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Golden Boy

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Golden Boy

By: Abigail Tarttelin
Narrated by: Toby Longworth, Penelope Rawlins, Antonia Beamish, Oliver J. Hembrough, Various
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About this listen

Max Walker is the golden boy. He's attractive, intelligent, athletic. He's even nice to his little brother. Max is going to pass his exams with flying colours; he’s going to make his parents proud.

Max Walker has a terrible secret that could blow his perfect life apart. But someone knows his secret, someone close to him who could do great damage to Max. In fact he's already started…

©2013 Abigail Tarttelin (P)2013 W F Howes Ltd Contemporary Fiction Genre Fiction Fiction Heartfelt Inspiring Tear-jerking Thought-Provoking Exam

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All stars
Most relevant  

Any additional comments?

I downloaded this on a chance- I just came across it, had a credit to spare and needed something decent to listen to for a quiet weekend. And good grief, I did myself a favour in doing so! This story is exceptionally magical- it's intense, but it's poignant and beautiful, it's characters rich and loaded, it's story interesting and gripping and heart-warming. It is the audiobook equivalent of a page turner; I literally have never so intently listened to an audiobook in my life. I strongly recommend it!

Exceptional.

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I often rate books, but never write a review - this book however had such an effect on me that I had to! What a great book, brilliantly written and a topic which I have never really thought about, but has made me want to look into more. You can not imagine what Max has to go through in his short years, and what he will still have to face; neither can you imagine how his parents must feel about his condition and you can totally understand their confusion and reluctance to take any action earlier. Abigail Tarttelin is a fantastic writer and I will definitely be looking out for more books from her, as and when she writes them. The audio of this really brought the book to life, but I would imagine it would still be a real page-turner if you were reading it.

Wow!

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What did you like most about Golden Boy?

This book is about a subject I've only been vaguely aware of. I was interested because my own father is transgender and I have struggled with aspects of gender which most of us take for granted. We could all do with thinking about these subjects sometimes so that we become aware of our own preconceptions and assumptions.

What other book might you compare Golden Boy to, and why?

Like the characters in books like The Casual Vacancy or The Slap these characters are flawed and at times frustrating to the reader. You sometimes want to shake them or shout at them to get them to sort themselves or those around them and to see things as they really are. It makes the book 'real' though and more human and believable.

Which scene did you most enjoy?

I most enjoyed, strangely, the scene in the hospital when Max and his mum are caught in a very tense and fraught interaction. It was very moving, intense and full of suspense.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

This book is best listened to in stages to allow you to absorb and digest the various revelations. The plot keeps you guessing and wanting more information but the intensity and rawness of certain parts needs a break.

Any additional comments?

A good book for thinking and testings ones presumptions. A novel topic for a book and rarely if ever considered.

Absorbing and sometimes frustrating.

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An interesting story, but lacked some of the depth you might expect from the subject matter. Not a writer I'd particularly seek out again, but an enjoyable listen all the same.

Enjoyable and interesting

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Where does Golden Boy rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

This is a fascinating story with a subject matter that is unusual in a novel. It was one of the featured books so I bought it on a whim - a totally unknown quantity. Very original and one I'll return to and will recommend it to others.

What did you like best about this story?

The fact it is so different, with so many interesting characters, tackling a taboo subject with sensitivity and understanding.

Which scene did you most enjoy?

I enjoyed the exchanges between Max and Sophie and Max and his brother. They are all sp perceptive and yet struggle with their own demons.

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

I found the end uplifting and was so glad that things had worked out for Max and Sophie. I'd love to know what happens next!

Any additional comments?

I found the rape scene at the beginning very harrowng and wasn't sure if I'd be able to continue listening. I'm so glad I did.

Difficult subject tackled intelligently

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If you could sum up Golden Boy in three words, what would they be?

Stunning. Surprising. Beautiful

What was one of the most memorable moments of Golden Boy?

Daniel, Max's little brother being so much more grown up than people gave him credit for.

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

When Max's father Steve is talking about someone hurting your child and therefore turning you animalistic, it is a beautiful moment.

Any additional comments?

Don't judge a book by it's cover, or it's topic. The story is beautiful and I feel a real connection to the characters!

I'm left wanting more! What a beautiful book!

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I really enjoyed this book- the story was different and interesting - I loved the characters and the performance was excellent

Really enlightening- emotional and compelling

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Not entirely sure how I slept on this story when it first came out, but I’m grateful to have finally come across it...albeit by accident.

Thoroughly engaging from start to finish, with each character in some ways a protagonist in their own right. Stories this thought provoking and which spark discussion are as rare and hens teeth. I would put this on anyone’s reading bucket list.

Thought and debate provoking

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What would you do if you had a child like Max? This theme is brilliantly explored in this tale of a young man struggling with a condition that makes him feel apart from the world. Max has reached the point in his life when he has to come to terms with himself but this is brought prematurely to the fore by a single brutal act of violence.

This book could have followed a predictable route but instead it is a thoughtful and fascinating exploration of a life almost ruined by the not always good intentions of others. There are no easy answers and it is hard to side with the two diametrically opposed parents. What holds this all together is the very wonderful Max. He is a true heartbreaker with the looks and achievements of a real Golden Boy but has such endearing qualities that I almost cried when awful things happen to him. This story may be grim at times but it is filled with hope and optimism and I thought it was really uplifting.

This really challenges the traditional views of gender, identity and how we fit into the great scheme of things. As one character says, 'we are really just ideas and when we die, the idea dies with us.'

This is a very good book and I can't believe the author is such a young woman. I really look forward to reading her future work.

The great puzzle of life

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If you could sum up Golden Boy in three words, what would they be?

Fascinating, inciteful, page-turner.

What other book might you compare Golden Boy to, and why?

Nothing like anything that I have ever read before. The dialogue was not always believable but the problems encountered by the main character as a teenager with a secret and how it led to lifechanging consequences were. It really made you feel for him and those who were close to him.

What about the narrators’s performance did you like?

The narration was ok but some of the characters were hard to follow when read by more than one person.It got confusing at times going between the different narrators all talking in the first person about themselves but then doing their own version of the other characters. I found it quite disconcerting and sometimes spoiled the atmosphere of what was going on.

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

When the boy breaks down in front of his girlfriend to reveal the truth and the lies of his life. I really felt for both of them and at the hospital later in the story his interaction with his mother and the staff made me want to help him so much.

Any additional comments?

This was a fantastic read. I couldn't stop listening from start to finish over the weekend. It is a very interesting story which puts you in the life of someone who has problems which most of us would never think about in our everyday lives. Believable characters made to face up to the reality of being 'different' and having to deal with the consequences, both health and emotional, during the usual angst of a teenagers life.
I learnt a lot about a subject which is considered 'taboo' within our normal, safe lives, and really made me rethink my attitude to this and other related subjects. I think the author to be brave to take on this subject and produce such an emotional and educational read.Some scenes were quite shocking but were necessary in the context of the story. I will look for more books by the author if this is what she is capable of writing.

Great book about a very difficult subject.

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