Run
4 journalers for this copy...
Unabridged on 8 CDs, 9 hours
Read by Peter Francis James
--------------------------------------------
From Booklist
*Starred Review* The question of what makes a family is central to this luminous novel, Patchett's first since her award-winning Bel Canto (2001). Boston lawyer and ex-politician Bernard Doyle has nurtured his three sons—Sullivan, 33, and African American Tip, 21, and Teddy, 20, brothers adopted 20 years earlier—since the death of his beloved wife, Bernadette, some 15 years ago. Then, one snowy evening, Tip, inattentive and annoyed at his father, is pushed out of the way of an oncoming vehicle by a woman, herself hit and badly injured, who turns out to be the boys' birth mother and who's been watching the boys for years, along with her 11-year-old daughter, Kenya. The drama of a single day is given an unreal quality by the snow that curtails normal activity, as these vividly portrayed characters struggle with their circumstances: Sullivan, the prodigal whose mistake his father lied about; smart Tip; sweet Teddy; speedy runner Kenya; and her mother, Tennessee, whose dreamlike sequence in her hospital room reveals another twist in the family muddle. In extraordinarily fluid prose, Patchett unfolds this story to its epiloguelike final chapter as she illuminates issues of race, religion, duty, and desire.
Read by Peter Francis James
--------------------------------------------
From Booklist
*Starred Review* The question of what makes a family is central to this luminous novel, Patchett's first since her award-winning Bel Canto (2001). Boston lawyer and ex-politician Bernard Doyle has nurtured his three sons—Sullivan, 33, and African American Tip, 21, and Teddy, 20, brothers adopted 20 years earlier—since the death of his beloved wife, Bernadette, some 15 years ago. Then, one snowy evening, Tip, inattentive and annoyed at his father, is pushed out of the way of an oncoming vehicle by a woman, herself hit and badly injured, who turns out to be the boys' birth mother and who's been watching the boys for years, along with her 11-year-old daughter, Kenya. The drama of a single day is given an unreal quality by the snow that curtails normal activity, as these vividly portrayed characters struggle with their circumstances: Sullivan, the prodigal whose mistake his father lied about; smart Tip; sweet Teddy; speedy runner Kenya; and her mother, Tennessee, whose dreamlike sequence in her hospital room reveals another twist in the family muddle. In extraordinarily fluid prose, Patchett unfolds this story to its epiloguelike final chapter as she illuminates issues of race, religion, duty, and desire.
I wanted to like this book, but it never really came together for me. The characters seemed flat and the story seemed far-fetched and rather pointless. I really liked Truth & Beauty: A Friendship by this author and I've heard that Bel Canto is great, so I'll probably give her another shot.
Mailed to catwoman from the Audiobook VBB on Book Obsessed.
Received in the mail today.
The story lacked credibility for me. I have a hard time believing children characters who are given adult level intelligence. However there were still aspects of the story that were enjoyable and worth the listen. I have read Bel Canto and was conflicted about that one as well. I don't quite "get" this author but I will give her the benefit of the doubt.
Mailed to AceofHearts today.
received in the mail. Thanks
My father listened to this and enjoyed it very much
taking to KY to mail to Alsgal who took this out of the VBB
Received in the mail yesterday
Finished listening to this one the other day and have to agree with everyone else. This one didn't do much for me. The characters seemed underdeveloped and it just never quite came together.
