The Burgess Boys

A Novel

By: Elizabeth Strout

Narrated by: Cassandra Campbell

Length: 13 hrs and 29 mins

Publisher's summary

Haunted by the freak accident that killed their father when they were children, Jim and Bob Burgess escaped from their Maine hometown of Shirley Falls for New York City as soon as they possibly could. Jim, a sleek, successful corporate lawyer, has belittled his bighearted brother their whole lives, and Bob, a Legal Aid attorney who idolizes Jim, has always taken it in stride. But their long-standing dynamic is upended when their sister, Susan - the Burgess sibling who stayed behind - urgently calls them home. Her lonely teenage son, Zach, has gotten himself into a world of trouble, and Susan desperately needs their help. And so the Burgess brothers return to the landscape of their childhood, where the long-buried tensions that have shaped and shadowed their relationship begin to surface in unexpected ways that will change them forever.

With a rare combination of brilliant storytelling, exquisite prose, and remarkable insight into character, Elizabeth Strout has brought to life two deeply human protagonists whose struggles and triumphs will resonate with listeners long after the ausiobook is over. Tender, tough-minded, loving, and deeply illuminating about the ties that bind us to family and home, The Burgess Boys is Elizabeth Strout’s newest and perhaps most astonishing work of literary art.

©2013 Elizabeth Strout (P)2013 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

"Deeply human... Though loneliness and loss haunt these pages, Strout also supplies gentle humor and a nourishing dose of hope.” ( Booklist)

Entertaining novel from a deep thinker

This book is great. I'm a constant reader and am reminded how rare it is to come across a truly fine writer. Elizabeth Strout is all that. Strong writing, complex characters, penetrating insights about life and relationships. I immediately bought and started listening to another one of her books.

Good story, terrible narration

What didn’t you like about Cassandra Campbell’s performance?

She over-emotes every line. She should remember that she's narrating a story, not "acting it out." Very annoying.at times.

Was The Burgess Boys worth the listening time?

Sort of

Truly awful reading of a decent story

This is the most important thing I have to say about this book. Having loved Olive Kitteridge, I had anticipated also enjoying The Burgess Boys. Alas, the reader's "Maine accent" was painful to listen to, which is ironic as, early on in the book, mention is made of how difficult it is to fake a Maine accent. This is one book I would have doubtless enjoyed more in print.

The characters were mostly unlikeable from beginning to end, which made it difficult to become interested in their fates. Also, I find the exploitation of current events tiresome but that may not be the case for all readers as evidenced by the popularity of authors such as Jodi Picoult.

My advice is to always listen to the Audible sample before buying an audiobook, although, in this case, the offending "accent" wasn't evident from the sample.

Great Story Great Performance

Elizabeth Strout never disappoints.

Great writing and an impactful performance that holds your attention throughout.

Every time I reread a Strout novel, I discover something new

Elizabeth Strout must be a keen observer of human behavior, for as I reread her novels- and I have reread all of them 2-5 times, I hear something new that helps make sense of my aging perspective.

This particular story of betrayal and familial love was not one I intended to experience again; it was too painful the first go around. And yet, I missed hearing her Voice and so I began a second go-through. Which was indeed heartbreaking and yet, life-affirming.

This is the word most applicable to my Strout novel addiction: life-affirming. Despite representing real human beings in all their petty hatefulness, Elizabeth Strout gifts me hope. Forgiveness is as much a part of our condition as selfishness.

Great character analysis

The reason I have enjoyed all Elizabeth's Straut's books are because she is amazing at character analysis. I wonder if she has a degree in psychology? She expertly crafts a story and while she does you slowly come to understand what makes each person who they are and why they do what they do. In this book a dysfunctional family is dissected, most of the characters are quite unlikeable but we grow to understand them. You so often wonder how certain roles are "assigned" in families during childhood and continue on throughout the lives of the siblings. The Burgess boys have these assigned roles and only through a major crisis do they finally learn some difficult truths, change their assumptions about themselves and their siblings, grow emotionally and move forward. I think the narrator was excellent, she totally kept my interest. I highly recommend this book.

A Three Ring Circus of Emotion

There's a lot going on all the time in this book. For every emotional point being currently discussed, there are three more egos and two more open story lines hanging in the air. The relationship and family events, though enjoyable and interesting, were not the highlight of this book. I found the Somali migration to Maine the riveting part of this book. How easy it was to see both sides of that emotional hot house.


I found the two brothers in this story to be ever so annoying. Actually, so was their sister. Didn't make me want to read about them less. One of the previous reviewers wrote to save your money - I think exactly the opposite. There is a whole lot of listening in this book.

I bet that most people that read this will love it or hate it. I'm glad I read it. I found it entertaining to the very end.

Cassandra Campbell - she has read a great many of my previous audible purchases. I have always enjoyed her performances. This one - not so much. That first part is especially bad. I wish I could put my finger on why it was so bad. If a reader is having a hard time getting through that first gossipy part, move ahead to the first chapter. I had to go back later and listen to it over. I still see no reason for it.

A family story, whispered in your ear by a friend

This beautiful story, not just about the Burgess Boys, Bob and Jim, but their sad sister Susan, unravels with a slow, drawling fascination. Prefaced by another character entirely, who then silently haunts the book, building this story into myth, this novel entangled me and I was gutted when it was over.

Elizabeth Strout writes novels you live in for a while. You can walk around her towns and city blocks, you have the opportunity to inhabit any one of a number of psychologically rich characters. Her characters are flawed - racist, angry, sad, blinded by privilege or burdened with lack - and yet you forgive all of them ultimately because it is lonely and confusing to be human, connected and disconnected simultaneously to those around you, and to the things you live with.

Highly recommended. I also enjoyed the audiobook of Strout's Abide With Me.

Wonderful

It is nice to read a book with well developed characters that are middle-aged. Very teal

Interesting but sad

Holds ones attention despite being about a dysfunctional family. Existential sadness which narrator's voice and style reinforces.