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Breakdown

By: Cathy Sweeney
Narrated by: Gráinne Gillis
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Summary

From one of Ireland's most provocative and admired writers comes a story of rage and reckoning, joy and transformation, and one woman's decision to leave everything behind.

'Thrillingly relatable' HARPER'S BAZAAR

'A striking debut from a highly original writer' IRISH TIMES

'A vivid portrait of a woman adrift' OBSERVER

One winter morning on an ordinary day in contemporary Dublin, an ordinary middle-class woman wakes up in her ordinary suburban home. Her husband is next to her in bed, her teenage children sleeping nearby.

Without thinking much about it, she walks out the front door and never comes back.

She travels first by car, then train, then ferry. Along the way, she finds herself in service stations and shopping centres, hotel bars and hairdressers - and in the beds of strange men.

Finally, forty-eight hours later, alone in a cottage in Wales, the woman faces up to what she has been ignoring inside herself, her family, modern society: signs of breakdown.

'This funny, thoughtful novel will resonate with lots of women' GOOD HOUSEKEEPING

'Riveting from the start' IRISH INDEPENDENT

'A gripping character study' DAILY MAIL
©2023 Cathy Sweeney (P)2023 Weidenfeld & Nicolson
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What listeners say about Breakdown

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Fabulous read

A truly beautiful story albeit dark at times. I wish it was longer. Great narrative. Highly recommend

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Raw and unapologetic

Such honesty, a close call for all mothers, a war cry for all women lost.

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    2 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars

Very disappointed having heard all the hype

Felt it was a bit far fetched, am similar age & found a lot of her actions unbelievable

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

Story line good

I did not like the reader, her voice reminded me of a radio show from a long time ago with Dear Frankie as the start of the letters sent into the program

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Book Yes, Narrator No

The narrator was just not it for me, I will reread this book myself as I enjoyed the story, shame as the book is quite good!

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Great story - poor narration

Beautifully written and a compelling read. Narrator was wrong for the book for me - v irritating accents and did it no justice.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

A book for reading

I stopped halfway through the audio. I don’t think the tone is right - almost a stereotypical caricature of a South County Dublin middle-class woman (verging on West Brit). I imagine the writing is more subtle than the audio narration. I think it’s a book that, if it can be read, should be read, given the format, some fonts, etc. I’ve started reading it and am enjoying the story much more.

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

Really did not like the narration

Found the ‘I went to elocutionlessons’ accent and strange stress on random words very off putting. The story was ok & pretty well written but I usually like to care about a character (even if I don’t like them) and found I really didn’t in this case. At all.

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    1 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

Awful voice

Couldn’t get beyond second chapter. Voice entirely wrong. Really grated - horrible to listen to….. don’t listen

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Loved the story - hated the performance

I kept wishing I had read this one - didn’t rate the performance at all
… shame

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