning book.
This is a stunning book. To start, the writing is something to admire on its own. I found it economic in the best possible way yet with a deep richness in the characters and environments. I found myself daydreaming of every person, every sweater, every street. I'm incredibly visual in nature so it really hit in a very specific way, the way that my favorite books do. If this kind of writing is something you admire I think you will be completely enamored with this book. I found myself looking at pictures of Poland to try to actually see the landscapes written about and I couldn't get enough.
The story is fairly heartbreaking but it's honesty and place in history and time gives a bit of ease. You may understand how we are products of where we sit in time, I'm not sure everyone will find some relief in that but I did. This story couldn't have happened another way based on when and where it sits so its heartbreaking but impossible to imagine otherwise. I hope LGBTQ people are having a better time there now, from the little I've read it seems only a little.
I highly recommend this book if you are someone who loves to understand how gay people made their way in life in different points in time and the effect that society has on informing decisions you make about love and how you view yourself.
Another case of a narrator, Will M. Watt, making an incredible book an even richer experience. Such a lovely voice that brought me deeper into the story and the lead character. One of the best I've heard this year.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
11 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Anonymous User
- 2020-09-05
Makes “Call Me By Your Name” feel like a happy love story
Perhaps the most heartbreaking story of love and loss I’ve ever heard. Swimming in the dark captures what it truly feels like to have a forbidden love, trying to live with it, and the end results. Brilliantly written and marvelously narrated.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
10 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Amazon Customer
- 2020-08-01
Exquisite and Elegant, Elegiac and Beautiful
The prose is moving and the story captivating. The intricately interwoven political and personal stories carried me throughout, while at times requiring me to stop and to ponder both the stories and my own life story, and compelling me at times to relisten to parts of the story before moving on. I didn't want it to end, feared where things would lead, ultimately satisfied with how everything unfolded. I love Giovanni's Room, and its use in this story is thoughtful and convincing. I add this to a strikingly short list of classics of gay fiction.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
8 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Ray Paramo
- 2020-08-08
Beautiful, Powerful, and Brilliantly Performed
Jedrowski's debut novel is not only a love story but a coming-of-age story as well. The landscapes of communist Poland are both grim and beautiful, and there is something lonely and compelling about Ludwik coming to terms with his sexuality, his political views, and his life ambitions as he navigates first love with Janusz.
The novel's beauty is only accentuated by the fantastic narration of this audiobook. Will M. Watt does a wonderful job. He really gets into the characters for whom he reads; you can feel what they're feeling.
Now that I've finished 'Swimming in the Dark,' I will say that I absolutely need to read 'Giovanni's Room.' It's been on my bookshelf for years, untouched.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
5 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Robert Jason
- 2020-05-02
Heartfelt debut
Gorgeously written, it's as much a historical novel as it is a love story. Owes a debt to the Baldwin novel referenced throughout, but "Swimming" is entirely its own story. The novels expertly captures the turmoil of blossoming love and the political unrest in Poland, and places them on a collision course at odds with each other. A wonderfully written debut.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
5 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- David P
- 2021-05-02
Beautiful Novel, Breathtaking Performance
This novel is often compared with Call Me By Your Name, but it is more beautifully written, emotionally honest, and politically fraught. Jedrowski writes with stunning precision. His use of metaphor and simile is remarkable. Every scene, landscape, interior, and character is brought to life in unforgettable detail. The central love story is what propels the novel, but the setting--Poland in the early 1980's--gives the book its weight and moral center and makes it so much more than a coming out/coming of age story. Highly recommended.
Will Watt's performance is breathtaking. He has a spectacularly effective voice and uses it to bring the story alive. Every character has their own nuanced tones and accents, and he imbues the narration with emotion without going overboard. I definitely want to listen to more by him.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
2 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Yvonne M
- 2020-09-15
Wow
This book ripped my heart out and then put it back a few times. The author really expressed their feelings and hopes. I really hate how the story is real, I was praying for a happily ever after. The narrator was great too.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
2 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Ines
- 2021-05-25
A fine novel
I remember picking this up in London, perhaps a little bit after it came out (beginning of March 2020) and realising at the counter that I didn't have enough money for it. I was in the city for a day only, visiting a friend, and had to go back to France a couple of hours later. But the title stayed in my mind for however long it took me to go for the audiobook (= a year). I want to thank the narrator, Mr. Will M. Watt, who did an amazing job narrating this beautiful story. Jedrowski's style is elegant, full of evocative melancholy and felt very intimate. I also really enjoyed (although to be quite honest, this was not "fun" per se) the political undercurrent of the novel, which turned the love story into a very bittersweet one. What a gorgeous book.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!