The Time of the Angels

Within the bombed-out remains of a London church, a widowed rector named Carel presides over both his ruined parish and an eccentric household of damaged souls. The rectory shelters his daughter Muriel, his mysterious ward Elizabeth, their servant Pattie, a Russian émigré named Eugene with his troubled son Leo, and Carel's estranged brother Marcus. As London rebuilds from wartime devastation, these seven inhabitants navigate a web of forbidden attractions, family secrets, and philosophical torments. At the center stands Carel himself, a charismatic yet deeply disturbed clergyman whose radical theological beliefs about God's death and the liberation of angels create an atmosphere of moral chaos that threatens to consume them all.

Simon Prebble's masterful narration captures the psychological complexity and gothic atmosphere that define Murdoch's intricate character study. His precise British delivery distinguishes each voice while maintaining the novel's dreamlike, claustrophobic tone as secrets gradually surface within the shadowy rectory. Prebble navigates Murdoch's philosophical dialogues and dense psychological terrain with clarity and nuance, allowing listeners to fully absorb the author's exploration of faith, desire, and moral ambiguity. The audio format enhances the story's theatrical quality, transforming intimate conversations and internal monologues into a compelling dramatic experience that lingers in the listener's imagination.