Entertaining

Really enjoyed this book, a window into the lives of ordinary people in some way. Characters which aren’t likeable but you want to hear from. Narration was excellent, like hearing a play. Lots of humour and I love Barnes way with words.
It could have done with being a little shorter is my only criticism - the Val section seemed superfluous but maybe there was some intricacy that I missed in that part. Overall, great listen.

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a good read

I zipped through this. The narrators are superb and so the characters are clearly defined. I especially like novels told in this split narrator style giving you personal insight to each viewpoint. The ending, as others have said, was sudden but not unsatisfying. A neat conclusion to such destructive relationships would have been tidy and artificial.

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Disappointing

Is there anything you would change about this book?

I would make it more emotionally engaging, make characters more interesting and sympathetic, so I could care about them. Of course not every book need to be emotionally engaging and it's characters likable. It could be cold analysis of human behaviour, but I don't think it was the intention of the author.

What was your reaction to the ending? (No spoilers please!)

Although the ending is quite violent it left me indifferent. It clearly suggest that a sequel is coming.

What did you like about the performance? What did you dislike?

It is hard to distinguish immediately who is talking Stuart or Oliver. It takes some time to observe 'Oh this is Stuart/Oliver talking!' I didn't like their interpretation of their characters, especially, often excessively brash. Also it doesn't help that the interpreter of the female main character Gillian do also, her mother, landlady, hotel owner etc. All in first-person voice.

Do you think Talking It Over needs a follow-up book? Why or why not?

Obviously, as I mentioned above, it ends like the end of a first volume of a novel, but I doubt I'll be interested in follow up.

Any additional comments?

I bought this book after listening excellent The Sense of an Ending and I expected something on this level but I was dearly disappointed.

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1 person found this helpful

Predictable, implausible and unsatisfying

Beginning as a menage a trois between three London stereotypes this became increasingly implausible and less interesting.
A promising structure & with good performances...it could have been clever and gripping.
But there were no radical plot developments - no witty twists...on it plodded.
How did it conclude? I'm not really sure - to me it just seemed to peter out, the characters fading into the background.
In the end I didn't really care who did what to whom or what happened as a result.

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3 people found this helpful

Wise and witty

Barnes' work is a delight. Light on the surface but offering profound observations on the vagaries of the human heart.

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1 person found this helpful

Excellent

This good story was performed perfectly by the three voice actors. Going onto the follow up book and hoping it matches this one

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