Good Riddance

By: Elinor Lipman

Narrated by: Mia Barron

Length: 8 hrs and 7 mins

Publisher's Summary

Daphne Maritch doesn't quite know what to make of the heavily annotated high school yearbook she inherits from her mother, who held this relic dear. Too dear. The late June Winter Maritch was the teacher to whom the class of '68 had dedicated its yearbook, and in turn she went on to attend every reunion, scribbling notes and observations after each one - not always charitably - and noting who overstepped boundaries of many kinds.

In a fit of decluttering (the yearbook did not, Daphne concluded, "spark joy"), she discards it when she moves to a small New York City apartment. But when it's found in the recycling bin by a busybody neighbor/documentary filmmaker, the yearbook's mysteries - not to mention her own family's - take on a whole new urgency, and Daphne finds herself entangled in a series of events both poignant and absurd.  

©2019 Dreamscape Media, LLC (P)2019 Dreamscape Media, LLC

Critic Reviews

"Narrator Mia Barron's light, airy delivery fits this contemporary rom-com about a young woman starting over in New York City.... Using a variety of accents and registers, Barron gives the characters distinct voices and cadences, rounding out their personalities and adding spark to this lighthearted story." (AudioFile)

A wonderfully engaging book

One of the easiest listening book I have had in months. No slow spots, the story moves along and captivates you. The narrator is terrific.

Not her best.

Performance was excellent but story not very interesting. I didn’t feel any part of this was funny.

it was a struggle.

I struggled to finish this book. The story dragged on, and rarely did I find myself sympathizing with the narrator, as many of her situations were completely preventable by common sense. the love story almost felt forced. As well as the unrealistic life she led living in New York on alimony. Granted it wasn't lavish by any means, but I just didn't find it believable. There were some humorous parts, but majority of the book I found that I spaced out, but didn't have a need to go back as I didn't miss much.

Overrun with Unlikeable Characters

Not enough information is given for main character development, yet too many other details are given... so I spent a large amount of time only half listening to the story and trying to do math in my head. Who is this woman? How old is she? What’s her deal and why does she react the way she does to anything? Things just didn’t add up. And the “rival” character in the story is so unbearably unlikeable for no reason at all. Actions, reactions, and everything in between just seemed totally nonsensical, made worse by the performer’s sing-song kindergarten teacher voice. This book was all aggravation and very little entertainment. I do not recommend.

Not what I expected

The narrator is excellent but the story isn’t what I expected. Even if I’m to believe the epilogue it not that either. Not to give away the ending but the book doesn’t live up to the title.

Cute enjoyable

Cute, enjoyable read - it’s my first Audible Escape borrow I’ve finished. I liked that the romance was a more subplot rather than the main plot; it subtly unfolds alongside the main plot, which made the entire book much more relatable. The characters are lovely & feel real enough to root for - even the “bad guys,” which I really appreciate since real life has so much grey in it when it comes to bad/good & most books don’t show that nuance enough. Definitely a worthwhile read!

good story and great narration

good book! I thought narrator did great job with the various characters. She didn’t “impersonate” a mans voice but the characters came alive and were clearly differentiated through this talented narrator! fantastic.

Where was the Climax?

I guess I missed it. It seems to me that the big reveal happened early in the book and then everything was just kind of blah after that. There wasn’t really much build up for the ending.

Nice read/ listen

Really enjoyed this light storyline. Perfect for listening on a walk. Narration was very good

Enjoyable story about life and its bumps

Who is really interested in keeping an old yearbook your mom kept? It leads you on a path of discovery on life and family. Really enjoyable!