War Brides

By: Helen Bryan

Narrated by: Tavia Gilbert

Length: 13 hrs and 36 mins

Publisher's summary

As war moves ever closer, the sleepy English village of Crowmarsh Priors settles into a new sort of normal: Evacuees from London are billeted in local homes. The nightly German air raids become grimly mundane. Rationing curtails every comfort. Men leave to fight and die. And five women forge a bond of friendship that will change their lives forever in this engrossing novel of loyalty, loss, and love in the shadow of World War II.

With the hardships of war intensifying every day, the women band together to defeat formidable enemies and find remarkable strength within themselves to help one another. It is a war-forged loyalty certain to endure years and distance. When four of the women return for a celebration 50 years later, their mission is not simply to commemorate or remember. They’ve returned to confront a traitor whose actions cost countless lives — and to avenge one of their own at last.

©2011 Heley Bryan (P)2012 Brilliance Audio, Inc.

Ruined by Narration

This book was something that I was eager to listen to. The story may be a good one but I'll never know with the recorded version because it was so awful. I kept listening hoping it would improve but it only got worse. The accents were just appallingly terrible. Avoid!

Rubbish

What disappointed you about War Brides?

The story was jumbled - I gave up half way through and the narration was awful. The American accents were reasonable (I think she must be American) but the others - English upper class, German jewish and Cockney were absurd.

Who would you have cast as narrator instead of Tavia Gilbert?

Even Shrek could have done a better job. The cockney was the worst rendition of an easily researched dialect that I've ever heard and the others were impossible to believe.

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

Anger - that I had paid for this
Sadness - that the narration was so lazy
Disappointment - Nothing like I expected

horrible narration, and editing /book content OK

What would have made War Brides better?

Proofing, the print, a different narrator, or a narrator with some acting skills

What could Helen Bryan have done to make this a more enjoyable book for you?

Proof her editors and find a better narrator

Who would you have cast as narrator instead of Tavia Gilbert?

Not sure

What character would you cut from War Brides?

No one

Any additional comments?

Audio books cost too much to be this disappointing.

My first Whispersinc experience

I had bought the Kindle edition of War Brides a few months ago and when I started to read it recently I thought it would be fun, if decadent, to also purchase the Audible version. The two together cost under $4, and so worth the "extravagance". I did switch back and forth from listening and reading, not always a smooth transition between my Kindle Paperwhite and iPhone's Audible app. But it was a positive experience. Tavia Gilbert did the various characters' accents wonderfully, which enhanced the reading as I could sort out the many characters more easily. It was a good book, interesting and informative. We all need to learn from history and this novel is based on those who lived in England and Europe during World War II.
I would hesitate to buy both the Kindle and Audible versions of most books, but War Brides was a perfect choice for Whispersinc for Voice. I would also recommend it highly as an Audible read.

Keep listening--it gets better towards the end

What could have made this a 4 or 5-star listening experience for you?

The first third of the book needs work to engage the listener and make them care about the characters.

What could Helen Bryan have done to make this a more enjoyable book for you?

Make the characters more likable and/or more believable.

Did Tavia Gilbert do a good job differentiating all the characters? How?

Yes. I believe she did a good job with the task she was given

You didn’t love this book... but did it have any redeeming qualities?

Yes the last 25% and end of the book were good. It just took too long to get "hooked" into the story.

A Story of the Women and Children on the Homefront

The setting in pre-war and WW II England. A group of women who may never have known each other otherwise end up in the English countryside to escape the Blitz. Good historical fiction.

People who have no knowledge

Of regional English accents should NOT narrate stories set in England. Even if I hadn't lived in London I think This would *still* be excruciating. The story isn't bad but dear God—the narration!

Were Any of the Accents Accurate?

Would you try another book from Helen Bryan and/or Tavia Gilbert?

I'm not sure about Helen Bryan but I know I will never buy anything that Tavia Gilbert narrates.

What didn’t you like about Tavia Gilbert’s performance?

Terrible accents. I couldn't get through the book because of them. I spent so much time trying to figure out what she was trying to accomplish with the Creole accent that I couldn't follow the story. I gave up at that point.

Good attempt at a historical saga

Where does War Brides rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

Not very highly...because the audio was difficult to understand. The narrator was attempting to imitate the cockney Brit accents or deep Irish brogues and ended up making it almost impossible to clearly 'get' what she was saying at times.

What aspect of Tavia Gilbert’s performance would you have changed?

See comments above. Less accent, more enunciation.

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

No....took me a few months. Not something that gripped you

Any additional comments?

Would have been only 3 stars, but it picked up the pace at the end. At least it gave the story a close with it's prologue.

Waste of Money

What would have made War Brides better?

I was unable to follow the story line. Nothing distinguished one person from another.

Would you ever listen to anything by Helen Bryan again?

I was so put off by the horrible narration that I am not sure if could provide a review of the story.

Would you be willing to try another one of Tavia Gilbert’s performances?

NO

Really enjoyable story

I thoroughly enjoyed this story and glad I stuck with it. However, I hate to say anything derogatory about narrators because I think they do a fantastic job, but this one - oh dear, she is obbviously American and her own accent was fine. Her english accents were dreadful, so much so, that if the story had not been enjoyable I would have given up. It was a shame really if she had just read it in her own accent all the way through it would probably have been better.

Why the terrible American narration?

This story was set outside the USA apart from the first 20 mins or so. But we had to put up with the most dreadful attempts by an American narrator who had to master cockney, posh aristocrat, Sussex burr amongst many other accents. Truly dire. There are so many good British narrators and this narration ruined a really good story.

A story that turns into a spy story.

Excellent book, had to re listen several times and kept thinking that bit wasn't there last time I listened!!! Not so sure about the reader, she pronounces some words most oddly. A plait of hair is not pronounced like plate but like flat. Very unusual spy story I had never thought of water as a guide to aircraft but now it is so obvious. I really recommend this book.

excellent read

I loved this book.

It was really hard to put down.

I would think anyone who enjoys stories in wartime would love this.

Thoroughly enjoyed this book

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The writer built the characters so well and believable. Loved the end.

Amusing accent

I've just started listening to this book (my first audio book) in my car, and it's making the daily commute a lot more pleasant. I have to echo many of the other comments about the narration though, it is pretty bad to the point of being funny. They definitely don't talk with a Bristol twang in Sussex, in fact it even sounded a bit Irish at one point today, much to my amusement. The German speaking Tanni occasionally sounds Japanese, and I wish that Americans would steer clear of cockney accents. That said, it hasn't put me off, far from it as I am enjoying the story, and now looking for more audio books to help make my journey less onerous.

Poor Narration Good Story

What did you like most about War Brides?

The story was good and that is the only reason I kept going, the narration was comic - simple English words like "fete" pronounced as fet amongst a host of other words poorly pronounced.

What did you like best about this story?

The characters were interesting and varied

Would you be willing to try another one of Tavia Gilbert’s performances?

I think an American trying to impersonate a cockney accent was probably too much for this narrator

Any additional comments?

It would be nice if the narrators actually researched how to pronounce basic English words, overall the narration was laughable

loved it!

Totally loved listening to this - once I got past the Americanism English accents! The story was convoluted and engaging, whilst also being a people story with plenty of characters to get to know. :-)

Fascinating wartime story, with excellent narration.

A book which I really enjoyed, listening to the exploits of five young women during the war years. The historical detail was superb, and the writer must have carried out a great deal of research.
The whole audio book was evocative of the war years and the story was gripping enough to keep me interested throughout.
Tafia Gilbert was an excellent narrator, who brought to life the characters with an array of accents, imitation of male as well as female voice plus the ability to 'age' characters speech. She really brought the story to life. Excellent.

Excellent listen!

Would you listen to War Brides again? Why?

Definitely. I am sure it will have bits I missed as the story is fairly complex and moves along.

What did you like best about this story?

That it is told from the women's perspective.

Have you listened to any of Tavia Gilbert’s other performances? How does this one compare?

No. I thought it was excellent.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

When Alice realised she had been dumped in favour of Evangeline.

Any additional comments?

Brilliant listen and engrossing book. Loved it!