The Queen of the Night, Alexander Chee
The Queen of the Night, Alexander Chee
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The Queen of the Night

Author: Alexander Chee

Narrator: Lisa Flanagan

Unabridged: 19 hr 7 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 02/02/2016

Synopsis

From a writer praised by Junot Díaz as “the fire, in my opinion, and the light,” comes a mesmerizing novel that follows one woman’s rise from circus rider to 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.

About Alexander Chee

Alexander Chee is the author of the novels The Queen of the Night and Edinburgh and the acclaimed essay collection How to Write An Autobiographical Novel. He is a contributing editor at the New Republic, an editor-at-large at Virginia Quarterly Review, and a critic-at-large at the Los Angeles Times. His work has appeared in The Best American Essays 2016, the New York Times Magazine, Slate, Guernica, and Tin House, among others. He is an associate professor of English at Dartmouth College.

About Lisa Flanagan

Lisa Flanagan is a classically trained soprano, comedian, voice-over artist, and Earphones Award–winning narrator.

Reviews

Goodreads review by Roxane

This is a masterfully written book. Chee, just, is masterful. I loved this novel. I loved the density of the prose, and the almost obsessive attention to detail and the intricate plot that never stopped, even when the last line had been written. I do think some of the recaps of the various operas wa......more

Goodreads review by da

Opera, circus, travel, a strong woman protagonist, passion, love -- author Chee tics every 'can't wait to read this book' box. Somehow, though, he often lost me. While Chee does a magnificent job of history and setting, the characters, especially the star, felt hollow and flat. Ditto for the audio r......more

Quotes

“A night at an opera you’ll wish never-ending.” Helen Oyeyemi, New York Times bestselling author

“A luminous tale of power and passion. Chee gives us an unforgettable heroine and a rich cast of characters—many of them real historical figures. The story dazzles and surprises right up until the final page.” J. Courtney Sullivan, New York Times bestselling author

“So full of baroque drama, borrowed identities, unnatural deaths, and double crosses it would impress the Count of Monte Cristo.” Entertainment Weekly

“Brilliantly extravagant in its twists and turns and its wide-ranging cast of characters…[and] attention to the material culture of Second Empire and Belle Epoque Paris.” Vogue

“Through Lilliet, we experience the decadence of Second Empire Paris and the terror of the Franco-Prussian War. The novel’s most operatic characters really lived…and Chee gets them right.” More

“A celebration of…women of creativity, ingenuity, endurance, mastery and grace.” New York Times Book Review

“Narrator Lisa Flanagan adroitly handles the many accents in this audiobook…Listeners will appreciate Flanagan’s ability to differentiate the characters as well as her clear diction and appropriate pacing…Flanagan captures the tension as Berne attempts to negotiate the complicated social customs of eighteenth-century Europe while hiding the truth of her less-than-elegant past.” AudioFile

“Under the layers of plot and operatic melodrama…Queen of the Night explores the question of what gives the courtesan her hold, her power over the hearts of men.” Minneapolis Star Tribune

“A book that could contentedly settle into a thrilling historical romance trope creates something much more refreshing and subversive.” Bustle

“Sprawling, soaring, bawdy, and plotted like a fine embroidery.” NPR

Awards

  • Entertainment Weekly “Must Read”
  • Millions.com Pick
  • Indie Next List
  • A Flavorwire Pick
  • Kirkus Reviews Pick
  • Amazon Best Book of the Month
  • Bustle Pick
  • New York Times   Bestseller
  • Voice Arts Award
  • Kirkus Reviews’ Best Books
  • BuzzFeed Books Pick
  • Refinery29 Pick
  • NPR Best Book
  • Boston Globe Pick
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