Jakob's Colours
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Jakob's Colours
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Narrated by:
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Anna Bentinck
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By:
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Lindsay Hawdon
About this listen
Inspired by the lost voices of the Romany Holocaust, this heartbreaking and tender novel will appeal to readers who loved Sophie's Choice, Schindler's Ark, and The Book Thief. "Remarkable - brave, big-hearted and beautifully written" (Andrew Miller, author of the Costa Award-winner PURE)
Austria, 1944. Jakob, a gypsy boy - half Roma, half Yenish - runs, as he has been told to do. With shoes of sackcloth, still stained with another's blood, a stone clutched in one hand, a small wooden box in the other. He runs blindly, full of fear, empty of hope. For hope lies behind him in a green field with a tree that stands shaped like a Y.
He knows how to read the land, the sky. When to seek shelter, when not. He has grown up directing himself with the wind and the shadows. They are familiar to him. It is the loneliness that is not. He has never, until this time, been so alone.
"Don't be afraid, Jakob," his father has told him, his voice weak and wavering. "See the colours, my boy," he has whispered. So he does. Rusted ochre from a mossy bough. Steely white from the sap of the youngest tree. On and on Jakob runs.
Spanning from one world war to another, taking us across England, Switzerland and Austria, Jakob's Colours is about the painful legacies passed down from one generation to another, finding hope where there is no hope and colour where there is no colour.
©2015 Lindsey Hawon (P)2015 Hodder & StoughtonListeners also enjoyed...
Critic reviews
What listeners say about Jakob's Colours
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Tara
- 19-07-15
A gem of a book
This is a harrowing topic but compelling. In parts, it is magical and prosaic; even when the subject matter is brutal and unbearable. Some of the chapters felt superfluous - almost as if they were written to buffer the horror and give you chance to re-group and strengthen before the imminent tragic story unfolds but I lost interest in these chapters and would have preferred they were not included. There is magic and love throughout the book and I recommend it highly. The narrator was very good.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- James Muirhead
- 14-07-15
Jacob'a Colours, will move you as much as Sophie's Choice and Schindler's List
Very moving and thought provoking story, beautifully written. Almost moved me to tears in places.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- MARGARET JOHNSON
- 01-08-15
Brillient
So sad! Really well written. I felt I walked in Jakob's shoes. A must read for all!
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- stibule
- 09-03-16
Beautifully written and excellent narration
What made the experience of listening to Jakob's Colours the most enjoyable?
The narration was excellent. The reading was not overly emotional which did justice to the beauty of the writing.
Which character – as performed by Anna Bentinck – was your favourite?
Jakob was my favourite character, although all were very well portrayed, including the German official.
Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?
Every time a little more of what had happened was revealed I was moved, but towards the end is a moment that made me stop in my tracks...
Any additional comments?
This was a beautifully crafted and written book about a very emotive subject. The language and the way the story unfolds as well as the narration were a delight within a very difficult subject.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- ALD2014
- 13-10-15
Heartbreaking debut from Lyndsay Hawdon
Would you listen to Jakob's Colours again? Why?
Yes, I think the narrators voice was wonderful, and brought the colours in the novel into sharp focus
What other book might you compare Jakob's Colours to, and why?
It reminded me a little of "All the Light we cannot see" by Anthony Doerr
.Evocative, terrifying, magical and tragic.
Which scene did you most enjoy?
The description of Yavy's workshop and the colours he collected there. Also, the depiction of Alfredo's bar.
Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?
The last 10 pages utterly destroyed me.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Anita
- 17-07-17
Beautifully visually and interwoven
The most beautifully moving & subtly interwoven audio book I've listened to in a while.
Loved the links between the generations; the use of colour as the drum beat, with stunning visual descriptions .., & a great education.
A story of humanity.
Captivating, engaging & inspiring
If you liked a Year of marvellous ways, think you'll love this.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Moira665
- 24-09-15
Still think about the family in my mind
Would you consider the audio edition of Jakob's Colours to be better than the print version?
Yes I do because the reader projected a voice for each character which enables the reader to visualise them
What was one of the most memorable moments of Jakob's Colours?
When Jacob was trying to survive in the cupboard
Which character – as performed by Anna Bentinck – was your favourite?
Jacob
Did you have an emotional reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?
Made me sad, ultimately to cry
Any additional comments?
This endearing book although fictional may well have been true for many families making it all the more poignant
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- mandy
- 06-08-15
drawn out
it took me many sessions to finish this book, found it boring and slow, rubbish ending, and not stirred the emotions of the real life tragedy that these people endured
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