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Before We Were Yours
- A Novel
- Narrated by: Emily Rankin, Catherine Taber
- Length: 14 hrs and 29 mins
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Before We Were Yours
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The Book of Lost Friends
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- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 272
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Performance5 out of 5 stars 229
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From the best-selling author of Before We Were Yours comes a dramatic historical novel of three young women searching for family amid the destruction of the post-Civil War South, and of a modern-day teacher who learns of their story and its vital connection to her students’ lives.
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5 out of 5 stars
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a satisfying and aurhentic read
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From the 1920s to 1950, Georgia Tann ran a black-market baby business at the Tennessee Children’s Home Society in Memphis. The publication of Lisa Wingate’s novel Before We Were Yours brought new awareness of Tann’s lucrative career in child trafficking. Adoptees who knew little about their pasts gained insight into the startling facts behind their family histories. Encouraged by their contact with Wingate and award-winning journalist Judy Christie, who documented the stories of 15 adoptees in this book, many determined Tann survivors set out to trace their roots.
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5 out of 5 stars
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This is a great listen.
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When Kate Bowman temporarily moves to her grandmother’s Missouri farm with her husband and baby son, she learns that the lessons that most enrich our lives often come unexpectedly. The family has given Kate the job of convincing Grandma Rose, who's become increasingly stubborn and forgetful, to move off her beloved land and into a nursing home. But Kate knows such a change would break her grandmother’s heart.
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Experience three novellas about the joys and trials of sisterhood.
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- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 272
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5 out of 5 stars
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a satisfying and aurhentic read
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 40
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From the 1920s to 1950, Georgia Tann ran a black-market baby business at the Tennessee Children’s Home Society in Memphis. The publication of Lisa Wingate’s novel Before We Were Yours brought new awareness of Tann’s lucrative career in child trafficking. Adoptees who knew little about their pasts gained insight into the startling facts behind their family histories. Encouraged by their contact with Wingate and award-winning journalist Judy Christie, who documented the stories of 15 adoptees in this book, many determined Tann survivors set out to trace their roots.
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5 out of 5 stars
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When Kate Bowman temporarily moves to her grandmother’s Missouri farm with her husband and baby son, she learns that the lessons that most enrich our lives often come unexpectedly. The family has given Kate the job of convincing Grandma Rose, who's become increasingly stubborn and forgetful, to move off her beloved land and into a nursing home. But Kate knows such a change would break her grandmother’s heart.
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3 out of 5 stars
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3 out of 5 stars
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Experience three novellas about the joys and trials of sisterhood.
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A well written, beautiful story about love, sacrifice and family
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Publisher's Summary
THE BLOCKBUSTER HIT - A New York Times, USA Today, Wall Street Journal, and Publishers Weekly best seller
Look for Lisa Wingate’s powerful new historical novel, The Book of Lost Friends, available now!
“Poignant, engrossing.” (People) • “Lisa Wingate takes an almost unthinkable chapter in our nation’s history and weaves a tale of enduring power.” (Paula McLain)
Memphis, 1939. Twelve-year-old Rill Foss and her four younger siblings live a magical life aboard their family’s Mississippi River shantyboat. But when their father must rush their mother to the hospital one stormy night, Rill is left in charge - until strangers arrive in force. Wrenched from all that is familiar and thrown into a Tennessee Children’s Home Society orphanage, the Foss children are assured that they will soon be returned to their parents - but they quickly realize the dark truth. At the mercy of the facility’s cruel director, Rill fights to keep her sisters and brother together in a world of danger and uncertainty.
Aiken, South Carolina, present day. Born into wealth and privilege, Avery Stafford seems to have it all: a successful career as a federal prosecutor, a handsome fiancé, and a lavish wedding on the horizon. But when Avery returns home to help her father weather a health crisis, a chance encounter leaves her with uncomfortable questions and compels her to take a journey through her family’s long-hidden history, on a path that will ultimately lead either to devastation or to redemption.
Based on one of America’s most notorious real-life scandals - in which Georgia Tann, director of a Memphis-based adoption organization, kidnapped and sold poor children to wealthy families all over the country - Lisa Wingate’s riveting, wrenching, and ultimately uplifting tale reminds us how, even though the paths we take can lead to many places, the heart never forgets where we belong.
Publishers Weekly’s Number Three Longest-Running Best Seller of 2017 • Winner of the Southern Book Prize • If All Arkansas Read the Same Book Selection
What the critics say
"Emily Rankin and Catherine Taber are polished narrators who give us sympathetic, memorable characters whose voices are age appropriate and conventionally Southern.... This story is well presented - perfectly paced and emotionally satisfying." (AudioFile)
“A [story] of a family lost and found... A poignant, engrossing tale about sibling love and the toll of secrets.” (People)
“One of the year’s best books... It is almost a cliché to say a book is ‘lovingly written’ but that phrase applies clearly to Lisa Wingate’s latest novel, Before We Were Yours. This story about children taken from their parents through kidnapping or subterfuge and then placed for adoption, for a price, clearly pours out of Wingate’s heart.... It is impossible not to get swept up in this near-perfect novel. It invades your heart from the very first pages and stays there long after the book is finished. Few novelists could strike the balance this story requires but Wingate does it with assurance. There are a lot of books that will catch your eye this summer, some from our best storytellers. Make sure this one is on your radar. It should not be missed.” (The Huffington Post)
Editorial Review
What can come of digging up the past? What dark secrets are hidden in family history? A peek into her past is about to show Avery Stafford what really happened Before We Were Yours. Based on an unthinkable real-life scandal, Before We Were Yours tells the story of children from low-income families in Memphis, Tennessee, in the 1940s, who were forcibly removed from their homes—essentially, kidnapped—and placed with well-off families seeking children for adoption. Through the tale of 12-year-old Rill Foss and her four younger siblings, author Lisa Wingate recounts the horror, fear, injustice, and abuse of power that led to a booming business of child rehoming. Stolen without question, warning, or compassion, children were removed from poor families, thrown into uncaring and often downright violent institutions, and eventually sold to families all across America. This audiobook merges the fictional tale of the Foss children with historical evidence to strike the perfect balance between listener sympathy and factual credibility. Along with tracing the journey of Rill and her siblings from a loving home to a cruel orphanage and beyond, Before We Were Yours follows the modern-day awakening of Avery Stafford, an accomplished woman with a successful legal career and soon-to-be husband living in South Carolina, as she uncovers her family's shocking connection to this sordid trade. In this way, the listener can see both sides of the story: past and present, victimized children and adoptive families, offering a rounded and rich view of this dark and long-hidden scandal. Lisa Wingate brings forth a compelling and powerful work of historical fiction, which highlights the importance of facing the truth about the past and family, even when it is painful. The warm and conversational tones of narrators Emily Rankin and Catherine Taber add a personal flavour to the novel. Deeply affecting, Before We Were Yours will pull on your heartstrings, keep you listening to each startling turn, and ultimately leave you uplifted.
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What listeners say about Before We Were Yours
Average Customer RatingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Darlene Rempel
- 2017-11-17
One of THE Best books I have ever read!!
I wish I could have given this book 10 stars! I will definitely be listening to more books by Lisa Wingate! Laughed, cried, sighed! Definitely my next book pick for my book club! Love love love it!
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12 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Anonymous User
- 2018-04-26
important story of treachery & sisterly love.
loved it! Truth will always come out! Historical events that need to be told.
wonderful characters. wonderful descriptions of family bonds. Beautiful descriptions of life on the river....of high society and the realistic conflicts.
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7 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Traci Chryler
- 2017-11-15
First time listener
Due to an injury, I am not able to read, so was desperate for an alternative. Thank heavens for audible! My first month free credit found me choosing this book, and what a great story. The narrators were perfect, and I was mesmerized by their stories. While I found the added romance a bit cheesy, the underlying story regarding the TCHS had me researching the backgrounds once I finished the book. Highly recommend!
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5 people found this helpful
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- Loralee
- 2018-07-13
Not as good as expected
The narration was great, the topic compelling and the fiction that was historically based was excellent. The downside was that I found the adult main character, Avery annoying and boring. The author spent too much time on her life, status and especially her inner thoughts and questions. It was hard to relate to her. The other characters, especially Rill were excellent and held my attention. If you like this type of story I recommend, "A Home for Unwanted Girls". It is also historical fiction and I'd give that one 5/5 stars.
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4 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Carrie Trepanier
- 2018-04-14
Excellent read!
What a heart wrenching story! Hard to put down and kept me wanting more. A great performance by narrator.
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2 people found this helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance3 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- h1krg1rL
- 2020-09-07
Story was good. Disliked the narrator's voice.
Enjoyed the story, didn't like the narration/performance. I wish I read the physical book instead of listening.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Jodie Mulder
- 2018-04-01
Amazing heart wrenching compelling
Well read! Amazingly well written
Compelling and heart wrenching story
Highly recommended for a informative read
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Anonymous User
- 2018-03-18
A compelling true story told with heart.
truly captivating true story. much passion in the story-telling and deep sense of place: I could taste the south! narrated skillfully and with sufficient energy and engagement.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Carolyn Wentworth
- 2018-03-14
best audio in a long time
couldn't wait for my commute each day...didn't want it to end...shocking story line with truths about the Tennesee Children's home
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Pamela Gayle
- 2023-10-13
One of my new favourite books!!!
Fanfreakingtastic!!! I loved every single thing about this book. I could not stop listening!!! Highly recommend!!
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Lin Cloward
- 2017-06-26
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.
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633 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- American Mom
- 2017-07-15
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!
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383 people found this helpful
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance3 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- J. OBrennan
- 2018-01-08
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.
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199 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Susan
- 2017-06-09
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.
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167 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- p
- 2017-08-04
Good
I couldn't put it down. I listened every chance I could. Id have to say my favorite so far
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92 people found this helpful
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance3 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- Mary Smiroldo
- 2017-07-31
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!
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87 people found this helpful
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance3 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Ava
- 2017-08-03
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...
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81 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Amazon Customer
- 2017-06-26
Couldn't put it down
LOVED this book. Was recommended if I like The Nightingale and The Orphan Train.I loved both those books and this was just as good. Narrators really got into character. Story goes between 1940s and present. Each time it switches you wish you could stay in that era and then in no time you're totally engrossed and don't want to switch back! I love historical fiction and can't believe I didn't know about this. Made me want to be more informed. Great book. Highly recommend.
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75 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- M. Ryder
- 2017-06-21
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!
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71 people found this helpful
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance3 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- Sundee Campbell
- 2017-10-15
5 Stars if you Skip Half the Chapters
Rill’s chapters made for a great story. 1.25x speed is perfect. Last Avery chapter was needed to piece together some of what was meant for proper tie-in. Performance was dragged by the poor inflection for the character’s dialect. Worth downloading. Probably better read, as one’s imagining of the characters’ voices would bring better life to the story.
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62 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Amazon Customer
- 2022-05-30
Enjoyed every minute!
Great story, so moving, and the narration brought every character to life. I'd listen all over again.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- DelphineD
- 2017-11-29
loved it
very good story. the author was able to keep the suspense going. we really fall in love with Evry and May!
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Andréa Veiga
- 2017-09-28
Absolutely marvellous
I read and listen to audio books regularly. "Before We Were Yours" touched me profoundly. It is beautifully written and interpreted in such a sensitive way by the reader. I highly recommend it 👍🏼
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