How true are truths?

Just before her 70th birthday, Pru's husband Greg leaves her to go on a 'spiritual journey' and she is comforted by her friendship with her rather zany old friend Azra. Too much has been made of Pru gate-crashing funeral wakes in her little charity shop black dress with the intention of hooking a 'fresh' widower. This part verges on the offensive (see what you think when Pru's in the marital bed with one of them with incontinent pads hanging out of the wardrobe) - but it is a very small part of the book which improves greatly.

Pru's desolation, loneliness, sense of betrayal and feelings of uselessness are minutely observed with a mix of aching pity and sardonic humour as you'd expect from Deborah Marigold Hotel Moggach. Old age is a dark presence - even the flower food attached to a bouquet of flowers is like 'a little colostomy bag'. Pru's adventures into sex and relationships maintain this balance between poignancy and slightly sick comedy. I can't give more detail because it's essential that all the packed-in twists and turns and variations of the truth which make for utterly compulsive listening are not spoiled. The gradual teasing out of truths and non-truths and perhaps-truths keeps you intrigued and puzzled.

BUT I think the final section on Pru and Azra is entirely and seriously misjudged and spoils the whole. When you listen you'll know which element I'm referring to and you may well feel the same. I felt badly let down by the author! All the same, it doesn't prevent the whole from being a great listen.

BUT again - the narration! I really hated the hammy, gushing, exaggerated, irritating way in which it was read. Had I not really wanted to listen to it as I like Deborah Moggach, I'd have sent it back. Just AWFUL. There's drama enough in the story without injecting such a false, over-the-top tone which diminishes the strong insightful, human element of the book. I wonder what the author thought of the narration.

5 people found this helpful

light story - grating narrator

Pleasant enough - I found the narrator so grating after a few chapters I skipped ahead and only skimmed the rest to find out what happened. Will be returning the book

2 people found this helpful

Game of Two Halves

I enjoyed the book but I wished I'd read it in hard copy. I found the accent and speech of the narrator distracting on occasion and sometimes positively off-putting.

2 people found this helpful

Good story

I enjoyed the story but wished I had read the actual book as the narrators voice was awful and did not do the storyline justice, she sounded like Fenella Fielding in a carry on film, but having said that the actual story was good .

Great ending 👏

there was a bit of a struggle with the rich suburb life, it was grating. but once Pru's mad life took form I was well away. love the twisted plot points and how calm Pur is on the weird side.

Story seems good but Narration Awful

I am into my 3rd chapter.. I am liking the story but I can't listen anymore the Narrators voice is so grating The pitch there is no change in tone which is a shame as I think the book would be good

Disappointing

A great idea for a book but the narrator ruined it with her whiney voice. I couldn't finish it

Disappointing and depressing

Usually love Deborah Moggach but this was sooo depressing! There was not one single likeable or believable character and the narration was really irritating. But of a silly story. Such a shame.

Not her best - and annoying narration

This wasn’t what I was expecting - and the brilliant premise was hardly what the book centred on. Disappointing and unsubstantial - especially as she’s one if my favourite writers. Maybe lockdown got to her, and the story

Narrator was off putting

I think I would have enjoyed the book had it not been for the narration of the book. The narrator was extremely annoying and took away from the actual story