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The Singapore Grip

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The Singapore Grip

By: J. G. Farrell
Narrated by: Mike Grady
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Summary

A classic novel by a Booker Prize-winning author. 

Singapore just before the Japanese invasion in the Second World War: the Blackett family's prosperous world of tennis parties, cocktails and deferential servants seems unchanging. But it is poised on the edge of the abyss. This is the eve of the fall of Singapore and, as we know, of much else besides. 

Not only are the Blacketts caught up in the events - their friends, enemies and many individuals are, too. Singapore at this historical watershed has never been so faithfully and passionately re-created. 

©2010 J. G. Farrell (P)2018 Orion Publishing Group Genre Fiction Literary Fiction Fiction Singapore Imperial Japan China
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Mike Grady does this fantastic book such rightous justice - his narration is superb; he affects such a wide range of voices for each character in the story (of which there are plenty) it has to be noted. The story is as you would expect from J.G. Farrell - a rich and detailed exploration of the idiosyncrasies of various interesting and inscrutable characters set against the colonial backdrop Farrell paints so well in his writing. I really enjoyed this book - the narration topped it all off and thus it was a great way to wrap up "the Empire trilogy" of whose first two books I had read rather than listened to.

Enthralling story and superbly narrated

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A great sideways swipe at the last days of the empire. Toes the line between being a comedy, but also very realistic, very well. Narrator does so well with the various accents, though occasionally it takes him a couple of words to find the biting point

Good performance, good story

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Loved the story, easy to "get into", and it was beautifully narrated with excellent quality production. Moving on to my next J G Farrell.

Highly recommended

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a very well researched history of the fall of Singapore woven around a story of colonial families and their attitude to the local population. very well narrated and of course beautifully written

Brilliant in every way

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This novel tells the stories of the disparate families and individuals caught up in the final days of Singapore before the Japanese invasion. The good are represented by the idealistic Matthew appaulled by how his inheritance has been amassed which gives Farrell an opportunity to explore colonial exploitation. Also the Major, another colonial washed up in Singapore but with a kind heart. The bad by Walter Blackett determined to shore up his company's interest with the help of his cunning daughter Joan. The ugly by the moustached, incompetent army chiefs. As Singapore collapses around them the rats flee the sinking ship but comeuppances are not forthcoming as the innocents and those without influence and money are left to their fate. As usual they suffer as they have always done while the privileged flee to safety.

But this is not a doom laden listen. Farrell is witty and dry as we watch everyone scrabble around trying to make sense of the collapse of their worlds be they at the top or the bottom of the heap. There are laugh out loud moments but even such dramatic changes in their lives gives none but a few any real cause to reflect on the collapse except the ever introspective Matthew.

Superb

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