Among Others

By: Jo Walton

Narrated by: Katherine Kellgren

Length: 10 hrs and 36 mins

Publisher's summary

Startling, unusual, and yet irresistably readable, Among Others is at once the compelling story of a young woman struggling to escape a troubled childhood, a brilliant diary of first encounters with the great novels of modern fantasy and SF, and a spellbinding tale of escape from ancient enchantment.

Raised by a half-mad mother who dabbled in magic, Morwenna Phelps found refuge in two worlds. As a child growing up in Wales, she played among the spirits who made their homes in industrial ruins. But her mind found freedom and promise in the science-fiction novels that were her closest companions. Then her mother tried to bend the spirits to dark ends, and Mori was forced to confront her in a magical battle that left her crippled - and her twin sister dead.

Fleeing to her father, whom she barely knew, Mori was sent to boarding school in England - a place all but devoid of true magic. There, outcast and alone, she tempted fate by doing magic herself, in an attempt to find a circle of like-minded friends. But her magic also drew the attention of her mother, bringing about a reckoning that could no longer be put off.

Combining elements of autobiography with flights of imagination in the manner of novels like Jonathan Lethem's The Fortress of Solitude, this is potentially a breakout book for an author whose genius has already been hailed by peers like Kelly Link, Sarah Weinman, and Ursula K. Le Guin.

©2010 Jo Walton (P)2011 Audible, Inc.

Critic reviews

• Hugo Award, Best Novel, 2012
• Nebula Award, Best Novel, 2011

“Walton succeeds admirably. Her novel is a wonder and a joy.” (The New York Times)

"Katherine Kellgren’s Welsh accent, with its lyrical cadences, suggests that audio may be the most authentic way to experience this 2011 winner of the Nebula Award." ( Audiofile)

Enjoyable Listen

I wasn't sure at first that I would like Among Others. I began not being able to relate to the main character. However, as the narrative unfolded, I found myself really liking and relating to her. I especially like all the Science Fiction references. It was too bad that, unlike having a book, I couldn't write all of them down. I did most of my listening in the car.

I also really thought that the narrator was fantastic. Her accents were great and he narrative extremely engaging.

Highly recommended.

Mickey

Subtle Character Piece

I loved this from start to end. Essentially a coming-of-age story, its diary format does not lend itself to strong plot points, and my major criticism is that the denoument is rather rushed at the end. But you can't help falling for Mori, especially for me, as she is such a SF/Fantasy nut and *devours* books.

But I adored Katherine Kellgren's performance, and was amazed to find out she's from the US. The "singsong" accent, with its "changes of inflection" was, to me being a Celt, a really great Welsh accent, along with good Southern English and west-country accents. Well done Katherine! Yes, it may be a little difficult to get used to, but on the eastern side of the pond it works really well.

Give it a go. It's a simple character piece that will make you smile.

Excellent book, beautiful narration.

This book is a beautifully written account of what it can be like to grow up with different interests from everyone around you. It's not over-the-top on melodrama, as some "geek anthems" can be, but it's by no means boring. It's thoughtful and feels, above all, honest. As a reader, I felt less like I identified with Mor, and more like she and I might have been friends had we met in school; or maybe we'd have been in the same book club.

Katherine Kellgren was excellent. She has really crisp diction and clear delivery, imbuing the words with emotion and emphasis without overdoing it. I really enjoyed her Welsh accent - I have family in Wales and I've always loved the musical quality of the language, and Ms Kellgren did not disappoint. It also fits the story, naturally enough.

All around, a personal favourite.

A love letter for classic sci-fi & fantasy

Written in the style of a diary or memoir, a fictional coming of age story of a teenage girl going to English boarding school in late seventies. It has the most realistic approach to how magic could exist in the real world, but there is very little magic actually done.
If you grew up as the outsider and used sci-fi, fantasy or reading as a form of escapism you'll connect with this main character. At least half the book is of her views and opinions of classic sci-fi & fantasy stories.
For some reason I found this an addictive read.

Fantasy?

Didn't really like this book. It was an interesting read but an unsatisfying story. Maybe I need a break from Jo Walton.

Bit of a let down

What did you like best about Among Others? What did you like least?

The reader is fabulous, and probably the reason I persevered with the story. The story is full of onerous details like what someone is wearing, expressions on faces, the weather, which slow everything down. The reader is hoping for a big finish to reward the slow going. But the end of this story is a bit of a fizzer.

Would you recommend Among Others to your friends? Why or why not?

Not really. There are plenty of better reads than this I can recommend.

What about Katherine Kellgren???s performance did you like?

Fabulous

Did Among Others inspire you to do anything?

Wish I hadn't bought more Jo Walton books

Good story, but narrator off on this one

I very much enjoyed READING the story, and I normally really like Katherine Kellgren. However, her Welsh accent in this one drove me crazy ~ too "sing-song" for my preferences.

Well-written, well-read. This is a "little" book.

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

Yes, I enjoyed the book but I also didn't expect too much.

What was your reaction to the ending? (No spoilers please!)

The ending was satisfying but not particularly profound.

Which scene was your favorite?

The challenge with this book is that nothing ever happened.

Was Among Others worth the listening time?

Listening to this was worth the time.

Book Reviews + Fairies

This book is, to be frank, a bit slow. I like this in an audiobook, so it didn't bother me.

It is written in first person: the diary of a young 15 year old girl in the late 70s in England. Mostly, we hear of her day to day problems at school, finding friends, and what books she is currently reading.

Interspersed with this are her stories of fairies, strange creatures that only a few people can see, and her battles with her mother, who is an evil witch, while our main protagonist in a good witch.

I'm not sure if I would have loved this book when I was 15 or not. The protagonist resonates with my idea of my childhood bookworm days, but at that age, I would not have been able to catch many of her references to famous scifi ("SF") and fantasy writers. As it stands, I still didn't catch many of the references. I personally often felt as if these references were overwhelming the story.

That being said, it's an enjoyable read, even if it is extremely sad at times, as our protagonist talks about her experiences with her dead twin sister in a matter of fact tone. I certainly finished the book with a long list of additional books that I want to read.

The voice actor, Kellgren, is a great deal of fun, and while at times the way she says "actually" and other words becomes a bit much, it's too much in a fun way, with her wonderful accent.

Oddly fascinating

I really don"t know why I like this story. It just kinda grabs and pulls you in. Something really odd about it that I can't yet identify.=== Engrossing, and I don't know why.