Partita by Barbara Kingsolver | Brilliant Writing, Too Much Waffle? | Audiobook Review

Barbara Kingsolver's Demon Copperhead was a remarkable achievement. But does her latest novel, Partita, live up to those high expectations? In this episode of Bertie's Books, I review the audiobook of Partita, narrated by Megan Tusing, a novel exploring music, ambition, family, class and the opportunities — or obstacles — that shape our lives. There's some beautiful writing here, but I found myself increasingly frustrated by the pacing, lengthy digressions and political commentary. Has Kingsolver allowed her message to overwhelm her storytelling? I also look at the specially recorded piano performances by Han Chen, including Chopin's Raindrop Prelude, and compare the audiobook with the shorter BBC Radio 4 adaptation, abridged by Rosemary Goring and read by Laurel Lefkow. And, of course, there's the Waffleometer! CHAPTERS 0:00 Introduction 0:30 The Author 1:20 The Story 3:31 The Narrator 5:13 The Waffleometer 6:42 The Scores 7:14 The Verdict 8:06 Next Time ABOUT BERTIE'S BOOKS Welcome to Bertie's Books, where I review audiobooks with particular attention to the writing, the storytelling and the performance of the narrator. With occasional assistance from Dave, my Golden Retriever, I try to answer a simple question: is this audiobook worth your listening time? Visit: https://bertiesbooks.co.uk IMAGE & MUSIC CREDITS Partita book cover: Courtesy of Faber & Faber. Barbara Kingsolver photograph: © Evan Kafka, courtesy of Faber & Faber. Chopin — Prelude in D-flat major, Op. 28 No. 15 (Raindrop Prelude). Recording sourced from Musopen via Wikimedia Commons. Licensed CC0 1.0 (Public Domain Dedication). Additional graphics and thumbnail: Bertie's Books. If you've listened to Partita, I'd love to hear your thoughts. Did you enjoy the musical interludes? And did you find Kingsolver's political commentary illuminating, or rather too much? Please like, comment and subscribe for more audiobook reviews and recommendations. #BarbaraKingsolver #Partita #AudiobookReview #BertiesBooks #MeganTusing