Thought provoking

Where does The Son-In-Law rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

Different. More than a just a tale. As much time spent thinking about it as listening to it.

What did you like best about this story?

I thought the characterisation was good. Sympathy with characters was switchable. There really was no real hero or heroine. These were real people, each with their own strengths and weaknesses. My general sympathy was with the murderer and anti the mother-in-law but the author was able to switch this at times. .

Which scene did you most enjoy?

No. The book is a unit.

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

The whole book is very moving. A father who has lost a wife and children. A mother [and father] who have lost their daughter and want, what they see as, the best for their grandchildren. Confused children who have lost their mother and father. All these a good people, there are no baddies. We may think that they (who?) are misguided.

Any additional comments?

The author presents a problem without an easy solution. Possibly without a solution and we must form our own. My only question of the book was the introduction of a romance factor which, I felt, added an unnecessary complication. Perhaps the author realised this and rather abandoned it and I felt it added nothing. The extra character was interesting but added nothing to the essence of the book. A thought provoking book, well constructed with sympathetic development of characters. Amazingly no evil characters we can blame, just ordinary people with an extraordinary problem

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6 people found this helpful

Phenomenal

This is the best book I've listened to or read this year. Beautifully observed and sensitivily written with performances that complemented the brilliant wtiting. It was heartbreaking and life affirming but never sentimental. This should be compulsory reading for anyone working with children caught up in the adult world of Court directed contact or working with those who have broken the law and caused harm and pain to others An exploration of loss and the toxicity of hate and our human need to be loved and to love. The characters were complex and flawed and very human. The ending was perhaps a little too tidy but didn't detract from what is a wonderful emotional tour de force.

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Charming and disarming

Thoroughly enjoyed the book from beginning to end. Having multiple narrators added a level that increased the enjoyment even more.

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The son in law

David Nellists narration was very good. Loved the story and had tears at the end.

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Beautiful story - so real and moving

I enjoyed the story and the narration was very good. Some very difficult topics covered genuinely and sensitively. Thoroughly recommend.

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Emotionally hooked!

This far out-ranks Charity Norman's After the Fall. I found that forgettable, but I'll remember this one. When Joseph, who killed his wife, is released from prison, the deeply distressing issue of what happens to his children forms the focus of the book, and seeing this from different points of view is thought-provoking. Having four narrators enhances the different perspectives.

Some Amazon reviews have hinted that elements of the book are predictable. Yes, some are to a degree, others far less so. Regardless of that, I was gripped by the unfurling of events in the lives of those who are, in the main, fairly ordinary people who find themselves in extraordinary situations. This is not a book about mental health, though one aspect I shall remember for a long time is the description of living with someone with uncontrolled bipolar disorder.

I'm not often emotionally moved by a book, but this one did it for me. A great listen!

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8 people found this helpful

A real good listen

This story is told from 3 perspectives and cleverly weaves in emotions, circumstances and outcomes. Your inner child feels for Scarlett, child of murdered mother and her siblings. Conflicted feelings hold for Joseph, whom the victim dies at the hands of and Hannah, mother of Zoe, the victim. This story is brutal in its portrayal of mental illness but provides an insight to what its like to live with it.
The narration was superb.
A really good read/listen and a bit if a tearjerker.

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Surprising

I wasn’t sure what to expect. But I found this gripping and the emotional stories handled really well. Something a bit different but definitely worth investing in!

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Wonderful storytelling -

Loved this book. Poignant and heartbreaking but spellbinding. Listened virtually non stop until the end.

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Gripping, brilliant, heartwarming!

Fantastic story, superb writing and great narration. I was gripped from beginning to end. Written with such depth and compassion - if I could’ve managed the whole book in one sitting, I would have! This certainly won’t be the last book I listen to by Charity Norman!

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