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The Water Diviner

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The Water Diviner

By: Andrew Anastasios, Meaghan Wilson-Anastasios
Narrated by: Jack Thompson
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About this listen

When the Great War ends, Joshua Connor, a grieving farmer and sometime water diviner from the Mallee in Victoria, sets out to fulfil his wife's dying wish – to travel to Gallipoli to recover the bodies of his three sons and bury them in consecrated ground.

Crescent collides with cross, and hope with reason as he discovers that his eldest son, Art, may still be alive. When Connor makes a desperate dash into the perilous heart of Anatolia one question haunts him: if Art is alive, why hasn't he come home?

This is not a war novel, not even an anti-war novel. Instead it focuses on the battles that go on inside the hearts and minds of a small group of Australians and Turks as they struggle to bury their dead and rebuild their lives after the First World War. The story is based on first-hand resources, diaries and official records.

©2014 Andrew Anastasios (P)2014 Bolinda Publishing Pty Ltd Contemporary Fiction Genre Fiction War Fiction Heartfelt

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Critic reviews

"Veteran Australian actor Jack Thompson narrates his first audiobook with dazzling success.... Thompson's subtle performance expresses the fierce passions of the characters with powerful resonance. The audiobook simply sweeps you up and tangles you in an extraordinary story.... Powerful to the end, this is a listening saga that stays with you." (AudioFile)
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Loved the book and the characters in it! Found it gripping to the end .
Carrie.

Excellent story

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Quite possibly the best audio book I've listened to so far! Can't praise it enough.

Gripping

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Loved it and entertained me no end.Would gladly read it again in the future, amazing story.

Always a great read

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I saw.the.film in Fethiye Turkey I was.so pleased to listen to this book, it filled the gaps in this lovely historically accurate book.. I was able.to visualise the missing scenes from the film smiling now....

spellbinding beautiful.

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Overall a great story well crafted and well read. Some of the scenes of the Gallipoli campaign were almost too vivid and it certainly, very effectively highlighted the horrors of World War One. However, do not be put of by this, this book provides good characters and it sensitively explores the impacts of loss of family from war. I have two reservations firstly it was possibly a little unrealistic, in the main character - Connor's, ability to locate his sons and secondly the ending was a bit too convenient. I felt that the authors could have made more of the subplot of the hotel owner and her son.

You could feel that you were there...

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Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

I'd recommend this in a heartbeat because it''s a fast-moving narrative, beautifully spoken.

What did you like best about this story?

Jack Thompson, the reader is terrific. He creates terrific characters and really brings the story alive.

Have you listened to any of Jack Thompson’s other performances? How does this one compare?

No.

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

I couldn't listen to this in one go but it's tempting to do so if you can.

Any additional comments?

I have yet to see the film but I'd like to see if it's a patch on this. Brilliant.

Ideal holiday listen

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Such a lovely book - usually stick to crime and thrillers but this was recommended by a friend and I really enjoyed it. Perfect listening while lying beside a pool in Antigua.

Beautiful

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Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

I enjoyed listening to the first 2/3 of the book, and didn't want to stop listening, so that was definitely time well-spent.

How would you have changed the story to make it more enjoyable?

The final 1/3 wandered into the realm of 'tell' instead of 'show' which might work in a screenplay but is boring in a novel. More care needed to be taken towards the end of the book to make it more focused on the literary rather than just a rendering of a film. The plot twists took precedence over everything else and became, if not quite predictable, certainly formulaic, which was a real shame because the first 2/3 of the book held such promise.

What does Jack Thompson bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you had only read the book?

Jack Thompson has an incredible voice! His ability to bring the written word to life is excellent. I could listen to him all day. I wonder if I would have given up if it hadn't been for his narration.

Was The Water Diviner worth the listening time?

Overall, yes, although the final couple of hours really did drag, e.g. plot twists for the sake of plot twists.

Any additional comments?

I can't wait to listen to Jack Thompson's narration of another book. He is superb.

Enjoyable - Excellent Narrator

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