Η Άννα και ο Βασιλιάς

by Elizabeth Hand, Έμυ Μανούση (Translator)

Arriving in Siam as governess to the King's royal children, the recently widowed Anna brings with her a fiercely independent spirit, a passion for justice, and a hidden loneliness.  As she learns more about her exotic students and their proud, handsome father, the ancient, exotic land of Siam approaches a critical moment in history.  Fighting to keep his country independent, the King learns that a woman can be his equal - and more.

In Anna and the King, the world will rediscover the "almost true" story of love, loyalty, and loss that has moved generations to gentle smiles and bittersweet tears.

Rex Harrison and Irene Dunne starred in the Hollywood classic. Yul Brynner made King immortal on Broadway.  And now Academy-Award winning actress Jodie Foster and Asian screen superstar Chow Yun-Fat entrance the world all over again in the biggest, most romantic hit film since Titanic.  Don't miss this major movie event - or the spellbinding audio performed by Fiona Hutchison.

Author Biography: Elizabeth Hand is the author of Aestival Tide, Winterlong, and most recently, the World Fantasy Award-nominee, Waking the Moon . She lives in Maine, where she swears it is getting warmer.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Romance, Historical, Fiction, Classics, Adult, Media Tie In

275 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1999

About the author

A New York Times notable and multiple award– winning author, Elizabeth Hand has written seven novels, including the cult classic Waking the Moon, and short-story collections. She is a longtime contributor to numerous publications, including the Washington Post Book World and the Village Voice Literary Supplement. She and her two children divide their time between the coast of Maine and North London.

Reviews

[Vášnivá čtenářka · Rating 4 out of 5]

Příběh vás chytí za srdce. Pro romantické dušičky je tato kniha jako stvořená.

Anna a král je taková knižní jednohubka. Když se do knížky pustíte, máte ji přečtenou za jedno odpoledne. Děj je opravdu čtivý nejen pro svou exotičnost a laskavost. Je to krásné vyprávění proživání Anny a všeho, co zažívá u královského dvora.

Příběh jsem znala ještě dříve, než jsem knihu dostala do rukou, takže se neubráním srovnávání knižního a filmového zpracování. Přestože kniha byla krásná, film byl pro mě ještě krásnější. Přišlo mi, že film je barevnější, obsáhlejší. Přestože v knize najdete všechno tak, jak bylo ztvárněné ve filmu, přijde mi, že kniha byla ochuzena o něco hlubšího. Obvykle knížky bývají obsáhlejší, bývá v nich více a bývají lépe popsané skutečnosti i postavy. Tohle jsem v knize oproti filmu trošku postrádala. Nicméně pořád to je krásný příběh, který vás okouzlí.

[Ivana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kniha zalozena na scenari k rovnomennemu filmu. Film milujem, kniha je napisana slusne, takze za 4*. Pribeh o britskej ucitelke, vdove, ktora prijme ponuku siamskeho krala Mongkuta na ucenie jeho syna. Pribeh, kde zena zo Zapadu uci napokon nielen vsetky deti (a ze ich bolo pozehnane) velkeho panovnika Siamu, ale i samotneho krala. A on zas vselico nauci ju. Pribeh o tom, ze veci nie su na prvy pohlad take ako sa zdaju, pribeh o tom, ze ani britske ucitelky ani siamski krali nemozu robit vzdy co chcu. Pribeh o tom, ze mlady chlapec casto vidi viac, ako samotni dospeli...

P. S. Hoci je pribeh zalozeny na skutocnych udalostiach, tak ako je stvarneny vo filme ci tejto knihe, je fikciou.

[Izida · Rating 5 out of 5]

Очарована съм.
Бях скептично настроена, че книга по филм няма да е кой знае какво (колкото и да ми харесват филмите от '76та и '99та), но... Хубави мисли, стегнат изказ, с кратки, но достатъчно ясни и красиви описания, които ме пренесоха в Сиам и заедно с героите се разходих из дворцовите градини, танцувах на приема, смях се, почти заплаках на места и се замислих за някои житейски въпроси (та мога да кажа и - образовах се).
И всичко в тази тънка книжка, ах, искам още! :)

[Thebookcookieandtea · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ooit heb ik de tekenfilm (the king and I) gezien en de film Jodie Foster (Anna and the king). En nu het boek gelezen.

Anna gaat naar Siam om als onderwijzeres de kinderen van koning Mongkut Engels te leren. Het begint niet al te best waarbij het duidelijk is dat de culturen met elkaar botsen.
Later als Anna gewend is, nader tot de koning komt, groeit er een verboden liefde.

Het boek Anna is door Elizabeth Hand geschreven en gebaseerd op de dagboeken van de echte Anna Leonowens. Hoewel ik al impressed was door de film en tekenfilm, vind ik het boek ook erg goed geschreven. Het is gedetailleerd: kleding, omgevingen en dialogen zijn duidelijk geschreven. Ik kreeg het gevoel daar te zijn, niet per se als Anna, maar wel als een bijstander die alles zag gebeuren.

Zeker een aanrader als iemand deze 'klassieker' nog niet kent.

[Jodi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I saw the movie first before reading this book and it seems that the book was written after the moving according to what I read on the cover.

This book was an enjoyable read about a clash of cultures. Anna is definitely set in her ways and has her opinion made up about Siamese culture before she arrives in this country. Gradually, she learns the culture but her sense of right and wrong goes beyond cultures.

The obituary for the eight year old princess brought me to tears. She was definitely loved by her father, but I wonder why she got special favor and how the other children and wives felt about it. Sad for sure that she got sick and died.

[Karina · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really like this story .. Dialogue Anna and King Mongkut always make me feel flowery .. Their feelings are very deep with each other and make me always miss this story .. I will never feel bored to reread or replay this film .. This novel displays all the film's stories perfectly.. A Beautiful bittersweet love story and I'm very in love..
Not only love story many things about empire told beautifully too..

The soundtrack of this film "How I Can't Love You" is very compatible with Anna's feelings.. 💜

[Patricia97 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Me gusto mucho leerlo, hay escenas que obviamente en la película no pusieron.
Me dio unas mariposas este libro 🦋

Así que lo recomiendo bastante, lo bueno es que en algunos puntos esta también escrito a través de el rey.
Lo cual nos enseña que es lo que sentía en ese momento por Ana ❤️

[Viktorie · Rating 4 out of 5]

i cried. so much.

[Ashley Hobgood · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had read this book because I had seen the movie. I liked the story because of the history and the romance. I thought novel was slow in places. It was okay but not a favorite.

[Brittany · Rating 4 out of 5]

"...all who gazed upon them that night knew they gazed upon the most enduring true nobility, of heart as well as spirit."

I loved the meeting of two cultures, two belief systems, two families, two people seen here. But what I love most of all is the character that was maintained through the relationship that built. But their actions showed only the utmost in respect for each other, their families, their belief systems and their cultures. They were changed for the better because they knew each other, understood each other, loved each other. It is a "romance" novel unlike any other and I like to think we are all the better for it.

[Leah · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my top favorite books! I love the story and writing style. I love how the author gave brief synopsis on other characters in the book. I usually dislike when authors do that, but the way Hand did this was excellent. I wouldn't necessarily have this as a romance, but a historical fiction. I learned alot about Bangkok and I think the story between Anna and the King was one of respect and love. There are few books I keep for rereading purposes and this book falls among the re-reads. I am now going to rent the movie so I can watch this brilliant book and hope the movie can deliver the same goodness.

[Rhonda · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love the movie The King and I starring Yul Brenner :0) but I did not really enjoy this book as much as I have the movie. I found the book dry in places and had a hard time keeping my attention. I fully expected the book to be better than the movie but in this case it was not.

However- one good thing did come out of me reading the book, I did a bit of research and Anna and the King is based on an actual event..so I have Mem's biography on order and will be reading the true story of "Anna and the King". I understand that the biography is quite a bit different than both the movie and the novelization of the movie.

[Brian Howald · Rating 3 out of 5]

I`m a big fan of Jodie Foster and after seeing the film, I had to buy the novelization, a tie-in concept that`s almost extinct nowadays. The book fills in some of the gaps and provides enough backstory to illuminate the events and characters swirling around the plot.

[Randi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bogen var meget bedre end jeg havde forventet men der var visse punkter hvor den ikke helt ramte hvor jeg mente at den burde.
Generelt var den flot beskrivende og jeg følte alle konflikterne.
Fx ved visse dødsfald, jeg forstod at det var sørgelig men jeg følte det ikke hos mig selv.

[Kim · Rating 3 out of 5]

After listening to this book on tape I realized I liked the movie much better. It was a very quick read, and somewhat cool on the historical factor. Not one of my favorites, but still glad to have read it.
I wasn't happy with the ending at all.

[Whitney · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very enjoyable read.

[Glorianne · Rating 4 out of 5]

this is like my Pride and Prejudice.

[Korrin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such an entrancing story. The whole concepts of this book are great! Liked it a lot; I just strongly dislike the ending.

[Chanel Thyson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book. You just have to read it yourself. It's indescribable, at least to me it is.

[Anne Lydolf · Rating 3 out of 5]

A really charming and lovely book, very romantic. Good for a rainy day.

[KeirSilver Griffin · Rating 2 out of 5]

I liked this book well enough, but I was surprised at the plot, having first seen the movie. I didn't find the writing very captivating or interesting.

[Vanessa · Rating 5 out of 5]

this book never gets old... love it :)

[Linnea Meyer]

Read to Anika summer of 2018.