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Stella Maris

By: Cormac McCarthy
Narrated by: Edoardo Ballerini, Julia Whelan
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Summary

'A drought-busting, brain-vexing double act’ – Guardian

Alicia Western is the following: Twenty years old. A brilliant mathematician at the University of Chicago. And a paranoid schizophrenic who does not want to talk about her brother, Bobby.

Told entirely through the transcripts of Alicia’s psychiatric sessions, Cormac McCarthy's Stella Maris is a profoundly moving companion to The Passenger. It is a powerful enquiry that questions our notions of God, truth, and life itself.

‘Cormac McCarthy was such a virtuoso, his language was so rich and new . . . his books were terrifying and absolute. His sentences were astonishing.’ - Anne Enright

©2022 Cormac McCarthy (P)2022 Penguin Random House
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Critic reviews

'It's an uncanny, unsettling dream, tuned into the static of the universe' – New York Times

What listeners say about Stella Maris

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Touches the deepest of the humanity

Puts the most essential human question Igę context of one othe most damaging human achievement and destruction - development of the nuke. Perceived, proccessed, explained by a daughther of one engaged scientists. Evolves into a wider reflection upon the humanity, etternal life, relations between individuals and the world. Containned in a simple, so well known by most of readers, form of a dialogue between a patient and psy.

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1 person found this helpful

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Exceptional performance by both actors

I enjoyed the questions posed and the subject matter of Stella Maris when I read the book, but I couldn’t help but feel it was a little cold and clinical in it’s presentation and that lessened it’s impact.

The audiobook really addresses these misgivings and truly brings the dialogue and emotion to life: the rapport between Cohen and Alicia is really evocative thanks to the masterful performances of Julia Whelan and Edoardo Ballerini and gives the content an almost voyeuristic quality.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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it is brilliant just brilliant

it covers a range of deep ideas in an interesting format.
McCarthy always writes beautiful prose

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Captivating

I listened the passenger (which I now plan to relisten to) a few months ago, and I liked but, didn't quite love it. This however, I did love. I haven't read/listened to anything that hit quite as hard as this for some time. Maybe it is a little self-indulgent, but the conversations between the two characters are so captivating, that I really didn't care. It left my head spinning for some time after.

In terms of the narration and production, I can't think of a better audiobook. Both narrators are fantastic. I also loved how the ending was punctuated with a piece of music, that was significant to the protagonist and mentioned earlier in the book - Really nice touch.

I cannot recommend this enough, though it absolutely is not going to be everyone’s cup of tea - but if it sounds like yours, I think you'll really like it.

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Take my hand

Beautiful swan song. Great performances, great story, a perfect ending to a great writers work.

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Stellar

I must say, I enjoyed this even more than the sibling novel The Passenger, albeit they were both stellar. It’s a series of conversations between the protagonist and her psychiatrist. To say it is more complicated and interesting than that is an understatement. It’s perfect for audiobook form.

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Ok

Totally saw the oh my goodness part coming, it’s not hard to do the ‘math.’ Will probably re read it down the road but maybe you have to read the passenger first???? Edit- reading the passenger now. Read that first

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Yet another masterpiece

This is amazingly narrated and the story I will have to continue to unpack for years to come.

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Outstanding

Difficult to fully understand but makes you want to try and I will read it again, a fantastic production by everyone involved,
Thank you.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Absolutely brilliant

Should be performed on the stage. I enjoyed listening to every single minute of book.

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