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The Velvet Hours
- Narrated by: Tavia Gilbert, Kate Reading
- Length: 11 hrs and 27 mins
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The Velvet Hours
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Publisher's Summary
As Paris teeters on the edge of the German occupation, a young Frenchwoman closes the door to her late grandmother's treasure-filled apartment, unsure if she'll ever return.
An elusive courtesan, Marthe de Florian had cultivated a life of art and beauty, casting out all recollections of her impoverished childhood in the dark alleys of Montmartre. With Europe on the brink of war, she shares her story with her granddaughter, Solange Beaugiron, using her prized possessions to reveal her innermost secrets. Most striking of all are a beautiful string of pearls and a magnificent portrait of Marthe painted by the Italian artist Giovanni Boldini. As Marthe's tale unfolds, like velvet itself, stitched with its own shadow and light, it helps to guide Solange on her own path.
Inspired by the true account of an abandoned Parisian apartment, Alyson Richman brings to life Solange, the young woman forced to leave her fabled grandmother's legacy behind to save all that she loves.
What the critics say
"Two remarkable performances grace this romance inspired by true events. Tavia Gilbert and Kate Reading shine as Solange and her grandmother, Marthe.... As Marthe, Reading is simply stunning. Her voices, her accents, and her emotions are utterly credible. The vivid painting of Marthe, the men in her life, a string of priceless pearls, a world on the edge of collapse, and the growing tenderness between two women makes this an audiobook listeners won’t want to miss." (AudioFile)
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What listeners say about The Velvet Hours
Average Customer RatingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Jessica H
- 2022-07-28
Wonderfully enthralling story of two women and their secrets
Highly recommend! The author paints a beautiful picture of two women’s lives and stories and how they intertwined.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- nyeac
- 2021-10-13
A Masterpiece Indeed!
With the story's text being beautifully crafted, its narration adds even more elegance to the audiobook's unfolding.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Becca Godfrey
- 2021-10-03
Interesting story behind it!
I got this book for free, but I was really pleasantly surprised by it! I I thought the narrator was excellent. Not the absolute best book I’ve heard, but I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend this to anyone that likes historic romantic fiction. It really dives into imperfect characters and an interesting part of history of world war 2. I loved learning about the apartment in Paris that was found untouched for 70 years with the portrait that this book was based on.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- M.S.
- 2021-12-21
Interesting book, but not great
The story follows Solange and Marthe de Florian going back and forth from 1898 to 1940. The story is interesting, but a little bit too slow and flat in most parts. Also, I felt that only the main characters are fully brought to life, other characters seems one-dimensional, described only through their relationship to the main characters. And finally, at the end of the story there were a lot of unanswered questions, so the ending seems to be rushed and the story felt incomplete.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Vita
- 2022-07-02
Loved it!
Two interesting and mysterious storied beautifully written and narrated. I enjoyed every moment of this book!
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Overall1 out of 5 stars
- Janette U.
- 2023-07-02
mislabeled
Only listened to the first few minutes. It's definitely not religious fiction! Audible should re-categorize it.
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