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The Sentimentalists Audiobook, by Johanna Skibsrud Play Audiobook Sample

The Sentimentalists Audiobook

The Sentimentalists Audiobook, by Johanna Skibsrud Play Audiobook Sample
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Read By: Joey Collins, Greg Steinbruner, Celeste Ciulla Publisher: Recorded Books, Inc. Listen Time: at 1.0x Speed 3.67 hours at 1.5x Speed 2.75 hours at 2.0x Speed Release Date: June 2011 Format: Unabridged Audiobook ISBN: 9781461804857

Quick Stats About this Audiobook

Total Audiobook Chapters:

9

Longest Chapter Length:

59:14 minutes

Shortest Chapter Length:

33 seconds

Average Chapter Length:

37:04 minutes

Audiobooks by this Author:

2

Other Audiobooks Written by Johanna Skibsrud: > View All...

Publisher Description

Johanna Skibsrud won the Scotiabank Giller Prize for this compelling debut novel. Napoleon Haskell lives in Casablanca, Ontario, on the shores of a man-made lake that covers the remains of the former town. When his daughter's life unravels, she retreats to Casablanca and is soon immersed in the complicated family stories that lurk below the surface of everyday life.

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"Beautiful book. I didn't find the writing that obscure. SO many people complained about the structure being overly difficult but I didn't find it so. This is literature, not Jodi fucking Piccoult. Satisfying ending. Made me think and go back to re-read certain passages. Good stuff."

— Janene (4 out of 5 stars)

Quotes

  • “A slim debut novel graced by inventive language and a haunting atmosphere…The melancholy mood and restrained language of the story settles deep into a reader’s consciousness.”

    — NPR
  • “As a poet, [Johanna Skibsrud] knows how to pare a story down to its essence and infuse every thread with meaning…The tale is so true and poignant that, as in the moment when the narrator flew over the water, readers, too, will want to stay there ‘as long as possible.’”

    — Dallas Morning News
  • “Skibsrud’s assured prose and graceful wordplay elevate this delicately structured story of redemption and forgiveness, and her storytelling is so refined and subtle that the punch at the end, while fully anticipated, still has a leveling power.” 

    — Publishers Weekly (starred review) 
  • “Skibsrud’s subtle, contemplative prose provides exquisite meditation on the ripple effects of violence upon generations, the untrustworthiness of memory, and the sorrowful impossibility of truly understanding one’s parents.” 

    — Booklist

Awards

  • Winner of the Scotiabank Giller Prize in 2010

The Sentimentalists Listener Reviews

Overall Performance: 2.4347826086956523 out of 52.4347826086956523 out of 52.4347826086956523 out of 52.4347826086956523 out of 52.4347826086956523 out of 5 (2.43)
5 Stars: 0
4 Stars: 4
3 Stars: 6
2 Stars: 9
1 Stars: 4
Narration: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5 (0.00)
5 Stars: 0
4 Stars: 0
3 Stars: 0
2 Stars: 0
1 Stars: 0
Story: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5 (0.00)
5 Stars: 0
4 Stars: 0
3 Stars: 0
2 Stars: 0
1 Stars: 0
Write a Review
  • Overall Performance: 2 out of 52 out of 52 out of 52 out of 52 out of 5 Narration Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5 Story Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5

    " I was excited when this book came to me from my hold list at the library, given it having won the Giller and the interesting story behind the printing of copies. However, I have to say I struggled through it, and found it disjointed and hard to follow and overall rather depressing. "

    — Nellie, 2/10/2014
  • Overall Performance: 3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5 Narration Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5 Story Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5

    " Fair insight into war, family "

    — Mary, 1/21/2014
  • Overall Performance: 3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5 Narration Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5 Story Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5

    " A deceptively simple read that I was left wondering how much I really understood. I liked the clean, crisp poetic prose and the interweaving of the past and present. However, things seemed a bit too incomprehensible by the end. "

    — Rebecca, 1/19/2014
  • Overall Performance: 2 out of 52 out of 52 out of 52 out of 52 out of 5 Narration Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5 Story Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5

    " I did not enjoy this book. I forced myself to finish it, because I figured there must be something I was missing given it's Giller Prize win, but even the end disappointed me. "

    — Yolanda, 1/17/2014
  • Overall Performance: 2 out of 52 out of 52 out of 52 out of 52 out of 5 Narration Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5 Story Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5

    " overrated...climax was unclear and I was like "what's happening"more than once because the prose was too poetic. At times there were beautiful uses of imagery, but i wasn't sure what they were describing. "

    — Steveb, 12/24/2013
  • Overall Performance: 2 out of 52 out of 52 out of 52 out of 52 out of 5 Narration Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5 Story Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5

    " had good hopes for this book but felt the author could of done better with the overall plot and some of the dates seem confused but this is my opinion though "

    — Stephen, 11/27/2013
  • Overall Performance: 2 out of 52 out of 52 out of 52 out of 52 out of 5 Narration Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5 Story Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5

    " I was disappointed in this book as it had won an award last year. I found the story hard to follow and not that interesting. Perhaps I missed something but it was not an enjoyable read for me. "

    — Mary, 11/27/2013
  • Overall Performance: 2 out of 52 out of 52 out of 52 out of 52 out of 5 Narration Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5 Story Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5

    " For a novel without much narrative momentum, the characters are criminally underdeveloped. While it isn't without its poignantly rendered meditations, the novel, for my literary palate, is far too bloodless. "

    — Matthew, 3/12/2013
  • Overall Performance: 3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5 Narration Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5 Story Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5

    " A daughter of a retired Vietnam War Vet tells about the struggles and horrors of his war memories. The story was good but much too depressing. "

    — Tiziana, 6/30/2012
  • Overall Performance: 1 out of 51 out of 51 out of 51 out of 51 out of 5 Narration Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5 Story Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5

    " just not exciting enough! the plot took way too long to unfold, and I tired of the author's endless ramblings on how past events did or did not get remembered and affected her life "

    — Marc, 4/7/2012
  • Overall Performance: 2 out of 52 out of 52 out of 52 out of 52 out of 5 Narration Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5 Story Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5

    " Exhausting read, since it has zero flow to the sentence structure. "

    — Jeffrey, 3/24/2012
  • Overall Performance: 3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5 Narration Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5 Story Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5

    " The strengths of this little novel may not outweigh its significant weaknesses. Rare are the writers that can capture the complex nature of existence like this author did. May not be worthy of the Giller, but certainly worth keeping an eye on. "

    — Stephane, 2/15/2012
  • Overall Performance: 1 out of 51 out of 51 out of 51 out of 51 out of 5 Narration Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5 Story Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5

    " Stunning this won the Giller. Don't waste your time. "

    — Katherine, 2/4/2012
  • Overall Performance: 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5 Narration Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5 Story Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5

    " A beautiful story of growing up with parents you do not understand and about love. The war angle did not work for me. I really did not need the details about the incident at the end. "

    — John, 10/11/2011
  • Overall Performance: 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5 Narration Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5 Story Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5

    " A first novel about the two daughters of a Vietnam vet and their struggles to know, love, forgive, and accept him. A little overly mystical in some parts, but all in all, I enjoyed this book. "

    — Debbie, 10/8/2011
  • Overall Performance: 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5 Narration Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5 Story Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5

    " A brief and powerful novel that initially pushes you away and makes you wonder if you'll continue to read and then morphs into a need to bear witness to a very disturbing slice of warfare which sadly repeats itself in every war. <br/> <br/> <br/> <br/> "

    — Linda, 9/13/2011
  • Overall Performance: 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5 Narration Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5 Story Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5

    " Playful and imaginative, especially for a confessional novel (ostensibly) about family. Well paced. Loved the submerged town "

    — Kosta, 9/5/2011
  • Overall Performance: 2 out of 52 out of 52 out of 52 out of 52 out of 5 Narration Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5 Story Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5

    " <br/>In 3 words - too many commas. "

    — Dany, 9/2/2011
  • Overall Performance: 3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5 Narration Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5 Story Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5

    " A book about the impact of the Vietnam War on a family. Felt vaguely unsatisfying after it was over, probably because of a lack of clear affective responses the family members demonstrated/portrayed both between and within themselves. "

    — Patricia, 8/24/2011
  • Overall Performance: 1 out of 51 out of 51 out of 51 out of 51 out of 5 Narration Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5 Story Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5

    " &quot;The Sentimentalists&quot;,&quot;Johanna Skibsrud&quot;, <br/> I was disappointed in this book and in myself for not liking or appreciating this recent Giller prize winning novel more. A tedious read. "

    — Carolyn, 8/17/2011
  • Overall Performance: 3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5 Narration Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5 Story Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5

    " I am silly, I thought the narrator was a bloke for the first chapter. I thought it was okay, pretty easy to read, although it got a little disconnected at parts. I read it in about 2 days which says something I guess. "

    — Clare, 8/16/2011
  • Overall Performance: 1 out of 51 out of 51 out of 51 out of 51 out of 5 Narration Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5 Story Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5

    " This book was heavily marketed in the Ontario province of Canada, &amp; I simply don't understand why? I couldn't justify spending more time on it after the first 100 pages or so. The first sections were nice, but it totally lost a target afterwards. "

    — Felix, 8/15/2011
  • Overall Performance: 2 out of 52 out of 52 out of 52 out of 52 out of 5 Narration Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5 Story Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5

    " This is clearly a first novel. It has lots more craft than soul. "

    — Mary, 8/14/2011

About Johanna Skibsrud

Johanna Skibsrud is the author of several novels, including The Sentimentalists, winner of the Scotiabank Giller Prize, and two poetry collections. She lives in Tucson, Arizona.

About the Narrators

Joey Collins is a film and television actor who is known for his roles in All My Children, Kidnapped, and Law & Order. He is an accomplished audiobook narrator who has lent his voice to numerous titles, including Dead Lawyers Tell No Tales, East of Denver, and A Thousand Tomorrows.

Greg Steinbruner is an actor, audiobook narrator, playwright, and public-speaking consultant. He studied at NYU’s Tisch School and writes, directs, and produces his own plays in New York City. He has lent his vocal talents to such books as The Magic Thief, Larklight, Starcross, and the Origami Yoda series.

Celeste Ciulla is an accomplished actress and voice-over artist based in New York City. For her stage performances, she has received the 2010 Lunt–Fontanne Fellowship and the Callaway Award. She is also an Earphones Award–winning narrator.