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This Must Be the Place

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This Must Be the Place

By: Maggie O'Farrell
Narrated by: Thomas Judd, Penelope Rawlins
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About this listen

An addictive and unforgettable novel of a marriage in freefall, shortlisted for the Costa Novel Award 2016.

A Richard and Judy Pick 2017.

A top 10 best seller, This Must Be the Place by Maggie O'Farrell crosses time zones and continents to reveal an extraordinary portrait of a marriage.

A reclusive ex-film star living in the wilds of Ireland, Claudette Wells is a woman whose first instinct, when a stranger approaches her home, is to reach for her shotgun. Why is she so fiercely protective of her family and what made her walk out of her cinematic career when she had the whole world at her feet?

Her husband Daniel, reeling from a discovery about a woman he last saw 20 years ago, is about to make an exit of his own. It is a journey that will send him off-course, far away from the life he and Claudette have made together. Will their love for one another be enough to bring Daniel back home?

©2016 Maggie O'Farrell (P)2016 Headline Digital Fiction Genre Fiction Literary Fiction Marriage Heartfelt

Critic reviews

"A complex, riveting novel of love and hope that grips at the heart." (The Sunday Times)
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I don't know why I've not read any Maggie O'Farrell before, I thought she was maybe too commercial, but I stand corrected. This is a truly wonderful book, intelligent, erudite and packs a real emotional punch. The writing is excellent; nuanced and subtle. The characters are brilliantly drawn and you become truly invested in their stories.

I loved it!

Wonderful book - couldn't stop listening

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The book is slow - but enjoyable. I think reading it may actually lend itself better than listening as it was hard to keep track of the year each chapter was set. You meet a lot of characters - can be a little confusing but very manageable. Lovely writing - very descriptive. Sad at times. It's a story of life and how people travel through it.

Interesting and enjoyable

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Maggie O’Farrell was a new author for me. I found her style of writing in the first person quite different to listen to at first but once I got into the story I enjoyed it very much. Loved the characters and the humour. I did find the way the story unfolded by moving backwards& forwards in time a little distracting. I had to keep going back over previous chapters in my mind to make sure I kept up with the story line. All in all though I did enjoy the book and would recommend it. Have a new author now to explore.

Enjoyable

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

This book was recommended to me - I don't think I would have picked it otherwise. It was a thoroughly enjoyable read and I shall be reading other books by this author.

What other book might you compare This Must Be the Place to, and why?

The story generally reminded me of the books by Anita Shreve - with lots of description and study about what the characters are feeling.

What does Thomas Judd and Penelope Rawlins bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you had only read the book?

The narration really added to the experience. I find more and more I enjoy listening to books rather than reading them - it feels so much more immersive. You get all the advantages of a book (you use your imagination to conjure up the characters in your head), but the dialogue parts are much easier with narration. Plus you can listen while you get chores done!!!

Did you have an emotional reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

There is a very sweet sub story line running through this book about Daniel's mother. I found it really touching. There were some intensely sad parts that were incredibly emotional, but so well written.

Any additional comments?

Some of the stories feel a bit disjointed - but hang in there because everything comes together. A wonderful book about false starts, premature finishes and everything that precedes and follows.

Pulls you in....

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Enjoyed the book on the whole. The narration was okay, and the book was well written in many respects, but by the end I found myself bored by and out of sympathy with the main characters. I thought they were inward looking and self obsessed and their situation and way of life rather unconvincing.

Some great writing, but ....

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