excellent

ignore the poor reviews this is as always a wonderful read .highly recommended ..fabulous

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The Child's Child

Considering that in her prime, Ruth Rendell/Barbara Vine was probably the best psychological thriller writer of her time, this is a very poor offering. The story, set in both contemporary London concerning a female Hampstead-based academic, who inherits a large house and moves in with her brother, whose new relationship causes a rift between the siblings.

The majority of the book is taken up with a 'story-within-a-story' unpublished manuscript about a gay brother and his unmarried sister who scandalised 1920s Bristol with their lifestyle choices. Very few of the characters are pleasant and it was often difficult to remain focused.

Finty Williams' narration was very good throughout.

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1 person found this helpful

What a ride

Loved this book. This book was an uncomfortable read, in so much as it had my stomach in knots I wanted to shake the characters. The sense of inevitability was plain to see. I was talking to the characters, out loud!! This is a compelling read. Listened to it in one go.

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A thought provoking book

Read well, made it a joy to listen to. The book makes one think a lot about family relationships and how people do and do not care for each other and/or how some people can let 'appearances' whether for religious or other reasons, override and destroy their love for those who should be most important to them.

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2 people found this helpful

Disjointed and disappointing

I've read a lot of Barbara Vine, and listened to quite a few. One or two have been disappointing but Asta's Book and The Dark-Adapted Eye are superb, so I was really looking forward to this listen. However, it was very disappointing. About half the book is taken up with a 'book within a book' which was OK. There were parallels between the modern day situation and that in the 'book within', but nothing startling - no 'Aha' moment. There were also hints at the beginning of the story that there was going to be more to it. There is reference to a 'ghost'; and one of the characters has a disproportionate reaction to a situation that made one think 'Oooh what is he hiding?' The answer appears to be nothing. I was left checking my library for part 3 in which the strands which have been developed are pulled together - but there is no part 3. A very disappointing listen.

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7 people found this helpful

Great book recommend

This book was well crafted I have never read this author before but will look for other titles

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Bonus Story

Really liked the premise of this novel with story within a story. Super characters even when they were pretty unlikeable. Finty Williams as narrator has a beautiful tone. Highly recommended.

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I listened to it all day

Carried my iPad about whilst doing my chores . The narrator was so good. Excellent story , I could not wait to see what happened to each character.

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The Child’s Child

An interesting listen. Kept me interested. I enjoyed the book within the book most of all.

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Wonderful

Another great story. Full of glimpses of our human frailties. Well worth a read. And a perfect ending.

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