The Chaperone

By: Laura Moriarty

Narrated by: Elizabeth McGovern

Length: 13 hrs and 14 mins

Publisher's summary

The Chaperone is a captivating novel about the woman who chaperoned an irreverent Louise Brooks to New York City in 1922, and the summer that would change them both.

Only a few years before becoming a famous actress and an icon for her generation, a 15-year-old Louise Brooks leaves Wichita to make it big in New York. Much to her annoyance, she is accompanied by a thirty-six-year-old chaperone who is neither mother nor friend. Cora Carlisle is a complicated but traditional woman with her own reasons for making the trip. She has no idea what she’s in for: Young Louise, already stunningly beautiful and sporting her famous blunt bangs and black bob, is known for her arrogance and her lack of respect for convention. Ultimately, the five weeks they spend together will change their lives forever.

For Cora, New York holds the promise of discovery that might prove an answer to the question at the center of her being, and even as she does her best to watch over Louise in a strange and bustling city, she embarks on her own mission. And while what she finds isn’t what she anticipated, it liberates her in a way she could not have imagined. Over the course of the summer, Cora’s eyes are opened to the promise of the 20th century and a new understanding of the possibilities for being fully alive.

©2012 Laura Moriarty (P)2012 Penguin Audio

Engaging story

Would you listen to The Chaperone again? Why?

I might listen to it again. I didn't want the story to end though I thought it ended beautifully

Who was your favorite character and why?

Cora. She is any woman who has lived through times of great social change. She learns from her mistakes and her love transforms everyone in her life.

Which scene was your favorite?

When Cora walks out of the "decency" meeting.

Who was the most memorable character of The Chaperone and why?

Cora, but Alan and Louise are too.

Any additional comments?

This is very well performed too.

Love it!

If you could sum up The Chaperone in three words, what would they be?

Captivating, surprising, mind-opening

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Chaperone?

So many memorable moments can not pick just one

Which scene was your favorite?

When Cora presented Alan with her plan

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

No extreme reaction, just always as amazed as Cora at the things she learned and discovered along the way

Any additional comments?

The book spanned decades and it was a wonderful journey

Wonderful!

I loved everything about this book. Well written with brilliant characters and a fabulous story. Elizabeth McGovern was a brilliant reader and gave a very clear picture of each character. This is a story that grabs you from the very first and doesn't let go until the very last word.

Great Book

Any additional comments?

What a joy to listen to this book. The heroine, Cora, is wonderful. The story begins when she is an adult, but goes back to when she was three years old and continues from there, back and forth from present to past. Cora was an orphan sent out west from NY on an orphan train. Her story is awesome. In her mid thirties Cora chaperones a fifteen year old girl, Louise Brooks, to NY where Louise was going to dance school. Both of them learned a great deal in NY - things that changed their lives forever. I loved the characters in this book. The author does a great job making them come to life. I knew them as well as I know my neighbors. Cora's family, blood and extended, seemed as if they were my family. The reader/performer does an excellent job. My only complaint with her performance is the voice she used for Cora. It was very nasal and midwestern. I had to console myself by thinking that this probably was the way a person who grew up in Kansas spoke, but it just did not fit my image of Cora. Otherwise the reader has an extremely pleasing and lovely reading voice. This book had been sitting in my wish list for a long time and I could kick myself for not moving it to my cart a long time ago. It is captivating and lovely - well written and moving. I recommend it highly, and I do not give out 5 stars very often.

Exciting right up until the end!

What did you love best about The Chaperone?

Elizabeth McGovern was the perfect performer for this book. She WAS Cora! She made this book alive and calmly played the part during each surprising turn of events.

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Chaperone?

SPOILER ALERT**
The revelation of Alan's real love-life. NEVER saw that coming.

Have you listened to any of Elizabeth McGovern’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

I enjoyed seeing her in Downton Abbey, but other than that, have not heard her other Audible performances. I will go look for them now, though.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

I did get a little blurry-eyed towards the end of the book.

Any additional comments?

I hadn't ever heard of the book and now I think it's the best so far!

Enjoyable Story But Lacks WOW effect

Any additional comments?

This audiobook was extremely well performed by Elizabeth McGovern. It was a pleasant story about an exceptional woman whose life spanned nearly the entirety of the 20th century. It is a story of not only who we were, but who we strive to be.

Half and half

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

Maybe--if they liked fiction a lot.

How would you have changed the story to make it more enjoyable?

I enjoyed the story of Louise Brooks, but found the fictional part frequently trite.

Which scene was your favorite?

Louise in the drug store.

Was The Chaperone worth the listening time?

Could have been shorter.

More Than Expected! Loved it!

I liked the way the author built this novel. The unexpected disclosures. Many occasions to ponder over. Much encouragement to evaluate one's own, as well as past, social mores. Where do each of us fit in? Tolerance, acceptance, patience, judgements are all studied in this engaging novel. Performance is excellent.

Very entertaining, stepping back in time!

What made the experience of listening to The Chaperone the most enjoyable?

The story is about a woman who chaperones a 15-year old for one summer in New York in the early 20's. It's a very entertaining story with twists and a storyline that is wonderful. The story flows very easily going from the present to the past. The story is very insightful into different emotions that most everyone will be able to relate.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Cora, the chaperone. She was a tough, yet very vulnerable character presented with many difficult situations but always carried through with grace and dignity.

What about Elizabeth McGovern’s performance did you like?

Very pleasant voice and the animation of each character was great!

Any additional comments?

Great story! Good read (or listen!)

A wonderful tale

I loved listening to Elizabeth McGovern unfold this wonderful story. Kind words, a spontaneous gesture and love, can change lives.