Fishbowl

A Novel

By: Bradley Somer

Narrated by: Peter Berkrot

Length: 8 hrs and 54 mins

Publisher's Summary

A goldfish named Ian is falling from the 27th-floor balcony on which his fishbowl sits. He's longed for adventure, so when the opportunity arises, he escapes from his bowl, clears the balcony railing and finds himself airborne. Plummeting toward the street below, Ian witnesses the lives of the Seville on Roxy residents. There's the handsome grad student, his girlfriend, and the other woman; the construction worker who feels trapped by a secret; the building's super who feels invisible and alone; the pregnant woman on bed rest who craves a forbidden ice cream sandwich; the shut-in for whom dirty talk, and quiche, are a way of life; and home-schooled Herman, a boy who thinks he can travel through time.

Though they share time and space, they have something even more important in common: each faces a decision that will affect the course of their lives. Within the walls of the Seville are stories of love, new life, and death, of facing the ugly truth of who one has been and the beautiful truth of who one can become. Sometimes taking a risk is the only way to move forward with our lives. As Ian the goldfish knows, "An entire life devoted to a fishbowl will make one die an old fish with not one adventure had." Bradley Somer's Fishbowl is at turns funny and heartbreaking and you will, no doubt, fall in love with his unforgettable characters.

©2015 Bradley Somer (P)2015 Audible, Inc.

What a Nice Surprise

Lovely book about multiple people living in an apartment building - each with their own stories. So glad I didn't let it pass me by. About life.

STELLAR PERFORMANCE + MAGICAL TALE = VIRTUAL JOY!

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

LYRICAL
LIFE-AFFIRMING (counts as one)
JOYOUS

What did you like best about this story?

In some way it is reminiscent of Salmon Rushdie's "Haroun and the Sea of Stories" only the magic comes from the simplest everyday things. I think the format itself creates that magic, the wildly imaginative notion of an entire book taking place in the span of time it takes for a goldfish to fall from the 27th floor of a building to the ground below.

This book reads like a slice of life but because of all the lives that intertwine, it's more like the whole pie. I don't want to give anything away but real time is repeated over and over from a variety of perspectives. This works on many levels and allows the narrator to remain somewhat omniscient and yet able telescope in almost on the cellular level when called for.

The narrator is brilliant at this. Spinning a yarn from a great distance and yet walking, crawling and gliding alongside the people we meet, he's like a friendly presence throughout. The result is the feeling that the story is being told to the listener in an intimate setting, as if anyone else who wants to hear the story would have to wait in line.

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

Yes. Quite a lot of them actually. He's seems to be an especially gifted actor because he gets inside the minds of the characters' and breathes individual and specific life into each of them. He can be very funny and very chilling. In this book he uncovers all the clues provided by a wonderful writer to take us on a fairy tale kind of journey and make us feel like we are right there with him.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

YES! Without giving too much away, there is a wonderful scene in which someone is giving birth and the exchange between the characters is priceless. The way the scene culminates is quite moving.

Any additional comments?

I think I've said enough. : ) MORE BY THIS AUTHOR AND NARRATOR PLEASE. : )))

Excellent. Loved it!

I loved everything about this well-written book and the narration was an ideal match. If you are searching for a creative, intelligent, enjoyable read, this is it. The first and last chapters were particularly exquisite--excepting the classics, rare is the modern novel that exhibits writing in such fine form. THIS is storytelling and narration at their best. Kudos to the author and narrator!

Book so good, it'll make you want to slap yo momma

Wow..this book? THIS BOOK RIGHT HERE..this is THE book. If I was stuck on a desert island... why is it always a desert island anyways?, why not a tropical island?. Does a desert island even exist? I digress, this book would be my Wilson, after I was done reading it (errr.. listening to it) I would talk to it, play chess against it, caress it close on those long island nights, make sweet love to it. The author seems like the kinda guy who would be awesome to hang out with and have a beer, or maybe watch a mad max flick and eat nachos. The narration, while not Wil Wheaton, was still very good, but I do think Wil Wheaton would have done a better job. I can't wait for a movie to come out based on this book and all I can hope for is Samuel L. Jackson as the fish. "I'm Fallin Mutha$#©k@!!"

Cute and awkward

This wasn't for me. The telling and reselling from different perspectives got old, in my opinion. I understand the premise, and I appreciate the way the story was told, but it got tiresome. A good story with an abundantly wide variety of EXTREME characters. The fish was the best part... he and his 4 second descent.

What a fun story about life

I loved this book. Took me a few minutes to get it and what's happening but ended up listening to it start to finish in 2 days, even while shopping. The entangled life stories of the characters was so neat and well described. And all with the fish too! I loved it!

Almost perfect!

How could I not listen to a book about a fish falling from the 27th floor of an apartment building?? The chapters each start out with the Pooh-style, "In which (something happens)". I loved that. And oh - some of the little observances about Ian being a fish and finding himself in the predicament of no longer being in water! They made me laugh. The stories of the inhabitants in the building were "unputdownable" or in this case, I couldn't stop listening! It made a grueling day sitting in immigration be almost enjoyable, as I had nothing else to do, so no distractions from this unique story. Of course, all along, I'm wondering what's going to happen to Ian the fish, but also, in such a short time, I was all wrapped up in all of the characters and their sad, funny, poignant, hopeful stories. There was some unnecessary repetition in hearing the stories from two points of view at times, but it worked. And as for Ian...well, it was totally worth the ending, even if I hadn't liked all the in-between. But I did, so all around a fun listen!

Ugh!

I hate to write a negative review, but this book calls for it. Perhaps it's just a matter of taste anyway. This book and the performance were an endurance challenge for me. The characters are shallow and the timeline took half the book to become comprehensible. I kept thinking I was supposed to find these characters quirky and compelling, but I found them boring. I'd rather revisit any number of genuinely good books in my library.

Excellent! Excellent! Excelent!

A very deep look into the human experience! A thinking persons book for sure. Well written, fast moving, and entertaining. I love it and hope that we get
to read more about Ian's future experiences.

Funny, witty, and all-in-all great

Story was different then any other type of book I have read. Throughly enjoyed the story of all the characters.

Very Quirky

This book came recommended. and fullfiled all expectations and more. I would recommend it .

A web of ordinary yet unique stories

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Definitely recomment it. Easy read, funny, real, well written

Any additional comments?

Ordianry characters that transform the mere ordinary life into something unique, worth living and taking each experience as a pinnacle, a new starting point. 10/10