Picnic at Hanging Rock

TV Tie-In Edition

By: Joan Lindsay

Narrated by: Yael Stone

Length: 8 hrs and 41 mins

Publisher's summary

Now a major television series starring Natalie Dormer (Game of Thrones) And Yael Stone (Orange Is the New Black). 

A haunting and enigmatic tale that will keep you awake and wondering long after you've finished this classic mystery. 

Everyone agreed that the day was just right for the picnic to Hanging Rock - a shimmering summer morning warm and still, with cicadas shrilling.... 

St Valentine’s Day, in the midst of the hot summer of 1900, a party of schoolgirls went on a picnic to Hanging Rock. Some were never to return.... 

In this Australian classic, the disappearance of three girls and a schoolteacher at Hanging Rock has captivated and intrigued audiences for generations. Jacqueline McKenzie’s interpretation of the best-selling novel captures all of the beauty of the Rock and illustrates the eerie sense of the unknown for which the story is legendary.  

©1967 Joan Lindsay (P)2018 Bolinda Publishing Pty Ltd

Atmosphere good. Story lacking a bit.

I went into this book knowing that there was no resolution to the girl's story. I was a bit afraid of this since I am one who usually likes an ending. It doesn't necessarily have to be the ending I want, it just has to have a resolution. While there was no resolution to the initial story line, it turns out this book wasn't about that. It was more about the impact of this event on the girls and on the rest of the individuals the event touched. Kind of like plopping a stone into a lake and watching the concentric circles expand out towards the shoreline. For me, the main impacts are on the girls, their families, and the head mistress of the school. I will say that by and large the effects were pretty traumatic. There was an undertone of the civilized vs. uncivilized in the story, but it didn't seem to go anywhere. The individuals who ascend the Rock discard their shoes and socks, their skirt in one instance and their corset in another instance, but we never really see this developed past that point. Anyone who returns from the Rock has no memory of what occurred while they were there. This felt like a bit of lost opportunity for the story. The parts that are related to us felt uneven to me - maybe a pacing issue? Hard to tell if it was pacing as the entire book is a bit murky and dreamlike. It could have just been uneven writing. Some parts were really intriguing and well-written while others just dragged without giving much development to the story. Overall, maybe a 3.5 for me, but not good enough for me to round up.

First Rate

Absorbing. Well written, imaginative and colorful. The reading is spot on and wonderfully evocative. The narrative pulls one in.

The Picnic at Hanging Rock

The Picnic at Hanging Rock has always been one of my favorite movies and was gob smacked that there is a book! I never once thought that the book could be so wonderful. I was wrong. The book is so good that if you have any thought to listen, do it!

Great rendition

One of my favorite books had fun revisiting it through Audible and a fantastic performance!

In a category all its own

If you want a horror/ghost story, if you want a mystery, if you want closure you might be disappointed, but if you want an eerie, atmospheric, well-written story you will love this book. If you loved the movie, this novel will add extra dimension to what you already enjoy. Also, this is a great character study. I really loved this audiobook, but go into it without any preconceived notions. This book is all of the above-mentioned genres, stirred up into an astounding read/listen. This is a one-of-a-kind that some readers/listeners will simply adore.

Great Thriller

It takes place in 1900 Australia. If you like a mystery. You will love it.

Am I missing something? *possible spoilers*

I initially got this book because I saw the trailer for the Amazon Prime show and thought it looked incredibly interesting. I always look up to see if there is a book first and was delighted to see there was. But, I had to start the book over several times because I kept feeling like I'd missed something. When I finally finished the book, I felt very lost. Nothing happened. Some girls disappeared and then there are some side stories about some characters that don't really contribute anything and then the book ends with some people dying? I'm currently watching the show and feeling even more lost because the show references many things that aren't even included in the book so I'm wondering what those were even pulled from, and the show itself makes no sense at all if you haven't read the book honestly. But that's for another review section I suppose. I want to enjoy this as I did find it engaging and interesting but was left wholly unsatisfied and I feel like I missed like, a prequel book or a sequel?

Still confused...

Even after finishing the book, I am still confused as to what exactly happened here.

this is how you write a mystery

I couldn't put it down. This story was absolutely phenomenal and the voice actor did such a good job differentiating characters with different voices.

Loved it!!

story was engaging! loved the story teller, she did an awesome job of swinging her voice for each character...I was never confused about who was who. loved the book, it answered some of my questions from watching the show, and went into some more detail. Wish there was a conclusion though, my head is reeling with questions that will never be answered.