Human Croquet

By: Kate Atkinson

Narrated by: Susan Jameson

Length: 10 hrs and 21 mins

Publisher's Summary

Once it had been the great forest of Lythe--a vast and impenetrable thicket of green. And here, in the beginning, lived the Fairfaxes, grandly, at Fairfax Manor, visited once by the great Gloriana herself. But over the centuries, the forest had been destroyed, replaced by Streets of Trees. The Fairfaxes have dwindled, too; now they live in Arden, at the end of Hawthorne Close, and are hardly a family at all.

But Isobel Fairfax, who drops into pockets of time and out again, knows about the past. She is sixteen and waiting for the return of her mother--the thin, dangerous Eliza, with her scent of nicotine, Arpège, and sex, whose disappearance is part of the mystery that still remains at the heart of the forest.

©1997 Kate Atkinson (P)2014 AudioGo Ltd. Published by Random House Audiobooks

Brilliant

An absolute joy! The combination of Kate’s writing and Susan’s narration is sublime. Hours of enthralling listening.

Well written but confused

The initial plot seems a bit like her first novel but with less focus. By the end more and more characters are added and I found myself lost in a careering plot. I suspect it was me not seeing the underlying subtlety but ai saw no reason the narrator changes from first person to third person and back again. At the end things seem summed up quickly and unsatisfactorily. A rather frustrating listening experience with bursts of vivid entertainment.

Fabulous and thought provoking

A truly fabulous book that causes you to question the very nature of your conscious mind

mystical, mundane and wholly marvellous!

loved this exquisitely written tale of loves, lives, truths and secrets all spun in a web of parallel reality. The narrator was just fantastic with a stunning array of accents. Kate Atkinson's story telling is unique, inventive and dazzlingly intelligent.

Amazing

This novel is brilliant. It captivates and entrances! Each character is enhanced by every shift in the story and the story becomes a growing enigma. Despite the changes which occur in time and place, I never lost a hold on this amazing fantasy!

Cannot get enough of Kate Atkinson!!

What did you like most about Human Croquet?

The narration,utterly perfect for each character. Susan Jameson really does it an absolute justice.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Vinnie- her character and remarks absolutely creased me up! oooh and Mrs Baxter.

What about Susan Jameson’s performance did you like?

The characters voices really worked for me. I would absolutely listen to her again, fantastic actress and Narrator.

Loved it

As usual, Kate Atkinson manages to create the most wonderful characters and plots. Loved the narration too. Very much recommend!

Fantastic

Kate Atkinson is such a wonderful writer and Susan Jameson brought her words to life so vividly. Definitely a darker story than I expected but nevertheless a truly enchanting read.

(TW: sexual abuse, domestic violence)

Completely magical

I absolutely loved this book - and the narration, too. It's magical, amusing, full of twists and turns, as one would expect from Kate Atkinson. Some might find the story a little fey, perhaps, but I lapped it up and feel bereft now it's over.

Very clever, possibly even too clever

Filled with the usual Atkinson wit and sharp observation. Brilliant conception. Did she pull it off? I wasn't totally sure, but fine entertainment even so.