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The Burgess Boys  By  cover art

The Burgess Boys

By: Elizabeth Strout
Narrated by: Cassandra Campbell
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Editorial reviews

Editors Select, March 2013 - Jim and Bob Burgess escaped their Maine hometown just as soon as they could…but now their nephew’s ‘antics’ have brought them back home where they’re forced to relive the accident that killed their father and deal with the (not-so-pretty) realities of their relationships. Elizabeth Strout won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction for her last book, Olive Kitteridge, which I loved, so my expectations were high for this new novel. Similar to Olive, the protagonists here aren’t necessarily likeable, but the character studies are so insightful, so raw and real, you can’t help but be drawn in – especially with Cassandra Campbell at the helm. Diana D., Audible Editor

Publisher's summary

Haunted by the freak accident that killed their father when they were children, Jim and Bob Burgess escaped from their Maine hometown of Shirley Falls for New York City as soon as they possibly could. Jim, a sleek, successful corporate lawyer, has belittled his bighearted brother their whole lives, and Bob, a Legal Aid attorney who idolizes Jim, has always taken it in stride. But their long-standing dynamic is upended when their sister, Susan - the Burgess sibling who stayed behind - urgently calls them home. Her lonely teenage son, Zach, has gotten himself into a world of trouble, and Susan desperately needs their help. And so the Burgess brothers return to the landscape of their childhood, where the long-buried tensions that have shaped and shadowed their relationship begin to surface in unexpected ways that will change them forever.

With a rare combination of brilliant storytelling, exquisite prose, and remarkable insight into character, Elizabeth Strout has brought to life two deeply human protagonists whose struggles and triumphs will resonate with listeners long after the ausiobook is over. Tender, tough-minded, loving, and deeply illuminating about the ties that bind us to family and home, The Burgess Boys is Elizabeth Strout’s newest and perhaps most astonishing work of literary art.

©2013 Elizabeth Strout (P)2013 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

"Deeply human... Though loneliness and loss haunt these pages, Strout also supplies gentle humor and a nourishing dose of hope.” ( Booklist)

What listeners say about The Burgess Boys

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  • Overall
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    4 out of 5 stars

Everything except the accent

This narrator would be SO AMAZING for another novel, but the majority of the characters in the book are from New England, so my Massachusetts-born earns flinch at moment of dialogue. It’s really an accent only locals can do. I’m not trying to be a snob about it, but it is CRINGEWORTHY.

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  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
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    1 out of 5 stars

What a nothing burger!

There’s no plot, the story meanders around in aimless circles, populated by forgettable characters. This book left such a faint impression on me that while I just finished listening to it, I’ve already forgotten it. If I had to give a fellow reader a synopsis, I’d fail. Very disappointing, given the high standard set by Olive Kitteridge.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Great Story!

3 Siblings, multi-faceted relationships. Located in NY/New England. Cassandra Campbell is a skilled Storyteller.. You won't be disappointed.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Might be my favorite Strout novel

I’m always surprised by how profoundly moved I am by Strout’s novels. Maybe the surprise comes from how far removed I am from these characters (I’m African American and a city girl through and through). The emotion comes from how completely relatable she renders these characters and their lives. And for those to which I can’t relate, I’ve gained newfound understanding. It’s a remarkable talent she has.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Power of Story

Another Gem from this author! What a master of the woven story! I loved this!

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Its just grow on you...

Took me a while to get into the book but then I couldn't put it down. The figures, the narration and the story build this delicate story which you are not sure that you want it to end.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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Interesting but sad

Holds ones attention despite being about a dysfunctional family. Existential sadness which narrator's voice and style reinforces.

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Wonderful

It is nice to read a book with well developed characters that are middle-aged. Very teal

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

Burgess Boys is an odd story with unique characters.

It started out very slow. Did not like Helen, she was so self absorbed. Would not recommend.

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  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars
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    1 out of 5 stars

Now In My Worst Books List

13+ hours of book and nothing happens. I finally turned the reading speed to 1.25 just to get through. I stuck with it to the end, because I stupidly held out hope that there was a purpose to the story. The actual story ended 2 hours before the book. There never was, and then it ended. I do not think I have to like characters to like the book, but I do want to see their story complete.There were at least 5 characters that just sort of disappeared in this book. If they were not important, don't write them in. Especially with long descriptions of their life history. It did nothing to move the story along. Then there were the scenes that had no purpose. My favorite example of this is Jim's itching peeling feet. Why did Ms Strout write that scene, and what editor left it in there? Lastly, we started with a mother and daughter discussing the Burgess family and the daughter deciding to write that story. The epilogue might have tied us back to that, but there was no epilogue.
Although Cassandra Campbell is usually a great reader, she read this so slowly it made a bad situation even worse.

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