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Carol cover art

Carol

By: Patricia Highsmith
Narrated by: Laurel Lefkow
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Summary

Therese is just an ordinary sales assistant working in a New York department store when an alluring woman in her 30s walks up to her counter. Standing there, Therese is wholly unprepared for the first shock of love. She is an awkward 19-year-old with a job she hates and a boyfriend she doesn't love; Carol is a sophisticated, bored suburban housewife in the throes of a divorce and a custody battle for her only daughter.

As Therese becomes irresistibly drawn into Carol's world, she soon realises how much they both stand to lose....

First published pseudonymously in 1952 as The Price of Salt, Carol is a hauntingly atmospheric love story set against the backdrop of '50s New York.

Copyright Number 9 Files (Carol)Limited / Channel Four Television 2014

©1984 Claire Morgan (P)2014 Isis Publishing

What listeners say about Carol

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Sublime!!!

I have just finished my second listen of this book, and have ordered the hard copy!

The story is captivating and emotional, the narration from Lisa Lefkow is incredible - so full of passion!

This book is a must!!!

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11 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Oh my.

Where does Carol rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

Top 5

Who was your favorite character and why?

Carol. Different. Daring. Intense.

Have you listened to any of Laurel Lefkow’s other performances? How does this one compare?

None.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

If only. Yes.

Any additional comments?

I read this years ago and was drawn to it again after the film production was in the news. Its flow from tension to joy to despair dragged me along with it. I kept feeling like I was being punched, like I was nervous and terrified. I can't remember being caught up in a story like this for a long time.
The afterword by Patricia Highsmith is an education in itself.

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9 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Great if you want more after the movie

I really enjoyed this audiobook, the narration specially made listening to it fun and lively. I loved the story as a gay person myself, to recognise and compare feelings that are rarely acknowledged in novels of this kind (historical by someone of that time). And after listening to the whole thing I did hold back tears during the conclusion and my heart grew two sizes from happiness.

My only criticism of the story would be that the main character Therese is a big dramatic weirdo, who cannot stop being grandiloquent for more than ten minutes even while pondering about flowers, cars or old people. But it really comes off as a fully integrated and intended part of the character and not as a writing style flaw. It just leaves you smiling, "oh my god Therese calm down".

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6 people found this helpful

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Magnificent - must read.

The only book I've read and wanted to start over again immediately. The way Highsmith writes is so unabashedly honest and gives a scintillating story of love and becoming. I never wished the book to end, nor did I wish it to never end. I just wanted to keep going, keep finding out what next? Her rhythm is so easy to follow, and the narration is seamless.

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4 people found this helpful

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    3 out of 5 stars
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  • R.
  • 23-08-20

A rare case where the movie is better

I understand the importance of this book, but I can't praise it. Carol is a wall that gives the reader nothing to fall in love with (except maybe the rich lover fantasy) and Terese is unbearably childish. I enjoyed the story, but didn't like these two characters at all. The movie improves on every aspect of the book to the point where I rooted for these two every step of the way. A really poor romance between women.

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3 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Loved, loved, loved this book. Narrated perfectly by Laurel Lefkow.

I was totally engrossed in this book right from the beginning. My favour audible yet.

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3 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

A fab book,a read again book, wish there was more.

Set back in the Fifties, the wealth of description takes you back to that era, the way things were, rich charachters with multi-faceted bios, and overall a strong storyline that fully pulls you in.
There has been a film made of this book, which although not exact, it does stick to the bulk of tge story, though they have only 180 minutes to express what takes a days to read. The narrator is perfect for the book. it's a definite WILL READ THAT AGAIN in a few yrs. Highly recommend this book if you want to get wrapped up in it...

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3 people found this helpful

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    4 out of 5 stars
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A real writer

Read my first Highsmith recently (The Talented Mr Ripley) and was knocked out by the qualities of her writing. Decided to try this one as something really different. Lots of good things here, besides being very brave in its day.

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2 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Beautiful and that's that....

Beautiful book, beautiful characters, beautiful writing, beautiful story..... And that's that......
This book is a keeper

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2 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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amazing

a beautiful lesbian romance . not vile or forced by male gaze a true account of love between women

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2 people found this helpful