Gold: A Novel

I enjoyed this new novel, but it did not end up being one of my favorites. I guess I was hoping for a little more of the sport/Olympic storyline than personal drama, but it is a novel after all! It was written and narrated very well. My ratings reflect how much I enjoy a particular book, and overall, Gold was not a bad way to spend my time and credit--

I seem to love audio more than printed anymore. I usually do whispersync but I love the audio. It is alot faster to read a book.

Kate was my favorite because of the choices she made in her life.

Probably the coach because she had to really stretch her abilities to make him be believable.

Zoe because she is soooo competitive.

Yes---overall it was great.

Tom--- because he had to be the steady sensible person juggling his three athletes.

No first time

Tom to hear the stories he must have to tell.

No

don't know, as I haven't read the book, only listened

the kid, wise like any fiction kid, because she is sustained by space fantasy

she did a good job of allowing the author's characters to come through

the husband or the coach
because I'd want to find out more about them

this is a book you will want to hear every episode, go back to those missed parts when your fall asleep when listening late at night. every character is quite interesting, you'll care about each one

Wide-ranging, human, emotional

Kate - I could so connect with her desire to please but wanting to win at the same time.

Emilia Fox did a very credible job of the different voices and settings - I don't recall any passages where I was confused about who was speaking. Her performance also kept me engaged.

Zoe - I can't imagine the torment she went through, but it all seemed believeable.

I couldn't stay away from the book but I was reluctant to finish it - I didn't want the book to be over. Of course, the timing was perfect for me (Aug'12) but I think this story would be just as engaging at any time.
I generally go for the longer books - I'm an Audible addict - but I've had the unfortunate habit recently of getting tired of books before they're done. This was absolutely not the case with this book.

I loved the complexity of the relationships and the revealing of the backstory in small doses.

It was a blast to read during the olympics and be able to watch the athletes in action in real time.

All of the characters were great, but I think I liked Tom, the coach, best.

I'll never forget the scene with Zoe and her brother. Never.

I was so addicted to listening that I extended my workouts so I could keep listening! I had horrible withdrawl after the book was over and I'm having a hard time choosing my next listen because I was so immersed in Gold.

Yes, the narrator made this book interesting and fun to listen to.

I loved Zoe! She is flawed, but there is something about her that kept me wanting to hear more.

She makes you feel like you are listening to the girls conversation.

This was a book that I got hooked too and had a hard time turning off. I did have to break it up, but once I got started it was hard to turn it off.

The narrator does an excellent job. She acts the various parts and does so convincingly bringing more to the book than if it was just words on the page. But... I wasn't a huge fan of Cleave's first book and I wanted to give him another try since I was in the minority then. I had loved Little Bee until the last 30 pages, so I was hopeful that it was a fluke. Unfortunately, my issues with Gold started much earlier in the book. And while I like Gold better that Little Bee, I still don't buy all of the plot twists that it took to continue to throw these four people together and keep them interacting throughout the book. I don't know that real people confronted with these challenges would have acted in the same way and if they would, the story still didn't ring true. There were too many flying leaps. A Cleave fan will probably overlook these issues, in which case, listen away!

It was interesting to read this novel about 3 Olympic athletes (and their coach) during the 2012 summer Olympics, but it would be good and relevant any time. The overall theme of the book is "what matters most in life, your career ambitions (and money/fame) or the people in your life that you love?

To avoid spoilers -- wording it this way: A crucial decision made by the husband of one of the main characters, near the end of the novel, during an important race she was participating in.

The narrator did a good job of making the different characters actually sound different.

Kate

The one child in Gold has a fixation with Star Wars. I thought there was too much Star Wars discussion during the times the novel was told from the child's viewpoint.

My wife and I listened on a road trip. I didn't know how much she was enjoying till I offered to finish it and move on to another choice. Then we both agreed it was a good story, well told, and entertaining to the end. My wife and I don't often agree that much.

A good look at the price of a gold medal.