Listen free for 30 days

Listen with offer

Preview
  • A Constellation of Vital Phenomena

  • By: Anthony Marra
  • Narrated by: Colette Whitaker
  • Length: 12 hrs and 8 mins
  • 4.1 out of 5 stars (12 ratings)

£0.00 for first 30 days

Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection - including bestsellers and new releases.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, celeb exclusives, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
£7.99/month after 30 days. Renews automatically. See here for eligibility.

A Constellation of Vital Phenomena

By: Anthony Marra
Narrated by: Colette Whitaker
Try for £0.00

£7.99/month after 30 days. Renews automatically. See here for eligibility.

Buy Now for £12.99

Buy Now for £12.99

Pay using card ending in
By completing your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and authorise Audible to charge your designated card or any other card on file. Please see our Privacy Notice, Cookies Notice and Interest-based Ads Notice.

Summary

In a snow-covered village in Chechnya, eight-year-old Havaa watches from the woods as her father is abducted in the middle of the night by Russian soldiers.

Their lifelong friend and neighbour, Akhmed, has also been watching, and when he finds Havaa he knows of only one person who might be able to help. For tough-minded doctor Sonja Rabina, it’s just another day of trying to keep her bombed-out, abandoned hospital going. When Akhmed arrives with Havaa, asking Sonja for shelter, she has no idea who the pair are and even less desire to take on yet more responsibilities and risk. But over the course of five extraordinary days, Sonja’s world will shift on its axis, revealing the intricate pattern of connections that binds these three unlikely companions together and unexpectedly decides their fate.

©2013 Anthony Marra (P)2013 Random House Audiobooks
activate_Holiday_promo_in_buybox_DT_T2

Listeners also enjoyed...

The Tears of Monterini cover art
The Poisonwood Bible cover art
So Late in the Day cover art
The Kite Runner cover art
A Thousand Splendid Suns cover art
A Tale of Two Cities cover art
The Girl Who Wrote in Silk cover art
War and Peace cover art
Salt to the Sea cover art
The Things They Carried cover art
Beach Music cover art

Critic reviews

"A Constellation of Vital Phenomena is simply spectacular." (Ann Patchett)

What listeners say about A Constellation of Vital Phenomena

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    6
  • 4 Stars
    3
  • 3 Stars
    1
  • 2 Stars
    2
  • 1 Stars
    0
Performance
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    6
  • 4 Stars
    3
  • 3 Stars
    2
  • 2 Stars
    1
  • 1 Stars
    0
Story
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    8
  • 4 Stars
    1
  • 3 Stars
    1
  • 2 Stars
    2
  • 1 Stars
    0

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

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

Uplifting story built from shattered lives

A very good story with lots of strands of horror, heartbreak, longing and compassion. I loved the slow build up and back stories of how each character was affected by the utter horror of recent the conflicts in Chechnya. A very clever tale, which although horrific at times was enthralling. I found the narrators voice very monotone and it did spoil my enjoyment of the story. I have since read the book & have recommended it to others. Brilliant writing. Congratulations to the terrific Author, Anthony Marra.

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

truly wonderful

a fabulous book. beautifully read. intriguing, beguiling, original, thought provoking, with lovely turns of phrase

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

excellent

a saga of family & friendship, love & betrayal, hope & hopelessness - a bit of every emotion going + a history lesson for me of a war I was only vaguely aware of. Highly recommend but maybe have a tissue handy.

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

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!