Father

By: Elizabeth Von Arnim

Narrated by: Penelope Freeman

Length: 12 hrs and 25 mins

Publisher's summary

Since her mother's death, Jennifer has devoted years of her life to her father, managing the family home. After the sudden announcement that he has taken a new wife, Jennifer, at 33, seizes the opportunity to lead an independent life. Quickly she secures the lease of Rose Cottage and turns her attention to her own interests. While Jennifer is desperate to experience life on her own terms within her reduced financial means, her neighbour, Alice, is pre-occupied with ensuring her position as head of her brother's household is never challenged.

©2020 Elizabeth Von Arnim; Preface © Lucy Evans; Afterword © Simon Thomas (P)2021 Isis Publishing Ltd

Worse Audio Book I Have Ever Heard

I purchased this book based on the 5 star reviews left by 3 other people. However, I did wonder why no one left a more personal review or summary about the book. To be fair, I had just purchased 3 credits. The first book I selected was wasted because I wasn’t able to get into the story, which is rare for me. This was the first time I ever bailed out early, like at chapter 5. It wasn’t a bad book, just not my usual genre so I purchased this book next and was eager to get lost in the story. However, I was immediately disappointed a second time... This book was just painful to listen to at the get go, but I refused to waste another credit so I stuck with it to the end. The narrator was fine. It was the writing style of the author that made it agonizing to listen to. This was nothing I had ever experienced before. I like a story that moves along at a good clip. However, with this book, every line that was narrated, came with a minute or two, sometimes three, of a narration of the character’s inner most thought processes behind the actual words spoken aloud by the character. In other words, instead of a spoken line and then a line from another character, per se, you were marred down by the thought process that the character goes through that made them ultimately say what was said. Not sure if I am conveying this correctly, but it slowed the flow of the book tremendously. I have been a faithful Audible member since 2007 so I have listened to a lot of great books. But this is the first time I was compelled to leave a review, because the book was just so excruciating slow. Since I personally rely on reviews before selecting a book, I wanted to warn others not to be swayed by the 5 star ratings left by others who chose not to leave a more personalized review. You may possibly appreciate this book like the three other reviewers but for me it was just painful.

my favorite von Armin so far

laugh out loud funny in places, and I love the strength of these women in their particular situations. make sure and listen to the afterward. the context is useful

I love this author!

I have all of her books, and have read them all- some more than once. Some more than twice!My favorite is Mr. Skeffington. I really hope more are made into audiobooks.
This reading was so well done. The pace was perfect. The ironies were well delivered. There are places where you can't help but laugh. Maybe not LOL, but at least internally.
Thanks for including Simon's writing at the end. I actually met him at a EvA conference years ago in Cambridge. I follow his blog, and enjoy many of his recommendations. Yay for Middlebrow!

Brilliantly subtle examination of coercive control

A real gem. Superb storytelling and incisive wit. Should be much better known. Think Austen!

The single woman in the interwar years

Important historical novel set in the interwar years, And based on the experience – personal and emotional – of all those women faced with a life Without the security of marriage.

Classic von Arnim

This is truly a von Arnim classic. Her use of prose to give an intimate insight into the characters through their inner dialogue is exquisite, just in her other novels. If you love that style then you will love luxuriating in the language of Father. As with all von Arnim the tale itself is simple yet provides a thoughtful reflection of social themes of the time and a spine for the real mater at hand; the delineation of its characters through their thoughts. Wonderful.