Family Album: A Novel Audiobook

" Large family, kids grow up, hate and love each other, and move along in life. Okeedoke - family dynamics are tough and Lively portrays them. Yawn. "

" This felt a little like reading about my own past in an alternate universe. A large family, a beloved family home, a house in which the kids had secrets from the parents, a nanny (ours was a farm girl), a stay-at home mother, a father who was away at work (mine physically, the fictional family's emotionally). Then the growing up and dispersing. Other than that, I don't have much to say. "

" started out good but sputtered away "

" An easy holiday read, but definitely not one of her better books. Rather dull and totally predictable. "

" Another book that wonders what makes a family. A house does not make a family. Biology does not make a family. It is the story of an "accidental" family; a story that makes us realize that all families are accidental. Planned parenthood is a reality in only the most narrow of ways. We don't choose our children or our parents; or rather, we don't choose who they are and who they become try as we might to influence it. I liked Lively's characterization of the distant father and the relentlessly happy mother. "

" I love this author and have read all her books. This may not be her strongest, but my rating covers her body of work. "

" slow going, sometimes rambles on - introduced 5 characters in the first few pages, so its difficult to build a connection to the 'players' in the book. Will appeal to those who are familiar with life in England. "

" EH.. it was ok.. "

" Well written, but it was diminished for me by the fact that AS Byatt's last book had exactly the same plot twist (and something of the same atmosphere -- 100 years earlier). "

" I wavered between three stars and four and rounded up because I loved her depiction of the complexity of family relationships. "

" thought it would be better than it was. can't relate to the mom who lives her life to project a perfect image, and doesn't have the insight to see the facade is not working. All six kids look back on their childhood with completely different memories...that part was the most interesting. "

" I'm always drawn to novels about large, rambling families and this one did not disappoint. Six (!) children, their parents complicated relationship and the nanny - it's all there. "

" Nice enough, but just too boring. "

" Good book about family dynamics "

" Fast read - very readable but will I remember this? Probably not. Yet I will read other Penelope Lively works again. She writes well here about a fairly ordinary and not-ordinary family. "

" Hmm, I was loving this until everything sloooowed down and started spiraling around itself in repetitions after the great family secret was revealed. And the ending disappointed: felt like the author took a shortcut. "

" Quirky and true to life. "

" Another great read from Penelope Lively...fast becoming one of my favorite modern British writers. Convincingly captures the essence of this family and difficulty maintaining any type of emotional connection . Masterfully written. "

" Didn't like it--didn't finish "

" Lively has a way of taking a big chew out of situations so that you become part of the story which engenders a nostalgia for events and happenings that one might have experienced in their own lives. The mundane becomes complicated and the complicated becomes mundane. "

" It might be that this is a case where the book does not suit the mood, but I never felt all that engaged with this book. Perhaps I will try again later.... "

" Initially I was conflicted. There are parts that are outstanding but parts that dragged on. However, in sum, anyone that grew up in a large family can appreciate the delicacies of the familial relationships and understand the complicated relationships that form. I thought the ending was spot on. "

" O ly one in my book group to be so inspired by this book, that I searched out a read others by Ms. Lively. Curious and somehow sad family dynamics. Told by the children looking back on their growing up years. Always a fascinating study as each child has their own view of the same events. "

" A little disappointing, long arduous narrative re; siblings and parents relationship based in Allersmead the family home. Secret was a big let down, "is that all" I heard myself say!! "

" Would definitely recommend this book, although the big secret isn't as big as implied. I really liked Lively's writing and am going to look for more by her. "

" Quick read, but I loved it. About family, place, memory, and perception. highly recommended. "

" slow going, sometimes rambles on - introduced 5 characters in the first few pages, so its difficult to build a connection to the 'players' in the book. Will appeal to those who are familiar with life in England. "

" thought it would be better than it was. can't relate to the mom who lives her life to project a perfect image, and doesn't have the insight to see the facade is not working. All six kids look back on their childhood with completely different memories...that part was the most interesting. "

" i take long time to finish this book. and the ending is dissapointing when the family mystery isnt THAT shocking. it turns out, they just a bunch of selfish kids who fail to appreciate their mother sacrifice. "

" A book in the mould of Annie Tyler et al, beautifully and skillfully written but ultimately pretty boring. The continual shifting of the narrative voice got a bit tiresome and the BIG secret was pretty unimpressive. I find these books about boring middle-class life just that - boring. "

" An almost fractured narrative trying to find the 'truth' about a family by narration from each member. A lovely concept but executed half-heartedly. Could have been brilliant but is mediocre at best. However an easy and unchallenging read. "

" Not as interesting as some of her previous novels. The family is eccentric, the parents are sort of absorbed in their own way of doing things. There is a strange secret, but it's not that crazy. The children were not that interesting. "

" Fascinating portrait of a large family. Good writing. "

" eh, wasn't all that impressed with the twistedness of her family. "

" Nice enough, but just too boring. "