Eden

A Novel

De: Jeanne McWilliams Blasberg

Narrado por: Marnye Young

Becca Meister Fitzpatrick - wife, mother, grandmother, and pillar of the community - is the dutiful steward of her family's iconic summer tradition...until she discovers her recently deceased husband squandered their nest egg. As she struggles to accept what is likely her last season in Long Harbor, Becca is inspired by her granddaughter's boldness in the face of impending single-motherhood, and summons the courage to reveal a secret she was forced to bury long ago: the existence of a daughter she gave up 50 years earlier. Eden is the heartrending account of the days leading up to the Fourth of July weekend, as Becca prepares to disclose her secret and her son and brothers conspire to put the estate on the market, interwoven with the century-old history of Becca's family.

©2017 Jeanne McWilliams Blasberg (P)2017 Jeanne McWilliams Blasberg

Eden: A place to Belong... and Not to Belong

I love books that are written about families - their hopes, dreams, dysfunction. I read "Eden" not long after finishing "Things Unsaid" by Diana Y. Paul (where I had a hard time relating to the characters), and I hoped I could handle the family dysfunction in these pages; you know it's there.
This book was about a family - a very large, chaotic, confusing extended family. Many other reviewers got confused about which characters were related to whom, what time period we were in, and (personally) I would agree that another edit could've corrected some of the inaccurate timelines (the house hadn't been in the family for 80 years in the 1960s, and 57 years back from 2000 would've been 1943, not 1946). Names of characters come and go, so keep a pen handy if you get confused by this.
These characters are truly sympathetic. You may not agree with their decisions, but they don't come from a place of self-centeredness or intentional cruelty. You want to laugh with them and cry with them. You hang on through a hurricane and celebrate with them at a huge party at the end of a war. By the end, you feel like you know them and want to see where their lives will end up.
The narrator did a great job with a large cast of characters, their emotions, and their thoughts. Overall this was a well-written, well-performed look at not only a place (a house called Eden) by the family that made it their summer home over the generations.
I received a free copy of this book by the author or publisher in exchange for an honest review.

An extended visit with an extended family!

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

This was an absorbing tale of a multi-generational family and their comings and goings and ups and downs anchored by their coastal summer home, Eden. The various characters are like family members we all know: generally well-intentioned but each uniquely flawed, sometimes lovable but at times incredibly irritating. Events and changing mores throughout the 20th century play pivotal roles, and in particular, the deplorable treatment for postpartum depression dispensed just prior to the US's entry into WWII had consequences that lasted for generations. I found it easy to come to care about Becca, her parents, children and grandchildren, but the detailed nuances of the story combined with the large cast of characters and the non-linear narrative made enjoying it as an audio presentation somewhat challenging. Most people probably choose audiobooks for their convenience, and a complicated storyline that makes one want to continually go back and check who did what when, etc., gets irksome when one is listening rather than reading. I received a free copy of this audiobook from the author in exchange for an objective review, and I am very grateful that I did. But if the prospective reader has a choice, reading might be the preferred choice. If no option exists, the audiobook is still a great production. Just be prepared for a little confusion now and then.

Many strong characters.

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

I loved the involvement of all the characters in each others lives. What a wonderful place to build so that a family can all come back together.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Becca was my favorite character. Born late in life to her mother but tough enough to stand all that life throws at you.

Which character – as performed by Marnye Young – was your favorite?

Sade, Marnye Young , put feeling into all that she went through in the hospital.

If you could rename Eden, what would you call it?

Eden was the perfect name. It truely was Bunny's Eden.

Any additional comments?

I was voluntarily provided this free review copy audiobook by the author, narrator, or publisher.

I can’t wait for Ms. Blasberg ‘s next novel!

From the moment it began I was hooked! I have done nothing else since I started. Eden is so well written. I felt I was there among the characters and imagined living in a guest room in Eden. I just finished listening and feel I have lost my friends. It is hard to believe this is Ms. Blasberg’s first novel. I look forward to many more in the future.

A Wonderful Audiobook!

Jeanne McWilliams Blasberg’s debut novel Eden poignantly proves the adage, all that glitters is not gold. The wealth and privilege of the Meisters give way to the reality of the secrets and sorrows that each family member harbors. All is played out in the beautifully described summer days at the family compound on the ocean in Rhode Island. Blasberg reminds us it’s never too late to learn from the past and redefine the meaning of family. A wonderful audiobook!

So real

This novel was great with twists and turns but so so real. Anyone could relate to something in this beautiful story

Eden: A NOVEL

This was a great book, I've never read Jeanne Bladberg but will be adding her books to my library. The story line and the narration were exceptionally done. I was voluntarily provided this free review copy by the author, narrator or publisher. Thank you for the great book.

A Wonderful Listen

Eden: A Novel was such an absorbing story. It was a very well-written multi-generational story of a family carried mostly by the strength and weaknesses of the women. I enjoyed listening to this novel. The characters were great; I was only upset with the mother of Becca who didn't support her preganancy and the brother who tried to blind side her regarding the estate. I think this is the first book I've listened to written by Jeanne McWilliams Blasberg but it won't be the last. Loved it!

Marnye Young was terrific as the reader of the story. She's a very skilled voice actor and her performance was exceptional. Her characterizations were perfect as was her voice inflections. Definitely recommended.

I was voluntarily provided this free review copy audiobook by the author, narrator, or publisher.

Disappointed

I was so excited to read this book given my roots on the RI coast, but the story really fell flat for me.