Before We Were Yours

I was rivetted, finished in three days.

From a person who has read Orphan Train and started reading The Lost generation, this book had my attention right from the start and I quickly became engrossed in the story line. It is hard to read or hear about the abuse of the innocent, but the story line balances the tragedy of the terrible criminal acts with the strength, courage, resilience and tanasity of human nature walk forward and eventually over coming the past. I really wanted to know what happened to the 10 year old and the two little boys, but I do not want to spoil the story. I could not put it down. Very very well constructed and performed. The characters were very well developed, and even though it is based on true circumstances but not necessarily these people and outcomes, I cannot help but to hope that one day, all of these stolen people are somehow found, and reunited with their families or their information reunited with the descendants of the families they were stolen from. I did do some research on Georgia Tann, what an evil demon of a woman. But what a lovely outcome in the story for this young woman and family. I do not like stories that lay out too much abuse and terrible hardship, this story does not do that, it is worth reading, I highly recommend it.

434 of 455 people found this review helpful

Fantastic book and narrator!

Out of the 15-20 audiobooks I've listened to so far this year, this one is the best! Heart-wrenching at times but not over the top as to make you feel the book is a task to get through. Not at all. It was tastefully done with plenty of happiness, too. The story gripped me from the beginning! You'll not want to put it down! 5 stars!

262 of 278 people found this review helpful

Gut Wrenching Life Journey

From the first page this story takes over your life. So full of love, hardships, life struggles and endurance. I was totally consumed. Also, a grim reminder of real life histories, poignant love.

116 of 128 people found this review helpful

Good

I couldn't put it down. I listened every chance I could. Id have to say my favorite so far

60 of 66 people found this review helpful

Painfully distracting narration...

You only have to listen to a few audio books to learn that the narration can either make or break the whole experience. Before buying "Before We Were Yours" I read the reviews and so I can't claim ignorance to the many complaints of Avery's narration -- but the overall reviews were so good, and the "sample" listen sounded endurable, so I gave it a shot. Well...I very nearly returned this book after the first couple of chapters because the narration for Avery's segments of the story were truly almost too painful to listen to. The narrator's emphasis was all over the place, and rarely on point. I found her male characterizations slightly easier to listen to, but her Avery was slow, superficial and bloodless. Worst of all, her breathy, whispery dips for dramatic emphasis made my skin crawl and cast the character in a haze of mopey melodrama. It totally detracted from the story.

Rill's narrator, on the other hand, did a great job. Her cadence and accent flowed perfectly, and she created clear and believable distinctions between characters. But to be honest, Rill's overall story line was simply more enjoyable and compelling than Avery's. Its really as though two different authors wrote the two story-lines -- and Avery's just failed on so many levels. While Rill was a compelling and sympathetic character navigating through interesting and engaging experiences, Avery's story was kind of flat and her character came off as pouty, spoiled, weak and annoying.

Although I think I might have enjoyed this book a bit more if I had read the physical book for myself, I wasn't super impressed with any part of it. I was initially torn between giving the audio book two and three stars, but I went with three for the sake of Rill's story-line and narration, and because I did actually wind up listening to the whole thing. But I have to say that I'm a little bit baffled by all of the four and five star reviews out there. Overall the story felt like a cross between YA fiction (which I don't knock, by the way) and a flimsy Romance novel. In the end the actual history behind the book was worth learning and, like I said, Rill's story line was pretty good. So I can't say it was a complete waste of 14 hours...but I just can't recommend "Before We Were Yours" to anyone.

70 of 78 people found this review helpful

Excellent But Disturbing!

Story was well written and told. Kept me glued, and wanting to learn more about Georgia Tan and if the children ever reunite with their families, even in adulthood. Had never heard of her, and extremely sad how she managed to get away with what she was doing for so many years. Really loved the narrators, especially the one who performed the parts of the big sister (May) and her siblings. Her southern drawl and ability to sound young was pretty impressive. Must say that I had a difficult time listening to this book, only due to the terrible treatment which was described throughout. An eye opener for sure!

38 of 43 people found this review helpful

Creative History?

I am not sure what this was. It is not really bad, but I am not sure why it was written. It is kind of a fictionalized telling of a historical outrage of stealing and selling children, but everything that would create any dramatic tension is so thoroughly foreshadowed that there is absolutely zero drama. For me this was like a dark Hallmark movie. Everything, almost every word, was predictable. It seems to me this could have been a good fiction book, or a good non-fiction history, but the blend seems to suck the life out of both stories.

I was also not a big fan of the narration. The accents were all a bit off and took me out of the story. The narration did not add any emotionality or interesting characterization, but was reasonably clear.

5 of 5 people found this review helpful

One Narrative Solid, One, Weak.

Would you listen to Before We Were Yours again? Why?

No, I can't say I would. Avery's speaker didn't swallow regularly. My pronunciation pickiness may be harsh, but hearing saliva arrive along with P's and B's ruined the listen for me. So, that was a bummer.

Who was your favorite character and why?

I liked May as a child best. She was a complex character who's voice was rich with childhood misconceptions, and mistakes. I enjoyed her perspective shifts and thought process.

Did the narration match the pace of the story?

Yes.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

I was upset by the abuse, and during several accounts, stopped to take a break.

Any additional comments?

Avery's character was weak and brought the book down for me. Even though her character does all of the investigative work and we're supposed to imagine her like her grandmother Judy, the spirited firecracker, she's not. All these things happen, and she maintains a room-temperature response with a monotone internal dialog. Nothing about her made me like, or not like her trajectory. She was merely a blank slate when all this rich text is happening - even leaving a serious relationship for another - new - one! Her father on the brink of death, a domineering mother and PR person,etc., and her color doesn't change.

36 of 42 people found this review helpful

Was heartwrenching but could have been better...

Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

Yes, I would recommend this book to a friend, but I really think this story, while good, could have been great. Specifically, I found Avery's narration a bit irritating and her character dull and one dimensional.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Rill. Her character and story brought me to tears at times, which is rare for me. You could feel how much she loved her siblings.

Any additional comments?

I loved the story that this book told. I had never heard about Georgia Tann or the Tennessee Children's Home and although the details are disturbing, the author does a great job of revealing the horror without getting into gory specifics.

I also thought the way May and Judy's relationship was revealed was a little confusing...

56 of 66 people found this review helpful

So Glad When It Was Over!

I just don't understand all the five star ratings for this book! I almost gave up after the first hour, but I thought I must be missing something. It was so drawn out, I just wanted them to get on with it. The only reason I continued was that I was hoping to learn more about Georgia Tan and the "homes" she ran for children. There was good insight into her operations, through the voice of little Mae. It is unfair to give an overall rating for performance when there is more than one reader. I would have given Catherine Taber five stars and Emily Rankin only two. The later's voice was so overly dramatic, I found myself rolling my eyes. If the story had been told through the eyes of Mae, it would have been much more interesting. All the rest of the gobbledygook was useless and boring!

66 of 78 people found this review helpful