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Beautiful World, Where Are You

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Beautiful World, Where Are You

By: Sally Rooney
Narrated by: Aoife McMahon
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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
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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    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 ..

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3 people found this helpful

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    3 out of 5 stars
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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…

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1 person found this helpful

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    3 out of 5 stars
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    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

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    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.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    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

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Brilliant

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

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2 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Engaging from start to finish

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

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1 person found this helpful

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Good , but also depressing

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

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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 :)

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    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.

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