A Change for the Better cover art

A Change for the Better

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A Change for the Better

By: Susan Hill
Narrated by: Maggie Ollerenshaw
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About this listen

In the Prince of Wales Hotel and the shabby terraces and tearooms of Westbourne, retired lives run their course - all, in their different ways, anticipating crisis.

©1980 Susan Hill (P)2017 Audible, Ltd. Contemporary Fiction Genre Fiction

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All stars
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This book was unusual and on the surface unremarkable, however, upon reflection, between each sitting, the characters become considerable and beautifully drawn. Social niceties of this bygone era are held up to a mirror and shown to be quite ridiculous. However, at the heart of this book is a study of the power relations that go on within families. Parent and child, husband and wife. It illustrates a social shift, between the old and new generations where etiquette and respect are viewed as outdated and irrelevant but where there is also a subtle hint at the danger to society of the new order of things. I really enjoyed this book and feel sad for the protagonists' futures. Thank you Susan Hill

A book of considerable perception on power relations within relationships and the long suffering downtrodden

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There is an interesting theme in this story but is somehow buried in the irritating repetition of every character's FULL name and the extremely annoying narration. Ms Ollerenshaw seemed to have only one endlessly repeated pattern of speech - the rising inflective at the end of every phrase. Even Alan Bennett knows to limit this if you want your audience to keep listening! Please Ms Hill, what we are all waiting for is the next Simon Serralier.

Not Ms Hill's usual standard

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What would have made A Change for the Better better?

Some light moments

Would you ever listen to anything by Susan Hill again?

Sadly no

What aspect of Maggie Ollerenshaw’s performance might you have changed?

Too much gruff voiced male characters
Too much whinging with the female characters

What character would you cut from A Change for the Better?

Spurious additions that did not do much for the theme

Any additional comments?

I did listen to the end
but was heartily glad when it finished

Nothing but grumbles

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