Me & Emma

By: Elizabeth Flock

Narrated by: Lauren Davis

Length: 9 hrs and 32 mins

Publisher's summary

In many ways, Carrie Parker is like any other eight-year-old: playing make-believe, dreading school, dreaming of faraway places. But even her imaginative mind can't shut out the realities of her impoverished North Carolina home or help her protect her younger sister, Emma.

By turns achingly naive and utterly pragmatic, Carrie has been shaped by the loss of her beloved daddy and by a drunken stepfather and her emotionally absent mother. Charting an astonishing course of survival for herself and Emma, she hopes to transform their lives into one more closely resembling the storybooks she treasures.

But after the sisters' plan to run away from home unravels, their world takes a shocking turn, and one shattering moment ultimately reveals a truth that leaves everyone reeling.

Narrated with the simplicity and unabashed honesty of a child's perspective, Me & Emma is a vivid portrayal of heartbreaking loss of innocence, an indomitable spirit, and incredible courage, a story that will resonate with readers long after they've heard the final sentence.

©2004 Elizabeth Flock (P)2006 Audible, Inc.

Critic reviews

"Tremendously touching." (Kirkus Review)
"Captivating. Haunting. You'll hit the last page and want to go back to the beginning. Elizabeth Flock is one to watch." (bookreporter.com)

Incredible!

You won't put this down. The narrator's voice sweeps you into the life of eight-year old Carrie. I found myself audibly gasp more than once.

A Dark Story

This very sad story is compelling. I kept reading hoping that Emma would have something good happen to her. Be prepared for the ending. It's not a story I'll forget soon, but I don't want to revisit it. I don't want to give away the end so I'll just say Emma will stay with me a long time.

Haunting

A haunting story brilliantly read. Highly recommend.

I loved it

I was always looking forward to listening to this and probably should give it 5 stars, but it wasn't as amazing as The Help and that is worth 5 stars.

Really Good

I loved this book. Not for the actual story which was entertaining but for the ending. I can normally see something coming, but this was straight out of left field. I would recommend this to anyone just so they could be surprised by the ending!

Wow!!

I must say this book stayed with me long after I read it. The ending was so unexpected. Im looking forward for more from this author. Wonderful Book!!!

Anguishing, sad and revealing listen

The main character in this story, Carrie, is also the narrator and tells the story in her voice and tells about her life and of her sister Emma. After Carrie's father dies suddenly, her mother remarries and life takes a turn for the worse for the family, as her mother is extremely depressed and her new stepfather is extremely abusive, at one time chaining her out back like a dog and feeding her dog food. Carrie's narration pulls you in and really tugs at your heart, so much so that I found it difficult to stop listening to this book. It was very well written with well developed characters and interesting plot and conclusion. Overall, it will leave the listener feeling somewhat sad because of the nature of the material, so if you are looking for an uplifting book this one isn't it. Still, it's an excellent read and well worth the time.

Brilliant but Disturbing

This book is brilliantly written and read but to me it was scarier than the most gruesome works in the "horror" genre. Just a warning, if you are sensitive to emotional issues from childhood, reading this book may be difficult. It was certainly not an escape to a "nice read". It was hard for me. The story is compelling, as others have said, and the ending is hopeful but I had to pace myself and read it only when in a good place with my head. It just seems like the tip of the iceberg in terms of what goes on in families that make poor choices and then have children, and opens one's eyes to the plight of so many abused and under-resourced young people in this country.

Great book!

I thoroughly enjoyed "Me and Emma" and simply could not stop listening. Highly recomended.

Very moving

This book is very well written and the narration is absolutely perfect. She really sounds like she's 8 years old and has a great southern accent. I thought I figured out the ending but there was quite a twist and I like stories like that. It is a sad but very moving story. I highly recommend it!