Mudbound

By: Hillary Jordan

Narrated by: Ezra Knight, Kate Forbes, Joseph Collins, Tom Stechschulte, Peter Jay Fernandez, Brenda Pressley

Length: 9 hrs and 16 mins

Publisher's summary

Hillary Jordan's mesmerizing debut novel won the Bellwether Prize for fiction. A powerful piece of Southern literature, Mudbound takes on prejudice in its myriad forms on a Mississippi Delta farm in 1946. City girl Laura McAllen attempts to raise her family despite questionable decisions made by her husband. Tensions continue to rise when her brother-in-law and the son of a family of sharecroppers both return from WWII as changed men bearing the scars of combat.

©2008 Hillary Jordan (P)2008 Recorded Books

What a Gem!

What a gem! Great scenes, wonderful dialogue, well developed characters and a plot that moves quickly. I couldn???t stop listening. Even when I thought I knew where the story was leading, I didn???t!
This story is in the same league as The Help, the Kitchen House and Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter . The author does an excellent job of showing us a view of 1950???s rural Mississippi and the narrators are almost perfect. The only thing I would change (and only a little) is the narration for Jamie,,, the voice is good but the reading is just that,,, reading and not performance

award worthy

I can't believe that when I started this book, I was unsure about it. Even when it ended, I wasn't sure! But there is something about it, and pay attention, because it's the wrap up that brings it all together. I was fooled by the characters, for sure. In a great way!

Good story, multiple narrators works really well

In general I’m not a huge fan of the multiple narrator style of audiobook. I find they can distract from the story, especially if multiple narrators end up performing things like dialog. However, this was a pleasant exception. Each narrator was excellent and totally inhabited their character. The narrative structure also helped by alternating viewpoints between chapters. By the time I was done listening I couldn’t imagine anyone else doing justice to each voice.

The story itself was also quite good. Though I thought it bogged down a bit in places, it was an eye-opening account of what life might have been like not that long ago in a place not that far away.

After the War

Where does Mudbound rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

It certainly was engrossing to listen to. I looked forward to having time to listen to it.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Mudbound?

The barn scene was exciting tense, and heartbreaking all at the same time. One of those I don't want to hear what happens, but can't stop listening.

Have you listened to any of the narrator’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

There were many voices in Mudbound, which added to the richness of the story

If you could take any character from Mudbound out to dinner, who would it be and why?

Do I have to pick just one? (I'd leave Pappy home.)

Any additional comments?

Great story, excellant performances.

Mudbound Is Spellbinding

We know where it's going, but we can't look away. It's like not wanting to watch a car wreck that's about to happen, but not being able to turn away. It is a character-driven story. And the characters are so well drawn with human flaws. And as they must, they pay for their sins.

Excellent portrayal of conditions between blacks and whites in the South during that time period. Jordan's whites are all (except for the Jewish doctor) guilty of racism either through their direct actions or as acquiescent accomplices.

I plan to read this book again.

great story

I really enjoyed the story line. it held my interest all the way through to the end.

Powerful book

This was a very good book with excellent narration by a cast of performers. At times, very difficult to listen to the level of racism present in post WWII Mississippi. A black decorated hero returning from war, treated like an animal at home. The whites that felt the unfairness of the situation, were racist as well... much like what we see going on today in 2019. Makes you reflect, wondering why we
haven’t come as far as we would have liked to come, knowing that we sadly have not. A heart wrenching story at times. Definitely worth s credit.

amazing

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

so yes!!!!!

Who was your favorite character and why?

I don't know they were all fabulous maybe Laura

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

I don't want to give anything away!

Any additional comments?

I've listened to around 15 books since Ive joined, this is my favorite.

Tired of the N Word

This was a struggle, because tho the storyline was interesting, it was so gloomy. I probably hate that the somewhat happy ending afforded to Laura and Henry wasn't given to Florence, Happy, and of course Ronsel .

Never accept racial predjudice

Racial prejudice. I will NEVER understand it nor accept it.
Newlywed wife (white) becomes a farmer's wife instead of a city wife as expected.
This is a time when blacks are still trying to own their own land and be self sufficient. Black family living on the farm are sharecroppers, meaning they help work the land , but must give a share to the farm owner. The white and black families seem to get along, but individuals around them cause prejudicial problems.
2 soldiers return home, one from each family. How are they treated? Very differently, but there is a bond of the war between them.
How are the wives dealing with the families, how do the husbands respond?
After writing my review, I changed my rating from 4 to 5 stars.