A. Gander

Female characters read with barbie dolls voices?!

Reviewed: 31-05-2019

I can’t stand listening to male narrators reading female characters in typical dumb, sexy-Barbie doll voices. It grates on my nerves and totally affects my ability to relate to the characters. Seriously, in this day and age, how does does this sort of performance get through? I know the story is told from a rather misogynistic narrator but without the balance of actually being able to see the women as people, the whole story falls flat. We deserve better than this, Audible.

This story draws you in.

Reviewed: 04-05-2018

I read this book first and then downloaded the audio book a few months later. The narrator’s Canadian accent changed my perception of characters and events for the better and I was able to appreciate the story in a different way. I love the understated nature of the writer’s post apocalyptic world. The threats and dangers are there, but there’s a sense of hope that if civilisation ended, we might just find enough common humanity to form communities and reasons to live. I also loved the time jumps back and forth to slowly reveal stories. The interconnected plots felt realistic and never too contrived. I’d recommend this book to anyone.

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

Worthy sequel

Reviewed: 04-05-2018

I enjoyed The Secret River and was left wondering what happened in the years that followed these characters. I enjoyed the focus on a daughter and the switch to first person narration. Some parts were a little hurried and I’m not sure quite matched up in terms of believeability but it was a sweet coming of age story that explored first love. The journey to New Zealand felt rushed and distracted from the issues of racism and the horrific treatment of indigenous Australians. But overall, the narrator was good and I couldn’t stop listening to this and finished it quickly. A few days later and I’m still thinking of these characters and Grenville’s message about the importance telling our ancestors’ stories.

Shame about the narration

Reviewed: 18-04-2018

If you could sum up The Golden Age in three words, what would they be?

Understated, poetic, bittersweet

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Golden Age?

The ending

How could the performance have been better?

The narrator was monotonous and wooden, not to mention almost downright insulting to women when trying to adopt a female voice at times. Apparently older female characters sound like shrieking pantomime dames.

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

It was a poignant ending that gave me a lump in my throat.