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Sushi for Beginners

By: Marian Keyes
Narrated by: Juanita McMahon
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Summary

Lisa Edwards, top London magazine editor, has been fantasizing about promotion to New York. Instead, she's asked to launch a new women's magazine in Dublin. She thinks nothing could be worse - until she meets her new staff. They're friendly, helpful, and enthusiastic - in other words, they wouldn't last two minutes in London!

As Lisa struggles to find her feet in this alien world of no back-stabbing or bitchiness, her neurotic assistant, Ashling, is also in trouble. She's just too nice for journalism, and it shows. Who better to help them both than their handsome-but-hassled boss, Jack Devine? Always allowing for the fact that his moodiness could give Heathcliff a run for his money, of course.

©2000 Marian Keyes (P)2001 W F Howes Ltd

What listeners say about Sushi for Beginners

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  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars

Painful to the ears

I love Marian Keyes and everything she writes. However, I am wondering if I will ever finish listening to this book due to the dreadful narration.

The narrator's Irish accent is stage Irish at it's peak but frequently lapses into a West Country accent and I find this distracts me from actually listening to the story as it is so bad.

I haven't listened to any other Marian Keyes books from Audible as yet but I see that it is a different narrator on the others and so I would hope that they will be better.

My advice re Sushi for Beginners is if you can't find a version narrated by someone else then read the book - I would always recommend a Marian Keyes book - just not this version. The two stars are for the book itself - and would be many more with the right narrator.

36 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Good rating for the book, appalling narration

I was barely able to listen to this narration without cringing. I have no idea why they couldn't hire an Irish actress to narrate it as almost all of the characters are Irish. The narrator's Irish accent sounded exactly like an annoying English person taking the p*** and trying to do an "Oirish" impression, but for 16 hours.

I love Marian Keyes's books but I think the publishers really need to reissue these with an Irish actress doing the narration, as with This Charming Man or Mystery of Mercy Close.

31 people found this helpful

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    3 out of 5 stars

Narration is terrible

Any additional comments?

Sounded like the narrator was taking the mickey out of the Irish! It was such a terrible accent! The story itself was a classic Marian Keyes and should have been easy and enjoyable listening. Instead, myself and my partner had a good giggle at the awful accent and then got increasingly frustrated with it, until it was downright painful to listen to and we had to give up!

25 people found this helpful

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Does anybody proof listen these books?

I have read the book before twice, but could not bare the narration. Plus some of the pronunciations were so wrong.
This was the English pronunciation the Irish Dublin accent was so painful

The book/story is good classic Keyes not many devious twist her recent stuff has. But as I said I have read this before.

12 people found this helpful

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    2 out of 5 stars

This audiobook is aggressively awful.

I picked this up as I'd been meaning to read Marian Keyes as I've heard her talking on the radio and found her very witty and engaging. That was the kind of voice I was expecting to hear on this audio. The reading was absolutely stilted and forced anyway...and then the Irish accents started. I don't know who made the decision to have an English lady attempt to do Irish accents. Maybe they thought nobody from Ireland would listen? But I have to believe that even someone from outside of Ireland would cringe at this narration. It completely smothered any wit there was in the story or dialogue. Truly, truly terrible. It made me so mad I couldn't even listen to the whole thing. DO NOT GET THIS AUDIOBOOK. If you really want to read it get a paper copy.

11 people found this helpful

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Amazing book- narration was awful!

I loved reading this book years ago so I was really excited to revisit it! Although the book itself is amazing I couldn't help but cringe immensely at the reader! I'm Irish and have heard first hand in many occasions the accents expected of the characters in this book! This has to be the worst experience of Irish accents I have ever had! completely cringe worthy!

9 people found this helpful

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Irish accent is grating.

I'm not sure I'll finish it this book. So far I'm enjoying the story but the Irish accents are very hard to listen to. I've never met anyone with this accent. It's set in Dublin but not one character sounds like they are from Dublin. They all have this 'Oirish' accent that's not from anywhere in Ireland. Very disappointed.

5 people found this helpful

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Great story awful narrator

not the marrators fault, but they try doing Irish accents and they really can't at all. really hope Audible rerecords this one as I love the story but find it difficult to listen to.

5 people found this helpful

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Good story terrible narration

Next time there is a book with mainly Irish characters it would be a good idea to have a narrator who can do an Irish accent!

5 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars

Slightly spoiled by narration

Had this audiobook for ages and decided to listen again. Then remembered why I hadn’t.
The varieties of ‘Irish’ voices annoyed me and detracted from the story. I found myself
getting irritated when certain characters spoke.
Such a contrast to the latest Marian Keyes which Marian narrated (with Graham Norton)

5 people found this helpful

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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  • Theresa
  • 11-01-09

Not Up to Par for this Author

I am a huge fane of Sophie Kinsella/Marian Keyes/Madeline Wickham and this just didn't do it for me. Out of the 18 hours of audio, I think only 4 or 5 were enjoyable. At the end it came together and there were some moments of humor and memorable quotes, but this was really disappointing. I gave it three stars because of the last few hours that were what I am accustome to with this author. Skip this and listen to Remember me or any Susan Elizabeth Phillips or Susn Mallery book.

4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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  • Maja
  • 07-01-10

i laughed so much

i had to stop the car a couple of times - fantastic

2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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  • Jo
  • 19-07-08

A good 'Chill Out" listen

A great chickflit novel. Nothing to serious and mindbogling, but a good listen to chill out for awhile. Everyone can identify with at least one of the characters in this. It does twist and turn a bit and you think it's going to turn out one way, and then the author takes you in another direction. I found the book on a whole entertaining, and at times just had to listen for just 5 more minutes to see what happens next.

2 people found this helpful

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  • Camille
  • 13-12-21

Great story, annoying voice

The narration of Jack is just…not…good. I’m American and I’m not talking about the American accent they use.
I mean the actual voice they gave Jack.
It annoys me so much, that I’ve only listened to this book once. Generally I listen to Marian Keyes books multiple times. So if you can get past the horrible narration of Jack, you will 100% enjoy the story.

1 person found this helpful

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    2 out of 5 stars
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  • User
  • 25-06-16

Terrible accents

Would you try another book from Marian Keyes and/or Juanita McMahon?

Yes by the author, no by the narrator. The horrific attempt at mimicking the Irish accent is very close to insulting and makes listening really, really hard. It ruined the entire experience.

Who would you have cast as narrator instead of Juanita McMahon?

The narrator has a pleasant voice and is great to listen to when narrating in her own accent. Unfortunately, her "Irish" accent is unbearable.

Any additional comments?

Please choose narrators more carefully, or just let them narrate in their own accents!!

1 person found this helpful

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    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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  • Anne
  • 30-06-13

Maybe not for everybody

This was the very first Marian Keyes novel that crossed my path and I enjoyed it. It was a story I really identified with and still do. The 4 main girls are maybe sort of stereotypical but I still found them interesting enough to want to know more. Perhaps the ending feels a bit rushed but still wrapped up the story nicely.I cannot say which part I liked best because I would spoil it but it was satisfying.

The story is well written and not overly complicated. Something that is easy to get into. I can only recommend. I guess it is chick-lit even though I find that category somewhat lackluster - it's about modern women in their 30s about love, life and work.

1 person found this helpful

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    3 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars
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  • Amanda
  • 04-03-13

What a struggle to keep on reading

Would you try another book from Marian Keyes and/or Juanita McMahon?

I will in hope that it is better, as I have others that love Marian Keyes.

What do you think your next listen will be?

This Charming Man, as I have just downloaded it

Would you listen to another book narrated by Juanita McMahon?

Yes, the narrator wasn't too bad but the story was dry so hard to judge

Could you see Sushi for Beginners being made into a movie or a TV series? Who should the stars be?

if it is shortened then perhaps

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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  • Anna
  • 29-08-11

Great little get away

This is a good book, the characters and story line keep you entertained. It throws some twists in, but it is quite predictable. I knew what was going to happen to everyone by the end of the book long before I was through. But it's a fun listen and has some good laughs as well as some good life lessons. Brings attention to some serious issues by the end that I didn't expect.

1 person found this helpful

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    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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  • Sarah R. Barnard
  • 27-11-22

not for delicate ears

this story is raunchy in all the right places. calm and fiery when needed. a good story even if it takes a bit of time to get to the title lines. great one for a long listen.

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
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    1 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars
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  • Michelle Fingleton
  • 20-03-22

bad Irish accents

The bad Irish accents from the narrator made it impossible for me to listen to this. Just want to warn anyone who'd be sensitive to that kind of thing.