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The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay
- Narrated by: David Colacci
- Length: 26 hrs and 20 mins
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The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay
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Publisher's Summary
Pulitzer Prize, Fiction, 2001
It's 1939, in New York City. Joe Kavalier, a young artist who has also been trained in the art of Houdiniesque escape, has just pulled off his greatest feat: smuggling himself out of Hitler's Prague. He's looking to make big money, fast, so that he can bring his family to freedom. His cousin, Brooklyn's own Sammy Clay, is looking for a partner in creating the heroes, stories, and art for the latest novelty to hit the American dreamscape: the comic book.
Inspired by their own fantasies, fears, and dreams, Kavalier and Clay create the Escapist, the Monitor, and the otherworldly Mistress of the Night, Luna Moth, inspired by the beautiful Rosa Saks, who will become linked by powerful ties to both men. The golden age of comic books has begun, even as the shadow of Hitler falls across Europe.
The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay is a stunning novel of endless comic invention and unforgettable characters, written in the exhilarating prose that has led critics to compare Michael Chabon to Cheever and Nabokov. In Joe Kavalier, Chabon has created a hero for the century.
What the critics say
Featured Article: Best Audiobooks for Comic Book Fans
Comic books continue to be popular across various forms of media, and certainly don’t appear to be losing any momentum. From exciting marvel tales to classic DC characters, the world of comic stories is full of life and energy. Whether you’re a first time listener or a die-hard fan, we’ve compiled a list of some of our favourite audiobooks that any comic book fan or cartoonist will love.
What listeners say about The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay
Average Customer RatingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- JPro
- 2021-04-18
Didn’t want it to end
A world war, comic history, Nazis, Jewish cousins, magic, punching Hitler, love & loss... it’s a wonderful journey.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Kate Franks
- 2020-06-27
Fascinating lives following their surprising fates
I was enthralled by the history in this novel; the history of the Jewish people of Prague, of the comic book industry, of the Second World War. So many closely observed details, brilliantly described, brought these characters and their times to life.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Tee
- 2018-04-16
Of Escape and Magic
I was immensely taken by the book. Both Joe and Sammy are beautiful characters, and before very long I found myself absorbed in the book and caring deeply for what happens to both of them. While each is intelligent and talented in his own way, it’s their coming together that catalyse developments that send both tumbling headlong into the golden age of comics.
The central theme is escape, or breaking out. This is closely entwined with the theme of magic. The events relating to the Golem of Prague are an amalgamation of these themes early in the book. Likewise the comics created by Sam and Kavalier embody both themes. The ending too carries these elements, which I find uplifting.
About Michael Chabon’s writing style: I have to say it is difficult to follow his typically long / complex sentences unless you’re paying 100% attention (which is not always easy when listening to an audiobook). One moment of diversion and you’ll need to rewind to the start of the sentence or you’ll miss something. Initially I had to re-listen to the start of Chapter 1 several times, before I learnt my lesson! But despite this (or perhaps because of it?) the style is lively and the story moves at a good pace. This is one of the most enjoyable books I’ve read. It’s long (over 26 hours) but at the end of it, I wished it could be longer.
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4 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Deckard
- 2022-02-27
An adventure well worth your time
Without a doubt, deserving in every way of its acclaim and its accolades 10/10
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Jeanie E Wills
- 2022-05-09
Amazing
A wonderful and sometimes funny story about the power of love to set us free. With the horrors of the holocaust always lurking in the background, Kavalier and Clay introduces are Jewish cousins who tell the world the truth. In comic books.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Shawn Meunier
- 2020-01-24
Stories within stories
Wow. The detailed worlds created within this book. It was written to be an audio book. So fantastic.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- cj
- 2024-07-11
Loved It!!!
Great story, great narration. Made me cry at points (okay, I'm a softie). Didn't want the story to end. I want to know how Sammy does, etc.
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Overall2 out of 5 stars
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Performance3 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- Brad K
- 2020-05-15
Very frustrating
So it is a good story and the characters are well developed but...
The author continually alienates the reader with his word choices. he unnecessary consults a thesaurus with every third world making it cumbersome and inaccessible.
Also, the author gives way too much detail on absolutely everything. Every fabric, every type of paper, every fold of linen, and EVERY single character, no matter how insignificant, is given a first and last name. Not to mention how the author arrogantly names obscure songs, directors, authors over and over. We get it.. you think you're well read and cultured.
The result is a book that is easily twice as long as it needs to be.
The narrator is okay but has an odd robotic inflection applied to every single line. you won't hear it right away but after 20 hours you'll be driven mad by it.
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