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Eileen
- Narrated by: Alyssa Bresnahan
- Length: 8 hrs and 46 mins
- Categories: Literature & Fiction, Genre Fiction
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Summary
The Christmas season offers little cheer for Eileen Dunlop, an unassuming yet disturbed young woman, trapped between her role as her alcoholic father's carer and her day job as a secretary at the prison.
When the charismatic Rebecca Saint John arrives as the new counsellor at the prison, Eileen is enchanted and unable to resist what appears to be a miraculously budding friendship.
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Critic reviews
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What listeners say about Eileen
Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- ziiigggg
- 19-03-17
Fantastic reader made this good, wouldve struggled otherwise
I thoroughly enjoyed listening to this myself but wouldn't think its everyone cup of tea. Not much happens and it's basically a monologue of self loathing. Being rather misanthropic myself, I like a miserable story, but if yr looking for excitement fairies sunshine love and unicorns you wont find it here. Having said all that I think it would be better read than in audio format, but this reader made such a good job of maintaining interest and texture , she has made all the difference. The ending is weak tho, I felt let down by that. And we need to know more of Eileen's later life other than she got rich.
6 people found this helpful
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- ls822
- 10-04-18
compelling and immersive
I wasn't down with this to start (felt it was too wordy) but as the narrative progressed I became hooked and the pace of it made it very immersive. The character of Eileen aside, there are so many clever twists and turns and they were tied up in what seemed (to me at least) a very satisfying ending.
The narration is great - just the right mix of slow and enunciated. Moshfeghs writing has the reflective quality of Elena Ferrante (as well as its irritable sharpness) which was v well conveyed in the reading. I would recommend Hilary Huber's version of the neopolitan trilogy for any fans of this audiobook.
3 people found this helpful
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- Christoph Fischer
- 28-10-17
Great writing but a long wait for the action
The narrative voice of the protagonist is intense and compelling, the sense of an important message, unbelievable crime and a revelation that is to come runs through the entire book.
Eileen is shown with a raw honesty and an amazing ability of self-reflection and analysis, which makes her a marvellous character you want to know more about.
We learn more and more about her childhood, her current predicament and her job at the prison.
The story, however, tends to drag on, with long stretched with little action and a growing repetitiveness in the monologue as Eileen shares her inner thoughts and retells the story of one week before Christmas, when the arrival of Rebecca awakens something in her that had been dormant.
Many passages that seemed to be leading to the big crime and drama didn't go anywhere and I felt disappointed.
The long build-up evetually led to a let-down of sorts for me, I expected something different or more.
However, I must say I'm really glad I did read the story as the writing in many places is truly superb and Eileen and Rebecca are two characters I won't forget.
So judge for yourself. This is a book that cannot be dismissed, despite what I felt were weaknesses.
3 people found this helpful
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- Mrs R.
- 10-11-20
Excellent
This very dark book was, in fact, a really enjoyable listen. The narrator is absolutely excellent and her voice is easy on the ear. An entertaining listen that kept me guessing.
2 people found this helpful
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- Vicuña
- 09-10-17
Strange but compelling
I didn't know what to expect from this; having listened to it, I'm not sure how to rate it.
I really disliked the main character, Eileen. But at the same time I felt sympathy for her situation, locked into caring for an alcoholic and demanding father whilst dreaming if escape. The plot isn't entirely plausible, but it certainly kept me intrigued and it's very well narrated. It's a complex exploration of the nature of love (and hate), mixed with hope and despair and reflection on opportunity.
2 people found this helpful
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- S. Jonas
- 03-10-16
A stunning book
A wonderful and compelling read, which starts mundanely enough with the gruesome detail of a desperate life and slowly creeps into a dark thriller. The twists and turns are at once subtle and shocking and hard to read, and the sordid day today grit of the life laid bare is all encompassing. The tension slowly tightens and becomes suffocating, and most striking of all is the bravery of having such an honest portrayal of a young woman with none of the graces and all the reality. This is stunning writing and I hope it wins the Booker!
10 people found this helpful
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- Anonymous User
- 02-02-21
Not for everyone
I really enjoyed this one but I think it's a love it or hate it style book.
The narrator was excellent, really brought the character to life.
I wouldn't recommend reading this is you don't like slow paced things and unlikeable characters.
1 person found this helpful
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- Louise
- 25-07-20
would have been better shorter!
I really want to give this book a higher rating, but to me it came across as having been padded out, like a novella that the author has tried to turn into a novel. A shorter format would have kept up the pace and tension, something which was sadly lacking. having said this, it is well worth a read. Moshfegh is a fascinating writer, and I am eagerly awaiting further books from her.
1 person found this helpful
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- William Howcroft
- 07-09-19
Disappointing
Read this because of Booker reviews and Book Club choice. Intriguing descriptions of a woman's bodily functions as perceived by a woman but ultimately a flat plot with lots of plot holes in the 'twist' near the end.
1 person found this helpful
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- Anonymous User
- 18-08-19
Worth it
pretty engrossing listen but paced very slowly and then has a quick sprint finish. Maybe part of the appeal but felt like there was a lot of build up in a lot of areas only some of which paid off
1 person found this helpful
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- Robert J Frith
- 18-10-18
Wonderful, bleak and raw
It's been a while since I read any Faulkner and this book is probably quite unlike his style but somehow his name kept lurching into my head as I listened.
This is an incredible piece of character development. Eilleen, told in hindsight in the first person, is the story of a young woman with some pretty full on self esteem issues, a morbid fashion sense and an admin job in a juvenile detention centre in the mid '60's.
It's also a cliffhanger with tension building subtly from the outset. Overall it's the best read I've had in a year :-) the reader wasn't to my liking but the story is so powerful it shone through.
1 person found this helpful