• Nights at the Circus

  • By: Angela Carter
  • Narrated by: Adjoa Andoh
  • Length: 12 hrs and 38 mins
  • 4.1 out of 5 stars (63 ratings)

Prime logo Prime members: New to Audible?
Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
Premium Plus auto-renews for $14.95/mo after 30 days. Cancel anytime.
Nights at the Circus  By  cover art

Nights at the Circus

By: Angela Carter
Narrated by: Adjoa Andoh
Try for $0.00

$14.95/month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy for $27.31

Buy for $27.31

Pay using card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Taxes where applicable.

Publisher's summary

This Audible Exclusive recording of Angela Carter's iconic novel, Nights at the Circus, is brought to you by celebrated actress and voice artist, Adjoa Andoh. It is described by Carter herself as a 'psychedelic Dickens.'

A compelling and thought provoking novel which heralds a new age, we're introduced to the unique and mesmerizing character of Sophi Fevvers and her illustrious wings....

About the book

Said to be part woman, part swan, Sophi Fevvers stars in Colonel Kearney's Circus, beloved and admired by audiences all around Europe.

Courted by the Prince of Wales himself and fawned on by American journalist, Jack Walser, Sophi defies expectation by embarking on a journey of self-discovery, and taking the listener on an intoxicating trip around London, St Petersburg and Siberia.

One of Carter's most empowered female protagonists, Fevvers heralds a 'new Age in which no women will be bound down to the ground,' making this a timeless and wholly inspiring literary masterpiece.

About the author

Angela Carter was born in 1940, in Sussex. She grew up in the shabbily respectable south London district of Balham, the second child of an eccentric journalist father and a neurotic housewife mother.

She studied English at Bristol University before travelling extensively, teaching and writing numerous best-selling novels. They have all received considerable critical acclaim and remain firm favourites of modern English literature.

Angela was a devout feminist throughout her life, wrote for Spare Rib magazine and voted Labour. Her novels are wholly reflective of her world views and continue to inspire new generations of men and women worldwide.

About the narrator

Adjoa Andoh is a British film, television, stage and radio actress, best-known for her roles in Invictus, Doctor Who, Liar and National Theatre Live: Les Liaisons Dangereuses.

She is well versed in the art of narration and has voiced over 100 audiobooks, including Naomi Alderman's The Power, Marcus Chown's The Ascent of Gravity, Alexander McCall Smith's The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency and Fiona Barton's The Child.

Adjoa has had many leading roles with the Royal Shakespeare Company, The National Theatre, The Royal Court Theatre and the Almeida Theatre, and she's acted in a production of Nights at the Circus.

©1984 Angela Carter (P)2018 Audible, Ltd

Critic reviews

"A remarkable book by any standards." ( The Guardian)

What listeners say about Nights at the Circus

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    34
  • 4 Stars
    14
  • 3 Stars
    8
  • 2 Stars
    4
  • 1 Stars
    3
Performance
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    36
  • 4 Stars
    10
  • 3 Stars
    5
  • 2 Stars
    2
  • 1 Stars
    1
Story
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    31
  • 4 Stars
    11
  • 3 Stars
    5
  • 2 Stars
    7
  • 1 Stars
    0

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    2 out of 5 stars

acid trip

I've never done acid, but this book has to be the closest thing to an acid trip that I could imagine. The accents are very hard to understand and the story is just completely incomprehensible. I have no idea what I just listened to.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

A Great and Intriguing Listen

The story is narrated in a range of voices and kept me interested. The story itself is hilarious and engaging, covering serious topics like sexism but from a tongue-in-cheek ironic perspective. I highly recommend it.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

A magical, immersive experience

I originally read this book in 1996 and loved it. Enough time elapsed for me to forget the key details that made the retelling of the story just as precious as it first was. The characters’ voices were each distinct and matched them, and the only flaw I could find is that Walser’s accent was cartoonishly dopey. I feel his character could have done with a less comic voice. I loved this book in audio form just as much as in written form.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Such a good story, such a GREAT narrator

The story itself, especially the lengthy monologue in the first part by the main character relating her life history, was fantastic. But the narrator managed to raise the level to enthralling, with her mesmerizing delivery and (please excuse my American ears) wonderful, varied accents.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!