The Making of Her cover art

The Making of Her

 Preview
Try Premium Plus free
1 credit a month to buy any audiobook in our entire collection.
Access to thousands of additional audiobooks and Originals from the Plus Catalogue.
Member-only deals & discounts.
Auto-renews at $16.45/mo after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

The Making of Her

By: Bernadette Jiwa
Narrated by: Aoife McMahon
Try Premium Plus free

$16.45 per month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy Now for $26.99

Buy Now for $26.99

About this listen

 ‘An absorbing, brilliantly paced book; I didn't want it to end.' Roddy Doyle

People were forever telling her how lucky she was. But what did people know?’

Dublin 1966. When Joan Quinn, a factory girl from the Cranmore Estate, marries Martin Egan, it looks like her dreams have come true. But all is not as it seems.

Joan lives in the shadow of a secret – the couple’s decision to give up their first daughter for adoption only months before.

For the next three decades, Joan’s marriage and her relationship with her second child Carmel suffer as a consequence.

Then one day in 1996, a letter arrives from their eldest daughter. Emma needs her birth parents’ help; it’s a matter of life and death. And the fragile facade of Joan’s life finally begins to crack.


'The Making of Her sucked me in from the very first page, and didn’t let up until I’d turned the last. Heart-warming and heart-breaking, it is an exquisite examination of the secrets that haunt us. I cried several times. A stunning debut.' Sally Hepworth

‘Bernadette Jiwa writes with compassion and grace about what it means to be a mother, a daughter and a sister.’ Pip Williams

'A beautifully crafted, thought-provoking novel that ultimately celebrates the strength of women. A true pleasure to read.' Ashley Audrain©2022 Bernadette Jiwa (P)2022 Penguin Random House Australia Family Life Fiction Genre Fiction Historical Fiction
All stars
Most relevant  
A real pager turner for the reader and an excellent example of story telling for the would- be writer. The way this story weaves from present to past is seamless and kept me in the story until the final page. Great ending.

Such an Engaging Read

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
loved it and looked forward to listening to it in bed. The narrator voice wS was easy to listen to.

Good Bed Time Listening

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
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.