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The Making of Her  By  cover art

The Making of Her

By: Bernadette Jiwa
Narrated by: Aoife McMahon
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Publisher's summary

Chosen as one of New York Post's Best Books of 2022

People were forever telling her how lucky she was. But what did people know?

Dublin 1966. When Joan Quinn, a factory girl from the Cranmore Estate, marries Martin Egan, it looks like her dreams have come true. But Joan lives in the shadow of a secret–the couple’s decision to give up their first daughter for adoption only months before.

Then one day in 1996, a letter arrives from their eldest daughter. Emma needs her birth parents’ help; it’s a matter of life and death. And the fragile facade of Joan’s life finally begins to crack.

Spanning the nineties and the sixties, with Dublin as its backdrop, The Making of Her is the tender and binge-worthy story of marriage, motherhood, a culture that would not allow a woman to find true happiness—and her journey to finally claim it.

©2022 Bernadette Jiwa (P)2022 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

"“Bernadette Jiwa’s powerful debut serves as a tribute to motherhood and the strength of women.”Veranda

"Memorable insights are quotable and the ending is satisfyingly true to the ups and downs experienced by Joan’s extended family. Fans of Maeve Binchey, Cathy Kelly, or Adriana Trigiani may find a new favorite author here.”Booklist (starred)

"Tightly crafted women's fiction, with a sensitive look at love, conscience, and loyalty."New York Journal of Books

What listeners say about The Making of Her

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Great story

Well written. Well produced. Well delivered in Audio. I hope she writes more stories soon.

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  • Overall
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Wow, really touching, incredible story.

Wonderful story. I enjoyed the seamless moves through time. The pain of the mother giving up her child. The big differences of her desires, and what HAS to be done. All put together in a touching, tear jerking and potent story. The lovely details of scenery buttoned up the story into a lovely package. This is an incredible work of art.

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Relatable relevant enjoyable

The voice artist did a beautiful job. She was a pleasure to hear and I marveled at her skill. The story was solid and thought-provoking but not so much that I couldn’t simply enjoy.

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