The Radleys

A Novel

De: Matt Haig

Narrado por: Toby Leonard Moore

Soon to be a major film—starring Kelly Macdonald and Damien Lewis!

From the bestselling author of The Midnight Library—an “irresistible...full of clever turns, darkly hilarious spins...Even if you're suffering from vampire fatigue...The Radleys is a fun, fresh contribution to the genre” (Associated Press).

Just about everyone knows a family like the Radleys. Many of us grew up next door to one. They are a modern family, averagely content, averagely dysfunctional, living in a staid and quiet suburban English town. Peter is an overworked doctor whose wife, Helen, has become increasingly remote and uncommunicative. Rowan, their teenage son, is being bullied at school, and their anemic daughter, Clara, has recently become a vegan. They are typical, that is, save for one devastating exception: Peter and Helen are vampires and have—for seventeen years—been abstaining by choice from a life of chasing blood in the hope that their children could live normal lives.

One night, Clara finds herself driven to commit a shocking—and disturbingly satisfying—act of violence, and her parents are forced to explain their history of shadows and lies. A police investigation is launched that uncovers a richness of vampire history heretofore unknown to the general public. And when the malevolent and alluring Uncle Will, a practicing vampire, arrives to throw the police off Clara’s trail, he winds up throwing the whole house into temptation and turmoil and unleashing a host of dark secrets that threaten the Radleys’ marriage.

The Radleys is a moving, thrilling, and radiant domestic novel that explores with daring the lengths a parent will go to protect a child, what it costs you to deny your identity, the undeniable appeal of sin, and the everlasting, iridescent bonds of family love. Read it and ask what we grow into when we grow up, and what we gain—and lose—when we deny our appetites.

Just ok

Not his best book but not bad. Just ok. Not a book that you can't put down and cannot wait to get back to. With that said, I read it pretty quickly because I am on vacation. Good light beach read. Narration was ok.
Was it the waste of a credit? No. Enjoyable enough.

No unnecessary violence or gratuitous sex, just “real” people with real problems and emotions.

Uncomplicated story, but still thought provoking. It asked the kinda of questions many people ask and it gave plausible answers. Honest characters with relatable stories.

Great narration of a fun story!

I love this author’s work, and this performance of it was delightful. It was suspenseful and fun.

Love this author

Every book is so fun. Great listen. Couldn’t stop and finished in one weekend. Really enjoyed it!

Brilliant!!

More please! Loved the story, writing style, and narrator. I don't want to spoil the story.
All I can say is listen and absorb The Radleys.

The vampires next door

A good build. There must be a belief in vampires in the UK. Seems I recognized the setting. Or maybe that’s the Harry Potter influence

Vampires?!

I was close to returning the book once that detail emerged. I was not happy to have used a credit for this. All in, putting the vampire blood lust aside, it was a light, beach-read about families.

Excellent book, great story!

Narrator was great- the story was exciting and had some twists and turns- quick read and good read! You don’t have to be super into vampires to enjoy this book

Unique vampire story

I enjoyed the family dynamic within a vampire community! I would recommend it. Good narration.

Blood doesn't satisfy cravings. It magnifies them.

THE RADLEYS is not a syrupy sweet sparkly YA vampire romance novel… fortunately! What it is; is a satisfyingly thought-out and well executed story about a suburban family (the Radleys) who have a guiltful taste for the sticky red stuff.

Matt Haig did a favorable job in first, showcasing this family’s dynamics of love and dysfunction as they struggle to blend in and be “normal” and second, in telling a thrilling heart pounding vampire tale. His ability to maintain a strong balance of the two, succeeded in captivating my attention throughout.

Would I recommend THE RADLEYS to a friend? Definitely!... especially in the MP3 audio format. Toby Leonard Moore’s narration/performance in accent, really adds to the experience of this UK born book.

As stated before THE RADLEYS is not your expected bloodsucker story, although there are sprinkles of humor and romance with colorful bits of creative vampiric history; I’d classify this book in the paranormal drama category due to its slightly PG13 soap-operaish vibe. Now the question is… will there be a sequel? I hope so.