Voyage of Innocence

By: Elizabeth Edmondson

Narrated by: Nicolette McKenzie

Length: 15 hrs and 29 mins

Publisher's summary

From the author of The Frozen Lake comes an enthralling novel of love, betrayal, and idealism as three very different young women go up to Oxford in the years immediately before World War Two.

Vee - the clergyman’s daughter. Boyish, alluring, she plans to use her time at Oxford to put right everything that went wrong in her loveless childhood. Her friendship with Alfred introduces her to politics and the subversive attractions of secret societies; it will lead to her career as a secret agent, but at what cost to old loyalties and her true feelings?

Claudia, radiant, intense, aristocratic, is equally drawn to the secret society and one member in particular; his dazzling influence will see her travel to Berlin and come under the spell of fascism as war looms.

And Lally, glamorous daughter of an Irish-American senator, is sceptical of the society and the arguments from both sides.

©2005 Elizabeth Edmondson (P)2015 Audible, Ltd

Elizabeth Edmundsim

I am very sad to read that the author has passed away. I was so looking forward to more books. She wrote simply but strongly. And delicately

Voyage of TMI

If you could sum up Voyage of Innocence in three words, what would they be?

To much description

What was your reaction to the ending? (No spoilers please!)

Expected

Which scene was your favorite?

The scene of Peggy's death. This was the death of innocence for Vee

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

The Death of Innocence

Any additional comments?

I thoroughly enjoyed reading a Villa in Italy, however in The Voyage of Innocence, the author left no room for the reader to fill in the blanks. When I am reading, I like an author to give me a brief description of a scene and let me use my imagination to fill in the blanks. There was no chance in this book. Most scenes were over described. There were echos of Trollope in her style. However, Trollope almost goes too far, but he manages to stop. This being said, I love Trollope. I would not finished the book had it not been for the narrator. SHE IS GREAT.

Interesting

At first I didn't like it but as it went on I found it interesting

great perspective, excellent story!

I enjoyed this story all the way through. So much so, I may listen to it again.

Good story

A very good story. Kept me interested to the end. Lots of twists and turns!

Well Written Story About Pre-WW2 England and Ideologies

This author’s prose is exceptional. The reader is very talented. I would have rated it more highly if I had found the main character Verity a more sympathetic person. Unfortunately Vee comes across as a combination of gullible and doggedly wrong-headed, coupled with a tendency to alternately preach her own gospel or to whinge about how her actions cause predictable outcomes. Would have enjoyed hearing more about the character Lally’s store. Still, well-worth the time devoted to it due to the excellence of the author.

A much more real story than her usual plots.

Not a fairy tale. If you're looking for a "soft story", this is not it. It is a book of the reality of our world. A warning to those who see the world in black and white that there are many shades of grey.

Narration is good; but sordid storyline detracts

Enjoyed all the other books; but there must be a heads up to readers/ listeners on the genre of the book. Anti Christian and very sexualised with reference to very nasty things... honestly not an enjoyable listen at all. Quite a disappointment after the wonderful Villa in Italy

cautionary note on young idealism.

Particularly relevant in today's climate, this is a cautionary tale of the ease with which young idealists can be duped by both communism and fascism with tragic consequences. this is not a mystery in the traditional sense but there is a tale of intrigue with a mysterious death that is resolved at the end.

Great story

Well written. Accurate depiction of the period between World Wars. Surprising understanding of the complexities involved in the Spanish Civil War. Interesting characters.