Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.61 AVERAGE
3.61 AVERAGE
This was a most excellent audio book! The narrator wasn't just reading this book, it was as if she was enacting a one woman play from the stage. The story was really good, but even better told by the narrator.
3.5. Character-based novel narrated by an alcoholic, middle-aged real estate agent named Hildy, who lives and works in a small New England community near Boston. Funny, unreliable narration, so authentic that a couple passages were boring to me because they felt so small-town - the history of a particular store or person, unrelated to the plot, just details, exactly how the character would talk or narrate her inner life.
Skeptical. That's how I felt when I first started listening to The Good House. The narrator can make or break the read. When I first heard Mary Beth Hurt's voice I didn't know enough about the character she was to bring to life in this first person narration. I don't quite know how to explain it. Ms. Hurt's tone was a bit shrill, craggy even varying from low rasp to high giddiness in a split second. As I became acquainted with the Hildy Good there is only one word to describe this performance. Perfect!
Hildy Good, a mother, a Gammy, maybe even a witch, lives in a coastal, close-knit New England town patterned after Marblehead. Her marriage ends when her husband decides his sexual affiliation is male. By day she is a successful realtor, by night she struggles with alcoholism. Her denial is hard to watch, sad, but don't for a moment think this book is a downer. It is wickedly funny and made me laugh out loud so many times that if you saw me walking and listening you might have wondered. I loved, loved every minute of it. Like any small town, the people provide lots of fodder for fun and gossip. I loved them all, particularly Hildy’s old boyfriend, Frank, now the town jack of all trades, the fix-it man as Hildy calls him. Many subjects creep in and provide the background; horses, psychology, ghosts, dogs, relationships; all have their say. The locale allows a landscape of old New England homes, fishing boats, lobster traps, beach, with the smell and sounds of the ocean in the air. The detailed descriptions of homes will have you salivating to own place by the sea but the real draw hands down is Hildy herself. Hildy Good is spirited, a shrewd businesswoman, frequently sharp tongued and a contrast of a bitter and loving woman. She is a woman that I came to care about and one I wish I knew and could call friend.
I am positive that the blend of good story, good writing by Ann Leary, and excellent narration by Mary Beth Hurst made this a winner.
Hildy Good, a mother, a Gammy, maybe even a witch, lives in a coastal, close-knit New England town patterned after Marblehead. Her marriage ends when her husband decides his sexual affiliation is male. By day she is a successful realtor, by night she struggles with alcoholism. Her denial is hard to watch, sad, but don't for a moment think this book is a downer. It is wickedly funny and made me laugh out loud so many times that if you saw me walking and listening you might have wondered. I loved, loved every minute of it. Like any small town, the people provide lots of fodder for fun and gossip. I loved them all, particularly Hildy’s old boyfriend, Frank, now the town jack of all trades, the fix-it man as Hildy calls him. Many subjects creep in and provide the background; horses, psychology, ghosts, dogs, relationships; all have their say. The locale allows a landscape of old New England homes, fishing boats, lobster traps, beach, with the smell and sounds of the ocean in the air. The detailed descriptions of homes will have you salivating to own place by the sea but the real draw hands down is Hildy herself. Hildy Good is spirited, a shrewd businesswoman, frequently sharp tongued and a contrast of a bitter and loving woman. She is a woman that I came to care about and one I wish I knew and could call friend.
I am positive that the blend of good story, good writing by Ann Leary, and excellent narration by Mary Beth Hurst made this a winner.
I listened to the audiobook which was excellent. Hildy isn’t like any character I’ve read before in that she’s a functioning alcoholic so her recollections and stories are often unreliable. She’s not always likable, but she has a story to tell.
I thought the depiction of the child with disabilities was…problematic.
I thought the depiction of the child with disabilities was…problematic.
Interesting story. Listened to this on audio. Quite certain that this would've been a DNF if I hadn't been listening to the fabulous narration.
There was so much to this story and I felt like some parts were not explored as much as I would have liked. I found myself rooting for the main character but frustrated with her as well. Why couldn't she get her life together? Some of the quotes from the book made me think deeply about some topics. Maybe we all have addictions but some addictions are more harmful than others.
A story about an alcoholic real estate agent. I was annoyed for most of the story about the author's unrealistic portrayal of an alcoholic. However if I just took the book at face value as a chick lit novel it was enjoyable enough.
I had no idea if Hildy was an alcoholic or not. She was so much in denial and kept saying it was nothing. And that is the thing, I the reader knows nothing, but little by little we learn more about Hildy. So is she an alcoholic? You will find out.
The book was not just told about her day after day. There were lots of little episodes where she told about houses she had sold. But it all came together as you later will see. And that was her life, selling houses, and being a bit lonely. Her husband has left, her children live elsewhere and Hildy, ah yes Hildy. I liked her, but the more I got to know her, less I wanted to like her.
There is also a bit of drama later in the book, I am not going into details. But something happens as she just goes on with life.
It was well done, I really was in her head, believing what she believed and it also made me realise how alcohol can different to everyone. Every alcoholic is not the same.
A good, quiet book in a way
The book was not just told about her day after day. There were lots of little episodes where she told about houses she had sold. But it all came together as you later will see. And that was her life, selling houses, and being a bit lonely. Her husband has left, her children live elsewhere and Hildy, ah yes Hildy. I liked her, but the more I got to know her, less I wanted to like her.
There is also a bit of drama later in the book, I am not going into details. But something happens as she just goes on with life.
It was well done, I really was in her head, believing what she believed and it also made me realise how alcohol can different to everyone. Every alcoholic is not the same.
A good, quiet book in a way
Both the story and the writing are compelling. I couldn't put it down. It was fun to have an older woman as the main character in the hands of such an adept writer.
Read for book club. Fast & easy--I looked forward to sitting down to read every night while reading this.
Hildy's inner dialogue about her alcoholism felt a little contrived although probably accurate.
Hildy's inner dialogue about her alcoholism felt a little contrived although probably accurate.