Necessary Lies

By: Diane Chamberlain

Narrated by: Alison Elliott

Length: 10 hrs and 51 mins

Publisher's summary

Best-selling author Diane Chamberlain delivers a breakout book about a small southern town 50 years ago, and the darkest - and most hopeful - places in the human heart. After losing her parents, 15-year-old Ivy Hart is left to care for her grandmother, older sister, and nephew as tenants on a small tobacco farm. As she struggles with her grandmother’s aging, her sister’s mental illness, and her own epilepsy, she realizes they might need more than she can give.

When Jane Forrester takes a position as Grace County’s newest social worker, she doesn’t realize just how much her help is needed. She quickly becomes emotionally invested in her clients' lives, causing tension with her boss and her new husband. But as Jane is drawn in by the Hart women, she begins to discover the secrets of the small farm - secrets much darker than she would have guessed.

Soon, she must decide whether to take drastic action to help them, or risk losing the battle against everything she believes is wrong. Set in rural Grace County, North Carolina in a time of state mandated sterilizations and racial tension, Necessary Lies tells the story of these two young women, seemingly worlds apart, but both haunted by tragedy. Jane and Ivy are thrown together and must ask themselves: How can you know what you believe is right, when everyone is telling you it’s wrong?

©2013 Diane Chamberlain (P)2013 Macmillan Audio

Awesomeness!

One of the best books I’ve listen to in a long time. Everything about this book was great.

Wonderful/shocking book

The story was absolutely amazing I love the way it was written and I couldn’t put it down. The characters were developed so that you fell in love with each and everyone of them.
I was angry, I laughed, and I cried. Strongly recommend.

lies lies

how awful that NC permitted this to happen until 1975..very interesting story and glad I read this book

Fantastic story and narrator!

Would you consider the audio edition of Necessary Lies to be better than the print version?

Yes. The narrator really brings the story to life.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Ivy. Because of her innocence and passion.

What about Alison Elliott’s performance did you like?

Her accents and inflections are perfect.

If you could rename Necessary Lies, what would you call it?

Breaking the Rules

Any additional comments?

Loved it, loved it, loved it!

Amazing

This book was so good!
The narrator was very pleasant to listen to.
Highly recommend it.

Great well written story

I really enjoyed this story. Very well written and couldn’t stop listening. Some heartbreaking parts, you can’t help but feel the pain of their situation.

Really Good

This was one of the best books I’ve listened to. The narration was excellent. Character development was excellent. I listened in two days. It was an interesting story that I have never heard about. It kept my interest until the very end and I was sad when it ended.

A hard story to tell, but easy to listen to.

The way this story is told is so personal. I felt like I knew the characters. I had no idea that things like this went on in our country.
I appreciate Diane Chamberlain bringing it to light. Typically, I just listen to audio books while driving but this one I had to fill the gaps at home just to get to the end.

Controversial story - great performance

What made the experience of listening to Necessary Lies the most enjoyable?

The characters came to life and one was pulled into the story right away.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Necessary Lies?

Can't give details - but there are some moving moments in the story

Which character – as performed by Alison Elliott – was your favorite?

Ivy and Jane

Any additional comments?

Great read - part of US history - don't miss this one - great value for your credit

Excellent! Excellent! Can't Say It Enough!

This book is one of the best I had listened to in recent months. From the very first words, it will pull you into a story where poverty and culture clash in the 1950's. It is the story of a naive young social worker who simply cares too much about her poor, uneducated clients. It is the story of a southern culture where white upper class society creates rules and practices that prey on the poor -- both black and white. It is the story of a country where. . even after Hitler's attempt to use eugenics to create the master race; sterilization was used and abused in South Carolina by biased, empowered social workers. You will love the characters in the story -- and your eyes will get misty as the ending unfolds. This is a book about our history as a nation and if you are over age 55, you will relate fully to the circumstances it describes.

Great writing -- but among the best things about this book was the narration. Alison Elliott should be narrating many, many more books. She was perfect!