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Prophet Song

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Prophet Song

By: Paul Lynch
Narrated by: Gerry O'Brien
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About this listen

Winner of the Booker Prize 2023 On a dark, wet evening in Dublin, scientist and mother of four Eilish Stack answers her front door to find the GNSB on her step. Two officers from Ireland’s newly formed secret police are here to interrogate her husband, a trade unionist. Ireland is falling apart. The country is in the grip of a government turning towards tyranny and when her husband disappears, Eilish finds herself caught within the nightmare logic of a society that is quickly unravelling. How far will she go to save her family? And what – or who – is she willing to leave behind? Exhilarating, terrifying and propulsive, Prophet Song is a work of breathtaking originality, offering a devastating vision of a country at war and a deeply human portrait of a mother’s fight to hold her family together.©2023 Paul Lynch (P)2023 Bolinda Publishing Disaster Fiction Dystopian Fiction Genre Fiction Literary Fiction Political Science Fiction Ireland Thought-Provoking Emotionally Gripping Heartfelt Scary Tear-jerking Marriage
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Critic reviews

'The comparisons are inevitable – Saramago, Orwell, McCarthy – but this novel will stand entirely on its own.' (Colum McCann, author of Apeirogon)

'Monumental ... You remember why fiction matters. It's hard to recall a more powerful novel in recent years.' (Samantha Harvey, author of The Western Wind)

'Prophet Song is a literary manifesto for empathy for those in need and a brilliant, haunting novel that should be placed into the hands of policymakers everywhere.' (The Guardian)

What listeners say about Prophet Song

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Totally engrossing

Normally I listen to audio books as a kind of soundtrack. This one had me listening with full attention. The writing us amazing abd the narration was superb.

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9 people found this helpful

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This was a testimony to the helplessness and terror faced by people displaced by war.

The reading was superb and gave the story the gravity and depth of meaning it deserved.

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1 person found this helpful

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A poignant masterpiece

A beautifully crafted novel that is so very relevant to the times we live in today.

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Evocative Emotional

What a stunning read. I felt the book creep into me, I was drawn to the story, feeling the plight of all those who face this reality all over the world. The author brought it home in a unique and poetic way. I was moved to tears so many times. I would suggest they increase the pause between the end and the ad!

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An extraordinary mirror of our times

This is an exceptional book. It holds up a mirror to its readers and makes you enter the dark side of humanity. I will not give any spoilers, but the story it tells is unsettling. It mirrors the horrors of Gaza, of refugees trying to reach Europe hoping for a better life, and of autocratic and totalitarian regimes. In combination with the link with “the prophets” this it a profound read. Highly recommended!

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Harrowing

Incredible book, had me on edge the entire time. Really does an incredible job at setting the stage and demonstrating how quickly things could turn totalitarian in any society. A must listen.

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harrowing, gripping, a book that will take you over for a while

I like the way the author minimally sets the scene, giving you enough to fill the gaps. it might be considered dystopian but this isn't 1984 or The Road, it is far more real and personal.

I think it does an amazing job at letting you glimpse what life must be like for ordinary people caught in Syria, Gaza, Bosnia where the law and order you have lived with is slowly taken away.

The language and the metaphors at times paint an amazing picture of what's going on in the characters minds, but at times they are too much and take away from the emotion of the story.

it reminds me of Crime and punishment the way it makes you feel the walls are tightening around you, but it has a better story that progresses at a satisfying pace, and well fleshed out characters.

it's an emotionally challenging read, the brutality makes you feel like anything can happen, and it keeps you on edge.

highly recommend, but know what you are getting in for

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Not for the faint hearted.

A serious book ,unsmilingly ,but sympathetically read by the great Irish actor!Gerry O’Brien . It builds to an almost unbearable climax,which will remain in me for some years.
My thanks to all responsible for this great recording of the Booker Prize winner 2023.

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A Must Read but not uplifting

This is a story, which should be read by everyone, showing the danger of extreme politics which is starting to grip many countries, including the UK.

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Heartbreaking and relevant

Best book I’ve listed to for a while. The impossible choices of the mother and the plight of the refugee transposed

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