• Arcadia Falls: Free First Chapter

  • By: Carol Goodman
  • Narrated by: Jen Taylor
  • Length: 20 mins
  • 3.6 out of 5 stars (1,009 ratings)
Arcadia Falls: Free First Chapter  By  cover art

Arcadia Falls: Free First Chapter

By: Carol Goodman
Narrated by: Jen Taylor

Publisher's summary

In debt after her husband's unexpected death, Meg Rosenthal secures a job as a teacher at an upstate New York boarding school. Leaving suburban Long Island, Meg and her teenage daughter, Sally, embark on a new life in Arcadia Falls, a beautiful but isolated small town and the inspiration for a number of magically eerie fairy tales.

With a hurtful rift growing between her and her daughter, Meg is hopeful that the change of scene will provide them with a fresh start. But it soon becomes clear to Meg that this isolated community hides deeply rooted and deadly secrets. And after a mysterious death, Arcadia Falls begins to reveal a disturbing dark side.

Listen to the rest of Arcadia Falls by Carol Goodman.
©2010 Carol Goodman (P)2010 BBC Audio

What listeners say about Arcadia Falls: Free First Chapter

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 3.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    367
  • 4 Stars
    233
  • 3 Stars
    193
  • 2 Stars
    105
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Performance
  • 4 out of 5 stars
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  • 4 Stars
    177
  • 3 Stars
    127
  • 2 Stars
    51
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Story
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    301
  • 4 Stars
    168
  • 3 Stars
    122
  • 2 Stars
    75
  • 1 Stars
    63

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Original and Cozy...Like an Autumn Read

Sophisticated fantasy/magic and mystery storyline based on an old fairytale. Probably would have never known about it had it not been offered first as a free chapter. I listened to the chapter and immediately bought the book afterwards. Solid writing throughout, and kept my attention. Worth a credit.

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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

Very realistic, yet imaginative

I really like how the mother and daughter interact. The daughter is a typical teen, but with a lot of imagination. The narrative is very descriptive and flows well. One of the better free samples. It really makes me want to hear more!

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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

An excellent book!

Loved it! It was very entertaining. I can't wait to read the entire book. I wish it would go on sale.




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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Not Convinced

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

Yes - I appreciated that I got a full chapter, 20 minutes instead of 5. Unfortunatly for the author and narrator, it convinced me that it wasn't for me.

How would you have changed the story to make it more enjoyable?

Change the voice of the winny daugher!

What aspect of Jen Taylor’s performance would you have changed?

Change the voice of the winny daugher!

Did Arcadia Falls: Free First Chapter inspire you to do anything?

It inspired me to move on and look for a different book.

Any additional comments?

I don't want to rate it too hard, I think it just wasn't a good fit for me. I think this is geared more towards women...

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

A fall of a teaser

This is a very short teaser for the rest of the story . It gives you a teaser lets you listen to the first chapter . Right when you get into it , it ends .

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    2 out of 5 stars

Hard to Follow

I was confused and even though it was only twenty minutes long, I lost interest quickly. Subconscious stopped listening while it still played.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Awesome

Superb audiobook. I love it. Audible comes with great books in adventure category. Audible rocks.

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    2 out of 5 stars

This Book is Not For Me

Would you try another book from Carol Goodman and/or Jen Taylor?

I may try another book by Carol Goodman, but no, I would not try another book with Jen Taylor as the narrator.

Has Arcadia Falls: Free First Chapter turned you off from other books in this genre?

No.

What didn’t you like about Jen Taylor’s performance?

Her narration sounds like she’s reading to five year olds.

Did Arcadia Falls: Free First Chapter inspire you to do anything?

No.

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4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Surprisingly Enchanting

This was only the first chapter so my expectations weren't high, but wow, was I happily surprised. There's an enchanting quality that echos the dark and surreal qualities of the original faerie tales--before Disney reworked them with their happy, G-rated endings. I am definitely interested in listening to the full novel.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Riveting & very well written

What did you like best about this story?

The imagery was wonderful. I was not expecting this free excerpt to be so good. I will definitely read more by this author. In a short time, you really got a sense of the relationship between the mother and daughter (and could empathize with both). The description is magical, both literally and figuratively as the memory of story-time between the characters draws you into a world of lost children, witches and spells. Very well handled, expertly read and beautifully constructed text.

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