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Room for a Stranger

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Room for a Stranger

By: Melanie Cheng
Narrated by: Taylor Owynns
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About this listen

By the winner of the Victorian Premier’s Literary Award for Fiction.

Since her sister died, Meg has been on her own. She doesn’t mind, not really - not with Atticus, her African grey parrot, to keep her company - but after her house is broken into by a knife-wielding intruder, she decides it might be good to have some company after all.

Andy’s father has lost his job, and his parents’ savings are barely enough to cover his tuition. If he wants to graduate, he’ll have to give up his student flat and find a homeshare. Living with an elderly Australian woman is harder than he’d expected, though, and soon he’s struggling with more than his studies.

©2019 Melanie Cheng (P)2019 W. F. Howes Ltd Contemporary Fiction Fiction Genre Fiction

Critic Reviews

“My god, this was a joy to read. Every year there’s an Australian novel everyone endlessly passes around and recommends because they bloody love it so much, and this is going to be 2019’s. Room for a Stranger explores the high stakes of quiet moments, reveals the beauty of unlikely connections and shows how the antidote to shame is always compassion. After reading this impossible-to-put-down novel, Melanie Cheng is quickly becoming my favourite Australian writer.” (Benjamin Law)

“Melanie Cheng is an astonishingly deft and incisive writer.” (Christos Tsiolkas)

“A beautifully written novel about how the stories we tell ourselves can get us stuck and how opening our lives to others might jolt us free again. Melanie Cheng offers both razor-sharp insight into the flaws and foibles of ordinary people and a deep warmth and tenderness for them. Room for a Stranger is that rare thing: a novel which stings and soothes all at once.” (Emily Maguire)
All stars
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I enjoyed the characters in this book. They were well-drawn, complex and true.
Unfortunately I didn’t love the narration - there was something a bit artificial about the acting/voicing which jarred with the spirit of the story. It wasn’t enough to spoil the book completely, but I’d probably recommend a print/ebook version of this.

Good to hear depictions of interesting, original characters

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A great relaxing easy read/listen with real characters, real happenings. Nice change from heavily dramatic readings, down to earth and most enjoyable!

A simple story of life with feelings

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In the spirit of reconciliation, Audible acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.