The Family Frying Pan

By: Bryce Courtenay

Narrated by: Melissa Eccleston, Humphrey Bower

Length: 8 hrs and 2 mins

Publisher's summary

Mrs. Moses is a small woman with a big heart and enormous courage. The only survivor of a Cossack raid on her village, she takes with her a big cast-iron frying pan, so heavy that she can only sling it over her back. Yet this is no ordinary frying pan, it's The Family Frying Pan, blessed with a Russian soul. From this frying pan Mrs. Moses manages to feed the various refugees who are travelling with her across Russia to freedom. In return, each of the group must tell a story around the campfire at night, stories of compassion and bravery, of human frailty and, above all, of hope.

©2013 Christine Courtenay; 2014 Bolinda Publishing Pty. Ltd

Not my favorite

I love Bryce Courtenay's books! Humphrey Bower narrating is the cherry om top! Although this book was well written; it wasnt real crazy about it.

Not an inspiring or interesting book

I did not warm to this book. It was a letdown, I felt that it was a book written for money and little else.

Story: Because of the way in which this story is told the characters are not people that I cared about. The story is told as the group stops to chat during their escape. Each person tells how they came to be amongst the persecuted and felt the need to escape from their country of origin. I only cared for one of the characters and that was the one that loved her husband a little too much. I think that perhaps Mr. Courtenay has failed here is because the story is someone else's, not his.

Narrator: Even Mr. Bower seemed bored by this. Perhaps I am mistaken and it was just that I couldn't wait for it to be over. But this wasn't his usual standard. Still better than most but not his greatest work.

Bryce is amazing

I have read several of Bryce's books. I never found one I didn't love. I could never tire of his imagination. Humphrey Bower is second to none as a narrator. I would read anything he reads.

A little whimsical story.

Not the usual style of Bryce but still enjoyable. I have read or listened to almost all of his books, and enjoyed every one.

Excellent narration

I enjoyed this Bryce Courtenay story. It was more like a series of short stories woven into one story. This was not my favorite Courtenay book, but still a worthy listen.

Excellent

I enjoyed every word in the book. I loved hearing it via audible some. Awesome

The female narrator simply bored me to death!

The usual narrator Humphrey is spectacular but in this case he only narrates part of the book. I had to literally skip half of the book whiles he was narrating.

Different concept to his others

What did you love best about The Family Frying Pan?

I loved all the different stories. I loved how the story was told, it made it very real. You could really feel the pain of the character's lives.

What did you like best about this story?

I liked how all the different stories were interweaved with their current situations and that the tales were told around the Family Frying Pan to other people who were interested despite their pain and suffering of the past and the present.

What about Melissa Eccleston and Humphrey Bower ’s performance did you like?

I love listening to anything that Humphrey Bower reads. He is my favourite narrator. I read/listen to books because he is involved. I thought Melissa Eccleston did a fantastic job and will seek out other books that she narrates.

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

Yes, many moments in the book particularly moved me.

Wow

So very, very well done. Courtesy never ceases to amaze me! Superbly done as always by Bower and Eccleston!

Folk Tales

I never thought that I would be so uninspired by one of Bryce's books! I felt that this book should have just stayed in the family circle where it would be more appreciated and read by the members of the family and then their Grandmother would come to life. The short little tales told in that interminable female Russian accent only got boring and I found myself fast forwarding and stifling a yawn. I am so disappointed as I had Bryce on a pedestal as a writer.