The Peacock Emporium

A Novel

By: Jojo Moyes

Narrated by: Elizabeth Sastre, Christine Rendel, Fabio Tassone

Length: 14 hrs and 47 mins

Publisher's Summary

An early work from the New York Times best-selling author of The Giver of Stars, Jojo Moyes, the story of a young woman who opens an eclectic shop and comes to terms with the secrets of her past.

In the '60s, Athene Forster was the most glamorous girl of her generation. Nicknamed the Last Deb, she was also beautiful, spoiled, and out of control. When she agreed to marry the gorgeous young heir Douglas Fairley-Hulme, her parents breathed a sigh of relief. But within two years, rumors had begun to circulate about Athene's affair with a young salesman.

Thirty-five years later, Suzanna Peacock is struggling with her notorious mother's legacy. The only place Suzanna finds comfort is in The Peacock Emporium, the beautiful coffee bar and shop she opens that soon enchants her little town. There, she makes perhaps the first real friends of her life, including Alejandro, a male midwife, escaping his own ghosts in Argentina.The specter of her mother still haunts Suzanna. But only by confronting both her family and her innermost self will she finally reckon with the past - and discover that the key to her history, and her happiness, may have been in front of her all along. 

©2019 Jojo Moyes (P)2019 Penguin Audio

Critic Reviews

“Emotionally luscious, freestanding novel about generations of mothers and daughters navigating grief and the satisfaction of self-discovery.... Though this is not a romance novel like Moyes’ previous works, it maintains their legacy of diving into the emotions of desire and connection, and a spirit of optimism and setting the world right.” (Publishers Weekly)

Major Disappointment

What a disappointing book! I love Ms Moyes and so I was excited to get started on this audio. I kept waiting for it to grab me and it never did. I think the main problem is that the heroine is an unlikeable, narcissistic, brat. She has a family who loves her and accepts her drama, a husband who does the same, enough money to live her life but its not "enough" for her- poor little rich girl!! A tragic accident happens and it "changes her life", well not really because nothing terrible happens to her personally, she makes everyone else unhappy and in the end gets what she wants and is happy ( but for how long?). There could have been so much potential to this story, but it was lost. I think many authors that are successful just get pressure to keep churning out the books regardless of their quality. Don't waste your credits!

predictable

The story, though rich,-too rich in detail, is a bit lengthy and boring...Then predictable! Enjoy the authors, but not this novel

Good narration and Compelling story but...

I really liked the narration of this story. The narrator had a great voice. The storyline was interesting and had enough parts to keep the story moving along. I agree with many of the other critics that say that the main character was a bit much to take. She was pretty negative and spoiled and self involved through much of the book. That being said, it seems like that was part of her process in her growth. Overall a good read but not my favorite from JoJo Moyes.

Disappointing and plain annoying!

I too like may other reviewers was looking forward with some trepidation to this book. Trying to give Ms Moyes one last go. While I loved Me Before You, her follow novels were flat and disappointing. And so was this. The main character was so whiny and petulant that there is no way a handsome smart man from Argentina would fall instantly in love with her. She had zero redeeming qualities. Zero. While I enjoyed the performer, she did the best with what material she was given. Do not waste your credits on this book.

Unlikable Lead

I don’t think I’ve ever encountered a more unlikable main character. Sometimes I had to stop listening just because I couldn’t handle how negative, spoiled, self-absorbed and unlikable the main character was! This is surprising for JoJo Moyes, as I typically enjoy all of her characters. While I found myself listening all the way to the end, somewhat interested in how it all turned out, my intense dislike for Suzanna was a huge distraction!

Good but not great

I know and love most all Joni Moyes books. Parts of The Peacock Emporium were good but, overall, I would not recommend. Frustrating reading/listening to the first chapters and not knowing timeframe or reference point.

Epic!

Another fantastic epic tale from JoJo Moyes! Just when you think you know what’s coming next - it goes a different but fantastic route. Great reading and dialects from the narrator - an overall glorious adventure!

Not quite annoying enough to return

I really enjoyed the first half of the book but then it headed south and fell off the rails with a dumb ending. Such an unpleasant lead character. She opens the Peacock Emporium. Will it make her happy? What would make her happy? Do we care?
What about the under-utilized interesting character--the male midwife from Argentina! Why didn't we learn more about him? So many family secrets but why were they secret? The big "reveals" are underwhelming.
Aspects of the story held my interest, but overall this book is a big disappointment.
However if I had really hated it, I would have returned it.

Disappointed in this book

The story felt very slow and the narration was not to my liking. Upon reading the description, I thought I’d enjoy it, but unfortunately did not 😔

I didnt enjoy this as much.

I actually had to put this one down, because it was heavy weighted and long for me. I went to another series, absorbed it, and came back to finish this one. I have really enjoyed other books by Jojo Moyes, which is why I am so surprised that I didn't enjoy this one. It didn't flow easily, and often required concentration. I got lost changing from character to character, and found the transitions difficult with this book.