Ruined by Narration

This book was something that I was eager to listen to. The story may be a good one but I'll never know with the recorded version because it was so awful. I kept listening hoping it would improve but it only got worse. The accents were just appallingly terrible. Avoid!

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42 personnes ont trouvé cela utile

Rubbish

What disappointed you about War Brides?

The story was jumbled - I gave up half way through and the narration was awful. The American accents were reasonable (I think she must be American) but the others - English upper class, German jewish and Cockney were absurd.

Who would you have cast as narrator instead of Tavia Gilbert?

Even Shrek could have done a better job. The cockney was the worst rendition of an easily researched dialect that I've ever heard and the others were impossible to believe.

What reaction did this book spark in you? Anger, sadness, disappointment?

Anger - that I had paid for this
Sadness - that the narration was so lazy
Disappointment - Nothing like I expected

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17 personnes ont trouvé cela utile

horrible narration, and editing /book content OK

What would have made War Brides better?

Proofing, the print, a different narrator, or a narrator with some acting skills

What could Helen Bryan have done to make this a more enjoyable book for you?

Proof her editors and find a better narrator

Who would you have cast as narrator instead of Tavia Gilbert?

Not sure

What character would you cut from War Brides?

No one

Any additional comments?

Audio books cost too much to be this disappointing.

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11 personnes ont trouvé cela utile

My first Whispersinc experience

I had bought the Kindle edition of War Brides a few months ago and when I started to read it recently I thought it would be fun, if decadent, to also purchase the Audible version. The two together cost under $4, and so worth the "extravagance". I did switch back and forth from listening and reading, not always a smooth transition between my Kindle Paperwhite and iPhone's Audible app. But it was a positive experience. Tavia Gilbert did the various characters' accents wonderfully, which enhanced the reading as I could sort out the many characters more easily. It was a good book, interesting and informative. We all need to learn from history and this novel is based on those who lived in England and Europe during World War II.
I would hesitate to buy both the Kindle and Audible versions of most books, but War Brides was a perfect choice for Whispersinc for Voice. I would also recommend it highly as an Audible read.

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11 personnes ont trouvé cela utile

Keep listening--it gets better towards the end

What could have made this a 4 or 5-star listening experience for you?

The first third of the book needs work to engage the listener and make them care about the characters.

What could Helen Bryan have done to make this a more enjoyable book for you?

Make the characters more likable and/or more believable.

Did Tavia Gilbert do a good job differentiating all the characters? How?

Yes. I believe she did a good job with the task she was given

You didn’t love this book... but did it have any redeeming qualities?

Yes the last 25% and end of the book were good. It just took too long to get "hooked" into the story.

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10 personnes ont trouvé cela utile

A Story of the Women and Children on the Homefront

The setting in pre-war and WW II England. A group of women who may never have known each other otherwise end up in the English countryside to escape the Blitz. Good historical fiction.

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10 personnes ont trouvé cela utile

People who have no knowledge

Of regional English accents should NOT narrate stories set in England. Even if I hadn't lived in London I think This would *still* be excruciating. The story isn't bad but dear God—the narration!

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8 personnes ont trouvé cela utile

Were Any of the Accents Accurate?

Would you try another book from Helen Bryan and/or Tavia Gilbert?

I'm not sure about Helen Bryan but I know I will never buy anything that Tavia Gilbert narrates.

What didn’t you like about Tavia Gilbert’s performance?

Terrible accents. I couldn't get through the book because of them. I spent so much time trying to figure out what she was trying to accomplish with the Creole accent that I couldn't follow the story. I gave up at that point.

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6 personnes ont trouvé cela utile

Good attempt at a historical saga

Where does War Brides rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

Not very highly...because the audio was difficult to understand. The narrator was attempting to imitate the cockney Brit accents or deep Irish brogues and ended up making it almost impossible to clearly 'get' what she was saying at times.

What aspect of Tavia Gilbert’s performance would you have changed?

See comments above. Less accent, more enunciation.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

No....took me a few months. Not something that gripped you

Any additional comments?

Would have been only 3 stars, but it picked up the pace at the end. At least it gave the story a close with it's prologue.

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5 personnes ont trouvé cela utile

Waste of Money

What would have made War Brides better?

I was unable to follow the story line. Nothing distinguished one person from another.

Would you ever listen to anything by Helen Bryan again?

I was so put off by the horrible narration that I am not sure if could provide a review of the story.

Would you be willing to try another one of Tavia Gilbert’s performances?

NO

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4 personnes ont trouvé cela utile