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Breakdown

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Breakdown

By: Cathy Sweeney
Narrated by: Gráinne Gillis
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About this listen

 From the Irish Tatler's Woman of the Year for Literature and one of the AN Post Irish Book Awards's Best New Irish Writers comes a novel about one woman's decision to leave everything behind . . .
'Thrillingly relatable'
Harper's Bazaar

'This funny, thoughtful novel will resonate with lots of women'
Good Housekeeping

'You won't be able to put this down. A fascinating study of a woman who has sacrificed her dreams'
The Gloss

'A masterful account of one woman's dramatic rebellion against society's demands'
Daily Express

'A vivid portrait of a woman adrift'
Observer

Mothers are not supposed to go on road trips . . .

But one winter morning in Dublin, an ordinary woman wakes up in her ordinary home, her husband next to her in bed, her teenage children sleeping nearby. And - without thinking much about it - walks out the front door and never comes back.

So begins a journey which will take her into service stations and shopping centres, hotel bars and hairdressers - and the beds of strange men.

Until finally, forty-eight hours later, alone in a cottage in Wales, the woman faces up to what she has been ignoring inside herself, her family, modern society: signs of breakdown.©2023 Cathy Sweeney (P)2023 Weidenfeld & Nicolson Coming of Age Family Life Fiction Genre Fiction Ireland Transportation

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I found it an interesting storyline as I wanted to understand the authors perspective in her breakdown. Hard to imagine someone so emotionally detached who doesn’t care about the ramifications of her actions on other family members. I didn’t like the narration, the accent was too distracting from the story itself. Probably wouldn’t recommend to others if I’m honest

An unusual viewpoint

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Felt it was a bit far fetched, am similar age & found a lot of her actions unbelievable

Very disappointed having heard all the hype

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I did not like the reader, her voice reminded me of a radio show from a long time ago with Dear Frankie as the start of the letters sent into the program

Story line good

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The narrator was just not it for me, I will reread this book myself as I enjoyed the story, shame as the book is quite good!

Book Yes, Narrator No

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Beautifully written and a compelling read. Narrator was wrong for the book for me - v irritating accents and did it no justice.

Great story - poor narration

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I stopped halfway through the audio. I don’t think the tone is right - almost a stereotypical caricature of a South County Dublin middle-class woman (verging on West Brit). I imagine the writing is more subtle than the audio narration. I think it’s a book that, if it can be read, should be read, given the format, some fonts, etc. I’ve started reading it and am enjoying the story much more.

A book for reading

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Found the ‘I went to elocutionlessons’ accent and strange stress on random words very off putting. The story was ok & pretty well written but I usually like to care about a character (even if I don’t like them) and found I really didn’t in this case. At all.

Really did not like the narration

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Couldn’t really get into it no matter how much I tried as I felt the narrators voice wasn’t suitable or pleasant to listen to so gave up half way.

Narrator

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Couldn’t get beyond second chapter. Voice entirely wrong. Really grated - horrible to listen to….. don’t listen

Awful voice

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I did not read previous reviews before purchasing, and regretted it immediately. The choice of narrator lets the character down big time. It fell into a Ross O’Carroll Kelly south side Dublin stereotype for me, and as a result lacked the depth, humour, and personality this character could have easily had. Please, a book to read only! I was really looking forward to this book, and may actually buy the paper back anyway and start again, for the sake of not feeling so annoyed at the audio book narration.

DO NOT listen to audio version - read instead

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