The Gadfly

By: E.L. Voynich

Narrated by: Laura Eastwood

The Gadfly is an 1897 novel by the Irish writer Ethel Voynich, set in Italy of the 1840s under the rule of Austria. It is a period of uprisings and revolution. The Gadfly is a tale of heroism, faith, and disillusionment, where love manifests in its religious, romantic, and family forms. The story follows the activities of Arthur Burton and his antagonist, Padre Montanelli. Arthur, a radical journalist who publishes satirical tracts under the pseudonym "the gadfly", is in love with Gemma. The narrative also explores the relationship between religious and revolutionary feelings. The natural scenery of Italy, the Alps in particular, plays an important part in the book, where the descriptions of nature mirror the thoughts and feelings of the characters.

Public Domain (P)2019 Museum Audiobooks

Audio concerns

Awesome story, terrible reading. The story is one of the better revolutionary framed arcs. I really appreciated the Gadfly character.

Not a good performance.

Poor narrator skills attempting character accents and voices. Sometimes it seemed like a southern drawl.

Very Good Work

It took a while, but I understand how come Russian and Chinese Revolutionaries read and understood this book more than Marx or Lenin.

It's about fighting the entire social structure, and putting one's heart for the greatest good, even if it kills.

This was a moving story.

justice not done for this author

narrator too casual and her inflections were off, as well as the ultimate "feel".