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Backseat Saints Audiobook
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(3.00) - 4,295 listener ratings
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Publisher Description
Read this "enthralling" portrayal of the measures a mother will take to right the wrongs she's created while reigniting her rough and tough Texan bravery (Kathryn Stockett, bestselling author of The Help).
Rose Mae Lolley's mother disappeared when she was eight, leaving Rose with a heap of old novels and a taste for dangerous men. Now, as demure Mrs. Ro Grandee, she's living the very life her mother abandoned. She's all but forgotten the girl she used to be-teenaged spitfire, Alabama heartbreaker, and a crack shot with a pistol-until an airport gypsy warns Rose it's time to find her way back to that brave, tough girl . . . or else. Armed with only her wit, her pawpy's ancient .45, and her dog Fat Gretel, Rose Mae hightails it out of Texas, running from a man who will never let her go, on a mission to find the mother who did. Starring a minor character from Jackson's bestselling Gods in Alabama, Backseat Saints will dazzle readers with its stunning portrayal of the measures a mother will take to right the wrongs she's created, and how far a daughter will travel to satisfy the demands of forgiveness.
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"Upon reading the synopsis of this book i had a good snort. I mean, airport gypsy? Come on! That said, I ended up enjoying this book much more than I had anticipated. I devoured it quickly, lapping up the complexly structured plot and the rich characters. Ms. Jackson's dark humor and skillful writing made it a sumptuous brain treat. I was thrilled to discover this isn't the first of Jackson's novels based on this character/storyline."
— Tamara (4 out of 5 stars)
Quotes
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“Jackson’s writing becomes kinetic, reflecting her heroine’s metamorphosis.”
— Publishers Weekly -
“Jackson peels back Rose’s hard edges and resignation to reveal a smart, earnest, brave, and surprisingly hopeful young woman who yearns to make a better life for herself. Rose’s salvation, when it comes, is positively breathtaking.”
— Booklist -
“Joshilyn Jackson’s sassy Texas twang details Rose Mae’s unraveling as she stumbles upon a gypsy fortune-teller who appears to know just about everything about her life and who convinces her that her husband will murder her unless she kills him first…Jackson escorts the listener as Rose Mae evolves into a determined, introspective gunslinger who is intent on tricking fate.”
— AudioFile -
“The work of a first-rate writer.”
— BookPage -
Joshilyn Jackson is a storyteller whose clarity and elegant poetry are worthy of the tradition of our great Southern writers. The really big surprise is her reading. Jackson reads with energy, enthusiasm, and the finesse of an accomplished voice actor. Her artful characterizations draw listeners into Nonny's world, filled with quirky, genuine, and original characters.
— AudioFile Magazine on Between, Georgia -
While set in the languid deep South, the pace is rapid. Jackson's reading keeps things brisk without going too swiftly. Jackson's excellent reading allows characters' voices to reveal much about their histories and personalities: Laurel's gentle but determined manner, her outrageously funny sister's sarcasm, the thick drawl of an impoverished girl visiting from Alabama. A brief interview with Jackson at the end offers some insight into the book's genesis and development and into her writing habits.
— Publishers Weekly on The Girl Who Stopped Swimming
Awards
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Selected for the June 2010 Indie Next List
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A New York Times bestseller
Backseat Saints Listener Reviews
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" The book sucks you in almost immediately. I found Rose's character annoying b/c she was weak but interesting nonetheless. It was an easy read and would make a good discussion book. "
— Page, 1/8/2014 -
" Very fast read with hooks that kept me reading - what happens to Fat Gretel, the dog - is the woman in the airport really her mother - is there a happy ending? Rose Mae, Ro, Ivy, has spent her life being abused by her father and her husband. "
— Melanie, 1/3/2014 -
" Jackson writes literary Southern fiction with a humorous twist and I keep going back for more. This time she resurrects a character from "gods in Alabama" and tackles domestic violence. Rose Mae is not character I will soon forget. "
— Kathryn, 12/25/2013 -
" WOW what a plot twist!! I will have to read Gods in Alabama now that I read this. "
— Kristina, 12/11/2013 -
" I went to book club for this one before I read it, and almost no one there liked it. They hated Rose for allowing herself to be abused, and they thought the mom was unrealistic. Maybe I'm more forgiving, because I liked it. "
— Sarah, 11/16/2013 -
" This was a surprisingly very entertaining story. I listend to the recording and loved the reader's voice and accent. I found myself laughing more than sighing. "
— Karen, 11/4/2013 -
" I felt that she was too wordy at times but it was a good story and I was surprised by the end. If you are going to read this, make sure you read Gods in Alabama first!!! "
— Lydia, 10/23/2013 -
" Loved the symbolism of the cover art more than the book itself. A little racy for my sensibilities. "
— Angela, 9/27/2013 -
" I like books set in the South - like this writer - good to read, although I liked Gods in Alabama better "
— Kentkelsey, 7/15/2013 -
" 4.5 stars! I listened to this one read by the author and it was wonderful. I was pulled into the characters lives and felt the emotion and the wonderful images the author portrayed with her words. "
— KrisT, 5/29/2013 -
" I couldn't turn the pages fast enough. Such a colorful writer. I was on the edge of my seat for most of the book and wanted it to keep going. "
— Lauren, 4/17/2013 -
" This was an interesting read and at the end of the book you get chapter one of the next book which ties in to the one you just read...a teaser!!! I loved her characters, it was tough to read in certain parts, and has an ending I was not expecting....I liked it though! "
— Patti, 2/13/2013 -
" This book was about a gal in an extremely physically abusive marriage. Her father was abusive as well and it was interesting to read how this poor girl picked men who were like her father. Such an interesting and fast read, I enjoyed it. "
— Carrie, 12/22/2012 -
" I loved this book all the way til the last 5 pages. The ending was a bit sweet and tidy for my taste. Ro was such a fantastic character and its unusual to read a book about domestic violence that doesnt invoke pity...an interesting and original perspective. Great read! "
— Renne, 12/9/2011 -
" Another reference to the Cadillac Ranch. This author weaves mentions of various people, places, etc. through each of her books. None of the books are sequels - but the author often revisits a character. I do recommend you start with Gods in Alabama. Looking forward to her fifth book due out in July. "
— Cindykaye, 11/13/2011 -
" Seemed really long and slow moving. "
— Sheila, 7/29/2011 -
" I hate, hate, hated the main character. "
— Lori, 5/15/2011 -
" I loved this book all the way til the last 5 pages. The ending was a bit sweet and tidy for my taste. Ro was such a fantastic character and its unusual to read a book about domestic violence that doesnt invoke pity...an interesting and original perspective. Great read! "
— Renne, 4/30/2011 -
" I loved this book! Once again, Joshilyn Jackson has kept my attention from start to finish. Although, it was slow starting for me, it soon picked up speed and I was flipping pages in a blur. Great book! "
— Rebecca, 4/26/2011 -
" Fast read that had me on the edge of my seat. "
— Kckottkamp, 4/25/2011 -
" I wasn't sure that I liked it about half way through, but then it had some twists I did not expect. I enjoyed it so much that I am reading the "prequel" to this one, Gods in Alabama. "
— Angela, 4/22/2011 -
" I little bit too much of the same story of "Gods in Alabama". "
— Catherine, 4/19/2011 -
" Interesting book. I loved the authors use of language. Listening on audio made it even better because of the southern accent. Really kept my attention and by the end I couldn't put it down. Thanks for the recommendation, Nancy. "
— Pam, 4/12/2011 -
" Although moments were outside my comfort zone, that is was convinced me it was so good. It pushed me to keep reading and I was well satisfied. "
— Ashley, 4/6/2011 -
" Like all of Joshilyn Jackson's book, I loved this one. Her plots just pull you in and keep you reading. "
— Kristina, 4/1/2011 -
" Absolutetely loved this book. The audio version is narrated by the author, which is such a treat, to hear the passion of her voice in this sad but wonderful story. "
— Yanina, 3/28/2011
About Joshilyn Jackson
Joshilyn Jackson is the bestselling author of Backseat Saints, Gods in Alabama, Between, Georgia, The Girl Who Stopped Swimming, and A Grown-Up Kind of Pretty. Her books have been translated into a dozen languages and short-listed for the Townsend Prize. She won the SIBA Book Award for Fiction in 2005, and, as a former actor, was nominated for an Audie Award and received a Listen Up Award from Publishers Weekly.
About Joshilyn Jackson
Joshua Ferris is the author of three previous novels, Then We Came to the End, The Unnamed, and To Rise Again at a Decent Hour and a collection of stories, The Dinner Party. He was a finalist for the National Book Award, winner of the Barnes and Noble Discover Award and the PEN/Hemingway Award, and was named one of the New Yorker's “20 Under 40” writers in 2010. To Rise Again at a Decent Hour won the Dylan Thomas Prize and was shortlisted for the Booker Prize. His short stories have appeared in the New Yorker, Granta, and Best American Short Stories. He lives in New York.