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Loitering with Intent

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Loitering with Intent

By: Muriel Spark
Narrated by: Nadia May
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About this listen

 "How wonderful to be an artist and a woman in the twentieth century," Fleur Talbot rejoices. Loitering about London in 1949, with intent to gather material for her writing, Fleur finds a job "on the grubby edge of the literary world", as secretary to the odd Autobiographical Association. Are they a group of mad egomaniacs, hilariously writing their memoirs in advance, or poor fools ensnared by a blackmailer? Rich material, in any case.

But when its pompous director, Sir Quentin, steals the manuscript of Fleur's new novel, fiction begins to appropriate life. The association's members begin to act out scenes exactly as Fleur herself had already written them in her missing manuscript. And as they meet darkly funny, pre-visioned fates, where does art start or reality end?

©1981 Copyright Administration, Ltd. (P)2002 Blackstone Audiobooks Women Feel-Good Witty Thought-Provoking

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Critic reviews

"I read this book in a delirium of delight. In Loitering with Intent, Miss Spark returns to the early flawless form of Memento Mori and The Comforters....Robust and full-bodied, a wise and mature work, and a brilliantly mischievous one." (The New York Times Book Review)

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It was deliciously waspish. I enjoyed it particularly listening rather than reading. Well structured plot. Slightly dated.

Loitering with Intent by Muriel Spark

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I saw a clip of Muriel Spark on the BBC archive. She looked so interesting so I searched out a book.

The narration was perfect and I loved the autobiographical feel to the novel.

Autobiographical Feel

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I loved this book, I was kept enthralled by the racy goings on in the publishing world

A Jolly Entertaining Tale

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Beautifully read and thoroughly engaging. It reminded me a little of Iris Murdoch. It would have been interesting to listen to her working of this witty and funny story.

Spark by name, Sparky by nature

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Loved every moment. The narrator presented the story and character to perfection. And of course, Ms Spark is genius.

Exceptional

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Loved this whippy number. Spark being witty and insightful with narrator not entirely to be trusted and lots of smudging between fiction and reality. Made me laugh out loud at times.

Fabulous wit

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I am an admirer of Spark but this novel was a damp squib. The plot is rather silly and while several of the characters are eccentric and interesting they are not realistic enough for me to care about what happens to them.
The novel is written in the first person and from the point of view of the protagonist, Fleur. Spark does not change the point of view throughout the novel which makes it easier for a protagonist-reader relationship to be created. However, since Fleur’s character is cold and unpleasant, the reader wants to distance themselves. Muriel Spark writes with a frozen and crisp tone, leaving the reader unconnected from the story and just carried along on a tide of words.
And the ending is an absolute rush job.

Not Spark's best work

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of it's time but so very Spark. I listened in all one sitting. do try

classic

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Great narration - dark hilarity - an odd slap stick story - if that's your bag - laugh out loud - I did.

A madcap romp

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Loved this story. Engaged my attention right through. Like a funny and rather idiosyncratic who dunnit. Very enjoyable.

Witty and clever

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