She's Come Undone

By: Wally Lamb

Narrated by: Linda Stephens

Length: 18 hrs and 22 mins

Publisher's summary

"Mine is a story of craving: an unreliable account of lusts and troubles that began, somehow, in 1956 on the day our free television was delivered...."

Meet Dolores Price. She's 13, wise-mouthed but wounded, having bid her childhood goodbye. Beached like a whale in front of her bedroom TV, she spends the next few years nourishing herself with the Mallomars, potato chips, and Pepsi her anxious mother supplies. When she finally rolls into young womanhood at 257 pounds, Dolores is no stronger and life is no kinder. But this time she's determined to rise to the occasion and give herself one more chance before really going belly-up.

In this extraordinary coming-of-age odyssey, Wally Lamb invites us to hitch a wild ride on a journey of love, pain, renewal with the most heartbreakingly comical heroine to come along in years. At once a fragile girl and a hard-edged cynic, so tough to love yet so inimitably lovable, Dolores is as poignantly real as our own imperfections. She's Come Undone includes a promise: you will never forget Dolores Price.

©2011 Wally Lamb (P)2011 Simon & Schuster

Critic reviews

"A heroine to cheer for....This supremely touching journey to adulthood may remind you of The World According to Garp and other sagas of emotional liberation." ( Glamour)

"There are at least two surprises in store for readers of Lamb's memorable debut novel. One is the author's sex. This male writes so convincingly in the voice of a female, tracing her life from 4 to 40, that you have to keep looking back at the jacket picture just to make sure. The second surprise is how such a string of trials and tribulations can add up to such a touchingly funny book..." ( People)

"An ambitious, often stirring and hilarious book." ( The New York Times)

Really disappointing narrator!

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

While this book remains my favorite book of all time, the unabridged narration is pretty disappointing. The performer is too old to be Dolores and she makes some annoying missteps in her reading. Jack Speight (whose bumper sticker reads

What was one of the most memorable moments of She's Come Undone?

Too many to mention! Just overall a perfect, flawless story. The imagery, the characters, the development of a truly beautiful female narrator which was remarkably captured by a male author.

Would you be willing to try another one of Linda Stephens’s performances?

Think I'll pass. Not a huge fan at all.

If you could take any character from She's Come Undone out to dinner, who would it be and why?

Dolores, of course!

Any additional comments?

Just wish that the narrator did justice to this incredible book.

A Rollicking Roll Through Dysfunction

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

Yes, the story was good but just so sad and dysfunctional.

Who was your favorite character and why?

I really liked the main characters grandmother- she was a woman who was doing the best she could and I felt for her throughout the book.

How did the narrator detract from the book?

I did not care for the narrators tone or the voice she used for the adolescent and adult Delores. It was a little bit distracting.

Was She's Come Undone worth the listening time?

Yes, I probably wouldn't re-listen to the book though.

Any additional comments?

This book is just sad- from beginning to end. If you are looking for a pickmeup story- might want to listen to something else.

You owe it to yourself to get this recording

If you could sum up She's Come Undone in three words, what would they be?

"She's Come Undone" is the unlikely story of Delores Price, whose life is repeatedly marked by tragedy, abuse and illness. When she loses control of her life, Delores resists help and trusts no one. But she ultimately discovers a strength she didn't know was inside her. She is not a stereotypical gritty heroine who fights against the odds to get a better life. She is bewildered by the many twists and turns her path takes. In the hands of a less gifted writer this story could have become absurd, but it does not. Delores emerges as an unforgettable character who maneuvers her way through the obstacles she encounters, even when she is unsure where to go. She will stay with me forever.

I am Dolores Price

What made the experience of listening to She's Come Undone the most enjoyable?

After reading (listening to) this story (forcibly Suggested by a friend) I have come to realize that I am indeed Dolores Price - born a few years later - but also Molested and traumatized on several levels. I am currently in my FAT Phase - and Im motivated - and I found as I was Cheering for Delores to allow herself happiness - I realized I TOO was denying myself happiness.

What did you like best about this story?

The Shocking thing to me is that Wally has an amazing ability to take you there - and make it real. You see - Smell and even remember as you listen to this tale. I also appreciate that Wally was able to surprise me and every unexpected turn durring this coming of age story. The only thing I didnt like was the end - or should I say the lack of an ending. So.... can we have a part two?

What about Linda Stephens’s performance did you like?

Her voice has many levels and I kept thinking that toni collette was reading - but at times she sounds much older and others she seems younger??? a great story teller voice!!!

If you could take any character from She's Come Undone out to dinner, who would it be and why?

Dolores Price - is my first choice - I want to get inside her head - My second would be Dante - I want to see what all the fuss was about.

Any additional comments?

Im glad I got this book

I couldn't put it down!

Would you consider the audio edition of She's Come Undone to be better than the print version?

I bought the unabridged audio version, so I didn't miss a thing from the print version, which we were reading as a book club. It was a long book, so being pressed for time, I needed to be able to be able to get through it while doing things that I wouldn't be able to do while "reading" and vice versa.

What other book might you compare She's Come Undone to and why?

Can't think of any other book I would compare it to.

Which scene was your favorite?

Can't tell you my favorite scene without it being a spoiler. But trust me, when you get to it, you'll know. It was the favorite scene of everyone in my book club who read the book.

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

I absolutely wanted to listen to it all in one sitting, it was that good. But I didn't opt for the abridged version, which I could have listened to in one sitting because I didn't want to miss any of the story. I'm glad I didn't. It was a book club selection, and I wanted to be able to fully participate in the discussion..

Any additional comments?

I was amazed at how well Wally Lamb is able to get into the mind and emotions of women. I'm really looking forward to reading more of his work.

The narrator almost spoiled it for me

What did you like best about She's Come Undone? What did you like least?

Best: The story is excellent. This author creates very believable characters. Least: Linda Stephens' performance.

Who was your favorite character and why?

All of the characters have something to love and much to dislike about them.

What didn’t you like about Linda Stephens’s performance?

Linda's performance was not that of a professional reader. Her voice is pleasant. But her reading was awful. Periods and commas where used in exactly the same way, and in many cases are added to the reading in inappropriate places (by Linda, not by the author). It was very distracting. I almost stopped reading because of it. Then the story grabbed me and stopping was not an option. Linda has the voice, she needs training and practice.

Could you see She's Come Undone being made into a movie or a TV series? Who should the stars be?

Movie was a great idea. As for characters; I would have no idea how to second guess the professionals, since I rarely watch a movie and do not know who the current actors are.

Any additional comments?

I hope there will be a remake of this audio book with a different narrator, or a trained, experienced Linda Stephens.

Awful! Spare yourself the agony. NOTHING good here

This book wasn???t for you, but who do you think might enjoy it more?

People who like to be bored and disgusted by characters who make bad choices again and again.

Has She's Come Undone turned you off from other books in this genre?

I don't want to read/hear anything else by this author.

What reaction did this book spark in you? Anger, sadness, disappointment?

Boredom, agony, frustration at the bang your head against the wall refusal of the main character to understand what she was doing to herself.

Well Done

Nearly 200 titles into my audiobook habit, I'm still trying to figure out what makes for a good listen vs. a traditional read, especially within my favorite genres. I've grown somewhat wary of audio editions of literary novels -- they are almost always character-driven and light on plot, and therefore difficult in some cases to follow in audio. But it's still my favorite style of fiction, so I keep trying.

At first, She's Come Undone was on track to disappoint me in that very way. The first few hours are pure character development, no forward momentum in the narrative at all. I could not imagine getting through another 15+ hours of that, could not imagine what could possibly fill another 15+ hours, short of tedium and repetition.

But there is one quality an audiobook may possess that you cannot get in print -- an actual voice reciting the inner monologue of your protagonist. If that voice is first person and at least sometimes comic (as is the case here on both counts), a narrator that captures that voice can make the listening experience far more effective than the voice inside your head when you read in print.

That's the case here, for me at least -- look at the other reviews and you will see contrary opinions on the effectiveness of Linda Stephens as narrator. Add in the decidedly mixed reviews on Goodreads provided by (presumably) a large percentage of print readers, and She's Come Undone is clearly a love-it or hate-it kind of book. There is little middle ground.

I come in on the love-it (or more accurately the like it well enough) side, and that is primarily because of Linda Stephens's narration. In addition, Dolores, battling her weight issues, depression, family dysfunction, bullying, bad relationships, and some serious tragedy, is similar in many ways to someone very close to me, so I found the story highly relatable. Some of the events and symbolism (the whale) are indeed as heavy handed as the harsher critics claim, but for me, no showstoppers there, just a four-star listen rather than five-star.

Hilarious???

I don't know who ever said this book was funny. It is FAR from funny. But it's oh so good! It shows how one can go from broken and weak and fearful to indomitable. The unlikely friendships, the roller coaster ride of a life, the uncertainty and foolishness and eventual embrace of agency-- that made it worth the read.

Gritty & Emotionally-Driven

I have read Wally Lamb before and have loved his books! "She's Come Undone" is completely different from his other novels. While the story can often be "hard" (you just want Dolores to realize her potential as you listen to her heartbreak and contempt of herself) it does not leave you in a state of depression. It's at times uplifting, at times utterly sad, and there are even a few laughs here and there. This book sucks you in without you even realizing it. It's not a thriller that keeps you at the edge of your seat as you anxiously wait for the next word out of the narrator's mouth BUT it is a deep, emotionally-driven book that I recommend to anyone who loves great fiction!

The narration was, overall, good. It wasn't amazing, BUT I felt it fit the character quite well. And, quite frankly, that counts a lot more than a deep, rich voice.