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The Alternatives

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About this listen

The Flattery sisters were plunged prematurely into adulthood when their parents died in tragic circumstances. Now in their thirties – all single, all with PhDs – they are each attempting to do meaningful work in a rapidly foundering world. The four lead disparate, distanced lives, from classrooms in Connecticut to ritzy catering gigs in London’s Notting Hill, until one day their oldest sister, a geologist haunted by a terrible awareness of the earth’s future, abruptly vanishes from her work and home.

Together for the first time in years, the Flatterys descend on the Irish countryside in search of a sister who doesn’t want to be found. Sheltered in a derelict bungalow, they reach into their common past, confronting both old wounds and a desperately uncertain future.

Warm, fiercely witty and unexpectedly hopeful, The Alternatives is an unforgettable portrait of a family perched on our collective precipice, told by one of Ireland’s most gifted storytellers.

©2024 Caoilinn Hughes (P)2024 Penguin Random House LLC Family Life Genre Fiction Literary Fiction Witty

Critic reviews

'The Alternatives unfolds in a prose full of gorgeous surprises and glows with intelligence, compassion, and beauty.' (Hernan Diaz, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Trust)
'The Alternatives is fizzy, brainy, and brilliant, always at the service of a drama of great emotional power. Caoilinn Hughes is an extraordinarily gifted writer.' (Joseph O'Neill, author of Netherland and The Dog)
'A massive talent.' (Anthony Doerr, Pulitzer Prizewinning author of All the Light We Cannot See)
All stars
Most relevant
Story difficult to follow and trying to be too smart with details, did not enjoy not for taking on holiday

Hard works

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I'm still none the wiser about the reason for this book...it puzzled me all the way through.

The Alternatives

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This was a book group read and I wish I'd read the actual book, rather than listened to it. It IS well performed, but there are several chunks of dense detailing of the sisters' areas of academic reseatch, not to mention the rambling story in the pub and the part written in Act, which were just confusing and too long when listened too. My friends who actually read the book, did not find it boring, and overall enjoyed it more: sometimes books just need to be read! It does capture brilliantly the messy nature of family relationships, the roles we assume, false expectations, as well as the independence of these modern women. But, there were just too many stories to tell that werent fully developed, didn't go anywhere and were just dropped at the end. Overall, interesting and given all of these challenges it was great fodder for a book group chat!

Should have read rather than listened to this one

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I loved this book so much. sweet, witty and engaging. the narrator is excellent. thank you!

brilliant!

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Bored couldn’t get into the story! I had to give up after chapter 1 I wouldn’t recommend it at all

Gave up after chapter 1!!!

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