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The Other Family Audiobook
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(2.99) - 1,121 listener ratings
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Publisher Description
When Richie Rossiter, once a famous pianist, dies unexpectedly, Chrissie knows that she must now tell the truth to their three daughters: their parents were never married. Yet there is one more shock to come when Richie’s will is read. It seems he never forgot the wife and son he left behind years ago—Margaret, who lives a quiet life of routine and work, and Scott, who never knew his famous father. Now two families are left to confront their losses and each other, and none of them will ever be the same. Witty, intelligent, and insightful, The Other Family is a story of modern family life from a beloved author of domestic fiction.
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"Lovely. She gets me every time...some of this felt uncomfortably close to home, but as always the resolution was very satisfying."
— Sarah (4 out of 5 stars)
Quotes
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“Trollope tests our assumptions about human behavior in times of crisis and invites her characters to meet enormous changes in their lives open-heartedly so that they may learn what’s truly important.”
— Washington Post -
“The author deftly sketches out, through shifting viewpoints, how family members and former family members regain a sense of purpose after their initial grief.”
— Library Journal
Awards
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Selected for the May 2010 Indie Next List
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A 2010 Washington Post Best Book for Fiction
The Other Family Listener Reviews
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" Story of an entertainer who dies suddenly. He's been with a woman for 20 some years and they have 3 daughters. Complication: he never divorced his wife whom he left with his 14 year old son. After his death, a long and morose description of how the 2 families finally resolve their issues. "
— Suz, 2/15/2014 -
" Would not recommend, story line very weak and I had no interest in any of the characters - well maybe Amy and Scott were ok "
— Sue, 2/13/2014 -
" Boring. Gave up after half the book. "
— Adrienne, 2/9/2014 -
" The two families of British singer Richie Rossiter accustom to life without him. "
— Linnet, 2/4/2014 -
" I don't know that I have ever read a book so chock full of unlikeable characters. I found myself aghast at the behavior of Chrissie and her daughters (save for Amy who seemed to have some heart). I will give Trollope credit for leaving the book open-ended so the reader can make their own assumptions. "
— Jenifer, 1/30/2014 -
" Joanna Trollope is my guilty secret. Chick Lit is not really my thing, but perhaps because her novels seem to have a more mature perspective than many in that genre, I generally enjoy them. Having said that, I usually forget the plot straight away - they don't make a lasting impression. The Other Family was no different to others I've read in that respect. Most of the characters were irritating - all wrapped up in the recently deceased Richie - and unable to get a grip and get on with things. I couldn't get a good vision of Richie through the writing. First I thought he must have been a rock god, but that didn't seem correct - his appeal was to ladies of "a certain age" - so was he more Tom Jones than Mick Jagger? Richie's partner Chrissie, and their daughters Tamsin and Dilly were portrayed as shallow and needy. Only the youngest daughter Amy stood out as a character of substance. Although I was engaged (and enraged) by this family, I don't think it was a terribly good novel. There are better Joanna Trollopes. "
— Ange, 1/22/2014 -
" This book needs a middle star rating of "felt indifferent towards it" "
— Biogeek, 1/11/2014 -
" Didnt enjoy it much :/ "
— Toni, 12/21/2013 -
" This isn't really "my kind of book" but Fenella Woolgar's reading made it thoroughly enjoyable! "
— Ulla, 12/19/2013 -
" Don't bother with this one...truly unlikeable characters and nothing happens. Kept waiting for something to happen..... "
— Janet, 12/18/2013 -
" Too predictable. I couldn't really relate to any of the characters. "
— Calli, 11/19/2013 -
" Ho hum british novel centered around a famous pianist's first and second families and their actions after he dies suddenly. It just kind of went on and on. "
— Katherine, 10/27/2013 -
" Not impressed. Very predictable. Plot line not developed. Characters flat.The Other Family: A Novel "
— Debby, 10/5/2013 -
" About 20 pages in I realized I had read this before, but it had made no impression. Thus the low rating, although I do like Joanna Trollope. Perhaps I just like the great Britishness of her books, since the characters seem to have made no impression "
— Deb, 9/1/2013 -
" This book was semi-interesting but was very cold...I never felt really connected to the characters. "
— Tenna, 9/1/2013 -
" couldn't finish it .not my style. "
— Fatma, 5/24/2013 -
" Moved right along, and the writing was good. The author must be a cat person, as the felines mentioned therein could only have been made by an ardent fan! "
— Eileen, 4/9/2013 -
" Yawn. Middle class dysfunctional family. Again. The usual plot devices. Again. It wasn't particularly entertaining. Well written, as I'd expect from Ms Trollope, but by halfway through (and I'm being generous here), I simply didn't CARE what happened. Really disappointing. "
— Mrsfwith4, 3/10/2013 -
" I enjoyed this book as I think that the author describes relationships very well but I kept wanting something to happen and it didn't. A little disappointing. "
— Catherine, 1/4/2013 -
" An interesting rendition of the reactions of the family members to the sudden death of a man who had an "old" family and a "new" family. "
— Cynthia, 1/2/2013 -
" Contemporary England: second family discovery of first family connections. Pleasant conclusion. "
— C, 12/27/2012 -
" I was really interested in the plot of this book, but I didn't like most oof the characters. "
— Amy, 10/10/2012 -
" I was disappointed - an interesting premise, good characters, and yet the story never really took off. Too much repetition, not enough actually happening. A missed opportunity. "
— Keren, 9/17/2012 -
" good easy read for the summer. Interesting theme. "
— Sylvia, 9/17/2012
About Joanna Trollope
Joanna Trollope, a descendant of nineteenth-century English novelist Anthony Trollope, is the author of historical novels and a study of women in the British Empire. However, she has become best known for her lively contemporary novels, often centered on the nuances and dilemmas of domestic life in England. She has now written seven of these novels. Joanna Trollope was born and still lives in Gloucestershire, England.
About Rosalyn Landor
Rosalyn Landor is an English-born television, theater, and multiple-award-winning audiobook narrator. Her television credits include Love in a Cold Climate, Rumpole of the Bailey, Sherlock Holmes, and Star Trek: The Next Generation. She has won numerous Audie awards and AudioFile magazine Earphones awards.