The Forgotten Waltz

By: Anne Enright

Narrated by: Heather O'Neill

Irish novelist Anne Enright won the coveted Man Booker Prize for her eloquent novel The Gathering. In The Forgotten Waltz, Enright crafts a stunning tale about a Dublin woman’s affair and its heartrending consequences. Gina Moynihan is already married when she meets Seán Vallely. But longing and desire soon overtake them - and their lives begin to crumble shortly after.

©2011 Anne Enright (P)2011 Recorded Books, LLC

Critic reviews

“A breathtaking work that will surprise you; highly recommended.” ( Library Journal)

Very Difficult Read

Very Difficult Read/Listen. This book was very difficult to enjoy for a couple of reasons. One, the narrator had a very thick Scottish accent and though that made it great to pronounce the names of the cities/parts of the country they are in, it was challenging to understand what was going on. I had to rewind several times, sometimes a whole chapter because I misunderstood what was going on. Second, the book is cerebrally written - it is 100% from the point of view of the main character’s thoughts which made it very hard to follow. You’re in her head the whole time. Very confusing from start to finish. My 2 cents.

I adore this Author, Anne Enright ◇ If my thoughts seem like this delicious, delicate, insightful & strong novel goes about preaching, lambasting or indicating xyz - this is not the case. It's quite delicious, perfect for headphones while doing a light puzzle game.
An exploration of love, for sure, And, the fantasy adults can fall into; + the gaslighting, difficult men, difficult spouses - or spouses made difficult thru the Vagaries of Adults wanting to feel alive in harmless ways that are until they're not quite as harmless as once thought in the non-thought way that occurs as one lives in the moment for a minute.
Set against and with; the very real, actually affected children who course unknowingly along the quiet, unnamed turbulence of the adult's ripples. The unfurling of choices & outcomes unchosen by a child, but equally as lived through - the actions & happpenings of life - reflected against the pureness of their unconscious consciousness .... highlights indeed ... something quite ... deeply true about ~ us.

Good and realistic, but out of sync

Although this story documents an affair and is very bittersweet and realistic, it starts as one story and ends up as another. This story construct does not really work.. Most interesting and bittersweet is how people making decisions to leave a relationship cannot really let go of the last relationship.

Stellar narration and story-telling

I could listen to this over and over…beautifully written, and read with warmth and humor.

Perfect Marriage of Novelist and Reader

Stayed in bed with a bad head cold today and luxuriated in this sure-footed, lyrical, and beautifully read novel. Few works of literature have been able to capture the emotional geography of a young woman's marital affair as well as this psychologically astute work. Coupled with Heather O'Neill's narration, Enright's novel offers an experience of rare immersion and intimacy for the reader.