The Potato Factory

The Australian Trilogy, Book 1

By: Bryce Courtenay

Narrated by: Humphrey Bower

Length: 23 hrs and 22 mins

Publisher's summary

Always leave a little salt on the bread...

Ikey Solomon's favorite saying is also his way of doing business, and in the business of thieving he's very successful indeed. Ikey's partner in crime is his mistress, the forthright Mary Abacus, until misfortune befalls them. They are parted and each must make the harsh journey from thriving nineteenth century London to the convict settlement of Van Diemen's Land.

In the backstreets and dives of Hobart Town, Mary learns the art of brewing and builds The Potato Factory, where she plans a new future. But her ambitions are threatened by Ikey's wife, Hannah, her old enemy. The two women raise their separate families, one legitimate and the other bastard. As each woman sets out to destroy the other, the families are brought to the edge of disaster.

©2013 Christine Courtenay (P)2014 Bolinda Publishing Pty Ltd

Critic reviews

"In the tradition of Charles Dickens, Courtenay creates a unique cast of characters from the outset of this epic novel....Humphrey Bower's performance is a marvel...making this one of those rare books with a sweep of characters the readers come to care about deeply." (AudioFile)

good listen

the audio quality was a bit tinny, but I got used to it. The narrator did a really good job switching between characters, especially male/female. The story has great characters and really gives you gritty feel for life at that time. I found myself looking forward to getting into the car to pick up the story again.

Loved this!

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

I have recommended this to several people already, and almost feel like a pusher :) I was absolutely fascinated by the story, and the characters

What other book might you compare The Potato Factory to and why?

Can't really compare this to any other books I've read as far as the story. However it's similar in scope to a Ken Follett series

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

I don't believe I have heard the narrator before - but I've ordered the next 2 books in the series, so will surely hear him again.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

I was fascinated, laughed AND cried at parts of it - was horrified and gratified by parts of it

Horatio Alger could only wish. . . .

Bryce Courtenay is constantly pulling you into the story. You're really not to sure who the protagonist until you reach the end so you root for all.

I only leave reviews for the best of books and this is one.

Too much gore and too many history lessons

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

I reluctantly say it was worth listening too. I did learn a lot of history about this time period and about London and Australia -- although even this history major thought there was way way too much detail -- also as other reviewers have said that detail includes a lot of very well described and extremely gory and violent details. At times the plot line is lost in all of the history and description. There is also one particularly heinous and violent episode that is seared into my brain and that the book would have been just fine without. It's so awful I won't recount it here. This might have been fine if there had been more -- if there had been any relief for the reader in the form of characters that weren't filthy and violent or in some/any passages of kindess -- and okay I will say it love and love making (as opposed to rape and violation). All of that said -- the reader was fantastic -- he did a terrific job with many different voices.

Would you be willing to try another book from Bryce Courtenay? Why or why not?

I'm not sure I am up to listening to another one for the reasons above -- though I am curious to find out what happens next. I need the cliff notes version

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

No

If this book were a movie would you go see it?

Absolutely not.

So very dark

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

This looked like it would be wonderful and I thoroughly enjoyed the author's introduction, but this book is so very, very dark, I just can't get through it. The main characters have so few redeeming characteristics, that I can't sympathize with them at all.

Excellent

This was a very engrossing story. The narrator was excellent. You can't go wrong with this audiobook. I highly recommend it.

Amazing..and then it ends.

This story is long, but it doesn't seem so, as the writing is wonderful and the story, very descriptive and with intriguing twists, kept me interested. The narrator is great and each character has a distinct voice which makes it enjoyable to listen to. The only complaint I have, which I think is pretty universal in these reviews, is that the story seems to end suddenly, as if the author got tired of writing at that point and just wanted to wrap it up. That was a bit disappointing because I was very wrapped up in the excitement of the story at that point. I don't think I want to buy the next book just to find out what happened.

IT JUST DOESN'T GET BETTER

What made the experience of listening to The Potato Factory the most enjoyable?

THE WRITING IS MASTERFUL

Who was your favorite character and why?

SINCE I CAN ONLY NAME ONE, IT WOULD BE MARY. SHE EMBODIES ALL THAT IS GOOD AND STRONG IN THE NAME OF PERSEVERANCE.

Which scene was your favorite?

THE ARM WRESTLING SCENE BUT IN ALL HONESTY, EVERY SCENE IS MIND BLOWING.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

A SAGA OF CONSEQUENCE

Any additional comments?

I READ THE POWER OF ONE 15 YEARS AGO AND THOUGHT IT MOST BRILLIANT. SO PLEASED TO REDISCOVER BRYCE CORTENAY. I HAVE LEARNED THAT HE HAS WRITTEN 21 BOOKS AND HOPE TO READ THEM ALL. THE POTATO FACTORY IS AT THE VERY TOP OF MY ALL TIME FAVORITE BOOKS. RIVETING. THE CHARACTERS BREATHE. THE STORY IS EXTRAORDINARY. COULD NOT LOVE IT MORE.

Promising series start

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

I would recommend this book with caution to friends. It is graphic without being particularly deep, and fairly dark. I had a hard time relating to most of the characters, with the exception of Mary... but Bryce Courtenay's sense of setting is compelling, and Humphry Bower is always a great narrator.

What was the most interesting aspect of this story? The least interesting?

The most interesting aspect of the story was Mary's life on the Destiny 2. The least interesting probably the story of the whales and whaling ships...

Who was the most memorable character of The Potato Factory and why?

Mary Abacus. She clawed her way up from nothing, learned to be shrewd, and found a family of sorts with Tommo and Hawk and Ikey.

Any additional comments?

There is not much I can add here. I am going to continue the series in the hopes that "Tommo and Hawk" will be more hopeful and less dark. The Potato Factory is a good read, with a few unnecessarily long passages and an abrupt ending... worth re-reading to pick up some of the foreshadowing I missed before.

Great story !!

An intriguing, non-stop story with a twist at every turn. Mr Courtenay holds your attention throughout the book. Can't wait to start Tomo and Hawk.