Wylding Hall

By: Elizabeth Hand

Narrated by: Jennifer Woodward, John Telfer, Dan Morgan, Emma Fenney, Simon Victor, Kris Dyer, various narrators

Length: 4 hrs and 37 mins

Publisher's summary

In the aftermath of the mysterious death of their lead singer, the young members of a now-legendary British acid folk band hole up at Wylding Hall, an ancient English country house with its own dark secrets. There they record Wylding Hall, the album that makes their reputation - but at a terrifying cost when Julian Blake, their new lead singer, disappears within the mansion and is never seen again.

Now, years later, the surviving musicians and their friends and lovers - including a psychic, a photographer, and the band's manager - meet with a young documentary filmmaker to tell their own versions of what happened during that summer. But whose story is the true one? And what really happened to Julian Blake?

©2015 Elizabeth Hand (P)2015 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Beautifully performed

This is an engaging full cast performance. The voice talent does an excellent job. The story itself has a familiar quality to it — not that it feels derivative, but that it’s close enough to things that might have happened to feel true. Anyone with a casual interest in music history, particularly the 60s and 70s, will likely feel that sense of veracity. The details do get repetitive after awhile, though. There’s a lot of overlap between the various “interviews” and their observations, which becomes redundant. Still, the atmosphere works, and the production is short enough that it doesn’t wear out its welcome. The ending feels abrupt and not entirely satisfying. But, by the nature of the story’s core mystery, no kind of resolution was ever going to happen. If there’s any great lament here, it’s the inability to hear the fictional music of this fictional band—those soaring harmonies, or Julian’s curious tunings...

Wish it were a full book

I found the story interesting. I wish it was a full book instead of a short novel. I would also think this would make a great made for TV movie.

keeps you guessing

I would love a sequel because I have soany qiestions about what happened. It was an interesting story though.

Phenomenal

Just read this book (or listen) immediately if not sooner!
It is so well written and so original.
It’s over way too fast, that’s my only complaint!
I wish Elizabeth Hand could’ve made this book about two times longer.
There were so many aspects and so much more that could’ve been done with the “reveal” but sometimes less is more and I get that.
This is a beautiful and creepy story that will leave you wanting more.
Exceptional.
The performances are equally incredible.

Intriguing story

I wish it were true, I’d love to hear that album. I would buy it

Pretty good story

I liked this story but it wasn’t as suspenseful or filled with the thrill I thought I’d get. All in all not bad though.

Great, taut horror told via VH1 Behind The Music

This was a great listen! The full cast did an excellent job and brought life to each character. Leslie's narrator always felt rushed a bit but that's okay.

My only complaint is that I wanted more. It felt like it ended right as things were ramping up!

fresh fictional tale about ... a Band. sort of.

after a lot of radio plays & narration u tend 2 enjoy a few things that stand apart. its read as a 'story of a BAND'S TRAGEDY' & they're done by several actors in style of a docco or musical tribute special. I liked the story & JUST WAIT.. it's not quite done with the reason behind why this small group & their missing front man r a bit more than just a band that has its issues. Or was it because of Wylding Hall.
*** THE BAND IS FAKE BTW, set in U.K. *

"Different"

It's not a long book, and it's not what I'm used to with this author. Elizabeth Hand write some of the best books that I've ever read. She's in my top of the list so to speak. She has the ability of when you're reading you're watching a movie in your head and not many authors do that as well as she. Have a listen and decide for yourself, after all I'm not a critic.

A modern twist on the manor house murder.

Great to listen to and still do other tasks. I really liked having a the different cast voices rather than just a single voice narration. The tension is built by the multi voice narration. A cast read book is going to be a key factor in my future selections.