Listen free for 30 days

Listen with offer

  • The Observations

  • By: Jane Harris
  • Narrated by: Jane Harris
  • Length: 15 hrs and 31 mins
  • 4.2 out of 5 stars (114 ratings)
Offer ends May 1st, 2024 11:59PM GMT. Terms and conditions apply.
£7.99/month after 3 months. Renews automatically.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection - including bestsellers and new releases.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, celeb exclusives, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
£7.99/month after 30 days. Renews automatically. See here for eligibility.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection - including bestsellers and new releases.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, celeb exclusives, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
The Observations cover art

The Observations

By: Jane Harris
Narrated by: Jane Harris
Get this deal Try for £0.00

Pay £99p/month. After 3 months pay £7.99/month. Renews automatically. See terms for eligibility.

£7.99/month after 30 days. Renews automatically. See here for eligibility.

Buy Now for £16.99

Buy Now for £16.99

Pay using card ending in
By completing your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and authorise Audible to charge your designated card or any other card on file. Please see our Privacy Notice, Cookies Notice and Interest-based Ads Notice.

Listeners also enjoyed...

The Scandalous Sisterhood of Prickwillow Place cover art
Saturday Night And Sunday Morning cover art
Into the Wilderness cover art
The Sixth Victim cover art
The Glass Ocean cover art
Hope Against Hope cover art
The Girl Who Couldn't Read cover art
Manners and Monsters Collection cover art
The Crimson Petal and the White cover art
Elantris (Dramatized Adaptation) cover art
The Christmas Eve Letter cover art
The Strange Case of the Alchemist's Daughter cover art
Bleeding Heart Square cover art
Dragon Blood - Omnibus cover art

Summary

Shortlisted for the Orange Prize for Fiction, 2007.

In this novel, set in Scotland in 1863, Bessy Buckley attempts to escape her past by taking a job as a maid in a big house outside of Edinburgh, where she works for the beautiful Arabella. Bessy is intrigued by her new employer, but puzzled by her increasingly strange requests.

© Jane Harris; (P) Clipper Audio

Critic reviews

"Bessy's unique, witty voice distinguishes this boisterous novel." ( Booklist)"Sharp, funny and tender-hearted." ( Publishers Weekly)

What listeners say about The Observations

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    52
  • 4 Stars
    39
  • 3 Stars
    17
  • 2 Stars
    4
  • 1 Stars
    2
Performance
  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    36
  • 4 Stars
    8
  • 3 Stars
    1
  • 2 Stars
    0
  • 1 Stars
    0
Story
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    24
  • 4 Stars
    17
  • 3 Stars
    3
  • 2 Stars
    1
  • 1 Stars
    0

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Very Enjoyable

This is the second audio book I have listened to and I really enjoyed it. It had me laughing out loud on several occasions and crying at others. The author doing the reading was perfect. This is a story I wanted to go on and on. Very pleasant and pleasing to the ear. Although quite predictible it was a delight to listen to.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

11 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Perfect

This is, quite simply, the best book that I have purchased from Audible. The narrative of maid Bessie Buckley is a delight and is read wonderfully by the author.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Excellent novel; brilliantly read by the author

I loved this book.
The Observations is a brilliant and original story, told in the first person by the irrepressible Irish heroine, Bessy Buckley.
Bessy has some wonderful expressions; which are delightfully comic and create hilarious visual images. This is a book full of comedy but it is also deeply moving, dark and tragic.
The Observations is read by Jane Harris, the author. It is the best read audiobook I have listened to. The accents of the characters are wonderful, especially that of Bessy herself.
Highly recommended.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Story kept me hooked, great performance

Enjoyed right through to the end, strong characters really brought to life by great reading.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

A bit on the puerile side

The story is quite an interesting premise and the characters quite good. I found the scatalogical themes/humour didn't make it an enjoyable listen.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Entertaining

I rarely review books but felt moved to make the effort for this wonderful listen.
It is possible that the suthor reading her own novel gives that added insight. The humour scattered throughout this essentially sad story keeps the listener entertained from beginning to end.
Thank you Jane for this delightful gift and I look forward to more

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

Observations

Excellent story, intriguing characters and very well read.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Very entertaining

The story was both touching and funny and the narration was absolutely pitch perfect. Would highly recommend

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Excellent

Very good book and read excellently. Humorous but also sad in bits. Get a good feel for all the characters.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

A loveable female hero

I can recommend this audio book highly. First and foremost, it has an excellent plot, subtly told. Secondly, for me importantly in our difficult world, it introduces many themes (truly dark) which could make for very bleak reading, but keeps a light touch and the light of hope and possibilities for redemption burning. Thirdly it is laugh-out- loud funny and conveys a genuine delight in language and literacy. Fabulous - thank you, Jane Harris!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!