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  • Three Daughters of Eve

  • By: Elif Shafak
  • Narrated by: Alix Dunmore
  • Length: 10 hrs and 56 mins
  • 4.4 out of 5 stars (326 ratings)

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Three Daughters of Eve cover art

Three Daughters of Eve

By: Elif Shafak
Narrated by: Alix Dunmore
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Summary

Peri, a wealthy Turkish housewife, is on her way to a dinner party at a seaside mansion in Istanbul when a beggar snatches her handbag. As she wrestles to get it back, a photograph falls to the ground - an old Polaroid of three young women and their university professor. A relic from a past - and a love - Peri had tried desperately to forget. The photograph takes Peri back to Oxford University, as an 18-year-old sent abroad for the first time and to her dazzling, rebellious professor and his life-changing course on God. It also takes her to her home with her two best friends, Shirin and Mona, and their arguments about Islam and femininity and, finally, to the scandal that tore them all apart.

©2017 Elif Shafak (P)2017 Penguin Audio

What listeners say about Three Daughters of Eve

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  • AJ
  • 01-05-17

Complex and intriguing

A serious novel with thought provoking themes. Excellent listening and well narrated. I will now buy the book!

4 people found this helpful

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Simply wonderful.

Loved the structure, moving from the present to various points in protagonist's past. Full of tension, but also beautiful reflections on happiness, love, religious faith, learning. Beautifully narrated too!

3 people found this helpful

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heavy read but worth it

i want to say i enjoyed it but its probably a wrong word for it its a great book. very multidimensional. quite skillfully written. very thought provoking. sad story and it doesn't get any happier as you go on. very well written social commentary with strong theological and philosophical approach.

2 people found this helpful

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Incredible

Outstanding, what else can I say. This story is told with such wisdom and intelligence that you can't help but question everything, yet understand all. The performance of the voice actor was also fantastic, great nuance and distinguishable voice changes for characters which really helped me to feel immersed in the story. I can't recommend enough.

1 person found this helpful

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Very disappointed.

The book never seemed to get going and then came to a very abrupt end. The narrator was very easy on the ear with excellent accents.

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a lovely read

I really enjoyed this insight into another cultural way of life. I found it hard to follow at times but performance was good

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Read story

A really wonderful book and read beautifully, really draws you in. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

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Brilliant Listen

I heard the author being interviewed on television. I had never heard of her but she sounded intriguing, so I thought I would give one of her books a try. I decided on Three Daughters of Eve and it certainly did not disappoint. I recommend it wholeheartedly.

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Disappointed in this book

I've read other books by Elif Shafak and it's only fair to say that this was a rather disappointing read. Firstly the story just didn't take off until almost the end, we waited too long for the core of the plot to unfold. Secondly, there was many characters and not much justice was done to any of them, except the parents! Thirdly, the scenario of the climax is so impractical. Disappointed.

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SHE IS BRILLIANT

I absolutely loved this book. I love all of Elif Shafaq's books. But this one, it was just another level of brilliant. Reading this pushed me to be more open to "others", something we so desperately need in the world right now. But it also gave me insight into her life (I believe it did, maybe it didn't) and why she is exiled from her own country. she spoke the truth, she is kind and non judgemental and pushes people who believe themselves to be superior to others uncomfortable, challenges their patriachary and their prejudice views, which they hold as beliefs.
I also went to a Q&A in Queens Park (London) where I heard her speak... it was a privilege.
A review from a fan who becomes a better Muslim every time she reads her books.

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  • Cliente de Kindle
  • 23-01-21

I'd say a 3.5 out of 5

It was really reflective and thought-provoking, jet, in terms of narratives it lacks a satisfying conclusion.

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  • Anonymous User
  • 22-01-20

I am drained!

I dozed off quite a lot listening to this, even though I love Alix's reading and Elif Shafak's writing.
I don't know who to be mad at over how this book made me feel, so I will just shelf my anger in the crook of my throat and try to wash it down later with a better book.

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  • Sohairko
  • 17-05-19

"ENLIGHTENING"

Shafak's novels are captivating, enlightening, and 'euphoric' in the sense she creates this ultimate unbreakable bond between man, mind, and the search for Truth. It makes us infatuated with God, not as that fearful power but as that TRUTH within us. She delves into the tiny corners we crave to discover in ourselves. As for the narrator Alix Dunmore, great reading and interesting plus the pronunciation of words which are not English was quite right. Thank you and highly recommended.

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  • Anna
  • 31-01-19

A book that you can't stop listening to

It is a great story of getting lodged between two words from a feminine perspective: the impossibility to leave home whole-heartedly on the one hand and returning home whole-heartedly on the other hand. Although I got hooked by the story I felt a slight imbalance between the first and second half of the book as plenty of the subjects, conflicts, themes raised in the first part remained unsolved by the end of the novel. Many subjects grew dim to give space to the theme of love.

I still could not decide whether I like it or not that the narrator talks with accent when Turkish characters speak. It felt a bit weird, nevertheless it makes the reading more animated.

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  • Zaheer
  • 05-03-18

A story worth reading

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Yes. Shafak weaves a story of 3 characters each dealing with the identity of being Muslim. All come from different background but dealing with the same problems. She shows in a remarkable way that being Muslim is not a homogenous idea. She exhibits superbly that people have multiple moving identities.

What other book might you compare Three Daughters of Eve to and why?

Mmm I don't think I have come across a book quite like it. It would be in the range of Paul Coelho meets Rumi.

Which character – as performed by Alix Dunmore – was your favorite?

Shirin. The Iranian Feminist.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

This book made me think. It made me wonder about things we don't say and things we do say. It helped me to realise that the idea of being Muslim can dominate a persons life like a wild fire taking over a forest. However, Muslim people too have lives that are relative and intersecting with many other demands.

Any additional comments?

You would do yourself a good favour by reading this book

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  • Odesie
  • 15-07-17

Awfully Narrated!

What disappointed you about Three Daughters of Eve?

It is a good book though I can't stand the narrater who reads all the Turkish dialogs in Indian accent. Nothing wrong with indian accent but is extremely different than turkish accent. It was so bad, I have to stop listing the book.

If you’ve listened to books by Elif Shafak before, how does this one compare?

I just finished listing The Architect's Apprentice by Elif Shafak which was quite good and the narrater done a great job on that book.

What didn’t you like about Alix Dunmore’s performance?

She has no idea about the turkish accent, she was reading all the turkish dialogs (all of the characters) with indian accent which made it so confusing and awful that I can't stand listing.

What character would you cut from Three Daughters of Eve?

none of them, nothing wrong with the storyline nor the book.

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  • Pearl
  • 26-03-17

very beautifully narrated.

Liked the book as I do with all books of Elif Shafaq. The beginning is wonderful! however lacks the depth and magic of forty rules of love or architects apprentice. Doesn't do much justice to exploring its theme of Muslim women and their dilemmas either. No closure.
and yet because I like the politics of Elif Shafaq I found the book engaging.

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  • Anthony
  • 08-02-17

A spellbinding reading of a beautifully told story

In her 2010 TED talk, Shafak says, "I love writing in Turkish which to me is very poetic and emotional, and I love writing in English which to me is very mathematical and cerebral." Well, this English novel is certainly intelligent and reasonable, but it is also a most moving and poetic piece of prose.

Alix Dunmore's performance is spellbinding. Thank you both.