Boy Swallows Universe
People who bought this also bought...
-
The Seven or Eight Deaths of Stella Fortuna
- A Novel
- By: Juliet Grames
- Narrated by: Lisa Flanagan
- Length: 16 hrs and 57 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 227
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 210
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 211
For Stella Fortuna, death has always been a part of life. Stella’s childhood is full of strange, life-threatening incidents - moments where ordinary situations like cooking eggplant or feeding the pigs inexplicably take lethal turns. Even Stella’s own mother is convinced that her daughter is cursed or haunted. When the Fortunas emigrate to America on the cusp of World War II, Stella and her sister, Tina, must come of age side by side in a hostile new world with strict expectations for each of them.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Tough to be a woman
- By DRod on 01-10-20
-
We Are Water
- A Novel
- By: Wally Lamb
- Narrated by: Wally Lamb, George Guidall, Maggi-Meg Reed, and others
- Length: 23 hrs and 11 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 2,510
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 2,270
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 2,277
After 27 years of marriage and three children, Anna Oh - wife, mother, outsider artist - has fallen in love with Viveca, the wealthy Manhattan art dealer who orchestrated her success. They plan to wed in the Oh family’s hometown of Three Rivers in Connecticut. But the wedding provokes some very mixed reactions and opens a Pandora’s Box of toxic secrets - dark and painful truths that have festered below the surface of the Ohs' lives.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Lamb writes Fine Literature/What a Book!
- By Suzn F on 10-27-13
-
The Bookshop of Yesterdays
- By: Amy Meyerson
- Narrated by: Ann Marie Gideon
- Length: 11 hrs and 39 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 462
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 420
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 417
Miranda Brooks grew up in the stacks of her eccentric uncle Billy’s bookstore, solving the inventive scavenger hunts he created just for her. But on Miranda’s 12th birthday, Billy has a mysterious falling-out with her mother and suddenly disappears from Miranda’s life. She doesn’t hear about him again until 16 years later when she receives unexpected news: Billy has died and left her Prospero Books, which is teetering on bankruptcy, and one final scavenger hunt.
-
3 out of 5 stars
-
Couldn't connect with the main character
- By Sallie on 09-08-18
-
The Substitution Order
- By: Martin Clark
- Narrated by: David Aaron Baker
- Length: 13 hrs and 22 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 3,256
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 2,974
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 2,969
From Martin Clark - praised by Entertainment Weekly as "our best legal-thriller writer" - comes a wickedly clever, tenderhearted, and intricately plotted novel about a hard-luck lawyer's refusal to concede defeat, even as fate, the court system, and a gang of untouchable con artists conspire against him.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Edge of your seat thriller+love David Aaron Baker
- By AJ on 09-16-19
-
Britt-Marie Was Here
- A Novel
- By: Fredrik Backman
- Narrated by: Joan Walker
- Length: 9 hrs and 18 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 9,275
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 8,530
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 8,514
Britt-Marie can't stand mess. She eats dinner at precisely the right time and starts her day at six in the morning because only lunatics wake up later than that. And she is not passive-aggressive. Not in the least. It's just that sometimes people interpret her helpful suggestions as criticisms, which is certainly not her intention. But at 63, Britt-Marie has had enough. She finally walks out on her loveless 40-year marriage and finds a job in the only place she can: Borg, a small, derelict town devastated by the financial crisis.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
A Gem
- By Sara on 05-12-16
-
Washington Black
- A Novel
- By: Esi Edugyan
- Narrated by: Dion Graham
- Length: 12 hrs and 18 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 2,104
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 1,957
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 1,942
George Washington Black, or "Wash", an 11-year-old field slave on a Barbados sugar plantation, is terrified to be chosen by his master's brother as his manservant. To his surprise, the eccentric Christopher Wilde turns out to be a naturalist, explorer, inventor, and abolitionist. Soon Wash is initiated into a world where a flying machine can carry a man across the sky, where even a boy born in chains may embrace a life of dignity and meaning - and where two people, separated by an impossible divide, can begin to see each other as human. But when a man is killed and a bounty is placed on Wash's head, Christopher and Wash must abandon everything.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Now what do I do?
- By Mary L. Doyle on 10-04-18
-
The Seven or Eight Deaths of Stella Fortuna
- A Novel
- By: Juliet Grames
- Narrated by: Lisa Flanagan
- Length: 16 hrs and 57 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 227
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 210
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 211
For Stella Fortuna, death has always been a part of life. Stella’s childhood is full of strange, life-threatening incidents - moments where ordinary situations like cooking eggplant or feeding the pigs inexplicably take lethal turns. Even Stella’s own mother is convinced that her daughter is cursed or haunted. When the Fortunas emigrate to America on the cusp of World War II, Stella and her sister, Tina, must come of age side by side in a hostile new world with strict expectations for each of them.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Tough to be a woman
- By DRod on 01-10-20
-
We Are Water
- A Novel
- By: Wally Lamb
- Narrated by: Wally Lamb, George Guidall, Maggi-Meg Reed, and others
- Length: 23 hrs and 11 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 2,510
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 2,270
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 2,277
After 27 years of marriage and three children, Anna Oh - wife, mother, outsider artist - has fallen in love with Viveca, the wealthy Manhattan art dealer who orchestrated her success. They plan to wed in the Oh family’s hometown of Three Rivers in Connecticut. But the wedding provokes some very mixed reactions and opens a Pandora’s Box of toxic secrets - dark and painful truths that have festered below the surface of the Ohs' lives.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Lamb writes Fine Literature/What a Book!
- By Suzn F on 10-27-13
-
The Bookshop of Yesterdays
- By: Amy Meyerson
- Narrated by: Ann Marie Gideon
- Length: 11 hrs and 39 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 462
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 420
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 417
Miranda Brooks grew up in the stacks of her eccentric uncle Billy’s bookstore, solving the inventive scavenger hunts he created just for her. But on Miranda’s 12th birthday, Billy has a mysterious falling-out with her mother and suddenly disappears from Miranda’s life. She doesn’t hear about him again until 16 years later when she receives unexpected news: Billy has died and left her Prospero Books, which is teetering on bankruptcy, and one final scavenger hunt.
-
3 out of 5 stars
-
Couldn't connect with the main character
- By Sallie on 09-08-18
-
The Substitution Order
- By: Martin Clark
- Narrated by: David Aaron Baker
- Length: 13 hrs and 22 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 3,256
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 2,974
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 2,969
From Martin Clark - praised by Entertainment Weekly as "our best legal-thriller writer" - comes a wickedly clever, tenderhearted, and intricately plotted novel about a hard-luck lawyer's refusal to concede defeat, even as fate, the court system, and a gang of untouchable con artists conspire against him.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Edge of your seat thriller+love David Aaron Baker
- By AJ on 09-16-19
-
Britt-Marie Was Here
- A Novel
- By: Fredrik Backman
- Narrated by: Joan Walker
- Length: 9 hrs and 18 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 9,275
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 8,530
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 8,514
Britt-Marie can't stand mess. She eats dinner at precisely the right time and starts her day at six in the morning because only lunatics wake up later than that. And she is not passive-aggressive. Not in the least. It's just that sometimes people interpret her helpful suggestions as criticisms, which is certainly not her intention. But at 63, Britt-Marie has had enough. She finally walks out on her loveless 40-year marriage and finds a job in the only place she can: Borg, a small, derelict town devastated by the financial crisis.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
A Gem
- By Sara on 05-12-16
-
Washington Black
- A Novel
- By: Esi Edugyan
- Narrated by: Dion Graham
- Length: 12 hrs and 18 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 2,104
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 1,957
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 1,942
George Washington Black, or "Wash", an 11-year-old field slave on a Barbados sugar plantation, is terrified to be chosen by his master's brother as his manservant. To his surprise, the eccentric Christopher Wilde turns out to be a naturalist, explorer, inventor, and abolitionist. Soon Wash is initiated into a world where a flying machine can carry a man across the sky, where even a boy born in chains may embrace a life of dignity and meaning - and where two people, separated by an impossible divide, can begin to see each other as human. But when a man is killed and a bounty is placed on Wash's head, Christopher and Wash must abandon everything.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Now what do I do?
- By Mary L. Doyle on 10-04-18
-
A Bigger Picture
- By: Malcolm Turnbull
- Narrated by: Malcolm Turnbull
- Length: 25 hrs and 28 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 17
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 15
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 15
Candid and compelling, A Bigger Picture is the definitive narrative of Malcolm Turnbull’s prime ministership. He describes how he legalised same-sex marriage, established Snowy Hydro 2.0, stood up to Donald Trump and many achievements – remarkable in their pace and significance, and that they were delivered in the teeth of so much opposition. But it’s far more than just politics. Turnbull’s life has been filled with colourful characters and controversies, success and failure.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
our system is broken
- By Stefan.P.Gillard on 05-29-20
-
Tell Me Lies
- By: J. P. Pomare
- Narrated by: Aimee Horne
- Length: 6 hrs and 20 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 16,775
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 15,056
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 15,002
Psychologist Margot Scott has a picture-perfect life: a nice house in the suburbs, a husband, two children and a successful career. On a warm spring morning Margot approaches one of her clients on a busy train platform. He is looking down at his phone, with his duffel bag in hand as the train approaches. That’s when she slams into his back and he falls in front of the train. Margot’s clients all lie to her, but one lie cost her family and freedom.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Utterly Compulsive! That Ending OMG
- By Tracy on 03-05-20
-
Bowlaway
- A Novel
- By: Elizabeth McCracken
- Narrated by: Kate Reading
- Length: 12 hrs and 52 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall3.5 out of 5 stars 154
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 141
-
Story3.5 out of 5 stars 139
From the day she is discovered unconscious in a New England cemetery at the turn of the 20th century - nothing but a bowling ball, a candlepin, and 15 pounds of gold on her person - Bertha Truitt is an enigma to everyone in Salford, Massachusetts. She has no past to speak of, and her mysterious origin scandalizes and intrigues the townspeople, as does her choice to marry and start a family with Leviticus Sprague, the doctor who revived her. But the bowling alley she opens quickly becomes Salford’s most defining landmark - with Bertha its most notable resident.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Quirky tale of a legacy of an eccentric.
- By Sheila on 06-19-19
-
Luna and the Lie
- By: Mariana Zapata
- Narrated by: Callie Dalton, Gomez Pugh
- Length: 17 hrs
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 1,076
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 1,009
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 1,008
Luna Allen has done some things she would rather no one ever know about. She also knows that, if she could go back in time, she wouldn’t change a single thing. With three sisters she loves, a job she (mostly) adores, and a family built up of friends she’s made over the years, Luna figures everything has worked out the way it was supposed to. But when one of those secrets involves the man who signs her paycheck, she can’t find it in her to regret it. Despite the fact that he’s not the friendliest man in the world. Or the most patient.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
😭
- By JM Saenz on 04-20-19
-
The Dutch House
- A Novel
- By: Ann Patchett
- Narrated by: Tom Hanks
- Length: 9 hrs and 53 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 27,489
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 25,236
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 25,067
At the end of the Second World War, Cyril Conroy combines luck and a single canny investment to begin an enormous real estate empire, propelling his family from poverty to enormous wealth. His first order of business is to buy the Dutch House, a lavish estate in the suburbs outside of Philadelphia. Meant as a surprise for his wife, the house sets in motion the undoing of everyone he loves. The story is told by Cyril’s son Danny, as he and his older sister, the brilliantly acerbic and self-assured Maeve, are exiled from the house where they grew up by their stepmother.
-
2 out of 5 stars
-
Not my favorite Patchett
- By Regina on 12-07-19
-
The Huntress
- A Novel
- By: Kate Quinn
- Narrated by: Saskia Maarleveld
- Length: 18 hrs and 39 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 7,737
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 7,185
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 7,148
Bold and fearless, Nina Markova always dreamed of flying. When the Nazis attack the Soviet Union, she risks everything to join the legendary Night Witches, an all-female night bomber regiment wreaking havoc on the invading Germans. When she is stranded behind enemy lines, Nina becomes the prey of a lethal Nazi murderess known as the Huntress, and only Nina's bravery and cunning will keep her alive.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Good weekend read
- By Anonymous User on 03-22-19
-
Forgive Me, Leonard Peacock
- By: Matthew Quick
- Narrated by: Noah Galvin
- Length: 6 hrs and 19 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 1,084
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 986
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 990
Today is Leonard Peacock's birthday. It is also the day he hides a gun in his backpack. Because today is the day he will kill his former best friend, and then himself, with his grandfather's P-38 pistol. But first he must say good-bye to the four people who matter most to him: his Humphrey Bogart - obsessed next-door neighbor, Walt; his classmate Baback, a violin virtuoso; Lauren, the Christian homeschooler he has a crush on; and Herr Silverman, who teaches the high school's class on the Holocaust.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Difficult ... Beautiful ... Raw
- By AudioAddict on 01-29-15
-
Be Frank with Me
- A Novel
- By: Julia Claiborne Johnson
- Narrated by: Tavia Gilbert
- Length: 8 hrs and 37 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 3,860
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 3,568
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 3,561
Reclusive literary legend M. M. "Mimi" Banning has been holed up in her Bel Air mansion for years. But after falling prey to a Bernie Madoff-style Ponzi scheme, she's flat broke. Now Mimi must write a new book for the first time in decades, and to ensure the timely delivery of her manuscript, her New York publisher sends an assistant to monitor her progress. The prickly Mimi reluctantly complies - with a few stipulations: no Ivy Leaguers or English majors. Must drive, cook, tidy. Computer whiz. Good with kids.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
A Whirlwind
- By Sara on 09-02-16
-
Nothing to See Here
- By: Kevin Wilson
- Narrated by: Marin Ireland
- Length: 6 hrs and 40 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 4,480
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 4,108
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 4,085
Lillian and Madison were unlikely roommates and yet inseparable friends at their elite boarding school. But then, Lillian had to leave the school unexpectedly in the wake of a scandal, and they’ve barely spoken since. Until now, when Lillian gets a letter from Madison pleading for her help. Madison’s twin stepkids are moving in with her family, and she wants Lillian to be their caretaker. However, there’s a catch: The twins spontaneously combust when they get agitated, flames igniting from their skin in a startling but beautiful way.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Everything to see here!
- By KayMac on 10-30-19
-
Second Skin
- Audible Original Novella
- By: Christian White
- Narrated by: Ellen Archer
- Length: 4 hrs and 28 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 9,429
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 8,319
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 8,303
Stan Weir is mourning a tragic loss when he meets a mysterious nine-year-old girl, who claims to be the reincarnated spirit of his late wife. Marcy Keef is a single mother trying to make ends meet when her daughter Erin starts describing ‘past life memories’. Neither wants to believe Erin, but as violent secrets are revealed, the truth becomes harder to deny.
-
3 out of 5 stars
-
Authors just should not put any twist they want
- By Eve Ducky on 04-04-20
-
This Is How It Always Is
- A Novel
- By: Laurie Frankel
- Narrated by: Gabra Zackman
- Length: 11 hrs
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 9,669
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 8,811
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 8,793
When Rosie and Penn and their four boys welcome the newest member of their family, no one is surprised it's another baby boy. At least their large, loving, chaotic family knows what to expect. But Claude is not like his brothers. One day he puts on a dress and refuses to take it off. He wants to bring a purse to kindergarten. He wants hair long enough to sit on. When he grows up, Claude says, he wants to be a girl.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Great.. for the most part..
- By wdarling on 10-11-18
-
Ungovernable
- The Victorian Parent's Guide to Raising Flawless Children
- By: Therese Oneill
- Narrated by: Dara Rosenberg, Betsy Foldes Meiman
- Length: 6 hrs and 48 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 81
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 74
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 73
Feminist historian Therese Oneill is back, to educate you on what to expect when you're expecting...a Victorian baby! In Ungovernable, Oneill conducts an unforgettable tour through the backward, pseudoscientific, downright bizarre parenting fashions of the Victorians.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Unexpected and Hilarious
- By M. Huber on 05-21-19
Publisher's Summary
"The best Australian novel I have read in more than a decade." (Sydney Morning Herald)
"Astonishing, captivating.... A wild, beautiful, heart-exploding ride" (Elizabeth Gilbert)
The bestselling novel that has taken Australia, and the world, by storm. Winner of Book of the Year at the 2019 Indie Book Awards, winner of a record four Australian Book Industry Awards in 2019, including the prestigious Book of the Year Award, and winner of the 2019 UTS Glenda Adams Award for New Writing, NSW Premier's Literary Awards
Brisbane, 1983: A lost father, a mute brother, a mum in jail, a heroin dealer for a stepfather and a notorious crim for a babysitter. It's not as if Eli's life isn't complicated enough already. He's just trying to follow his heart, learning what it takes to be a good man, but life just keeps throwing obstacles in the way - not least of which is Tytus Broz, legendary Brisbane drug dealer.
But Eli's life is about to get a whole lot more serious. He's about to fall in love. And, oh yeah, he has to break into Boggo Road Gaol on Christmas Day, to save his mum.
A story of brotherhood, true love, and the most unlikely of friendships, Boy Swallows Universe will be the most heartbreaking, joyous, and exhilarating novel you will read all year.
Awards:
- 2019 ABIA Book of the Year Award,
- Winner 2019 Indie Book Award,
- Winner 2019 UTS Glenda Adams Award for New Writing,
- NSW Premier's Literary Awards,
- Winner 2019 People's Choice Award,
- NSW Premier's Literary Awards,
- Winner MUD Literary Prize 2019,
- Winner 2019 ABIA Matt Richell Award for New Writer of the Year,
- Winner 2019 ABIA Literary Fiction Book of the Year,
- Winner 2019 ABIA Audiobook of the Year,
- Winner 2019 Miles Franklin Literary Award,
- Long listed 2019 Colin Roderick Award, shortlist
Reviews:
"Boy Swallows Universe is a wonderful surprise: sharp as a drawer full of knives in terms of subject matter; unrepentantly joyous in its child's-eye view of the world; the best literary debut in a month of Sundays. (The Australian)
"Boy Swallows Universe hypnotizes you with wonder, and then hammers you with heartbreak." (Washington Post)
"This thrilling novel." (New York Times Book Review)
"Marvelously plot-rich ... filled with beautifully lyric prose ...At one point Eli wonders if he is good. The answer is "yes," every bit as good as this exceptional novel." (Booklist)
"Dalton's splashy, stellar debut makes the typical coming-of-age novel look bland by comparison.... This is an outstanding debut." (Publisher's Weekly - starred review)
"Extraordinary and beautiful storytelling." (Guardian)
Critic Reviews
"I couldn't stop reading from the moment I started, and I still can barely speak for the beauty of it. Trent Dalton has done something very special here, writing with grace, from his own broken heart." (Caroline Overington)
"Dalton's splashy, stellar debut makes the typical coming-of-age novel look bland by comparison.... This is an outstanding debut." (Publishers Weekly)
"One of the best Australian novels I've ever read." (The Guardian)
What members say
Average Customer Ratings
Overall
-
4.5 out of 5 stars
-
5 Stars78
-
4 Stars16
-
3 Stars2
-
2 Stars2
-
1 Stars4
Performance
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
5 Stars78
-
4 Stars15
-
3 Stars1
-
2 Stars1
-
1 Stars1
Story
-
4.5 out of 5 stars
-
5 Stars74
-
4 Stars17
-
3 Stars1
-
2 Stars2
-
1 Stars2
Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story4 out of 5 stars
- Clemo
- 10-14-19
Slow to start but very intriguing...
Took a while to get interesting then it became hard to stop listening as the next drama unfolds. Delightful, encouraging, optimistic and hard to stop listening.
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Deborah McILROY
- 05-31-20
Lost in the world of Ely Bell
Trent Dalton’s magnificently crafted world of Ely Bell, where detail painted every scene of this gripping story. Sting Wemyss was perfect for all the characters of Ely’s universe. A story for lovers of detail, emotion, great characters in a well told story. My first audiobook and won’t be my last!
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- sally ohare
- 10-10-19
Delightful
A well narrated tale about two quirky sons surrounded by dysfunctional adults. Witty and gritty the lead character is loveable and believeable. I was entertained the whole way through.
-
Overall1 out of 5 stars
-
Performance1 out of 5 stars
-
Story4 out of 5 stars
- Anonymous User
- 07-28-19
The reader destroyed this novel for me
In over 10 years of listening to audible novels, including many that have children as the protagonist, I have never had to listen to such an amateur reader. It was as though he never, for a moment, considered the character or the meaningful the story. So disappointing
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Amanda
- 02-16-19
Brilliant!
I wasn’t sure after the first few chapters but so glad I continued. The character development was incredible, heart-wrenching and brutally honest.
Book of the year for me as the narration was as brilliant as the story.
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Susan Myers
- 01-04-19
Brilliant!
I loved this book - an enthralling story written with wit and style. And with the added bonus of one of the best narrations I’ve heard on Audible. Stig’s accents and intonations of the different voices were perfect.
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- marlene
- 11-12-18
Most devastatingly heart wrenching story ever.
This has to be the most devastating and beautiful story I've ever heard. It had me cheeringcheckout loud and it had me sobbing my heart out. I loved it entirely.
-
Overall2 out of 5 stars
-
Performance2 out of 5 stars
-
Story2 out of 5 stars
- J
- 09-12-18
Entertaining but needs an editor
Dalton’s use of metaphor was excellent at times, stretched at others. I can wear that, and I get that he’s aiming at an Australian audience, hence the many references to so many Australian consumer products. I did feel though that the manuscript needed a good edit. (‘he said inquiringly, she said cautiously....etc.). There was also a fair bit of repetition, there are only so many ways to say the same thing. I made it almost halfway before the authors use of adverbs drove me nuts and I couldn’t go on. Plenty of gems in this book, overall 2 stars.
-
Overall1 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story1 out of 5 stars
- eddie laverty
- 08-15-19
Dull, dreary and unimaginative.
Hard to wade through, written in a dry style that didn't encourage engagement, this book offered nothing new and nothing to truly capture the imagination; it has the feel of young adult fiction, poorly executed.
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Anonymous User
- 10-08-18
Hard to press stop!
This was a wonderfully written and read. It brought Queensland in 80's to life. Highly recommend this title.
19 people found this helpful
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Al
- 07-01-18
Exceptional
I selected this book without much thought but can't recommend it highly enough. The performance by the reader was perfect too.
24 people found this helpful
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- AV
- 02-03-19
what a brilliant book!
This is a long book, but a profound and complex story from the perspective of a boy growing up in the poorer parts of Brisbane. The reader has the perfect voice for this story, light and Australian without being too broad. And what insight this book provides - into life as a teenage boy, the drug world, the rough world of family violence and the triumph of love in all its various types and forms. If you want an insight into growing up hard in any part of Australia this is it, and further if you wanted a view on family life and making ends meet, passion and bravery this is it too. Almost impossible to turn off at the end as it moves towards the a conclusion worthy of any great novel.
10 people found this helpful
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Squidgeebabe
- 02-04-19
Get it!
I was totally impressed with this book. The story was brilliant and well put together and the narrator was excellent. I was totally spellbound right from the start. Another book where life gets in the way of a great story. Looking forward to future books.
7 people found this helpful
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Lexi
- 02-03-19
Love love love
What an incredible story! I loved it so much and I’m so sad it’s over! It reminded me of The Goldfinch ... but better. A must read. Enjoy!
5 people found this helpful
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Darren
- 02-03-19
Listen to it, you'll love it.
This has got to be the best audio book I've listened to. The narrator encapsulates the characters, era, location and demographics perfectly.
The story holds and grabs you throughout every bizarre turn in a hilarious roller coaster that is the life of Eli Bell.
5 people found this helpful
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- LYNNEF
- 01-30-19
Riveting
Such clever compelling writing. Well drawn characters that are endearing and terrifying in various measures throughout the book. The cycle of crime, mental illness, poverty and self destruction and redemption are all so beautifully bound together. I could not stop listening!
5 people found this helpful
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story4 out of 5 stars
- Julie
- 12-18-18
Great read but too long
This was a great listen. So well written however I think the author just laboured too much on over-descriptive text. It got a bit much as the book went on - too "colourful" at times (to quote the book). It took me about 10 chapters to fully get into it, then the bulk of the book was gripping, but then then the last 10 chapters or so really let the book down. Just too far-fetched and not in line with the main story in the rest of the book. For me the ending was disappointing and was in contrast to the high calibre of the rest of the story.
5 people found this helpful
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Anonymous User
- 06-25-19
The Castle x Two Hands x Donnie Darko
A great Australian story with dark turns, gripping characters and lots of bright and funny moments. I was captivated from start to finish.
4 people found this helpful
-
Overall2 out of 5 stars
-
Performance2 out of 5 stars
-
Story2 out of 5 stars
- Nat Venosi
- 01-12-19
Not for me, sadly
I’m sure this book deserves all the accolades it has received but I found the audio and characters very difficult to warm to, the narrators tone and the books descriptive obscurities inhibited my ability to picture the characters and setting. It felt like a literary task rather than an enjoyable escape and I found myself avoiding it to listen to others. Perhaps a book better read by oneself.
17 people found this helpful