Under the Influence

A Novel

De: Joyce Maynard

Narrado por: Joyce Maynard

The New York Times best-selling author of Labor Day and After Her returns with a poignant story about the true meaning - and the true price - of friendship.

Drinking cost Helen her marriage and custody of her seven-year-old son, Ollie. Once an aspiring art photographer, she now makes ends meet by taking portraits of schoolchildren and working for a caterer. Recovering from her addiction, she spends lonely evenings checking out profiles on an online dating site. Weekend visits with her son are awkward. He's drifting away from her fast.

When she meets Ava and Swift Havilland, the vulnerable Helen is instantly enchanted. Wealthy, connected philanthropists, they have their own charity devoted to rescuing dogs. Their home is filled with fabulous friends, edgy art, and dazzling parties.

Then Helen meets Elliott, a kind, quiet accountant who offers loyalty and love with none of her newfound friends' fireworks. To Swift and Ava, he's boring. But even worse than that, he's unimpressed by them.

As Helen increasingly falls under the Havillands' influence - running errands, doing random chores, questioning her relationship with Elliott - Ava and Swift hold out the most seductive gift: their influence and help to regain custody of her son. But the debt Helen owes them is about to come due.

Ollie witnesses an accident involving Swift, his grown son, and the daughter of the Havillands' housekeeper. With her young son's future in the balance, Helen must choose between the truth and the friends who have given her everything.

©2016 Joyce Maynard (P)2016 HarperCollins Publishers

A talented writer becomes a pawn for the media

Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

The story seems obligated to include the talking points of the liberal media.
Rich people must be bad and corrupt. Poor people are better. The best people
are the illegals who come from Central America.

If you’ve listened to books by Joyce Maynard before, how does this one compare?

I have read and enjoyed books by Joyce Maynard before, but never felt that she
had to suck up to the liberal media to have her book published.

Which character – as performed by Joyce Maynard – was your favorite?

Joyce Maynard did an excellent job of narrating her own novel.

Did Under the Influence inspire you to do anything?

I remember Maynard's essay in the New York Times Magazine section when she was in college. I will be very hesitant to read her other novels because it may be more propaganda from the liberal press.

Any additional comments?

Your novels would be much better when you don't have to push a liberal agenda.

Excellent

First off - great storyteller and writer. The story has everything to keep your interest. Intrigue, romance and human unpredictability. Loved this book and will seek out others from this author.

This book reels you in from the start

This is the first book I've read by author, Joyce Maynard. Overall it was a good book and story. The story focuses primarily on the friendship, unfolding among the 4 main characters. The character development is both rich and detailed. One feels drawn into the storyline almost instantly. While I truly loved the characters, and the excellent narration, by the author, the ending felt lacking. The story is entertaining and it was difficult to put down at times. Ultimately the ending feels less climactic than one might hope for after investing the time and emotional energy absorbing the story.

Great story involving sociopaths

Was gonna give it 4 stars but the ending was so great I bumped it up.

Really really good!

The book title caught my eye because of family members under the influence. I kept coming back to it in selecting a new audible. It did not disappoint! I had my EarPods in my ear as much as I could! It is such a good life story!
Her voice is Mesmerizing! She’s good! She should narrate all her books! 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟👍

Worth The Read

I am a new-ish reader. This story was good enough that I didn't want to put it down. It takes a lot to interest me. It kept me interested. The performance was good. Better than some other listens.

Will good prevail over bad or is hope enough?

Resonates across age, socioeconomic, marital status and gender groups. This book taps into so many current social and relational dilemmas such as substance abuse, custody battles, using the ‘system,’ with hard realism but common human emotions of family, friendship, love and, above all, dogged hope!

Well constructed story

I did enjoy this book. I t made sense how an emotional person can be manipulated into a situation that they never would have thought possible.

A fable beautifully narrated by author.

Very easy read. Characters go through some hard changes but lessons of right and wrong clearly defined.

Terrific book!

Beautifully told by the author. How rare a gem in which flawed people redeem themselves profoundly thru honesty, humility, perseverance… where the yearning for truth & simplicity wins!