Some Kind of Fairy Tale

A Novel

By: Graham Joyce

Narrated by: John Lee

Length: 9 hrs and 57 mins

Publisher's summary

Some Kind of Fairy Tale is the mesmerizing new novel from acclaimed author Graham Joyce.

Twenty years ago, 16-year-old Tara Martin disappeared from a small town in the heart of England. Now, her sudden return and the mind-bending tale of where she’s been will challenge our very perception of the truth.

For 20 years after Tara Martin disappeared, her parents and her brother, Peter, lived in denial of the grim fact that she was gone for good. Then suddenly on Christmas Day, the doorbell rings at her parents’ home, and there, dishevelled and slightly peculiar looking, Tara stands. It’s a miracle, but alarm bells are ringing for Peter. Tara’s story just does not add up. And, incredibly, she barely looks a day older than when she vanished.

Award-winning author Graham Joyce is a master of exploring new realms of understanding that exist between dreams and reality, between the known and unknown. Some Kind of Fairy Tale is a one-of-a-kind journey every bit as magical as its title implies - and as real and unsentimental as the world around us.

Graham Joyce, a winner of the O. Henry Award, the British Fantasy Award, and the World Fantasy Award, lives in Leicester, England, with his family. His books include How to Make Friends with Demons, Smoking Poppy, Indigo (a New York Times Notable Book of 2000), The Tooth Fairy (a Publishers Weekly Best Book of 1998), and Requiem, among others.

©2012 Graham Joyce (P)2012 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Critic reviews

"Joyce blends reality with fantasy in this modern-day fable.… Though Joyce envisions an intriguing realm nestled against our own, what’s most compelling are his characters’ chaotic emotions and reconnections as they struggle to cope with what they can’t understand.” ( Publishers Weekly)

“Reality and fairy tale are beautifully interwoven in this contemplative story about relationships, love, and dreams. In a unique blend of thriller and fantasy, Joyce creates a delightful page-turner that his fans and newcomers alike will find hard to put down.” ( Booklist)

Amazing & unique - I want to read it again!

Would you listen to Some Kind of Fairy Tale again? Why?

Yes, because I got lost in the book. I loved the plot twists and turns - it kept me guessing. The whole mixing of the crime drama with the fantasy is really original and cool.

What did you like best about this story?

The depth and realness of the characters.

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

No, I haven't, but I loved his narration.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes!

Any additional comments?

Not my typical audiobook but I absolutely loved it. Give it a listen.

Extremely Well Done

I was so impressed with this story. The writer, Graham Joyce, brings his characters to life in such a realistic, believable way; the interactions between the family members, the tone and text of the dialogue... as I listened I was really taken with how true and life-like these people were.

The novel weaves several different narratives together beautifully, and we circle through them smoothly throughout the book. We alternate between the present, as Tara returns after her 20 year absence and tries to join the world again. In this thread, we look at how her disappearance and homecoming affect her brother, ex-boyfriend, her parents, and Tara herself as she works to rebuild both her life and her relationships. At her brother's urging, she agrees to see a psychiatrist, and the scenes and conversations between Tara and this doctor are facinating.

Another thread takes us back to the time when Tara first went missing. We see how this impacted her boyfriend (who was also her brother's best friend) as he is suspected of having murdered her. We see the loss he feels as the people he considered to be his second family (Tara's family) pull away from him, as their faith in his innocence slowly crumbles.

The third thread addresses Tara's time away from her point of view; the incidents surrounding her initial disappearance, and what her experiences were during this time away.

Finally, peppered within the other rotating threads, there are short moments where we are read excerpts of a trial transcript from a court case in the 1800's, regarding a woman's death at the hands of her husband and family, who believed her to be a fairy posing as the real woman.

This is a fantastic work of literary fiction. While there are aspects that deal with the possible existence of a parallel, mystical world, that is not what this story is about. It's about loss, regret, love, and sacrifice. At it's core, it's a story about family.

Be aware that there is some language and a few very brief references of having witnessed some sexual situations.

*Technical Issue: As of 7/11/2012: There are a few brief glitches in the recording near the beginning of the second file. They do not result in the loss of text, with the exception of about one word. They are minor and did not affect my experience in any significant way. I did report the bug to audible, and have received a confirmation that they anticipate having a corrected file in about the next 2 weeks. At that time, you can choose to re-download the second file (without these glitches) from your library, if you like. Personally, I did not find the issue to be anything that would cause me to postpone getting this book. Download away!

Very Recommend.

Every fairy tale has a moral...

and the moral of this fairy tale is "Never accept rides from strangers". A very interesting book which will stick in your mind.

Off with the fairies!

Enjoyed this, even though it's not my usual cup of tea. Intriguing. Well worth a listen.

I really enjoyed this book

This book was a fascinating study in delusion (or not) and all ofthe characters seemed real and interesting. I would recommend it.

transportive

Every time I think of this book, I remember another aspect of the story/performance that I love.
At first I wasn't sure how I felt about John Lee's narration, but as I continued to listen, the tone seemed to be a perfect fit for the story. Somehow simultaneously mundane and other-worldly.

Some of my favorite scenes that I don't think have been mentioned by other reviewers include Richie's interactions with Peter's family and the relationship that develops between Peter's son and the elderly next door neighbor (probably my favorite character).

As I'm writing this review, I'm realizing this book deserves a repeat listen.

Not the fantasy book you are expecting

Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

I would not recommend this book. I love a good fairy tale book, one that is unexpected and different, but this one was not even close. It is more of a drama with a teensy bit of fantasy thrown in. The swearing really turned me off. I could barely get through the first few chapters and stopped listening after awhile because I didn't like it so much.

Any additional comments?

The narration was quite good. The narrators accent was perfect for a story set in England and made me really feel like I was there, which was and wasn't good. This is not for true fantasy fans. The majority of the first part of the book focused solely on the relationships of the characters. What little fantasy there was was disguised as normal life.

Fantastical Realism

This is the kind of story that I love. The characters were all very three dimensional and real. There was a a bit of supernatural in a very natural world and an intriguing amount of mystery. I highly recommend.

Fantasy for those who don't necessarily love it

Any additional comments?

I've never been a fan of the Fantasy genre but decided to give this book a try and I don't regret it. It's the perfect mix and you get multiple points of view. It also doesn't tie everything up in a nice bow but really leaves it up to you on what to believe.

just couldn't

get into it. Very slow paced. excellent description of countryside. Very european in pacing. Tried.