Among Others

By: Jo Walton

Narrated by: Katherine Kellgren

Length: 10 hrs and 36 mins

Publisher's summary

Startling, unusual, and yet irresistably readable, Among Others is at once the compelling story of a young woman struggling to escape a troubled childhood, a brilliant diary of first encounters with the great novels of modern fantasy and SF, and a spellbinding tale of escape from ancient enchantment.

Raised by a half-mad mother who dabbled in magic, Morwenna Phelps found refuge in two worlds. As a child growing up in Wales, she played among the spirits who made their homes in industrial ruins. But her mind found freedom and promise in the science-fiction novels that were her closest companions. Then her mother tried to bend the spirits to dark ends, and Mori was forced to confront her in a magical battle that left her crippled - and her twin sister dead.

Fleeing to her father, whom she barely knew, Mori was sent to boarding school in England - a place all but devoid of true magic. There, outcast and alone, she tempted fate by doing magic herself, in an attempt to find a circle of like-minded friends. But her magic also drew the attention of her mother, bringing about a reckoning that could no longer be put off.

Combining elements of autobiography with flights of imagination in the manner of novels like Jonathan Lethem's The Fortress of Solitude, this is potentially a breakout book for an author whose genius has already been hailed by peers like Kelly Link, Sarah Weinman, and Ursula K. Le Guin.

©2010 Jo Walton (P)2011 Audible, Inc.

Critic reviews

• Hugo Award, Best Novel, 2012
• Nebula Award, Best Novel, 2011

“Walton succeeds admirably. Her novel is a wonder and a joy.” (The New York Times)

"Katherine Kellgren’s Welsh accent, with its lyrical cadences, suggests that audio may be the most authentic way to experience this 2011 winner of the Nebula Award." ( Audiofile)

Truly Enjoyable

Whether you enjoy fantasy or triumph over evil. You get it all with this book!

Simply a wonderful book

Where does Among Others rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

Easily in the top 2. Just a wonderful work and performance. I'm a huge Charles de Lint fan and there are strong similarities.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Among Others?

Morwenna's first time at the book club, really resonated with me. I would have loved to have that experience as a kid.

What about Katherine Kellgren’s performance did you like?

Just flawless. The performance elevated an amazing book to new levels. Often I hear a character's voice in my head but Kellgren's performance was so much better than I could have possibly imagined.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

So much of Morwenna's childhood feelings if isolation and otherness mimicked my own growing up in the same era. Certainly, there could have been pandering to a like-minded audience but this never felt like anything other than authentic.

Loved it!

It felt like two stories at once, the present and the past slowly revealing themselves. The characters are weird and lovable, the plot builds at the perfect pace.

A brilliant piece of literature

I love this book. It’s a terrific piece of magical realism, and a book lover’s dream.

Among Others is not a formula action-packed fantasy adventure; if that’s what you’re looking for don’t buy it. (I think that’s the source of some reviewers’ dissatisfaction.) The book is a unique coming of age novel, beautifully written, with magic as integral to the protagonist’s sense of self and her development. The South Wales landscape is as much a part of Mori as magic is. And of course magic and the Welsh mountains are closely entwined.

I wasn’t quite as fond of Kathryn Kellgren’s narration, because she made Mori sound like a middle-aged woman and not a girl. apart from that it was well read.

Good story plus many excellent literary reviews

I liked the whole thing. The story was good, different, nicely told. the reader did a good job keeping it focused and delivered in smooth manner.

The author interspersed many actual book reviews as part of the story, a neat twist and I could not help but be in line with her opinions. She totally nailed JRRT.

I recommend it!

Wonderful

it's one of the best categorizations of magic I've read this far. it's lovely a lovely read especially for book lovers.

Better to listen to because of the narrator.

Would you listen to Among Others again? Why?

Yes, because there were so many references to sci fi books that I would like to check them out personally.

What other book might you compare Among Others to and why?

This is truly a one of a kind type of book.

What does Katherine Kellgren bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

She brings the story to life with her accent. She makes it seem so real.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes and I did it in only a couple of sittings

Any additional comments?

This is a story of a 15 year old girl Welsh girl who loves sci-fi books and finds solace in them. It takes place in 1979-80 and is written as a diary. It is sort of a sci-fi book, sort of a paranormal book. It is very hard to actually classify this. The story is very engrossing and never boring. The characters are very well fleshed out. The narrator is absolutely perfect for this book. The sci-fi references are fun if you like older sci-fi especially. She is not a childish girl but a young woman made to grow up quickly because of circumstances in her life. I am certainly going to read more of this authors books.

Excellent story!

Would you listen to Among Others again? Why?

Sure. It's an enjoyable listen and a good story. Kellgren's outstanding performance really set the pace for me. It's the kind of book that gives me a better apprecation for sci fi and the magic of a story itself.

Wonderful

As a Hugo and Nebula award winner, I expected this book to be very good.

It exceeded all my expectations.

A real favorite.

Morrie is an unforgettable character, and such a unique perspective! And the narration is just delicious.