Romola

By: George Eliot

Narrated by: Lucy Scott

Set in the turbulent years following the death of Lorenzo de' Medici, George Eliot's fourth novel, Romola, moves the stage from the English countryside of the 19th century to an Italy four centuries before her time. It tells the tale of a young Florentine woman, Romola de' Bardi, and her coming of age through her troubled marriage to the suave and self-absorbed Greek Tito. Slowly Tito's true character begins to unfurl, and his lies and treachery push Romola toward a more spiritual path, where she transcends into a majestic, Madonna-like role, while Tito descends further into corruption and villainy....

Impeccably researched, the novel features a cast of historical characters, including Girolamo Savonarola, Piero di Cosimo, and Niccolò Machiavelli, and draws parallels between the Republic of Rome of Eliot's day and the Republic of Florence ruled by Savonarola, most famous for its Bonfire of the Vanities, depicted here in vivid detail.

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Download the accompanying reference guide.Public Domain (P)2020 Naxos AudioBooks

Couldn't keep my attention

I actually gave up and although this may be a great book, I didn't think the characters strong enough to care about. But, thank you for the audible read.

Another great Eliot

I am a huge fan ofGeorge Eliot, but I delayed in reading this because I didn’t know if I’d like the historical setting. But I shouldn’t have worried. It has all the elements we count on— great story, complex characters who go through big changes, and plenty of twists of fate. Clearly the research was extensive, which makes the author at home in this long-ago world and allows her to write with her usual fluidity. There is more about the political and religious intrigues of the day than I would have preferred, but I learned a lot too. The reader is amazing. Each character comes alive with her in depth portrayal.
It’s not my favorite of Eliot’s works, but, like all of them, it is brilliant.

Wonderful novel, beautifully read

I love all of George Eliot’s better-known novels, but this may be her best! The reader does a lovely job with character voices and pronunciation — really helps bring the story to life.

Too long drawn.

The book is filled with so many unnecessary and boring details. There are so many coincidences that are so far fetched. Not for me.

A departure from Eliot’s usual

Skillfully and compellingly performed in this version, Romola ventures into foreign territory in terms of time and place. A history told from the periphery of great happenings, it is an impressive work, but not my personal favorite. Worth reading for the vivid, spirited, and well researched details of Florentine life at the turn of the 15th century and for the representation of the protagonists.