At Home with the Templetons

By: Monica McInerney

Narrated by: Ulli Birve

Length: 19 hrs and 22 mins

Publisher's summary

When the Templeton family from England takes up residence in a stately home in country Australia, they set the locals talking – and with good reason. From the outside, the seven Templetons seem so bohemian, unusual... peculiar even.

No one is more intrigued by the family than their neighbours, single mother Nina Donovan and her young son Tom. Before long, the two families' lives become entwined in unexpected ways, to the delight of Gracie, the sweetest of the Templeton children.

In the years that follow, the relationships between the Templetons and the two Donovans twist and turn in unpredictable and life-changing directions, until a tragedy tears them all apart. What will it take to bring them together again?

©2010 Monica McInerney (P)2010 Bolinda Publishing Pty Ltd

Great story with surprises along the way!

This was a great story and the narrator made it even more interesting since the setting was in London and Australia and the narrator had a British accent. The story had some interesting twists that kept you enticed right through the prologue! This was my first book by Mcinerney. I have already picked out another by this author. I hope that it is as good as this one was.

Not her best

I found this story a bit depressing, at times confusing and repetitive, and predictable. I don't like to put a book down once started but really had to convince myself to see it through. A lot of the characters are at least some of the time not very likable. Makes for a hard read.

You'll only visit once

What made the experience of listening to At Home with the Templetons the most enjoyable?

The most oddly disfunctional group of people. There was wonderful narration ( except for that weird attempt at a Kiwi accent. Wow. It sounded more south african. ) and as with all of Monica McInerney's stories, you get involved with the people.

Would you recommend At Home with the Templetons to your friends? Why or why not?

No. Its not my favorite of her books. There is to much whining and self pity in too many of her characters and far less of the sheer fun that most of her books just brim with.

Which character – as performed by Ulli Birve – was your favorite?

None of them really. Absolutly not Greg the Kiwi

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

No. Unless you count the many times I just wanted to shake the self pity out of some of her characters.

Any additional comments?

I didn't hate it but its not a book I would listen to again. It wasn't awful but it was nowhere near her best and I usually love Monica's books. I think my copies of Lola's adventures are just about falling to bits I reread them so often.

Thoroughly enjoyable read

What did you love best about At Home with the Templetons?

Lovely story. Hard to put down. Beautifully read

What was one of the most memorable moments of At Home with the Templetons?

Gracie and Tom finding each other again and the unravelling of the previous 8 years.

What about Ulli Birve’s performance did you like?

Ability to separate the characters with her voice and do the different accents.

Who was the most memorable character of At Home with the Templetons and why?

I felt Gracie was the centre of the story and enjoyed her growth throughout the book

Fantastic!

I loved this so much! I finished this book and just a few minutes later started listening to it from the beginning again! The narrator was wonderful! Looking forward, hopefully, to hearing much more from Monica McInerney.

eh

this is not my kind of story but for free I gave it a try

Ulli Birve Rocks

This is a good read... a little slow and tortured at times but entertaining. I bought it because Ulli Birve is such an awesome narrator... have read many of her Heyer performances and just love her voice and expression. Two thumbs up for her!

A dreadful mistake

Indulgent long winded drivel with characters performed in very irritating voices. Where was the editor's pen?
I return to Dickens to read improbable plots that entertain instead of making me wish for the immediate apocolyptic deaths of all the characters.