His and Hers Audiobook Review: The Spy

Here's the first book that my hubby and I listened to together. :)

Read by Hillary Huber & Paul Boehmer
Length: 4 hours

In his new novel, Paulo Coelho, best-selling author of The Alchemist and Adultery, brings to life one of history's most enigmatic women: Mata Hari.

HER ONLY CRIME WAS TO BE AN INDEPENDENT WOMAN

When Mata Hari arrived in Paris she was penniless. Within months she was the most celebrated woman in the city.

As a dancer, she shocked and delighted audiences; as a courtesan, she bewitched the era’s richest and most powerful men.

But as paranoia consumed a country at war, Mata Hari’s lifestyle brought her under suspicion. In 1917, she was arrested in her hotel room on the Champs Elysees, and accused of espionage.

Told in Mata Hari’s voice through her final letter, The Spy is the unforgettable story of a woman who dared to defy convention and who paid the ultimate price.

Goodreads

HIS: I enjoyed listening to the audiobook while on vacation in Sedona, AZ. I thought the foreign accents of the narrators added an exotic element to the experience, and it complimented the settings of the story.

The story is based on the real life events of Mata Hari, from her teens to her death, a tragic ending that still resonates today. The story was fine (3 out of 5 stars) but the audio narration easily bumped it to a 4.


HERS: As a dancer, I've heard about the mysterious Mata Hari. However, I did not know in detail what her life was about. All I knew was that she was an exotic dancer and was executed for being a spy. When I saw this book by Paulo Coelho, I jumped on the chance to learn more about her. 

Yes, this was not the perfect choice to learn about Mata Hari, but this audiobook did intrigued me to do some research on her. This book was told by Mata as she waited pardon/execution. We got a sense of the type of person she was. I have to be honest, listening to her story was a bit boring. Plus, she sounded very narcissistic. However, I hanged on listening to it and I'm glad I did because there were some great parts in this book. 

The narration was told by two separate people. Hillary Huber did a decent job in capturing Mata Hari's voice. She told it with an accent and used mannerism that brought Mata to life. Paul Boehmer narrated the voice of the lawyer. He captured the French accent perfectly, and I actually enjoyed it when it was his turn to narrate. 

To me, Mata Hari's story could have been written better but this book is not a bad attempt to introduce the audience to her life story. I give it 3 stars.