The Minuscule Mansion of Myra Malone

By: Audrey Burges

Narrated by: Christine Lakin

Length: 9 hrs and 57 mins

Publisher's summary

A woman learns to expand the boundaries of her small world and let love inside it in this sparkling and unforgettable novel by Audrey Burges.

From her attic in the Arizona mountains, thirty-four-year-old Myra Malone blogs about a dollhouse mansion that captivates thousands of readers worldwide. Myra’s stories have created legions of fans who breathlessly await every blog post, trade photographs of Mansion-modeled rooms, and swap theories about the enigmatic and reclusive author. Myra herself is tethered to the Mansion by mysteries she can’t understand—rooms that appear and disappear overnight, music that plays in its corridors.

Across the country, Alex Rakes, the scion of a custom furniture business, encounters two Mansion fans trying to recreate a room. The pair show him the Minuscule Mansion, and Alex is shocked to recognize a reflection of his own life mirrored back to him in minute scale. The room is his own bedroom, and the Mansion is his family’s home, handed down from the grandmother who disappeared mysteriously when Alex was a child. Searching for answers, Alex begins corresponding with Myra. Together, the two unwind the lonely paths of their twin worlds—big and small—and trace the stories that entwine them, setting the stage for a meeting rooted in loss, but defined by love.

©2023 Audrey Burges (P)2023 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

"Audrey Burges has written a sure-fire hit—lively, stylish, and full of heart. The Minuscule Mansion of Myra Malone is decorated with gorgeous wordsmithery and magical trimmings, and I loved every minute spent inside."—Sarah Addison Allen, New York Times bestselling author of Other Birds

"The Minuscule Mansion of Myra Malone is that rare novel: a generous, big-hearted reprieve from our ever-more-troubling reality; a modern fairy tale about how we carry the burdens that choose us, and the magic of finding shelter—and love—when both seem meant for other people. Audrey Burges is a storyteller of warmth, wit, and stunning originality."—Katie Gutierrez, bestselling author of More Than You'll Ever Know

“The Minuscule Mansion of Myra Malone is a refreshing and unique entry into the genre of mystical realism. Quirky and scarred yet very authentic characters populate this richly told tale of friendship, family, and timeless love. Perfect for fans of Sarah Addison Allen and for all book lovers searching for a fantastic read.”—Karen White, New York Times bestselling author

Loved This Story!!

I didn’t want it to end. Definitely will explore and listen to more from this author.

Great Story with great narrator

I enjoyed the book a lot. The plot was interesting and fun, but not always predictable.
I love a little magic in the world.

I really loved this book

The first chapter left me wondering if I would like it, but by the end of the second chapter, I was fully hooked! I couldn't stop listening!

love love love

I loved this story so much. It is sweet and enchanting! Great narration, too.

Great concept, but lacking a bit in plot and execution.

I would give this book about 3.5 stars. Since I am only the 2nd reader to rate it though, I rounded my rating up to 4. This was a subtly lovely book. Emphasis on the subtle. I loved the concept of the minuscule mansion, and the magic that it carried, and loved that it was a multigenerational story.

The plot line was lacking. I wish there was more to drive the plot along. The story line was pretty dull for the greater chunk of the book, which left me mentally checking out of the story often. Some parts dragged on and were repetitive, while others weren't elaborated on enough to really bring the characters and magic to life like I was hoping for.

While the readers are told how magical and mysterious the mansion is, I had a hard time being invested in and believing the magic.

I was wanting to be carried away by the magic of the minuscule mansion, and how it was tied into the real mansion, but by the end was still left wanting that magic.

For example- pieces in the minuscule mansion and even whole rooms would often disappear. Sounds intriguing, right? While readers are told that, it is never really elaborated on why, or where things go, or how it happens like I was hoping. We are just told it happens, and it's left at that.

I enjoyed that it was a multigenerational story. It follows 2 families that connect into one, and then melts into a love story. It took quite a while for all of the characters to be pieced together though. There were quite a few characters and timelines, and their stories ended up being too far spaced out for me to really get to know and become invested in any of the characters. By the end when it all finally comes together, I felt like I knew a bit of each character, but didn't get to know any one character on a deeper level. I was left longing for more connection to the characters.

Overall, I loved the concept, but wanted more from the book in plot and execution.

I didn’t expect to be hooked

I really didn’t expect to love this book the way I did! The fantasy element struck as a bit of a surprise and normally that kind of thing turns me off completely. However, this time, it just worked! This one will stick with me for a long time!

A very enjoyable cozy fantasy

I loved the idea of a book about a reclusive woman who runs a very popular website about her model house. I’m fascinated by people who share their niche hobbies with the world. I was pleasantly surprised by the fantasy aspect in which the little house was much more than it seemed. I really enjoyed the historical storyline and would have loved even more detail about that.

Loved it

A fairy tale for grown ups. Unique story managed to stay sweet and interesting. Very well written. I enjoyed listening to this book.

Pretty fascinating

A lovely, sometimes heartbreaking, often warm and charming story of a miniature house and an exact duplicate real mansion situated a country apart continuously offer refuge to those in need. Magic underpins it all. Author Burges writes with magic as well proved by my frequent stop to rewind in order to listen more than once to a turn of phrase or a paragraph ripe with words I wanted to commit to memory. An overall work of word art. Christine Lakin as narrator provided the perfect amount of drama.

Highly recommend!

Audrey Burges is my new favorite author! I am not generally a huge fan of fiction, but I absolutely loved this book! It is mystery, fantasy, romance, comedy and more. I laughed, I cried, and I thought about it when I couldn’t be listening to it. It gave me all the feels! Beautifully descriptive writing! I can’t even describe the way I felt this story touch my soul! I can not wait for her next book!