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The Henna Artist
- Narrateur(s): Sneha Mathan
- Durée: 10 h et 56 min
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The Lost Apothecary
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- Auteur(s): Sarah Penner
- Narrateur(s): Lorna Bennett, Lauren Anthony, Lauren Irwin
- Durée: 10 h et 18 min
- Version intégrale
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Histoire
Hidden in the depths of eighteenth-century London, a secret apothecary shop caters to an unusual kind of clientele. Women across the city whisper of a mysterious figure named Nella who sells well-disguised poisons to use against the oppressive men in their lives. But the apothecary’s fate is jeopardized when her newest patron, a precocious 12-year-old, makes a fatal mistake, sparking a string of consequences that echo through the centuries.
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I've never been so torn over an audio book
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Auteur(s): Sarah Penner
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The Lonely Hearts Hotel
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Histoire
Exquisitely imagined and hypnotically told, The Lonely Hearts Hotel is a love story with the power of legend. Set in the early part of the 20th century, it is an unparalleled tale of abandoned children, radicalized chorus girls, drug-addicted musicians, brooding clowns, and an underworld whose fortune hinges on the price of a kiss. In a landscape like this, it takes great creative gifts to escape one's origins. It might also take true love.
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Stay with it
- Écrit par Andrew le 2019-02-23
Auteur(s): Heather O'Neill
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The Light Pirate
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Histoire
Florida is slipping away. As devastating weather patterns and rising sea levels wreak gradual havoc on the state’s infrastructure, a powerful hurricane approaches a small town on the southeastern coast. Kirby Lowe, an electrical line worker, his pregnant wife, Frida, and their two sons, Flip and Lucas, prepare for the worst. When the boys go missing just before the hurricane hits, Kirby heads out into the high winds in search of his children. Left alone, Frida goes into premature labor and gives birth to an unusual child, Wanda, whom she names after the catastrophic storm.
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Lyrical
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The Do-Over
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Histoire
Hot-shot lawyer McKenna Keaton finds herself in hot water with her own law firm when she’s (falsely!) accused of embezzlement. Placed on unpaid leave, she suddenly finds herself with the free time to return home and attend her youngest sister’s wedding activities. But it’s not all fun and games. Waiting back home is shy, nerdy Henry Blumenthal—McKenna’s high school rival for valedictorian who once took three hours to beat her at chess. Scratch that. He’s Hank Blume now, the famed documentarian, Durham, North Carolina’s, darling son.
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Histoire
Seventeen years ago, King Odysseus sailed to war with Troy, taking with him every man of fighting age from the island of Ithaca. None of them has returned, and the women of Ithaca have been left behind to run the kingdom. Penelope was barely into womanhood when she wed Odysseus. Now, speculation is mounting that her husband is dead, and suitors are beginning to knock at her door. No man is strong enough to claim Odysseus' empty throne—not yet. But everyone waits for the balance of power to tip, and Penelope knows that any choice she makes could plunge Ithaca into bloody civil war.
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England, 1865: Newspaper columnist Lady Katherine Bascomb finds herself the subject of speculation when her latest article leads to an arrest in the murders plaguing London. The English believe women ought not to write about such vulgar things as crime, and a particularly attractive detective inspector is incensed that she's interfered with his investigation. To escape her sudden notoriety, Katherine heads to the country - only to witness a murder upon her arrival.
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I LOVED THE NARRATION
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The Lost Apothecary
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- Auteur(s): Sarah Penner
- Narrateur(s): Lorna Bennett, Lauren Anthony, Lauren Irwin
- Durée: 10 h et 18 min
- Version intégrale
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Au global
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Performance
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Histoire
Hidden in the depths of eighteenth-century London, a secret apothecary shop caters to an unusual kind of clientele. Women across the city whisper of a mysterious figure named Nella who sells well-disguised poisons to use against the oppressive men in their lives. But the apothecary’s fate is jeopardized when her newest patron, a precocious 12-year-old, makes a fatal mistake, sparking a string of consequences that echo through the centuries.
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I've never been so torn over an audio book
- Écrit par Marc Faubert le 2022-01-11
Auteur(s): Sarah Penner
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The Lonely Hearts Hotel
- A Novel
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Au global
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Histoire
Exquisitely imagined and hypnotically told, The Lonely Hearts Hotel is a love story with the power of legend. Set in the early part of the 20th century, it is an unparalleled tale of abandoned children, radicalized chorus girls, drug-addicted musicians, brooding clowns, and an underworld whose fortune hinges on the price of a kiss. In a landscape like this, it takes great creative gifts to escape one's origins. It might also take true love.
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Stay with it
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Auteur(s): Heather O'Neill
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The Light Pirate
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Histoire
Florida is slipping away. As devastating weather patterns and rising sea levels wreak gradual havoc on the state’s infrastructure, a powerful hurricane approaches a small town on the southeastern coast. Kirby Lowe, an electrical line worker, his pregnant wife, Frida, and their two sons, Flip and Lucas, prepare for the worst. When the boys go missing just before the hurricane hits, Kirby heads out into the high winds in search of his children. Left alone, Frida goes into premature labor and gives birth to an unusual child, Wanda, whom she names after the catastrophic storm.
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Lyrical
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Auteur(s): Lily Brooks-Dalton
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The Do-Over
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Histoire
Hot-shot lawyer McKenna Keaton finds herself in hot water with her own law firm when she’s (falsely!) accused of embezzlement. Placed on unpaid leave, she suddenly finds herself with the free time to return home and attend her youngest sister’s wedding activities. But it’s not all fun and games. Waiting back home is shy, nerdy Henry Blumenthal—McKenna’s high school rival for valedictorian who once took three hours to beat her at chess. Scratch that. He’s Hank Blume now, the famed documentarian, Durham, North Carolina’s, darling son.
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Another fun book with great lessons!
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Auteur(s): Bethany Turner
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Histoire
Seventeen years ago, King Odysseus sailed to war with Troy, taking with him every man of fighting age from the island of Ithaca. None of them has returned, and the women of Ithaca have been left behind to run the kingdom. Penelope was barely into womanhood when she wed Odysseus. Now, speculation is mounting that her husband is dead, and suitors are beginning to knock at her door. No man is strong enough to claim Odysseus' empty throne—not yet. But everyone waits for the balance of power to tip, and Penelope knows that any choice she makes could plunge Ithaca into bloody civil war.
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Looking forward to the next installment
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Histoire
England, 1865: Newspaper columnist Lady Katherine Bascomb finds herself the subject of speculation when her latest article leads to an arrest in the murders plaguing London. The English believe women ought not to write about such vulgar things as crime, and a particularly attractive detective inspector is incensed that she's interfered with his investigation. To escape her sudden notoriety, Katherine heads to the country - only to witness a murder upon her arrival.
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I LOVED THE NARRATION
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Histoire
When Notes on a Silencing hit bookstores in the summer of 2020, even amidst a global pandemic, it sent shockwaves through the country. Not only did this intimate investigative memoir usher in a media storm of coverage, but it also prompted the elite St. Paul's School to issue a formal apology to the author, Lacy Crawford, for its handling of her report of sexual assault by two fellow students nearly 30 years ago.
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Courage
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Twin sisters Marisa and Clare Stockton were sixteen when Clare’s body was found in Virginia’s James River. No arrests were made. Fourteen years later, Marisa’s friends and dedicated career as a photographer help her to cope with the open wound of the past. But Marisa still feels the hurt—and the unsolved murder isn’t the only thing haunting her. A recent car crash has erased ten days of Marisa’s memories—a black hole leading up to the accident that’s left her disoriented.
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When two English brothers arrive at a Barbados sugar plantation, they bring with them a darkness beyond what the slaves have already known. Washington Black - an 11-year-old field slave - is horrified to find himself chosen to live in the quarters of one of these men. But the man is not as Washington expects him to be. His new master is the eccentric Christopher Wilde - naturalist, explorer, inventor and abolitionist - whose obsession to perfect a winged flying machine disturbs all who know him.
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Awesome!
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Born in West Africa in the mid-eighteenth century, Maryam Prescilla Grace—a.k.a “Momma Grace” will live a long, wondrous life marked by hardship, oppression, opportunity, and love. Though she will be “gifted” various names, her birth name is known to her alone. Over the course of 100-plus years, she survives capture, enslavement by several property owners, the Atlantic crossing when she is only eleven years of age, and a brief stint as a pirate’s ward, acting as both a spy and a translator.
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Down a narrow alley in the small coastal town of Mallow Island, South Carolina, lies a stunning cobblestone building comprised of five apartments. It's called The Dellawisp and it's named after the tiny turquoise birds who, alongside its human tenants, inhabit an air of magical secrecy. When Zoey Hennessey comes to claim her deceased mother's apartment at The Dellawisp, she meets her quirky, enigmatic neighbors including a girl on the run, a grieving chef whose comfort food does not comfort him, two estranged middle-aged sisters, and three ghosts. Each with their own story.
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Lena Papadopoulos has never quite found her place within the circus, even as the daughter of the extraordinary headlining illusionist, Theo. Brilliant and curious, Lena yearns for the real-world magic of science and medicine, despite her father’s overprotectiveness and the limitations of her wheelchair.
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The Incredible Hulk was originally supposed to be grey, but a printing glitch led to the superhero’s iconic green colour. NHL hall-of-famer Serge Savard’s hockey career nearly ended prematurely, not because of an injury, but because of an oversight. And the invention of a beloved treat, the Popsicle, began with a simple mistake. In his fascinating and meticulously researched new book, Terry O’Reilly recounts how some of the biggest breakthroughs and best-loved products originated with a mistake.
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In 1944, British bomber pilot Hugo Langley parachuted from his stricken plane into the verdant fields of German-occupied Tuscany. Badly wounded, he found refuge in a ruined monastery and in the arms of Sofia Bartoli. But the love that kindled between them was shaken by an irreversible betrayal. Nearly 30 years later, Hugo's estranged daughter, Joanna, has returned home to the English countryside to arrange her father's funeral. Among his personal effects is an unopened letter addressed to Sofia. In it is a startling revelation.
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Vincent is a bartender at the Hotel Caiette, a five-star glass-and-cedar palace on the northernmost tip of Vancouver Island. New York financier Jonathan Alkaitis owns the hotel. When he passes Vincent his card with a tip, it’s the beginning of their life together. That same day, a hooded figure scrawls a note on the windowed wall of the hotel: “Why don’t you swallow broken glass.” Leon Prevant, a shipping executive for a company called Neptune-Avramidis, sees the note from the hotel bar and is shaken to his core.
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When Mallory Blessing's son, Link, receives deathbed instructions from his mother to call a number on a slip of paper in her desk drawer, he's not sure what to expect. But he certainly does not expect Jake McCloud to answer. It's the late spring of 2020 and Jake's wife, Ursula DeGournsey, is the frontrunner in the upcoming Presidential election. There must be a mistake, Link thinks. How do Mallory and Jake know each other?
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Former child actor Fiona St. James dropped out of the spotlight after a spectacularly public crash and burn. The tabloids called her crazy and self-destructive and said she'd lost her mind. Now in her late twenties, Fiona believes her humiliating past is firmly behind her. She's finally regained a modicum of privacy, and she won't let anything—or anyone—mess it up.
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Really enjoyed it!
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The Rosie Project
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A first-date dud, socially awkward, and overly fond of quick-dry clothes, genetics professor Don Tillman has given up on love, until a chance encounter gives him an idea. He will design a questionnaire to uncover the perfect partner. She will most definitely not be a barmaid, a smoker, a drinker or a late-arriver. Rosie is all these things. She is also fiery and intelligent, strangely beguiling, and looking for her biological father - a search that a DNA expert might just be able to help her with.
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Awesome
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Auteur(s): Graeme Simsion
Description
A New York Times Best Seller
A Reese Witherspoon x Hello Sunshine Book Club Pick
"Captivated me from the first chapter to the final page." (Reese Witherspoon)
Vivid and compelling in its portrait of one woman’s struggle for fulfillment in a society pivoting between the traditional and the modern, The Henna Artist opens a door into a world that is at once lush and fascinating, stark and cruel.
Escaping from an abusive marriage, seventeen-year-old Lakshmi makes her way alone to the vibrant 1950s pink city of Jaipur. There she becomes the most highly requested henna artist - and confidante - to the wealthy women of the upper class. But trusted with the secrets of the wealthy, she can never reveal her own....
Known for her original designs and sage advice, Lakshmi must tread carefully to avoid the jealous gossips who could ruin her reputation and her livelihood. As she pursues her dream of an independent life, she is startled one day when she is confronted by her husband, who has tracked her down these many years later with a high-spirited young girl in tow - a sister Lakshmi never knew she had. Suddenly the caution that she has carefully cultivated as protection is threatened. Still she perseveres, applying her talents and lifting up those that surround her as she does.
“Eloquent and moving…Joshi masterfully balances a yearning for self-discovery with the need for familial love.” (Publishers Weekly)
Look for The Secret Keeper of Jaipur from New York Times best-selling author Alka Joshi!
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Histoire
- Randa Saleh
- 2020-06-04
It's OK
The story is OK. Literally just OK. Reading the reviews here, I honestly thought I was going to encounter an epic book. It wasn't. Was just meh. Sometimes it was boring and sometimes I cringed. Also sometimes I rolled my eyes at the exaggerations in the story.
16 les gens ont trouvé cela utile
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- KLML
- 2020-05-10
Phenomenal and Amazing - a true journey :)
Alka Joshi brought her characters to LIFE in this incredible story. It feels as though we are traveling to Jaipur in the 1950s and are right alongside Lakshimi on her journey. The ups, the downs, the joys, the heartbreak. And Iearned so much about India and Indian culture at the same time. This is a must read - especially in a time when we cannot travel - Alka Joshi brings us on a far away adventure without having to step foot out of our own homes. I recently joined Reese's Book club and we began our own virtual meetings. We cannot wait to discuss this one. Wow.
Thank you Alka Joshi! And thank you Reese Witherspoon for bringing this amazing book into our lives.
KLML
10 les gens ont trouvé cela utile
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- Natasha Hill
- 2020-06-02
Maybe suited to an older generation
This book was just fair.It wasn't sensational or exciting.It was just an okay story with a few storylines that were interesting.The hints of overcoming abuse,were more of a referenced sub plot that something we experienced with the narrator.These were plots that I wish had more depth and better developed storyline but issues were quickly resolved and maybe more scandalous for older persons from that culture who may gasp at the details shared. I am glad the end was positive but overall it just wasn't enough.
6 les gens ont trouvé cela utile
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- KuvyG
- 2020-06-06
My first audible book.
My first book period in a long long time. Since I was a teenager. I loved it. Maybe I enjoyed it a little more because I had recently been to Rajasthan for the first time in my life. This was a great story. I didn't want it to end. ♡♡♡
5 les gens ont trouvé cela utile
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- J Gregory
- 2020-06-08
A fantastic look into Indian life
I thought this book was very interesting. A good performance, well paced and nice voice quality. I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys immersion into other cultures and times.
4 les gens ont trouvé cela utile
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- Christine S
- 2020-05-24
Such a great listen!
Loved the narration, loved the story and the characters! I was sad when it was over. Looking forward to more books from Alka Joshi!
4 les gens ont trouvé cela utile
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- Kristine Alberta
- 2020-12-06
More please!
I loved this story and the beautiful narrator. Is there more by this author!? I’m going to look right now!
2 les gens ont trouvé cela utile
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- Trinisunflower
- 2020-05-28
Friends
I shall miss my new friend Lakshmi. I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know her and admire her perseverance, intelligence and good heart. A well told tale that drew me in almost immediately.
2 les gens ont trouvé cela utile
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- Mike
- 2023-03-03
It’s good, not great
Good story, I like the characters. It’s not amazing like some reviewers wrote . Narrator did a good job though.
1 personne a trouvé cela utile
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- Anonymous User
- 2020-05-15
This book was incredible, I couldn’t stop listening to it!
Thoughtful and interesting characters made this story completely incredible!! I would recommend it to anyone, it was beautifully written and gave me insight into a culture I barely understand. Love it!!
1 personne a trouvé cela utile
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- anna
- 2020-06-03
Colourful trip to India
Atmospheric, delicious and fragrant. Loved the gossip ladies and detail. Beautifully read. A rare find.
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- Alisa Hagerty
- 2020-04-23
Lyrical and inspiring
This debut novel is impossible to put down and swept me away on a tantalizing journey through 1950s Jaipur. I found the entire cast of characters fully realized in the author's lyrical words, and the story replete with color and culture. I especially enjoyed the clever interplay of the audience's realizations with the protagonist's, along with her internal discourse as she is faced with the hefty weight of fate and external machinations balancing on a knife's edge. Phenomenal book!
113 les gens ont trouvé cela utile
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- Yara N.
- 2020-07-03
A beautiful and unique story!
The Henna Artist by Alka Joshi is a beautiful and vividly drawn story of perseverance, inner strength, love, sisterhood, and the oppressions and disadvantages faced by women.
The book follows a henna artist named Lakshmi who ran away from an abusive marriage to make a life for herself as an independent woman in 1950s' India. As Lakshmi works to achieve her goal of owning her own home she is surprised by the appearance of a younger sister she knew nothing about. Radha is just 13 years old and has just lost her mother, having lost her father not too long ago. Orphaned she goes in search of her only living relative. Lakshmi abandonment of her husband had estranged her from her family but she had hoped that her parents would eventually forgive her and come and live with her once she had her own home. Her parents, however, never did forgive her and died never having spoken to their youngest daughter about her older sister. At least when they meet Radha has already learned about Lakshmi, but Lakshmi is completely surprised by her meeting Radha.
Now, with this unexpected appearance Lakshmi has to learn to take care of this 13 year old girl, while still trying to work towards her goals. Unfortunately, Radha, who's had to fend for herself for a long time is wile and turns out to be rebellious and her actions have a disastrous effect in Lakshmi life.
I loved the character of Lakshmi, I found her strength and determination admirable. Despite all the obstacles she faces she always manages to go forward and has the flexibility to adjust her life to circumstances even when they are not of her own making. She isn't perfect, at all, she makes many mistakes but isn't afraid to acknowledge them even if she's slow to accept them at times. Even as she is the heroine of the story, we see her trip numerous times and have to reckon with the consequences of her actions throughout.
I had a much harder time with the character of Radha. She reminded me too much of the character of Briony from Atonement, who is probably one of my least favorite character in literature. For me, what bothers me about these characters is how selfish and careless they are and how, at least in Briony case she never truly atones for her actions. They are destructive people but at least in Radha's case in the end, unlike Briony, she does learn and does the right thing. Some of you might think I'm being harsh but I do in fact know what is like to be a hormonal 13 year old girl, and well, Radha was pretty shitty towards her Lakshmi. Sure, Lakshmi wasn't perfect, she made mistakes but Radha's actions went too far. Anyway, this was the only gripe I had with the story, everything else I loved. I will say that when we first meet Radha I did sympathize with her and I genuinely wanted to like her but I couldn't.
I've never been to India and the way the author described the scenes, the people, the smells, the food, it make me feel like I was there. It was so vividly drawl that you could almost smell the food as it was being cooked.
The characters, primary, secondary, and tertiary where well rounded and fully drawn people. No one was a caricature or a "Mary Sue". They had complexity and nuance to their personalities — it was quite remarkable. You could sympathize even with those character who became antagonist. It was very believable and relatable.
The cherry on top of this was the AMAZING narrator, Sneha Mathan! This is the first audiobook I've listened to from Mathan and I was completely blown away. First, her voice is silky and melodious and second her acting was first rate. Incredible diversity of voices. I'd listen to her read the newspaper. Aces!
Overall, I was incredibly pleased by both the book and the narration and would read and listen to this author and narrator again.
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- Jbo
- 2020-05-02
Heartwarming story about sisters and finding one’s calling
Excellent story and narration! The story takes place in India during the late 1940’s and highlights the challenges Indian women (especially working class) faced. I enjoyed the personal journey each of the main characters underwent while having to choose between personal desires and family needs. I definitely recommend this book to others who enjoy historical fiction and stories about overcoming the odds.
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- Amy
- 2020-06-21
Not for me
If you enjoy reading about a female heroine who helps women have abortions and has an adulterous affair then this is the book for you. Will screen Reese’s recommendations better in the future.
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- Anonymous User
- 2020-05-03
Captivated from the start
If you are searching for your next listen/read, look no further. The author weaves a story rich in culture, diverse in topics, and with imagery so rich I could “see” the henna, the fabrics, the mandalas, etc. The story of trials and triumphs, perseverance, customs and traditions, new beginnings...this book has everything. This book makes me want to learn more about Indian culture while being relatable to any woman. The narrator has a tone and cadence that is beautiful and easy to follow. I couldn’t put this one down. I started yesterday and finished today. Easily the best book I’ve listed to in months!
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- S. G.
- 2020-05-23
I tried very hard to love it
No question, it's a beautifully written and narrated book, but I wasn't able to stay involved and connected to the story or its characters. I feel that maybe this book is meant to be read conventionally, not via Audible format. I have finished it but while listening over several days, many times I caught myself missing large chunks of the novel and I didn't feel like going back to catch up. I might buy the paper book and read it eventually.
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- WI shopper
- 2020-03-25
Excellent!
The story is well narrated and keeps the listener engaged throughout. It was so interesting to learn about the mores of another culture. Recommend highly!
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- J. v. Kirchbach
- 2020-05-18
Wonderful travel by book while sheltering in place !
I really enjoyed this debut novel. Joshi captures the small details very well, and makes the characters engaging. I particularly liked her descriptions of the colors and images - of the saris, the henna, the surroundings. The story played out well, the characters were well developed, their struggles were relatable and well written, the story had enough intrigue to keep me reading and a plot that made me want to know how it ended. Economic and social realities were not obliterated. But at the same time it was magical. It was a perfect read for "shelter-in-place," taking me somewhere else in my imagination, what struck me the most was the detailed description of everyday life, dress, ritual, homes, etc. on virtually every page. The intricacies of the details made me feel as if I were present: hearing, seeing, smelling and touching the heart of India. Great narration !
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- enya keshet
- 2020-06-07
Missed potential
Good story materials, but a shallow,
repetitive, mediocre writing job left them weak and disappointing.
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- Susan
- 2020-05-13
Empowering - Purchase now!
I was immediately transported to India. I loved the story so much, I didn't want it to end.
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