French Braid
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French Braid
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Narrated by:
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Kimberly Farr
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By:
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Anne Tyler
About this listen
Brought to you by Penguin.
The major new novel from the beloved prize-winning author - a brilliantly perceptive, painfully true and funny journey deep into one family's foibles, from the 1950s right up to the changed world of today.
When the kids are grown and Mercy Garrett gradually moves herself out of the family home, everyone determines not to notice.
Over at her studio, she wants space and silence. She won't allow any family clutter. Not even their cat, Desmond.
Yet it is a clutter of untidy moments that forms the Garretts' family life over the decades, from giving a child a ride to a painstaking Easter lunch, a fateful train journey to an unexpected homecoming.
And it all begins in 1959, with a family holiday to a cabin by a lake. It's the only one the Garretts will ever take, but its effects will ripple through the generations.
©2022 Anne Tyler (P)2022 Penguin AudioListeners also enjoyed...
Critic reviews
"If Anne Tyler isn't the best writer in the world, who is?" (BBC Radio 4 Woman's Hour)
What listeners say about French Braid
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Harriet
- 21-02-23
Superb
Anne Tyler keeps getting better and better. Just wonderful. I loved every minute. Highly recommended.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Amazon Customer
- 14-04-22
Anne Tyler does it again
Some of her observations literally stopped me in my tracks- walking my dog early in the morning totally consumed by this story. Finding a place to sit, I rewound to listen again, a lump in my throat, marvelling at her ability to get so close to humanity with her gentle story telling.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Jacks
- 07-04-22
Absorbing and enchanting family saga
Kimberly Farr’s narration is so warm yet unobtrusive that I was soon drawn completely into this family story. At first I thought the description of the tiniest mundane detail of a scene and the characters’ thoughts and words would make this dull. But Anne Tyler chose just the right scenes to describe like this, so that, much like Mercy’s house portrait paintings in the book, the soul of the family and their story over the years was skilfully and engagingly told. I loved having this family in my life over the last few days.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Customer
- 14-08-22
engaging
really enjoyed this, delightful story told with Anne Tyler's usual perceptive observations about real people. beautifully read.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- MISS E WREN
- 19-05-22
Comfort
You just feel at home in the world Anne Tyler creates. Ordinary families, living ordinary lives - you're transported!
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Nina S Bailey
- 27-03-22
Wonderful!
Beautiful writing as ever from the queen of characterisation. I especially like the way this spans so many years, which gives it an epic feel.
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8 people found this helpful
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- Liz Redmayne
- 07-04-22
Not up to usual Anne Tyler standard
A bit meandering and I lost interest once it got to the grandchildren. She has written better
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- Sarah
- 09-01-23
Really well written but not much of a story
Nothing really happens but it’s a really well observed view of everyday life in a family spanning four generations. I’m just not sure I could tell anyone more than that. Beautifully written parts that make you say “I recognise that feeling” but I’d like to know what the story was about. My apologies to all those who believe it’s a great classic of a novel.
I enjoyed listening and was interested all the way through.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Lana
- 03-05-23
Another lovely story
If you like Tyler's novels, do not hesitate, but this one. As expected not so much is going on, people live their lives, bear some petty grudges, misunderstand each other, as it often happens in families.
And eventually, once you finish the book you'll realise that a lot of love has been given.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Olivia
- 01-10-23
Quiet and poignant
Found this so lovely, Anne Tyler is so good at drawing out subtle family dynamics. Loved the way the story jumped between family members and spanned several generations - you got to see how different characters related to each other: how the same moment could mean one thing to one character and something entirely different to another. The plot of each chapter was simple and ‘every day’, but with small, poignant observations that came together to make something really affecting. The narration was perfect too.
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