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Expectation

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About this listen

Penguin presents the audiobook edition of Expectation by Anna Hope, read by Vinette Robinson.

Hannah, Cate and Lissa are young, vibrant and inseparable. Living on the edge of a common in East London, their shared world is ablaze with art and activism, romance and revelry – and the promise of everything to come. They are electric. They are the best of friends.

Ten years on, they are not where they hoped to be. Amidst flailing careers and faltering marriages, each hungers for what the others have. And each wrestles with the same question: what does it take to lead a meaningful life?

EXPECTATION is a novel of the highs and lows of friendship – how it can dip, dive and rise again. It is also about finding your way: as a mother, a daughter, a wife, a rebel. Most of all, it explores that liminal space between expectation and reality, the place – full of dreams, desires and pain – in which we all live our lives.

City Life Coming of Age Fiction Friendship Genre Fiction Literary Fiction Urban Women's Fiction Marriage Heartfelt

Critic reviews

Profoundly intelligent and humane. Deserves to feature on many a prize shortlist
A brilliant exploration of friendship, feminism and thwarted ambition
One of the most intensely readable novels I've encountered this year
I loved it . . . 10 out of 10!
Will resonate with approximately 99 % of all women
Thoughtful, beautifully written, honest. A sensual book. I URGE YOU TO READ IT
Brilliant portrayal of long-term female friendships . . . I was gripped.
A Sally Rooney-esque evocative examination of female friendship
The real joy of this novel – while exploring just what second wave feminism has done for this generation of women (“you’ve had everything… we changed the world for you. For our daughters. And what have you done with it?”) – is in it’s writing; the dialogue and the honesty behind these characters who are doing their best, who are trying to live up to the fictional counterparts that they themselves have created… It’s the perfect summer reading
Absolutely encapsulates what it means to be a young woman today, and beyond
All stars
Most relevant
This book was mentioned on the podcast the high low as I looked through the list of books the girls recommended this one caught my eye.
I just loved it. How Anna hope discusses real life with all its problems is just so exact it’s just so real.
I loved it and would thoroughly recommend it. Bravo Anna hope.

What a wonderful book

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This is a stunning book. It is, quite simply, perfect. This book is about the body, it’s fragility, it’s fluids, inconvenient desires and leakages, joys and pains, but most of all it is about life’s certainties: friendship and change.

Utterly extraordinary

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The main take away from 'Expectation' is that I thought it was really wonderfully descriptive. The way the author describes different settings in and around London along with particular spots in markets where the characters get delicious sounding food and wine from is really enchanting. And, having not ever lived in London, it made me feel a sense of nostalgia. The narrator's tone as well only added to this feeling. There were some excellent moments throughout that I felt really compelled by and felt connected to certain characters.

My only quibble is that I found overall that the book lingers in a constant state of melancholy. The melancholy was of course warranted in correlation to the characters consistent turmoil, however, there were just few moments that felt like they dipped in momentum and I felt a little exhausted listening.

Perhaps though, this was intentional to reflect the characters each questioning their positions on, and in life.

Nostalgic, melancholic and poetic

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Great narration and loved the story across time through their friendship and motherhood. Great book.

Very enjoyable

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The book was interesting in terms of storyline, I got a little lost sometimes with which character was speaking etc but it might have been because I was listening to it in the background. Was good

Was interesting/good to listen to

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