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  • The Road Home

  • By: Rose Tremain
  • Narrated by: Steven Pacey
  • Length: 14 hrs and 47 mins
  • 4.4 out of 5 stars (458 ratings)
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The Road Home cover art

The Road Home

By: Rose Tremain
Narrated by: Steven Pacey
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Summary

Shortlisted for the British Book Awards, Author of the Year, 2009.
Winner of the Orange Prize for Fiction, 2008.

Lev is on his way from Eastern Europe to Britain, seeking work. But Lev has an outsider's vision of the place we call home. Lev begins with no job, little money, and few words of English. He has only his memories, his hopes, and a certain skill preparing food.

Behind him loom the figures of his dead wife, his beloved daughter, and his outrageous friend. In front of Lev lies the strangeness of the British: their hostile streets, their clannish pubs, their obsession with celebrity, their lonely flats.

London holds the alluring possibilities of friendship, sex, money, and a new career. But, more than this, the sense of belonging.

©2007 Rose Tremain (P)2014 Audible, Inc.

What listeners say about The Road Home

Average customer ratings
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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

Great Narration, Good Story

It is a story of an Eastern European migrant, who comes to London to make money and send back home for his family. You witness the struggle that the central character, Lev, goes through to gain a job, learn English and make friends. There are many colourful charachter that Lev meets in his time in London and with the excellent narration, you are hooked to see how Lev?s life pans out and if he ever goes back home!

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29 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

A Triumph!

At first glance the plot for "The Road Home" seems familiar and grim; the story of an eastern european migrant in London. But this tale of the challenges and triumphs of the forty year old widower Lev is never 'worthy', but is told with warmth and humor as he encounters england in all its menace and opportunity. The cast of characters are colorful and diverse, from Lev's Irish landlord to the celebrity chef who he ends up working for. All the voices are brilliantly and hilariously interpreted by Steven Pacey making this the best audiobook I have listened to.


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27 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars

Overrated novel but well read

I can't understand why this book has been so well reviewed. Storyline seemed interesting enough but most of the characters are cardboard stereotypes (Irish drunk, lonely farmer, Indian bank worker) whilst the central character of Lev just wasn't believable. It serves between realism and fantastical. Someone with limited grasp of English reading Hamlet for pleasure?
It was only Steven Pacey's wonderful narration that kept me listening through the corny plot. Why is he reading an American translation though? I was confused early on as to why Lev would expect to find a bathroom at Victoria coach station; only several more Americanisms later did I work this out.

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20 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

The Road Home

I love this book. The characters are so real that I feel quite sad to think they aren't really out there somewhere continuing with their lives! I don't think I will ever look at foreign workers again without wondering what personal stories have brought them to this country. I finished listening to this book a couple of days ago and keep thinking about it. Proof surely, that this is an excellent novel.

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19 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

exceptional

I am a fan of Rose Tremain and this wonderful book was made even better by the performance of Stephen Pacey as the narrator.

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15 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Like relaxing in a warm bath!

I have to agree with a previous reviewer that if not the best, then this is certainly one of the best audio books I have ever had the pleasure of listening to! Although I am sure to read this novel would be a rewarding and pleasing experience, I cannot think that it could be better than hearing it read by the wonderful Steven Pacy. I was thrilled to hear all the characters come to life in such a realistic and often hilarious way. It seems like it could be a unrelentingly grim storyline, but it is nevertheless peopled by so many outstanding individuals and voices that you do really feel as though they are real and just carrying on thier lives as normal when you have fininshed listening to the last chapter and turned away from them. I really longed for them to be real, it was a extremely bittersweet moment to reach the end, joy and surprise to find a happy and satisfactory ending and desperate curiosity to know what happens next. Listen and enjoy, it will be hard to find better.

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14 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Escapism

I loved this. Fantastically animated by the narrator, this was a wonderful story, a visual, lilting tale of one man's quest to be a little more than ordinary. Lovely.

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10 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

2nd time around, it's still as good!

I had run out of credits and so loaded this up on my ipod again to listen again, something I rarely do and if forced, do it reluctantly. I needn't have had any reservations! I loved it just as much the second time around: brilliantly written and read, poignant and heartwarming, characters so well developed, you find yourself really rooting for Lev. One of my favourite listens - go for it!

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8 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

Brilliant narration

I agree with Paul - the best audiobook I have listened to from Audible.
Steven Pacey does not just read The Road Home, he acts every part,
bringing all the characters to life.

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8 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Sense of emptiness now

I loved listening to this story and the narrator was great. One of those booKs, that when it comes to the end one feels bereft for a bit.

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7 people found this helpful