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All the Broken Places

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All the Broken Places

By: John Boyne
Narrated by: Helen Lloyd, Kristin Atherton
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About this listen

Brought to you by Penguin.

1946. Three years after a cataclysmic event that tore their lives apart, a mother and daughter flee Poland for Paris, shame and fear at their heels, not knowing how hard it is to escape your past.

Nearly 80 years later, Gretel Fernsby lives a life that is a far cry from her traumatic childhood. When a couple moves into the flat below her in her London mansion block, it should be nothing more than a momentary inconvenience. However, the appearance of their nine-year-old son, Henry, brings back memories she would rather forget.

Faced with a choice between her own safety and his, Gretel is taken back to a similar crossroads she encountered long ago. Back then, her complicity dishonoured her life, but to interfere now could risk revealing the secrets she has spent a lifetime protecting.

All the Broken Places is John Boyne's masterful sequel to his classic best seller The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas, taking a character from that novel on a journey to a place she never goes—the past. Through her story, he explores the aftermath of the war and the effects of a lifetime of guilt.

©2022 John Boyne (P)2022 Penguin Audio 20th Century Family Life Fiction Friendship Genre Fiction Historical Fiction War
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I hesitated about writing a review however reading comments from some stirred me into responding…I respect the writer’s inexplicable commitment to this time in life….as is and has been mine to a less detailed expression. I was engrossed chapter by chapter and was critical of the Australian segment until I realised that I was in judgement about an experience I wanted to believe I would have handled quite differently. In hindsight I realised we do what we do because of all the misplaced emotions that at the time seemed so important and overwhelming. It was a thoughtful story, and that is what I look for - because of the writer’s ability to cause me to reflect and respect this tenuous time of my life.

All the broken places

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Just buy this audio and be transported to a world of grief, guilt and hope. What a follow up book. Clever, menacing and yet totally nuanced.

When a Sequel is Brilliant

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I could not stop listening to this audiobook. It brought up so many mixed emotions as many of the characters are unlikeable. They are however, fully developed and nuanced and we begin to understand the complexity of life and human nature.

Compelling

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This is fourth book I have read by this author - and been amazed and engrossed by each story, for different reasons.
For me, the author's summation at the end of the book, voiced very eloquently how I felt: each emotion resonating, but at the same time the question of, what may I have done in a similar situation. Well worth the read!

Both engaging and challenging.

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Once again John Boyne kept me listening to his story.
His books never fail to grab me and I highly recommend All the Broken Places. I was unable to stop listening. I just had to know how Gretel’s story ended.

A great listen

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Brilliant narration of a story that is truly captivating whilst challenging our beliefs about what constitutes culpability of one of the worst periods in history. I thoroughly enjoyed it and couldn’t stop listening. It will haunt me for some time.

This one will stay with me

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My only complaint was the narrator’s Australian accent. Haven’t heard anyone speaking like that in my 75 years living in Australia and found it quite annoying. Otherwise I loved it.

Absolutely fabulous

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Well performed and accurately read (following the text is so much better when listening) John has coupled this sequel to his most popular work in a way that grows the reader’s experience.

Engrossing

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Loved this one…. Couldn’t stop listening. I do think that the meeting between Gretel and Kurt was unnecessarily juvenile. She was a grown woman after all but the description of her still present romantic infatuation did not ring true. I also don’t feel it was necessary for Kayden and Eleanor to be expecting a child. That made it a bit twee and/or trite. Other than that it was a cracking sequel. The Australian accent was terrible… but other than that the narration was good. Will be. Using the paperback for my shelves and also for gifts.

Loved it

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Really well narrated and just a great story! Didn’t realize it followed The Boy in the Striped Pajamas which I haven’t read

Best read in a long time

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