
Red Island House
A Novel
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Narrated by:
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Bahni Turpin
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By:
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Andrea Lee
About this listen
From National Book Award-nominated writer Andrea Lee comes Red Island House, a travel epic that opens a window on the mysterious African island of Madagascar, and on the dangers of life and love in paradise, as seen through the eyes of a Black American heroine.
“People do mysterious things when they think they have found paradise,” reflects Shay, the heroine of Red Island House. When Shay, an intrepid Black American professor, marries Senna, a brash Italian businessman, she doesn’t imagine that her life’s greatest adventure will carry her far beyond their home in Milan: to an idyllic stretch of beach in Madagascar where Senna builds a flamboyant vacation villa. Before she knows it, she becomes the reluctant mistress of a sprawling household, caught between her privileged American upbringing and her connection to the continent of her ancestors. So begins Shay’s journey into the heart of a remote African country. Can she keep her identity and her marriage intact amid the wild beauty and the lingering colonial sins of this mysterious world that both captivates and destroys foreigners?
A mesmerizing, powerful tale of travel and self-discovery that evokes Isabella Allende’s House of the Spirits and Chimamanda Ngozie Adichie’s Americanah, Red Island House showcases an extraordinary literary voice and gorgeously depicts a lush and unknown world.
©2021 Andrea N. Lee. All rights reserved. (P)2021 Simon & Schuster, Inc. All rights reserved.Listeners also enjoyed...
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"Turpin gives a lively, arch performance, capturing the history and magic of Madagascar as well as Shay's personality. Listeners who are searching for a unique novel that intertwines plot with setting will soak in this experience. Turpin jumps back and forth between details of the island's vivid past and Shay's urgent present, filled with the demands of work, parenting, and marriage. This entertaining title will engage listeners until the very end." (AudioFile Magazine)
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- By: Nicola Cornick
- Narrated by: Emma Craig
- Length: 11 hrs and 4 mins
- Unabridged
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When Robert Catesby, the charismatic son of a Catholic gentleman, marries heiress Catherine Leigh and inherits the rich Oxfordshire manor house at Aston from his grandmother, it seems that the future happiness of the couple must be assured. However, Robert’s deep involvement in plots to overthrow the Protestant queen Elizabeth I and his increasingly dangerous behavior threaten the lives of his wife and their young son.
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Never got my attention
- By Misty on 12-06-22
By: Nicola Cornick
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Icebound
- Shipwrecked at the Edge of the World
- By: Andrea Pitzer
- Narrated by: Fred Sanders
- Length: 9 hrs and 18 mins
- Unabridged
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In the best-selling tradition of Hampton Sides’ In the Kingdom of Ice, a “gripping adventure tale” (The Boston Globe) recounting Dutch polar explorer William Barents’ three harrowing Arctic expeditions - the last of which resulted in a relentlessly challenging year-long fight for survival.
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Great book - missing maps :(
- By Stephen on 01-20-21
By: Andrea Pitzer
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Before You Knew My Name
- A Novel
- By: Jacqueline Bublitz
- Narrated by: Penelope Rawlins
- Length: 10 hrs and 53 mins
- Unabridged
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When she arrived in New York on her eighteenth birthday carrying nothing but $600 cash and a stolen camera, Alice Lee was looking for a fresh start. Now, just one month later, she is the city’s latest Jane Doe. She may be dead but that doesn’t mean her story is over. Meanwhile, Ruby Jones is also trying to reinvent herself. After travelling halfway around the world, she’s lonelier than ever in the Big Apple. Until she stumbles upon a woman’s body by the Hudson River, and suddenly finds herself unbreakably tied to the unknown dead woman.
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Excellent
- By cristina on 11-11-22
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Fatal Inheritance
- A Novel
- By: Rachel Rhys
- Narrated by: Charlotte Hamblin, Roy McMillan
- Length: 10 hrs and 40 mins
- Unabridged
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London, 1948: Eve Forrester is stuck in a loveless marriage, isolated in her gloomy house, when out of the blue, she receives a letter. A wealthy stranger has left her a mysterious inheritance, but in order to find out more, she must travel to the glittering French Riviera. There, Eve discovers she has been bequeathed an enchanting villa overlooking the Mediterranean Sea, and suddenly, life could not be more glamorous. But while she rubs shoulders with the rich and famous, challengers to her unexplained fortune begin to emerge - challengers who would love to see Eve gone forever.
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An enticing story
- By fiction lover on 12-23-19
By: Rachel Rhys
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The Mythmakers
- By: Keziah Weir
- Narrated by: Brefny Caribou
- Length: 12 hrs and 46 mins
- Unabridged
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Sal Cannon’s life is in shambles. Her relationship is crumbling, and her career in journalism hits a low point after it’s revealed that her profile of a playwright is full of inaccuracies. She’s close to rock-bottom when she reads a short story by Martin Keller: a much older author she met at a literary event years ago. Much to her shock, the story is about her and the moment they met. When Sal learns the story is excerpted from his unpublished novel, she reaches out to the story’s editor—only to learn that Martin is deceased.
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Meandering brilliance
- By christina hughes babb on 02-08-24
By: Keziah Weir
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Our Homesick Songs
- By: Emma Hooper
- Narrated by: Nicole Power
- Length: 7 hrs and 17 mins
- Unabridged
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The Connor family is one of the few that is still left in their idyllic fishing village, Big Running; after the fish mysteriously disappeared, most families had no choice but to relocate and find work elsewhere. Aidan and Martha Connor now spend alternate months of the year working at an energy site up north to support their children, Cora and Finn. But soon the family fears they’ll have to leave Big Running for good.
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Emptiness, fullness & quiet beauty
- By Kqadams on 09-04-20
By: Emma Hooper
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The House of Yan
- A Family at the Heart of a Century in Chinese History
- By: Lan Yan
- Narrated by: Angela Lin
- Length: 10 hrs and 54 mins
- Unabridged
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The history of the Yan family is inseparable from the history of China over the last century. One of the most influential businesswomen of China today, Lan Yan grew up in the company of the country's powerful elite, including Zhou Enlai, Deng Xiaoping, and other top leaders. In recounting her family history, Lan Yan brings to life a century of Chinese history from the last emperor to present day, including the Cultural Revolution which tore her childhood apart. The little girl who was crushed by the Cultural Revolution has become one of the most active businesswomen in her country.
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An Incredible Saga of Yan’s Family
- By Mei Karras on 02-17-20
By: Lan Yan
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The Thirty Names of Night
- A Novel
- By: Zeyn Joukhadar
- Narrated by: Samy Figaredo, Lameece Issaq
- Length: 9 hrs and 29 mins
- Unabridged
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From the award-winning author of The Map of Salt and Stars, a new novel about three generations of Syrian Americans haunted by a mysterious species of bird and the truths they carry close to their hearts - a “vivid exploration of loss, art, queer and trans communities, and the persistence of history. Often tender, always engrossing, The Thirty Names of Night is a feat” (R.O. Kwon, author of The Incendiaries).
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Might be easier to follow in print
- By Kate on 12-30-20
By: Zeyn Joukhadar
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The Wolves of Winter
- By: Tyrell Johnson
- Narrated by: Jayme Mattler
- Length: 8 hrs and 54 mins
- Unabridged
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Lynn McBride has learned much since society collapsed in the face of nuclear war and the relentless spread of disease. As the memories of her old life continue to haunt, she's been forced to forge ahead in the snow-drifted Canadian Yukon, learning how to hunt and trap and slaughter. But her fragile existence is about to be shattered. Shadows of the world before have found her tiny community - most prominently in the enigmatic figure of Jax, who brings with him dark secrets of the past.
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Great "End of the World" survivor story.
- By Nickal16 on 02-20-18
By: Tyrell Johnson
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We, the Drowned
- By: Carsten Jensen
- Narrated by: Simon Vance
- Length: 25 hrs and 22 mins
- Unabridged
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We, the Drowned is the story of the port town of Marstal, Denmark, whose inhabitants sailed the world from the mid-nineteenth century to the end of the Second World War. The novel tells of ships wrecked and blown up in wars, of places of terror and violence that continue to lure each generation. The result is a brilliant seafaring novel, a gripping saga encompassing industrial growth, the years of expansion and exploration, the crucible of the first half of the twentieth century, and most of all, the sea.
By: Carsten Jensen
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The Love Scribe
- By: Amy Meyerson
- Narrated by: Julia Whelan
- Length: 11 hrs and 2 mins
- Unabridged
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When Alice’s best friend, Gabby, is reeling from a breakup, Alice writes her a heartfelt story to cheer her up. While reading it in a café, Gabby, as if by magic, meets the man of her dreams. Thinking the story might have some special power to it, Gabby shares it with her sister and other friends, who all find instant love. Word of mouth spreads, and Alice stumbles upon a new calling—to be a love scribe.
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Great Narration but . . . . .
- By Dee Mitch on 02-14-23
By: Amy Meyerson
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The Incorruptibles
- A True Story of Kingpins, Crime Busters, and the Birth of the American Underworld
- By: Dan Slater
- Narrated by: Jonathan Todd Ross
- Length: 11 hrs and 13 mins
- Unabridged
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In the early 1900s, prior to World War I, New York City was a vortex of vice and corruption. On the Lower East Side, then the most crowded ghetto on earth, Eastern European Jews formed a dense web of crime syndicates. Gangs of horse poisoners and casino owners, pimps and prostitutes, thieves and thugs, jockeyed for dominance while their family members and neighbors toiled in the unregulated garment industry. But when the notorious murder of a gambler attracted global attention, a coterie of affluent German-Jewish uptowners decided to take matters into their own hands.
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Very Entertaining/Researched
- By ptr on 02-23-25
By: Dan Slater
What listeners say about Red Island House
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- cdo
- 08-08-21
Great Writer. Three Different Cultures
This is a long tale, but through the detailed descriptions of Madagascar, I was able to imagine the far away place and culture. It’s very well written., with a perfect narrator. There are several separate storylines involving characters and languages I have never thought of. These stories are told through the eyes of the main character, Shay. Good read.!
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- LaLozia
- 09-17-24
Good Company Keeper
I enjoyed the storyline, performance and how the story ended. I was able to paint vivid pictures of Madagascar at times when she was giving descriptions. I appreciated that sometimes Shay paused and thought about the situation before responding. I also was appreciative of how she had the tendency to check herself and the situation, making her an open minded individual in my eyesight. The only distraction I encountered was when the reader spoke other languages without providing an interpretation of what was said.
Thanks!
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- Vickilynne
- 07-31-21
a different view
what a wonderful poignant perspective on international as well as cultural and ethnic practices. these do have an effect on individuals.
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1 person found this helpful
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- carol Davydova
- 04-27-21
Triumphant
An important work, weaving in... origin story experiences in global cultures. I feel Neritrani has its roots in my own Bay Area soil.
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20 people found this helpful
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- Dorothy
- 05-16-22
Brilliant, unique and fascinating book!
Great story, interesting characters, beautifully written and really captivating. I just loved this book and recommend for anyone who likes quality in their fiction.
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- OwlLover
- 09-13-21
Too repetitive
I wanted to like it more than I did. The first section was quite enjoyable, and I wish it had stayed in that timeline. I did not like the repetition of information or understand the purpose of revisiting and restating.
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1 person found this helpful
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- kat
- 04-04-21
Good
It was good. It lacked a bit of depth story wise but deep in the way of meaning. It jumped around alot and never came full circle until the end, a bit like life. Great narrating and a bit heart breaking.
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27 people found this helpful
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- Deb on the Hudson
- 08-20-21
Interesting story from an unusual voice
I have never been to Madagascar, but I have, in decades past, visited various Caribbean islands. I would often wonder about the lives of the people who lived there, how different they were from us privileged travelers who stayed in luxurious resorts. It’s interesting to hear this unique voice, of a woman with feet in different cultures, continents and histories. It made me think about the lives of these others, and of the place that outsiders occupy in their lives. A very interesting, complex, and graceful telling of lives that straddle cultures and continents. And the ending was especially graceful and poignant. I would highly recommend this book, and the telling was done very well by the narrator.
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1 person found this helpful
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- just asking for some common sense
- 09-04-21
Good book, great narration
I was excited to listen to this book even though some of the reviews were pretty bad. I don't read a lot of reviews, but I figure the star rating when I'm going to listen to something. One of my main issues with the book is that it didn't seem to know whether to be a series of stories or one main story. It has the feeling of some novels that were published in serial form. At times it seems like the author wanted to write an epic novel, but was afraid to tackle such a task. Instead it has redundancies which is weird in a book of this modest length.
The main character is Shay, a Black American living in Italy who married Senna, an Italian man quite a bit older than her. He decides to build a vacation house in Madagascar - that is the Red Island House. Much of the book takes place there and we are introduced to a variety of local, European, and American characters. They have 2 children, but I feel as if they are a writing afterthought. I want to know them better as children. I won't say more about the plot because I hate spoilers.
The actual writing of the book is better than the story. Some of it is absolutely beautiful. At times I feel transported to the island. It does feel like it is aimed at women. I'm trying to avoid the term "chick-lit" but has anyone come up with a less condescending term? That does describe this, although it has an exotic setting.
The brightest aspect for me is the narration by Bahni Turpin: she is one of my favorite narrators! All in all I'm happy to have listened to this book. I might consider other works by this author in the future, but right now I need something different!
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- Kathy Nichols
- 04-10-22
interesting vs engaging
The texture and feel of this book is different from most listens - it's like listening from the outside rather than the inside. It's like being told a story from far away. It is interesting, but didn't keep my attention enough to listen all the way through. I listened to it a little each day and then on to other books that made me feel more inside the story. I assume it's the way the book was written because I've loved this narrator in other books. And the accents sound great to me, not that I'm very discerning. The story is told through the eyes of Shey, the matriarch, but I never felt like I knew her. The language is beautiful and its a saga that unfolds over the life of a marriage, centered around their vacation home on the Island in Madagascar. The story is really about the island and how it affects people; the people who come to visit (including outsiders who live there) and the natives who where born there. It's an interesting portrait of a time and place and how it evolves during the formative years of their marriage. The island is magical and mystical, but again this is all experienced from a distance, like someone is telling a story at a campfire. It's a good story, told largely as a series of anecdotes, just not one that pulls you inside the story so that you experience it too.
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1 person found this helpful