3.5 ⭐️

Thank you NetGalley and Spotify Audiobooks for an ARC of this Audiobook!

“The Transit of Venus” is a modern classic, that traces post-war modern lives as the female main characters navigate their place and role in society. This novel has finally been recorded as an audiobook, and is a wonderful listening experience. I do believe with a book as dense as this one, it would have been beneficial to have a physical copy of the book to read along with the audio. I did really enjoy the narrator of this book, but would often find myself having to replay certain sections to make sure I got all the plot elements.

If you are looking to pick up this title I would suggest grabbing the physical copy of the book to read a long with it!

Spotify Audiobooks in conjunction with Spiegel & Grau released on Sept 10, 2024 Hazzard's The Transit of Venus for the first time in audio form narrated by Juliet Stevenson. I received an unabridged audio ARC from NetGalley in return for an honest review. There is also as a bonus section of Hazzard reading an early chapter from the novel at the conclusion of the book that is a special treat.

I read the print of Transit of Venus over a year ago and was really excited to have this chance to revisit this book again in audio form. I will start by saying Stevenson does an excellent job of narration. She uses accents and voice inflections so beautifully that I never had any problem understanding who was speaking and her voice has such lovely cadence that it brought the beauty of Hazzard's poetic language to the forefront. It is a little hard to imagine all a first time reader might get from this audio of a very complex story. I was very glad to have a knowledge of plot and sequence of events to bring with me to this listen.

The story is of two sisters and their loves and lives in the years following WWII. Their story may seem mostly present on the page, yet it is the language and the nuances of the omnipresent narrator that makes the novel one of multiple layers and one I still feel after 2 readings I could go back to again and again and find meanings I have previously missed. Stevenson's voice has old world quality that is just prefect for this story that begins in Britain in 1948. I felt from the moment it started that I was listening to someone who knew the story well and was reading it at just the right pace to allow the subtler shades of the story to shine.

Even though I had read the novel previously it opened all new doors of meaning and gave me insights I'd previously missed in print. It is hard to recommend the audio over the print but I did find that the language really came to life in the audio form. However, this is a many layered novel and audio does allow the listener to drift off at times and some of the more subtle foreshadowing and plot points may be missed. I did find it required close listening and a slow or normal pace to enjoy this version to the fullest. My strongest recommendation would be to say that I loved this audio version, was so pleased to see it done so well and I know that when I return this to this novel for the third reading it will be in the audio form as I found it such a wonderful reading experience.

THE REVIEW BELOW IS FOR MY INTIAL REVIEW OF THE PRINT EDITION.

"At first there is something you expect of life. Later, there is what life expects of you."

Not sure I can even label or define this book. It is a great read but don't go into it lightly.
I didn't feel quite worthy of this read. I know I missed so much and yet It was so full I couldn't fathom all it was saying even in several sittings (like a delicious over rich dessert I wanted to inhale it but it insisted on being savored not rushed through). As soon as I finished I felt I should start again as I finally began to fully understand and I know I might read it better for that understanding. ( I'm a reader who is always looking for the plot. Where is this story going and am I in for the ride?) In this instance I would say the plot is not the strong point here but only in the usual ways. It has incredible heft in how it describes and shows in language where it is going.
I often felt like I was heading down a road and knew where its likely destination and it did arrive where I thought it would, but the journey was one I never expected.
It is a 5 star difficult read. The language and phrasing take so much thought and there is brilliance that requires focus to fully appreciate. The plot points are subtle and so easily overlooked. (I felt grateful for the characters insights or I might have missed some completely.)

The story is of two sisters, Caro and Grace who arrive in England from Australia just after WWII. It goes on to tell of their lives and loves through the long years ahead. Grace settles in marriage early, Caro is the free spirit, looking more for a life of unconvention. This is the story of their loves, the ones they had and the ones they wanted. There is much here about love and life and how you choose to live and love and how that plays out. Is it possible to have the life you want when what you want changes over time? Life always gets more complicated and decisions accumulate as the years mount. Is it possible a wrong turn took you down a path that only seemed right at the time?

The Transit of Venus is a modern day classic which many have read. If , like me, you find yourself saying, I should reread that, then this audiobook is a perfect choice. The narrator brings the story and characters to life faithfully. Highly recommended.

The Transit of Venus was an excellent read. I loved the character study and the writing felt propulsive. I would read more from this author again.

The Transit of Venus by Shirley Hazzard is an undeniably well-written novel, with a complex and nuanced style that showcases Hazzard's literary skill. Her exploration of love, fate, and the inevitability of life is masterfully woven throughout the book, and these themes create a thoughtful thread that ties the entire story together.

However, I found the novel difficult to get into due to its highly intellectual and somewhat distant tone. While the writing is impressive, it sometimes felt a little too detached, making it hard for me to connect with the characters or the story on an emotional level.

Additionally, I listened to this book as an audiobook while multitasking, and I think the novel's complexity made it hard to follow in that format. At some point, I lost track of the plot, and because of the novel's subtle narrative style, I struggled to pick it back up. This one might be better suited for a focused, deep read rather than casual listening!

Audiobooks don't always work for me, and this was one such case. I kept getting distracted and could not follow the narrative. And to be honest, the pedantic tone of the narrator - who is technically very able - irritated me. I quit listening after several attempts and having reached just three hours, so I won't put a review on Goodreads or Amazon as I do plan to give the book another try in physical form.

I listened to the audio version of most of The Transit of Venus. I get why Hazzard is a great writer. I hated the characters. Just. could not finish this with so many books I want to read. Maybe she portrays a dysfunctional family and people with little or no character careening through life too well. I found it too hard to take.

I have tried for weeks with this book, but I just can’t get excited about it or find any desire to finish it. I had wanted to read it for a while, as people have said that if you want to read a great Australian novel, read one by Shirley Hazzard, and if you read one Hazzard make it The Transit of Venus. I would argue that I have read several great Australian novels, and this one does not make list.

This is the story of twin Australian young women who move to England in the 1950s after the death of the parents. Though the book was originally written in 1980, the tone reads even older than its mid-century setting. What kept me from being able to enjoy it most was this distance between I felt between myself and the characters and the plot. There was no intimacy to the novel, as if it was written to keep you at arm’s length. Finally, I just gave up.

Regardless, thank you, NetGalley, for the advanced copy of this newest edition on audio.

I’ve had The Transit of Venus on my shelf for years after reading a recommendation for it in Oprah magazine. I’d always meant to pick it up but was always distracted by other books. When I saw that the book was finally being released as an audiobook (the book was first published in 1980!) and the incomparable Juliet Stevenson would be narrating it, I knew the time had come. I loved this story of two orphaned sisters from Australia and their experiences with romance and family. It all felt so real and current and I was sad when it ended. I look forward to rereading this in the future.

Thank you to Net Galley for an advance copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

9% in and I can’t continue because the audiobook narrator does such a bad Australian accent. The writing is literary but dated.

This book felt like a large abstract painting -- you can spend hours with it and still not be sure how you feel about it.
It was a re-read for me and I really enjoyed the audiobook, Juliet Stevenson's diction brought the prose to life in a fine way. When you compare her rendition with Hazzard's own reading of Chapter 3, you can tell she enjoyed the story as much as the author herself. Shirley Hazzard carefully pored over each word in the text and her richness of language may be hard for a modern reader to wrangle with, but as a literature graduate and bibliophile I appreciated the texture of her language.

The style aside, the story itself is incredibly rich and the characters are layered and make poor choices and live with their regrets. I held my head in my hands at certain moments as the sisters suffered so many personal tragedies and the ending. And with all that said, I still do not know if I loved it or was indifferent. For now it sits at 3.75 stars for me, I will keep stewing on it.

I can tell that this is a classic for a reason, and while it might not be exactly my cup of tea, I do appreciate it!

The narration of this gorgeous rich novel is just fantastic. It's hard for me as a reader to enter this story fully because Shirley Hazzard's novels feel so anachronistic for their times, the way they resonate in my head--I keep hearing myself thinking "why is Shirley Hazzard trying to write like Thomas Hardy?--and I will continue to struggle with this question when it comes to Hazzard's prose--the deliberate almost paradoxical turning-away of any phrasing choice contemporary to her time. It's like coming across a great, great practitioner of scrimshaw or tatting or caber tossing. She is a genius. The narration is gorgeous and appropriately lush. Despite these true statements, I can't love it.

I completely understand why this book took 27 drafts. It is one of those novels that make me want to silence my pen forever because I’ll never craft a sentence as beautiful as any contained within these pages.

“The Transit of Venus” follows two orphaned sisters from Australia who begin their lives anew in post-war England. It is not at all a period I am familiar with but it felt very real. We watch them grow from youth to adulthood seeing how they change in response to various relationships and it’s such a treat.

I wish I had read this for school, though I do not know if I would have held as much love for it if I had. It just begs to be discussed. I want to talk about beauty and the different descriptions of it. I want to talk about power and morality, youth, and love, of course, love. I want to hear about things I’ve missed because I know there must have been a motif (or several ) that soared happily over my head.

Weirdly, it gave me a similar feeling to when I read Jane Austen’s writing. I was pleasantly surprised by the strength of the observations made and how funny they often were.

I appreciated the narration, firstly, because I had never heard of the book and it only appeared on my radar through NetGalley, and secondly because the reader did a fantastic job.

It is very much a character driven work so depending where the focus fell it did not always capture my attention. The audiobook helped here because I was able to get through some of the slower sections where it might have taken me longer reading the physical work.

The absolute best would have been to have both versions because there are so many lines that beg to be highlighted and revisited and I have not mastered the skill of audio-clipping.

I always read introductions last because ever since Catch-22’s ending was spoiled in one I’ve learned to avoid them. Really glad I returned to it because I had very similar feelings to Lauren Groff and it was cool to see.

I am so, so glad I read this book which will go down as not just one of my favorite classics, but one of the most beautifully written books I’ve read in my entire life.

I absolutely adore sibling relationships. It is one of the main reasons I wanted to read this. That is the main reason this book did not rank even higher with me, The lack of feeling I had for Caro and Grace’s bond is utterly unlike me, and kept Venus from attaining visibility. There was this distance I would feel from the characters sometimes that kept me from fully engaging.

I am grateful to Spotify for approving my request for this e-audiobook without which I might have never known about this absolute treasure, rightly called a masterpiece.

Initially, I found the beginning somewhat challenging to follow, but as the story unfolded, I became immersed in the tale of two sisters who, orphaned early in life, leave Australia and venture to England in search of happiness.

It was rather difficult to form connections with the characters and I found their motivations, and the various trials life presented them a bit dull. The revelation of Paul's story at the end did leave a lasting impression and the writing is beautiful and lyric.

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the ARC which I read in exchange for my review.

VERSION: Audiobook, Unabridged
ISBN: 9798368975542
PRICE: $26.99 (USD)
DURATION: 15 Hours, 29 Minutes, 36 Seconds

I was pleased to be granted a review copy of this audiobook by Spiegel & Grau and NetGalley. It opens with Lauren Groff's introduction from the 2021 reissue of the novel and closes with a bonus archival recording of Chapter 3 read by Shirley Hazzard on stage at 92NY. While critics have declared the novel a masterpiece, I had never heard of it. There are many brilliant writers and books that will remain undiscovered, but I thank providence for aligning my path with this one.

The Transit of Venus was originally published by Australian author Shirley Hazzard in 1980. It won the National Book Critics Circle Award for fiction. This was her third novel. She won the National Book Award for fiction for her fourth novel The Great Fire.

It is a dense and complex work, written by a brilliant author who is quite passionate about words. The writing demands your attention and rewards your effort with exquisite passages. The audio version makes approaching this book much easier thanks to the skilled narration by Juliet Stevenson. The listener is graced with multiple male and female characters masterfully interpreted and personified by Stevenson.

The story might be considered a highly intellectual romance novel, so powerful that it scares away the casual reader. Like Joyce’s Ulysses, many people give up after reading the first 50 pages. Thomas Mallon described the novel as, “stuffed with description so intellectually active as to be sometimes exhausting.” I took it on as a challenge and a gift in that it sets a high mark in style and structure. It has an old fashioned feel reminiscent of Dickens, and a masterpiece, one that deserves a 2nd and 3rd reading.

When I saw "The Transit of Venus" was available on AUDIOBOOK via #netgalley (to be released on 9/10/24) it felt like a direct gift to me, so THANK YOU to Net Galley and to Spiegel and Grau by Spotify on audiobooks. I was turned onto this novel (originally published in 1980) and this author (Australian writer Shirley Hazzard) by Lily King who has written Euphoria, Writers and Lovers, Five Tuesdays in Winter (stories) and other wonderful books. I attended an online book release event for Writers and Lovers and she mentioned (with such admiration) this novel and Hazzard as a writer. Between her enthusiasm (and Lauren Groff's written intro to the latest edition of Hazzard's book) I knew I was going to be in for a treat.

This is a broad, sweeping novel about two sisters - Caro and Grace - who are orphaned in their native Australia and taken in by a half-sister, Dora, Dora is, herself, a character and some of Hazzard's best writing comes out in her descriptions of this woman. Infinitely quotable! This book moves through decades (covering multiple locations) and centers on love and loss and so much more. Kind of a weak summation of a stellar novel - one of my favorites - but it must be read to be fully appreciated (read more than once in my opinion). And last but not least, Juliet Stevenson KILLS the narration. She is expert at bringing the characters to life and I thank her for the opportunity to LISTEN to The Transit of Venus.

I just finished reading "The Transit of Venus," a novel that follows the lives of two Australian sisters who move to post-war England. Caro, the adventurous and unconventional sister, and Grace, who seeks happiness in marriage, both undergo significant personal growth over the decades. They experience love, disappointment, and loss, which adds depth to their characters.

The book is beautifully written, thought-provoking, and filled with poignant emotions such as sorrow and longing. However, I did not feel a strong connection with the characters personally. Hazzard's writing is so good that I think if she intended for me to feel something, I would. Maybe I am missing something. I do plan to explore more of this author's works in the future.

Thank you for this audiobook arc and I enjoyed the narrator!

I really haven’t enjoyed this audiobook at all. I tried so hard to get into it but I just couldn’t. Thank you for sending it to me. But it just wasn’t for me.

This is an audio version of the 2021 edition of Transit of Venus, originally published by a master of English composition, Shirley Hazzard. Although I read it over 30 years ago, this edition read by Juliet Stephens adds depth and furthers my appreciation of Hazzard's craft. There is an enlightening forward by Lauren Groff, who counts it as one of her favorite novels, a perfect novel, and who has read it at least 4 times, adding her insights. Also, at the end, a real treat. Chapter 3 read by Ms. Hazzard herself.