Backpack

A solid 4 star listen - enjoyable.

What did you like most about Backpack?

For me, it was hearing about Tansy as she travelled the world. In essence she is seeking an escape from her life in the UK and the fact that she is not the stereotypical travelling kind of person ensured this captured her cynicism perfectly! Lightly humorous and good expression in the narrators voice.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Backpack?

The backpack travels were told with subtle humour and I found the moments when Tansy encountered over travellers kept this story feeling fresh.

Which character – as performed by Emma Fenney – was your favourite?

Tansy - without a doubt. This is her story and I loved seeing how much she changed over the course of her travels.

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

No probably not. I listened to this over several days and it was great to get little chunks of the backpack experience.

Any additional comments?

A solid narration of a very good book. A solid 4 star - perhaps not setting the world alight but a really great story to get into and some nice moments of humour.

4 of 4 people found this review helpful

fantastic visuals and a good plot

really excellent in terms of conjuring up images of all the amazing places Tansy visits. she is such an unlikeable character in the beginning but the author and narrator are very successful in making you want to stick with her. The serial killer storyline almost feels irrelevant as Tansy's personal journey is more than interesting enough but it is well executed regardless. Only wish the ending was a little less abrupt!

3 of 3 people found this review helpful

Great Story, Great Narration!

Having read/listened to other books by Emily Barr, I had no qualms in using my monthly credit to download 'Backpack'. I found out that 'Backpack' is one of Emily Barr's early books; in fact I believe it is her first, and as I am familiar with her style and plot choices in later books, I did see the main reveal at the end of the book coming. However, it is still a great story and there were other smaller surprises along the way.
The author creates an honest and tangible description of Asia and the main character, Tansy, starts off quite hateful (yet some of her comments are laugh out loud funny) but she really goes on a "journey" ending the story as a much more enlightened and balanced young woman. I loved the narration and thought that Emma Fenney was fantastic at conveying pace and emotion and her accents for different characters were pretty darn good too! All around an excellent listen!

3 of 3 people found this review helpful

Escape

I read this on my first round the world trip so it has special memories for me. I enjoyed the audible version, it also transported me away from grey oppresive London to the energy and life of a holiday in Asia.

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

BRIDGET JONES' BAD BIG SISTER BACKPACKING MURDER!

If you love Bridget Jones, fabulous travelogs and murder mysteries - then this is the one for you! Terrible tearaway Tansy, journalist and party girl is like Bridget Jones on crack, though coke is her preferred drug of choice along with copious amounts of drink. This goodtime girl is so very well read by narrator Emma Fenney, that it had me in fits of laughter, while the wonderfully evocative descriptions of a trek through Vientnam, Laos, Thailand, China and Tibet really made me feel like I was there. The murder mystery which runs in tandem with the travels added drama and menace to the fun proceedings and the journey of course is as much about the character as the route as she faces her demons while never losing her sense of humour. I did guess the murderer before the reveal, but really the book was far more than a whodunnit, hilarious though the subject matter was gritty and so very different from this author's other excellent thrillers like Sleeper and Stranded which I adored also. This is a unique book and I loved every minute. I have never had any great wish to visit Asia and definitely not to backpack anywhere but now thanks to this book I feel I actually have done both in really hilarious company. So well written and a real breath of fresh air. I do so hope Audible will offer more of Emily Barr's books to us in the future like "Cuban Heels" and the sequel to this book "The Life You Want" as well as "The Sisterhood", "Out of My Depth" and "First Wife" ...... as they all look excellent but now am so hooked on audio books I would prefer them to be read to me!!!

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Guessing till the End

I didn't even even guess that it was him. Great writing once again by this brilliant author. Will read more.

2 of 3 people found this review helpful

What is the genre?

I enjoyed Backpack. It is a bit confused though. Is it a voyage of self-discovery? A romance? A crime novel? Initially the main character came across as shallow and self-centred to the extent that I wondered why anyone liked her. However she improved on deeper acquaintance and was clearly trying to come to terms with her past difficulties. These difficulties were extreme and once this became clear it seemed a miracle that she was as grounded as she was. Also, given the traumatic nature of her past, her character could have been explored more thoroughly.

0 of 1 people found this review helpful

Not extremely impressed

Not extremely impressed :/ slightly disappointed about the story line.
Did not particularly enjoy it I have to say.

0 of 2 people found this review helpful

Totally overrated

The book description leads you to believe that this character develops but the whole book is about a totally self absorbed person... I kept waiting for some tension to develop but it left me flat. The 'twist' was obvious and unbelievable. Not what I'd been led to expect of this author.

0 of 2 people found this review helpful

Awful

What would have made Backpack better?

Anything and everything, could not relate to this book.

What could Emily Barr have done to make this a more enjoyable book for you?

Add more depth to the characters.

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

Disappointment.

Any additional comments?

I don't think I will be trying another Emily Barr.

0 of 2 people found this review helpful