The Queen of the Night

By: Alexander Chee

Narrated by: Lisa Flanagan

From a ferociously talented writer, praised as "the fire, in my opinion. And the light" by Junot Diaz, comes a blazing portrait of one woman's rise from courtesan to world-renowned diva.

Lilliet Berne is a sensation of the Paris Opera, a legendary soprano with every accolade except an original role, every singer's chance at immortality. When one is finally offered to her, she realizes with alarm that the libretto is based on a hidden piece of her past. Only four could have betrayed her: one is dead, one loves her, one wants to own her. And one, she hopes, never thinks of her at all. As she mines her memories for clues, she recalls her life as an orphan who left the American frontier for Europe and was swept up into the glitzy, gritty world of Second Empire Paris. To survive, she transformed herself from hippodrome rider to courtesan, from empress' maid to debut singer, all the while weaving a complicated web of romance, obligation, and political intrigue.

Featuring a cast of characters drawn from history, The Queen of the Night follows Lilliet as she moves closer to the truth behind the mysterious opera and the role that could secure her reputation - or destroy her with the secrets it reveals.

©2016 Alexander Chee (P)2016 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Who cares?

This rags to riches story of a 19th century courtesan and opera star should have been a fun melodramatic romp. However, the characters were paper thin and I could not get invested in any of them, including the protagonist. She was prone to endless brooding over her “fate” her “curse” and her fragile “falcon” voice. She is a real narcissistic bore.
The plot took us through a nice variety of settings from a Minnesota farm, to a circus, to a Parisian brothel, to an emperor’s palace. So it could have been a fun ride. But our heroine has only one strategy in life— that is to “escape” suddenly, without goodbyes or much planning, from her current situation whenever she felt endangered or for no reason at all. That recurrent escape motif showed a lack of imagination on the author’s part, a jerky mechanism for plot development.
The narration was rather flat, as if the actor also found it all a bit of a slog.

Interesting historical novel

Was a good book to fall asleep with and able to pick up on the plot easily.

BEST READER EVER!

Great Story. A bit verbose but a good read none the less. The narrator, however, makes this audiobook phenominal. Definitely worth the credit.

Not my typical choice

Excellent listen. Great narrator and kept me listening. Clueless as to most of the historical figures represented, but this did not take away from my enjoyment.

Unforgettable

This story has taken root in my mind. I revisit its moments as vividly as if I lived them myself. Alexander Chee’s writing is extraordinary. Reading this journey was a spellbinding experience; I was captivated from start to finish.