Mudbound

By: Hillary Jordan

Narrated by: Ezra Knight, Kate Forbes, Joseph Collins, Tom Stechschulte, Peter Jay Fernandez, Brenda Pressley

Hillary Jordan's mesmerizing debut novel won the Bellwether Prize for fiction. A powerful piece of Southern literature, Mudbound takes on prejudice in its myriad forms on a Mississippi Delta farm in 1946. City girl Laura McAllen attempts to raise her family despite questionable decisions made by her husband. Tensions continue to rise when her brother-in-law and the son of a family of sharecroppers both return from WWII as changed men bearing the scars of combat.©2008 Hillary Jordan (P)2008 Recorded Books

Perfect from start to finish...

I enjoyed this book almost as much as I enjoyed, The Help. I say almost just because it wasn't as long. Like The Help, the different narrators in Mudbound added a level of enjoyment to the story that I would never have experienced had I read the book on my own. Once the story began, I did not stop listening nor did I need to 'rewind'. The story flows from the first sentence to the last, a 'down to earth (or mud)' kind of story that tugs at my heart long after I've finished.

Loved it

What made the experience of listening to Mudbound the most enjoyable?

I liked heraing about the deep south. They live totally different lives then I know.

Which scene was your favorite?

I did not like the scene in the barn.

Any additional comments?

Good book the coming of age of young people in the deep south blacks, whites, women, and the old order of things.

A whole new view!

When my book club chose this book, I thought "Oh no, another "issues" book. It was, but not in the way I expected. It brought a whole new understanding for me and I will remember the story for a long time. I recommended it to my husband. There were issues but told through the eyes of WW2 veterans, farm wives who are trapped in toil and the cruelty to a race that lasted well into the 20th century. All a different take on the stories we like to glorify about the rural south. My only complaint is with the recording which on multiple occasions repeated itself for a few lines.

Breathless

There were points I was left breathless and heartbroken. Oh how happy I am to not have grown up in Mississippi during those years.

Great but unfortunately

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

I loved the story and all but one of the narrators (Jamie's character). Unfortunately the audiobook did not download properly and skipped a bunch of chapters. By then, I was so in to the story, I bought it on Kindle and started when the audio left off. Hope it doesn't happen to you, but be warned.

Felt like the writer was trying too hard

While this book is very atmospheric and the voices are well done, I didn't care much for the essence of the story. It sounded like the writer was trying to write like Welty and Faulkner and so many other writers. The ending was ho-hum.

Very Moving Book

This is a very thought-provoking book about what prejudice and hate can do to people, but it is also a book about love and courage. It is not a book to be forgotten soon.

Excellent Production

Superb narration by different voices, each with a perspective on the unfolding story. The story is dramatic and tense, infused with vivid and painful images. This book and the Blues would be the perfect audio mix for a road trip through the Delta.

The title, "Mudbound" says it all

I enjoyed listening to this book only because the perfomances were excellent and I had to get through it for my bookclub. Each actor brought their character to life.If I had to read it, I would have stopped after the first half. The story was not at all original and does not compare in my opinion to,The Help, which had characters that were flawed but likeable, had balance and a hopeful message. In Mudbound,the white characters were either horrible sadists, racists, or at best weakminded. The black characters were all passive, tortured or doomed to a life of misery with no way out. It was bleak and depressing. I guess the title should have been a hint where the story was going- listening I felt like I was sucked down into misery! I am sorry I wasted my time.

Cant wait for the movie

this story was good to listen to and I enjoyed the narration. cant wait for the movie