The Nothing Girl

So much better than I expected

I bought the book with a certain amount of trepidation. I adore the St. Mary's time travel books by Jodi Taylor and wasn't sure I wanted to ruin it by reading something else by her which I wouldn't like as much. From the description, it sounded rather like a children's book, and I'm not particularly fond of kid lit.

"The Nothing Girl" is not a book for children. Nor is it fantasy, exactly. There's a bit of fantasy in it, enough to make the story sparkle with magic but it's really about people and their relationships -- wrapped around a mystery. Or two. And some really interesting animals.

It is witty, sometimes hilarious. Touching, enough to bring a tear to my eye. Perhaps the closest thing to a false note is the total naivete of the protagonist who always seems to be the last to figure out what's going on.

It's also a mystery, though its primary focus is always people. Growing up, learning to relate to others. Helping a partner grow. Saving yourself while saving others. Figuring out who to trust ...

If you have read Taylor's other books, you won't be disappointed. It's not the same characters or even the same universe, but they are memorable, one and all, good and bad. There are surprises. Mysteries to solve. Relationships to sort out. Even a bit of sex. Nothing sordid -- she's not that kind of writer -- but definitely sex.

Lucy Price-Lewis is an excellent narrator who makes you forget she's there. Which is exactly what a great narrator does.

If I had to sum it up, I'd call it a clever mystery with a dollop of magic. A beautifully-crafted children's book for grownups.

115 of 118 people found this review helpful

Not To Be Missed!

I have this book in both Kindle and Audible forms. I highly recommend it in either format.

I don't know how to classify this book, except that is so very worth reading. It will touch your heart. You will ache for Jenny, the Nothing Girl, cheer for her, laugh with her, and be so very gratified with how things work out. It has pathos, mystery, humor, great characters, surprises, love, and a Golden Horse named Thomas that only Jenny can see. Is Thomas imaginary? A guardian angel in horse form? A mystical but real creature?

Russell is the most important character next to Jenny. The development and growth of his character is no less fraught and important than the growth and development of Jenny. Two great characters you will come to treasure.

This story would work as a mystery, romance, character driven plot even without Thomas. But what Thomas does for Jenny is very important in how everything else develops.

Jodi Taylor has a wonderful imagination and way with words. If she writes it, I'll read it. The narration is perfect.

39 of 41 people found this review helpful

An Unexpected 5-Star Delight!

I always thought that if a book had even a whiff of romance in it, I'd run like hell. I thought it'd be contrived, it'd be predictable, it'd be toe-curlingly bad. So imagine how surprised I was to completely fall for "The Nothing Girl," where Jenny marries Russell to have a home of her own, and Russell marries Jenny to get money so he can restore said home. The entire book will be about them eventually falling in love, right?
Wrong.
It's about Jenny becoming a real person in her own right. With the help of Thomas, the golden horse. Yep. The horse makes total sense, really he does!
Jenny is shy, has a stutter, has been told her entire life that she's two steps away from being institutionalized. But through the world she and Russell create, one with animals, friends, misfits, she learns to stand up, to speak, to be herself.
Then there's the plot twists at the end that I'm not going to blow. And the touching parts. And, and, and soooo much more. This audiobook is brilliantly narrated, desperately moving, and you'll enjoy every minute of it. Credit-worthy!

47 of 50 people found this review helpful

Not What You'd Expect But Better

Where does The Nothing Girl rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

The Nothing Girl ranks as one of the best books I've listened to in a long time and I've listened to some very good ones lately, including others by this author. She is a top-notch storyteller.

What did you like best about this story?

Not only has the story several twists, some predictable but very rarely, gentle, tongue-in-cheek humour accompanies a rather serious plot. Just when you think you've got it figured out, you don't and something happens to make you wonder, 'What the hell?' so you plow on, unable to put the book down - or the earphones in this case.

Have you listened to any of Lucy Price-Lewis’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

This is the first time I've listened to one of Lucy Price-Lewis's performances and I've got to say I am impressed. She has the magic touch; making you forget the narrator entirely and immerse yourself in the story. I'll be looking for more books narrated by Lucy.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

Several moments in the book had me on the edge of my seat wondering what happens next and all I'll say to avoid a spoiler is that my favourite moment(s) involve a personage named Marilyn.

Any additional comments?

I have read most of Jodi Taylor's books, waiting avidly for each next edition to come out. She has become my new favourite author. The Nothing Girl rates at the top of this list and I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a really good read. Well done!

38 of 42 people found this review helpful

A Mystery, a Romance, NOT a Fantasy

This is a terrific listen. It is one of those stories that makes you sit for a moment in quiet satisfaction and appreciation of its fine quality when it ends.

Jenny, the main character, is a tremendously sympathetic character. I instantly found myself rooting for her in spite of the fact that I usually loathe weak protagonists. Her growth throughout the narrative is a joy to behold. In the course of that growth there are a few moments of writing that are so magnificent they make you catch your breath in delight.

This story is like Jodi Taylor's St. Mary's series in that it contains moments of Taylor's wonderful wit. However, it is definitely not a science fiction or fantasy story regardless of the presence of an invisible talking horse - which is more of a psychological artifact than anything else. My only quibble with this tale is the presence of an enormous red herring which gives you no way to figure out that it is leading you astray as you try to predict where the story is going.

Lucy Price-Lewis provides a first class narration that contributes to making this fine book a great use of a credit.

22 of 25 people found this review helpful

Jodi Taylor does it again !

I fell in love with the St Mary's Chronicles, & after I had read all the chronicles published so far ( including the novellas ) I was looking for other books by Taylor, & found Nothing Girl. Jodi keeps hitting home runs. She is a marvelous creative story teller , & has an amazing imagination. She must have been a Bard in a past life ;-)

16 of 18 people found this review helpful

Donkeys, Horses, and Cats?

It's not my type of book, I thought. It was in my library for a long time, and I couldn't even imagine why I got it in the first place. Even if I got all the way through, I wouldn' t give it to my hubby to read--sounds way too girlish, I thought.

Hah, was I wrong, on all counts. Yes, it starts out a bit girlish sounding. Those British young ladies always do. Terminal perkiness, too delicate for adventure, I wrongly imagined. In not too many minutes, I came to be a big fan of Jennie and loved listening to her personality develop, as she finally came of age at 28. She was a pathetic wimp at the start of the book. Not really her fault though. She had disabilities that she didn't even know about. Her biggest fear was winding up in a "home", you know, where they put folks like her with her weaknesses. So afraid, in fact, that she could hardly speak at times.

But just what were her weaknesses? Childhood friend, neighbor, and notorious scamp, Russell decided to find out. Maybe Jennie and he could form a business arrangement which would benefit them both? Maybe he could save her from a life of boredom? He seemed to feel it was his duty to shake her world and shake he did.

The book has a bit of drama, a dash of comedy, some mystery, danger, a donkey, a fantasy horse, a mean, ornery cat, and of course, romance. Ghastly--I don't even like romance and fantasy!

But I loved everything about this book. I am trying to save my 5 star ratings for the earth shakers, but this book came close in terms of fun and enjoyment.

It wasn't the first time this author surprised me in a good way. The narrator was great, too. Perfect for the role.

A very fun, nearly-5-star experience for me. I couldn't ask for more. Oh yes, the Mr. will be listening to it, too.

10 of 11 people found this review helpful

Laughter, Tears and a Golden Horse

I discovered Jodi Taylor through Audible (St Mary's series) and quickly became a fan. Her charming wit coupled with her ability to deliver a sinister plot makes for a page-turner each time I read her. I completed this book in less than two days. If you've not tried this author: do.

13 of 15 people found this review helpful

Really struck a chord

Would you listen to The Nothing Girl again? Why?

I would definitely listen to The Nothing Girl again. In fact, I already have! As soon as I finished it, I started all over again. I really enjoyed the relationship between Jenny and Thomas: The laughter, support, mentor-ship, and of course, friendship, was really quite beautiful. I also enjoyed the humor and quirkiness of the other relationships Jenny discovers and explores throughout the book.

What does Lucy Price-Lewis bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Lucy Price-Lewis did a wonderful job of bringing the characters to life with her accents and overall narration.

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

This was definitely a book I wanted to listen to all in one sitting and did . . . . twice within days of each other. That is a first for me. :-)

12 of 14 people found this review helpful

Not a Sci-Fi & Fantasy book !

Any additional comments?

I didn’t love this book for a few reasons, the first is that I really was expecting some kind of a fantasy book anything supernatural other worldly or even just “out of the box” would have spiked my interest however with the exception of the golden horse (that have very little to do with the actual story) this is a very straight forward fiction story.

Second, while the writing is very fluent and the characters are well build and for the most part likable, the storyline is slow and Jodi will just have you roll your eyes, there is something unbelievable in this character who just seems to accept her situation not asking any questions or trying at any time to take control of her life.

The ending too was predictable and disappointing and all in all it just seemed to have all been pointless.

23 of 28 people found this review helpful