Reviews

The Hearing Trumpet by Leonora Carrington, Pablo Weisz Carrington, Helen Byatt

lilspooky's review against another edition

adventurous funny inspiring lighthearted mysterious medium-paced

• Loveable characters? Yes

5.0

A wonderfully eccentric, feminist novel. Do yourself a favour and don’t skip the Afterword.

saraharon's review against another edition

4.0

3.6/5

tajoile's review against another edition

adventurous funny mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

phoebe912's review against another edition

adventurous funny inspiring lighthearted mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.25

hpc1c21's review against another edition

hopeful inspiring reflective fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Inspired mad brilliance 

mrs_phelps's review against another edition

adventurous funny lighthearted fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.25

_inge_'s review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.75

teresatumminello's review against another edition

4.0

This story is wild. I was reminded of [a:Sylvia Townsend Warner|32349|Sylvia Townsend Warner|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1329513169p2/32349.jpg]'s [b:Lolly Willowes|937105|Lolly Willowes|Sylvia Townsend Warner|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1680550043l/937105._SY75_.jpg|922084] only in that the story begins “normally” and then takes a drastic turn. Later, I thought of [b:The Books of Jacob|58276619|The Books of Jacob|Olga Tokarczuk|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1634659404l/58276619._SY75_.jpg|42744390] in one particular sense, so it’s interesting that [a:Olga Tokarczuk|296560|Olga Tokarczuk|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1588949514p2/296560.jpg] wrote an afterword, which is excellent.

The 92-year-old main character and her best friend, also an old woman, are delightful, just so much fun to read. I did find the backstory of the Abbess, Doña Rosalinda della Cueva, a bit tedious in length due to the way it’s told, though it too is fun.

I thought of [a:Lauren Groff|690619|Lauren Groff|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1330389831p2/690619.jpg]’s [b:Matrix|57185348|Matrix|Lauren Groff|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1617287438l/57185348._SY75_.jpg|87447766]’s main character, also an Abbess, as well as the real-life 17th-c Sor [a:Juana Inés de la Cruz|22871894|Juana Inés de la Cruz|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1686669547p2/22871894.jpg], who also wrote letters to a bishop, though certainly not the same kind of letters Doña Rosalinda writes. Groff’s Abbess and Sor Juana also don’t get up to the same things Doña Rosalinda does, not even close. Nevertheless, the comparisons came to mind, likely because they’re all “feminist nuns” of a sort, and this is straight-up a feminist novel:

Listen to old — even ancient — women. They can save the world.

samanthahamatha's review against another edition

adventurous funny hopeful lighthearted fast-paced

• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.5

byejohn's review against another edition

medium-paced

4.5

Honestly loved most of the book. Loved the main character. Things went pretty far off the rails but i wasn’t mad. Low points were moments of casual racism.