The Eighth Life

By: Nino Haratischvili, Ruth Martin - translator

Narrated by: Tavia Gilbert

At the start of the twentieth century, on the edge of the Russian empire, a family prospers. It owes its success to a delicious chocolate recipe, passed down the generations with great solemnity and caution. A caution which is justified: this is a recipe for ecstasy that carries a very bitter aftertaste....

Stasia learns it from her Georgian father and takes it north, following her new husband, Simon, to his posting at the center of the Russian Revolution in St. Petersburg. Stasias is only the first in a symphony of grand but all too often doomed romances that swirl from sweet to sour in this epic tale of the red century. Tumbling down the years, and across vast expanses of longing and loss, generation after generation of this compelling family hears echoes and sees reflections. A ballet dancer never makes it to Paris and a singer pines for Vienna.

Great characters and greater relationships come and go and come again; the world shakes, and shakes some more, and the listener rejoices to have found at last one of those glorious old books in which you can live and learn, be lost and found, and make indelible new friends.

©2019 Nino Haratischvili (P)2021 Dreamscape Media, LLC

S Very good read

It’s taken me months to get thru this book the story line is very good but too detailed

A solid 4.5 stars

Long meandering book, sweeping epic, full of tragedy and trauma, yet compelling and human.

Found the narrator did an outstanding job of managing different voices and characters.

wow!!

Makes me wish I knew more about Eastern European history. I realize how American-centric my schooling was. A beautiful story.

Amazing storytelling and the voice acting to match

Thoroughly enjoyed this book! Recommend for anyone who loves history and great storytelling. I loved the voice acting, it was like listening to many different characters. If i could change anything, it would be correct pronunciations of Russian abd Georgia names and places.

Amazing book

I loved this book. The narrator she was amazing. The story is incredible. I definitely recommend this book