My Name Is Eva

An Absolutely Gripping and Emotional Historical Novel

By: Suzanne Goldring

Narrated by: Diana Croft

Length: 9 hrs and 16 mins

Publisher's Summary

You can pay a terrible price for keeping a promise....

Evelyn Taylor-Clarke sits in her chair at Forest Lawns Care Home in the heart of the English countryside, surrounded by residents with minds not as sharp as hers. It would be easy to dismiss Evelyn as a muddled old woman, but her lipstick is applied perfectly and her buttons done up correctly. Because, Evelyn is a woman with secrets, and Evelyn remembers everything. She can never forget the promise she made to the love of her life to discover the truth about the mission that led to his death, no matter what it cost her.

When Evelyn’s niece Pat opens an old biscuit tin to find a photo of a small girl with a red ball entitled "Liese, 1951" and a passport in another name, she has some questions for her aunt. And Evelyn is transported back to a place in Germany known as "The Forbidden Village", where a woman who called herself Eva went where no one else dared, amongst shivering prisoners, to find the man who gambled with her husband’s life.

A gripping, haunting and compelling story about love, courage, and betrayal set in the war-battered landscape of Germany. Fans of The Letter, The Alice Network, and The Nightingale will be hooked. 

©2019 Suzanne Goldring (P)2019 Bookouture

The worst, simpering, stupid, ridiculous.

I think I need a refund. I actually listened to the end to see if the plot earned the bother and it did not. Her "letters" to her dead husband were treacle. Eva is simultaneously helpless and rash. The plot has her doing something pointless, just because, when there are a dozen alternatives. Tiresome. And the narrator seems to have a Babwa Wawa speech defect.
Please do not listen to this audio book. I don't even know WHAT promise Eva was supposed to keep.
Did I miss something?
Or did I just not care?

Disappointing in every way

I kept hoping that it was leading to some major surprise and it would have a "good ending." Instead, I found several characters were really despicable, most especially including her niece who stood to inherit. Clearly, the author is familiar with the behavior of someone experiencing dementia which gave me one thing to appreciate about the main character in this story. For me as a reader though, I am sorry that I hung in there. It was far too late in the story as (what appeared to be that) the author finally just got tired of her convoluted "story," and just ended it. Not with a bang but with a whimper.

different

the author is a little long winded at time but it was a fresh story

Funny, crazy, post WW2 UK/Germany, silly, spy, wisegal, murder & love

All in one story! This was totally a change of pace for a WW2/post war story compared to all others. Completely not what I expected. But so unique and entertaining! I could see this done as a play actually. It’s got that type of humor.
I love how she “acts “ old/senile” to get away with her stuff. I won’t spoil it. The all of a sudden rape though was rather a surprise and really out of place for the overall story. Not needed. But I like how she handled it.

Wonderful Read

narrarator was great. I couldnt put it down once it was started. Left me on the edge of my seat throughout the book.

A great listen!

A fantastic read. I really enjoyed the book. The reader was so good, it sounded like a play as she changed her voice to accommodate the character. It had everything in it, humor, sadness, mystery. You will really enjoy this book.

Repetitive! Over exaggerated accents.

Had potential to pull together all aspects with powerful ending. Then finale deflated entire build up overall!! Very disappointing.

Good story

I liked the story and found the protagonist interesting so I read to the end. However, I thought the book was preachy in spots an sometimes dragged.

Struggled to complete.

The story did not hold my attention. Continued to the end in the hopes the story would get better. Disappointed.

No

Didn’t even open the book. The reviews all talked about the “narrator” who changed voices for his subjects and acted them out. I HATE THAT. Just read the book damn it. I’m perfectly capable of deciphering who is speaking and where the emphasis should be. I don’t want someone who interprets the book in his own way. Just read the book thank you.

A real heartbreaker

This isn't my usual type of read, mainly because war stories make me ugly cry.

Sure, there were moments that I teared up (a few of them, tbh) but I was surprised by how much I enjoyed the story. It did cover some of the horrors of the second world war and also a pretty graphic sexual assault, so be warned, but there was also a lot of kindness, mischief and overwhelming goodness to be found in the actions of some of the characters.

Evelyn is now elderly and living in a care home, mugging off her uncaring and harsh niece at every available opportunity. While she's there, she reflects on her past and her work during and after the war - she has plenty of secrets that she hasn't shared with anyone and it's only through her letters to her deceased husband that we get a clear picture of what happened.

She's a formidably strong character, growing from a naive and sweetly silly young woman to something of a badass, before time takes hold of her and she becomes frail and needs medical care. I love that she never once gives up on her integrity, she never once gives up on her love for her husband who was killed during the war and almost every step she takes in life is taken to honour his memory in some way.

The ending was incredibly satisfying and remained true to the character, I couldn't have asked for anything better!

The audiobook version of this book really is the only way to go if you have a choice, Croft nails all the voices and manages to represent Evelyn perfectly through all the different stages of her life as well as all the other characters. A story with this much heart needs a talented narrator and it definitely got it.

The writing style is elegant and enrapturing, I loved every single second of the book and genuinely wished that Eva was someone I could meet in real life - someone bold, clever, mischevous and above all... not afraid to drink a shot of moonshine when the situation calls for it.

Eva, Evelyn. A life less ordinary

Firstly Diana Croft splendid narration bought this lovely book to life
She had Evelyns voice beautifully changing from a young naive girl to old lady, and a voice for all the colourful characters.

The story is well told going back and forth from WW2 to 2016 where the elderly Evelyn is residing in her residential home.

There is no getting confused with the jumps in time, as the story is very clear and easy to follow.

The other characters are well described and I have a feeling I have met a few of them before.The end was very fitting and I did have an inkling of the final chapter.

I will miss you Evelyn, you really can’t help but love her.

Mrs SW

I have thoroughly enjoyed this book. At 83 found it very amusing too. Recommend highly.

Brilliant & unique

just couldn't put it down on kindle and audible. superb, deeply moving story excellent narration.

An enjoyable read

This was full of interesting twists and turns Narrated really well The story was good and easy to become invested in character even justify her unusual life

Completely unexpected

This book was brilliant and I couldn’t stop listening. Not at all what I expected and not my usual kind of book. Fabulously narrated too.

Brilliant

Slow start and wondering where it was going but then it started to make sense. Couldn’t stop listening and found it very gripping as pieces of the puzzle started forming.
It made me wonder if this story was true and whether this tactic had been used before with SOE during the war.
Highly recommended

Too repetitive

It is an excellent idea for a book but feel it could have given more

Loved this booked

Beautifully
Read and a great story
You will love it. Read it. It was such a warm and interesting story of a fabulous woman

Eva

I really loved this story, sad and shocking in parts, but can fully imagine an elderly lady being like her, slightly devious, keeping secrets but having a tremendous sense of humour too. She certainly had the courage of her convictions,