Beautiful World, Where Are You cover art

Beautiful World, Where Are You

Preview

Try Premium Plus free
1 credit a month to buy any audiobook in our entire collection.
Access to thousands of additional audiobooks and Originals from the Plus Catalogue.
Member-only deals & discounts.
Auto-renews at $16.45/mo after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Beautiful World, Where Are You

By: Sally Rooney
Narrated by: Aoife McMahon
Try Premium Plus free

$16.45 per month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy Now for $26.99

Buy Now for $26.99

Confirm Purchase
Pay using voucher balance (if applicable) then card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions Of Use and Privacy Notice and authorise Audible to charge your designated credit card or another available credit card on file.
Cancel

About this listen

*The Sunday Times and Global number one bestseller*

*Winner of Novel of the Year at the An Post Irish Book Awards*

*A Book of the Year in The Times, the Guardian, the Irish Times and the Financial Times*

Alice, a novelist, meets Felix, who works in a warehouse, and asks him if he'd like to travel to Rome with her. In Dublin, her best friend Eileen is getting over a break-up and slips back into flirting with Simon, a man she has known since childhood.

Alice, Felix, Eileen and Simon are still young - but life is catching up with them. They desire each other, they delude each other, they worry about sex and friendship and the times they live in. Will they find a way to believe in a beautiful world?

©2022 Faber & Faber (P)2022 Faber & Faber
Coming of Age Contemporary Contemporary Romance Fiction Literary Fiction Romance Ireland

Critic Reviews

'Beautiful World, Where Are You is Rooney's best novel.' The Times

'A tour de force.' Anne Enright, Guardian

'Rooney's best novel yet.' Brandon Taylor, New York Times

What listeners say about Beautiful World, Where Are You

Average Customer Ratings
Overall
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    269
  • 4 Stars
    181
  • 3 Stars
    133
  • 2 Stars
    44
  • 1 Stars
    32
Performance
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    372
  • 4 Stars
    129
  • 3 Stars
    44
  • 2 Stars
    15
  • 1 Stars
    6
Story
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    206
  • 4 Stars
    153
  • 3 Stars
    115
  • 2 Stars
    56
  • 1 Stars
    40

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Interesting

I found the story interesting.. fairly slow in parts and the email exchanges between the two women quite political and tedious. As I loved Normal People I was a little disappointed in this book . I didn’t mind it , but didn’t love it ..

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    2 out of 5 stars

Dull

I was expecting a lot because of how much I loved Normal People (like most of us), but found this boring imitation of it instead. Few twists: instead of one couple there’s 2, but same idea: one is low class, the other is wealthy. Same erotic scenes. Same descriptions of how people look…

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Look you just have to enjoy the language

Beautifully written and I enjoyed it, but yes as per other reviews- you really need to revel in nothingness

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    2 out of 5 stars

Plot lacking

I love Rooney’s writing and found some of the moments very poignant. However, what the novel lacks is a plot. It was very meandering, unfortunately. Love the narrator.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

loved the narration. was so captivating

it was a great story- I was hooked from beginning to end. found myself loving then hating each character individually like they were my own friends

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Brilliant

wonderful book. deals with big philosophical themes. how to live a good life in a contemporary world, relationships, procreation, religeon. great narration

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Engaging from start to finish

Engaging picture of a modern generation work loveable but very real characters. Beautifully narrated throughout.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Good , but also depressing

It was worth the listen . Good character development. The characters felt real and complex , but it is a bit depressing

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

I loved it, not everyone will. If it’s your thing, you will love it too.

There are some uncharitable reviews of Sally Rooney’s books. I always try to separate my interest in subject matter from my evaluation of a book’s worth, with varying degrees of success. I imagine it’s the same for everyone. I say this to make the point that if you are interested in what she writes about you won’t find anyone doing a better job of it. I weep, I laugh, I get angry, I fall in love with her characters. I also marvel at her skill. I think this is her best book so far. And I really hope that Alice is not completely biographical because I want more. And more. Sorry Sally, but I love you :)

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

So-so

Not a lot happens, but it’s a comforting take on life for 30 somethings. The narration is lovely and although the story isn’t the most thrilling I found myself absorbed in the characters.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

In the spirit of reconciliation, Audible acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.