Utopia Avenue
The Number One Sunday Times Bestseller
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Utopia Avenue
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Narrated by:
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Andrew Wincott
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By:
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David Mitchell
About this listen
Utopia Avenue might be the most curious British band you've never heard of.
Emerging from London's psychedelic scene in 1967, folksinger Elf Holloway, blues bassist Dean Moss, guitar virtuoso Jasper de Zoet and jazz drummer Griff Griffin together created a unique sound with lyrics that captured their turbulent times. The band produced only two albums in two years, yet their musical legacy lives on.
This is the story of Utopia Avenue's brief, blazing journey from Soho clubs and draughty ballrooms to the promised land of America, just when the Summer of Love was receding into something much darker - a multi-faceted tale of dreams, drugs, love, sexuality, madness and grief; of stardom's wobbly ladder and fame's Faustian pact and of the collision between youthful idealism and jaded reality as the '60s drew to a close.
Above all, this bewitching novel celebrates the power of music to connect across divides, define an era and thrill the soul.
©2020 David Mitchell (P)2020 Hodder & Stoughton LimitedListeners also enjoyed...
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Critic reviews
"One of the most brilliantly inventive writers of this, or any country." (Independent)
What listeners say about Utopia Avenue
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
- Mrs Kristina C L Passmore
- 27-11-21
Fun story in same world as his other books
I am a massive David Mitchell fan. I know nothing about music in the 60s (blame the parents) so I think that allowed me to accept the descriptions and dialogue without questioning too much. Particularly loved Jasper de Zoet and how his story fits into the wider Mitchell universe.
The narrator takes a bit of getting used to and the book is very long.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Grant Garden
- 15-02-21
Absolutely brilliantly conceived and performed
Both the story itself and the reader. David Mitchell moves from strength to strength. His clever tying in to another of his excellent novels was quite unexpected but brilliantly conceived. I was riveted throughout. An amazing journey through the 1960s. A sophisticated conceit. I hope a movie follows. But then the music would need to be created....
Will there be a soundtrack?
Mind blowing!
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance3 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Wrighteous
- 21-09-20
Not your usual David Mitchell book
I looked forward to this book with anticipation expecting another time altering/mind altering David Mitchell novel. However, this isn't it, it appears on the surface to be a factual account of a real band but my research can't find an equivalent and so this is again all in the mind of Mr Mitchell. I bonded with most of the characters although Griff seems to be a very stereotypical drummer. Perhaps the shocking part of the novel could have come in the middle rather than the end which would have added some impetus to the end bit? I've recently been spoilt by some brilliant narrators recently but for me, this one was not really up to par.
An enjoyable read though but with David Mitchell, you expect something even better.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Hannah Prosser
- 26-08-20
love, love, love!
I couldn't do anything but listen to it! loved it, David Mitchel with his usual brilliance, totally hooked from the first sentence
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- JSR
- 07-10-20
Bloody Loved It
For Mitchell fans relishing in his Uber novel world, you will not be disappointed. After listening to it, already what to read it, but may have to visit A Thousand Lives first.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Joanna Moody
- 05-05-24
Loved it!
A completely absorbing listen, with a great story and really believable characters. If anything I wish it had lasted longer.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Aisha Joda
- 09-07-24
kaliedoscope of a 60s band's life
Utopia Avenue is very well written with very distinct developed characters ably narrated. It explore love, sexuality, talent, artistry and mental health...the mental health bit was very deftly done. Loved it. My 1st David Mitchell. I'll be reading more of his work
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Sam Roberts
- 04-09-22
Back of the fkin net, Davo
Quality, unbolloxed
My first Mitchell since Cloud Atlas. If they make a film about this I hope they don’t screw it up too.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Mrs P.
- 11-09-20
Brilliant!
Different, what an imagination! Excellent writing with great descriptions. Thank you David Mitchell for a wonderful story.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Andreas Teschner
- 06-10-21
What a book
After a slow start I really got into this. At the end you know these people like family, although they never lived and you love their songs without hearing a single note. What a performance from the narrator! This whole thing is just amazing!
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