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Firefly Lane

By: Kristin Hannah
Narrated by: Susan Ericksen
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Summary

From the New York Times bestselling author of On Mystic Lake comes a powerful novel of love, loss, and the magic of friendship....

In the turbulent summer of 1974, Kate Mularkey has accepted her place at the bottom of the eighth-grade social food chain. Then, to her amazement, the "coolest girl in the world" moves in across the street and wants to be her friend. Tully Hart seems to have it all - beauty, brains, ambition. On the surface they are as opposite as two people can be: Kate, doomed to be forever uncool, with a loving family who mortifies her at every turn. Tully, steeped in glamour and mystery, but with a secret that is destroying her. They make a pact to be best friends forever; by summer's end they've become TullyandKate. Inseparable.

So begins Kristin Hannah's magnificent new novel. Spanning more than three decades and playing out across the ever-changing face of the Pacific Northwest, Firefly Lane is the poignant, powerful story of two women and the friendship that becomes the bulkhead of their lives. 

From the beginning, Tully is desperate to prove her worth to the world. Abandoned by her mother at an early age, she longs to be loved unconditionally. In the glittering, big-hair era of the eighties, she looks to men to fill the void in her soul. But in the buttoned-down nineties, it is television news that captivates her. She will follow her own blind ambition to New York and around the globe, finding fame and success...and loneliness. 

Kate knows early on that her life will be nothing special. Throughout college, she pretends to be driven by a need for success, but all she really wants is to fall in love and have children and live an ordinary life. In her own quiet way, Kate is as driven as Tully. What she doesn't know is how being a wife and mother will change her...how she'll lose sight of who she once was, and what she once wanted. And how much she'll envy her famous best friend....

For thirty years, Tully and Kate buoy each other through life, weathering the storms of friendship - jealousy, anger, hurt, resentment. They think they've survived it all until a single act of betrayal tears them apart...and puts their courage and friendship to the ultimate test.

Firefly Lane is for anyone who ever drank Boone's Farm apple wine while listening to Abba or Fleetwood Mac. More than a coming-of-age novel, it's the story of a generation of women who were both blessed and cursed by choices. It's about promises and secrets and betrayals. And ultimately, about the one person who really, truly knows you - and knows what has the power to hurt you...and heal you. Firefly Lane is a story you'll never forget...one you'll want to pass on to your best friend.

©2008 by Kristin Hannah. (P)2007 Brilliance Audio, all rights reserved.

Critic reviews

"Susan Ericksen gives an outstanding performance of the thirty-year friendship between Kate Mularkey and Tully Hart." (AudioFile)

What listeners say about Firefly Lane

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Anyone for seriously good cake?

If you're about to read this book, get ready for one of the most sentimental, girly (and long) reads of your life! Get ready to plunge into a hot-tub of Americanness, and find a long, cool glass of all that's best about being a woman right at your elbow.

Actually, if I had to liken this book to just one thing, it would have to be a slice of extremely good chocolate fudge cake.

This has to be one of the sweetest, schmolziest books I?ve read in a long time, but it is totally morish, and I could no more have not finished it than I could leave a half-eaten slice of said cake (and I am a huge chocolate cake fan!). But don?t misinterpret me here - this book is in no way frothy or insubstantial. It might have all the irresistable gooey topping of the best chick lit, but it's rich and sumptuous too, with a whole lot of 'woman-complexity' hidden in it, not to mention the nourishing substance of a really good story.

As an avid consumer of audio books, I'd also have to credit the remarkable Susan Ericksen for her quality hot-fudge-sauce of a narration. She is a superb reader anyway, but she surpassed herself in this one, by managing to sustain two distinct 'voices' for the two main protagonists all the way through the book ... no clumsy accent or pitch differentiations, just a subtle difference in tone and intensity which kept you absolutely clear who was who all the way through.

I have rarely cried so much in one book (here the fudge cake analogy begins to fail a little!), and I have been obliged, as I so often am by sentimental
American novels, to reaffirm what really matters in my life. Now you can?t ask more than that from a decent piece of fudge cake, can you!

33 people found this helpful

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    4 out of 5 stars
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Book or Netflix

I listened to this book straight after finishing the Netflix series because I wanted to know what happened between Tully and Kate. Obviously the show could go in a completely different direction for Season two, but I was impatient. And I wanted to spend more time with these characters.

I'm honestly not sure that if I had read the book first that I would have gone looking for the show. I definitely enjoyed the book because I could see the characters in my mind from the show and I already had a connection with them. I don't think it would have been enough on its own. But then again both have their downsides. It's definitely worth a read and when you finish go watch the show too.

8 people found this helpful

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Heartwarming

I loved this. I watched the series without realising it was a Kristin Hannah novel (whose books I love) so when I wanted to read it but was worried it would be spoilt by having seen the series first but I needn’t have worried. The book is exceptional… had me crying at times and I felt totally part of TullyandKate’s world… one of my favourite Hannah books. Thoroughly recommend

6 people found this helpful

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Fantastic story, perfectly produced and superbly performed!

I loved loved loved this story. Aside from that this audible production was stunning. The narrator was the perfect voice for this. With each character she was able to bring alive a different voice and depth. I loved the production as well, the short pieces of music to change with the times, the speaker phone echo, clicks of voicemail the dream like echo when a character remembers the past. All this brought this beautiful story alive for me.

6 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars

Grab those hankies, Sob-fest ahead!

Any additional comments?

By the time I had finished this audio I was an uncontrollable blubbering wreck!

Erghhh this book is like a beautiful piece of art, I loved it so much.

It is about love, loss and above all else friendship!

Just grab it and read it you will not be disappointed !

4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

Tears at the end but a sweet book

It's very reminiscent of Wings beneath my wind film.with Bette Midler and very sentimental but thoroughly enjoyable. A women"s story I'd say and although all the main characters got in my nerves at moments and I couldn't take to Mara ... There were truths in it about live and friendship. Currently not in speaking terms with my own much loved suster, I know time is always shorter than we suppose and love and friendship and family is ultimately what counts in life and the book resonated with me. I prefer her later novels, but this early one shows what a compelling writer Kristin Hannah is. Very good and with much heart.

3 people found this helpful

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A beautiful portrait of friendship.

I watched on Netflix and wanted more. A really lovely connection with the characters.

2 people found this helpful

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Slow Burner but totally worth the Read

I went from The Nightingale to this and it was such a change of pace is took a while to get into. But once established I had to know what happens next. This was truly a book that touched me for many reasons. The final chapters especially. Kristin Hannah is a wonderful author and I highly recommend this, The Nightingale and The Great Alone.

2 people found this helpful

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Meh

Mara is utterly unlikable. I nearly gave up several times because of her. She's an annoying spoilt brat. Kate's constant feeling sorry for herself drove me nut as well. pretty much all of them are selfish and self absorbed except for Mrs Malarkey. I loved Mrs M ❤️ I did enjoy the story for the most part.

2 people found this helpful

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Wow what a read

Kristin does it again with a novel that has relatable experiences and takes you on a journey through the lives of a group of people from child hood throughout the decades. All emotional responses are required and indeed drawn from you .
As with all of the books I have read / heard by this author I am very much looking forward to the next book .

2 people found this helpful

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  • FanB14
  • 29-04-13

Beachy Fare

Tully and Katie are best friends from teen years through adulthood. This is an easy listen, you can multi-talk without missing much. The story and characters are predictable and tedious.

Only listened to this because a great friend asked me to read the book and discuss. I detest this type of writing and could barely make it through. It was easier to listen than muddle through the actual book.

Hesitate to write this because lovers of this genre will click the "no" button numerous times, but just felt the need to share my opinion. My expectations were low and this was worse than I imagined.

180 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
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  • Utilisateur anonyme
  • 29-12-10

Chick lit meets Forrest Gump

Although the last part of this book is a well-written tear jerker, I didn't buy the enduring friendship that's central to the book. Opposites attract, no problem. But it seems that this relationship borders on abuser and abused. There's nothing that Kate won't forgive Tully for and Tully's never wrong -- at least in her own mind. Neither female seems to learn and grow beyond much where they were as teenagers. The pattern repeats and repeats and repeats. Kate is likable and loving, but deserves more from a friend than she gets. Tully is self-centered and needy and even when she does things for others it seems to be driven by her own needs.I have a really hard time believing these two girls/women would be BFFs. Another problem is the jarring temporal references. I appreciate some atmospheric scene-setting, but the near-constant name-dropping, place-dropping "We were there" references induced memories of Forrest Gump meeting every important historical figure of his time. Apparently quite a few reviewers have found this as intrusive and obnoxious as I did.

161 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
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  • Alyssa
  • 27-01-11

One of the most insipid, cliched books ever

I loved the time period for this book. The main characters grew up in the same decades that I did and the references to it are what I appreciate about the story and why I give the one star. That being said, it was downhill from there. Nothing happens in this book. At the writing of this I am halfway through the second part. It's killing me to get to the end but I have a thing about seeing something through. I wanted to write this now to save anyone else from wasting a credit. This book should be used in writing classes to exemplify what not to do. Awful!

124 people found this helpful

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  • C Sir
  • 15-10-19

Please please please end!

OMG, I'd return this but I've returned a couple of other books recently. I decided to slog through, but just looked down and, what? ...7 hours left and she's about to have twins? Predictable and slow...Narrator sounds like she's reading to a 3 yr old with inflections that are bout to drive me crazy.

107 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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  • S. Rhea
  • 07-02-21

Top 5 of all time!

This is absolutely worth a credit or the $5.00 sale price it is right now. I saw it on sale and shared with some friends because it has been on my top 5 list since 2008. I was curious to read reviews and saw several negative comments. I wasn’t surprised, there are always those that are extremely picky and expect books to be exactly how they want it.

Do not let the negative reviews stop you from buying this book!!!! This is why I usually don’t read reviews before I buy a book. If it sounds interesting to you at all, buy it! Everyone’s taste is different! I loved it and was thrilled when she came out with a sequel! I love Kristin Hannah, I have many of her books. There are some that I didn’t care for but that did not stop me from buying others.

I probably have written less than a handful of reviews in the 11 years I’ve been with Audible. I felt that this book deserved another five star review. Check it out.

79 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
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  • S
  • 09-12-09

if you loved Beaches....

this book is a Beaches rip-off. Vivacious girl befriends mousy brunette girl, shared man, lifetime friendship, jealousy, arguments, illness. Seriously.....just read/watch Beaches. It's not actually bad--just predictable and done before. How can she write this in good conscience?

68 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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  • Josephine
  • 28-02-09

Firefly Lane

Although the book was well written, it was much too long. There was not enough substance to warrant 17 hrs. of listening. I probably will not read this author again. I love long books but they must be more comprehensive. The narrator was superb however. I'll look for her again. This is my first review, and I felt the book needed comment.

46 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
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  • C. Hankins
  • 13-09-08

slow read

This audio book should have been about 1/3 the length. Although the story is OK, it just dragged on so long the reader gets tired of the characters.
I wouldn't recommend it for a long car drive, as it may put you to sleep.

46 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars
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  • AB
  • 14-07-12

This lifelong friendships gets a little old.

I enjoyed the childhood stories and development of the friendship. By the end, I was a little tired of the whole thing. I did not like the narrator, her voice was too old for the story.

22 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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  • Kelley
  • 08-05-09

Wonderful Listen

Caught my attention from the very beginning and I didn't want to stop listening. The narrator really adds to the story and tells it wonderfully.

21 people found this helpful