Mediocre

Is this the best book ever? No. But it’s a good story and leaves you feeling content with the ending.

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Fantastic!

I've listened to this book rather compulsively a every opportunity over the last few days. Really loved it. It took me a while to get used to the narrators approach, but I cane to value it tremendously. Ruth Kirk XXXX

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1 person found this helpful

Loved it.

Where does The Lessons rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

Very highly. It is an example of a book that I've enjoyed more as an audio than as a print book. The performance really brought it to life.

What other book might you compare The Lessons to, and why?

There is a range of semi-autobiographical books by contemporary authors, especially Jewish authors, available at the moment.

What about Jot Davies’s performance did you like?

Captured the different voices beautifully.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

No. I enjoyed absorbing the characters over a period of time.

Any additional comments?

Great book, great performance by narrator.

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5 people found this helpful

Vivid characterisation slow burn

Slow to begin with but it deepened and held my attention. Some fine writing, acute observation and well drawn characters. The narrator is excellent at voices but I wished he would drop the sing song voice for prose - he enunciated every syllable and it became irritating. Overall a well crafted story.

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A SUPRISINGLY UNIVERSAL STORY.

Hidden away in an Oxford back street is a crumbling Georgian mansion, unknown to any but the few who possess a key to its unassuming front gate. Its owner is the mercurial, charismatic Mark Winters, whose rackety trust-fund upbringing has left him as troubled and unpredictable as he is wildly promiscuous. Mark gathers around him an impressionable group of students:
I thought a story of overprivileged people would not be a good listen, but I only paid 2.99 for it so I thought why not? This is a very, very good story, well narrated and will appeal to almost everyone. Following the students on their life journeys touches on important and deep subjects and I found myself drawn and empathising with all of them. The plot turns and twists as good as any non literary fiction and it is definitely one I will return to.

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Intriguing and accurate

This really is an unexpected gem with the bonus of wonderful narration. I often find novels which centre around everyday dialogue, and everyday activities such as eating an drinking, tedious, but this kept me intrigued to the end. Having studied at Oxbridge at roughly this time, I can vouch that the details of the life are meticulously accurate, although I never met anyone super-rich. The audible sample gives a very good indication - if you like that excerpt you will probably like the book and if you don't, you should give it a miss.

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5 people found this helpful

Learning the habits of liberty - the story of a lost soul

This audiobook haunted me in its final chapters. In the beginning, there was a slow and uncomfortable recognition of the archetype that James represents, but it’s in the final chapters, that the lesson becomes vivid. It’s left me a bit breathless, but yet marvelling once again at how brilliant a storyteller Naomi Alderman is.

You might feel wrung out afterwards, it’s a big emotional journey, but oddly, it’s one that many women probably know only too well and I think that’s why it’s a bit unsettling.

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2 people found this helpful

Great stuff!

This was right up my street. It reminded me of Erin Kelly's books (The Sick Rose, The Poison Tree), and also Ruth Rendell wtiting as Barbara Vine (A Fatal Inversion, The House of Stairs etc.). The narration took a little bit of getting used to, the delivery was a little over-dramatic but overall a bloody good listen.......l would definitely recommend.

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As far as I can tell, both the French and Italian was excellent

every character had a unique voice that really worked with their personality and the plot. I completely lost myself in the story - so many details are so well described that it's a very immersive read. Loved it

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just couldn't get into jt

I usually really enjoy Alderman's writing and have enjoyed several of her books.
I just couldn't get into this one and found it difficult to engage with.

the narration was a little monotone as well which didn't help.

I gave up after five chapters and I don't think I'll go back.

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