Vinegar Girl cover art

Vinegar Girl

The Taming of the Shrew Retold (Hogarth Shakespeare)

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Vinegar Girl

By: Anne Tyler
Narrated by: Kirsten Potter
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About this listen

'You can't get around Kate Battista as easily as all that.'

Kate Battista is feeling stuck. How did she end up running house and home for her eccentric scientist father and uppity, pretty younger sister, Bunny? Plus, she's always in trouble at work - her preschool charges adore her, but the adults don't always appreciate her unusual opinions and forthright manner.

Dr. Battista has other problems. After years out in the academic wilderness, he is on the verge of a breakthrough. His research could help millions. There's only one problem: his brilliant young lab assistant, Pyotr, is about to be deported. And without Pyotr....

When Dr. Battista cooks up an outrageous plan that will enable Pyotr to stay in the country, he's relying - as usual - on Kate to help him. Kate is furious: this time he's really asking too much. But will she be able to resist the two men's touchingly ludicrous campaign to win her round?

Anne Tyler's retelling of The Taming of the Shrew asks whether a thoroughly modern, independent woman like Kate would ever sacrifice herself for a man. The answer is as individual, offbeat and funny as Kate herself.

©2016 Anne Tyler (P)2016 Random House Audiobooks Classics Drama & Plays Fiction Genre Fiction Literary Fiction Literature & Fiction Shakespeare Funny Comedy

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All stars
Most relevant  
Anne Tyler's writing is always interesting. This was surprisingly delightful. Wonderful performance. Better than reading.

Unexpected delight

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enjoyed this story but not convinced by thw comparison with the taming of the shrew. well read, but found the 'she said' a little grating at times

not a shrew

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could hardly put this down. i havent read the taming of the shrew so had no idea what the story would be. i loved it

excellent

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I'm assuming Anne Tyler really doesn't care for the original, I can't believe she doesn't know it. Either way, this is an odd re-telling. It starts off well and I liked the set-up. The characters of Kate and Pyotr were both quite vinegar-y, as is her father. The scenes at the nursery were very funny. Somehow it seemed to lose it's way though, once the wedding plans got underway. There was a long scene towards the end where Kate makes egg salad and then throws it away, which may be deep and meaningful but was a bit lost on me and just seemed a bit tedious. It almost felt like Anne Tyler didn't know what to do with the story having got to the wedding, but had a word-count target to meet!
I did enjoy it, overall, and the narrator was very good once you got used to her rather precise way of speaking. I just wish the last quarter had been as good as the first!
If this is your first Anne Tyler, it really isn't very representative - try something else of hers.

odd

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this is my first audible ann tyler tho have read most of her other stuff - loved kirsten potter the narrator and have tried to find something else she has narrated which i may like
spent all the time i was listening to this saying PIOTER to myself

the narrator was fab - love ALL ann tyler

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Great book to listen to, characters came alive especially Kate. Clever update to avoid sexism.

loved it!

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I have really enjoyed this series of Shakespeare retold but some of the stories, whilst brilliant, have been arduous. Vinegar Girl is somehow lighter, more free. An enchanting and imaginative modernisation.

An absolute delight

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I had to speed the narration up but story OK. I sympathised with Kate

Narration too slow

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Couldn’t get past the first 9 minuted. Rubbish story and a very annoying reader. Would not recommend

Rubbish

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