The Silent Wife

Definitely not a mystery or page turner

I didn’t return the book so it was good enough to listen to the end. But clearly not as advertised. Kept waiting for a twist. There was none.

92 of 94 people found this review helpful

Tedious....ending not worth the time to get there!

Any additional comments?

Certainly a relevant theme: emotional and physical abuse, and its affect on a woman's sense of self-worth. But as a female listener with personal experience, I lost my patience with the characters' long, tedious passages of self-reflection that didn't advance the plot. Not only was there 1 protagonist in first person, instead, there were 2 women given equal emphasis. It was actually hard to invest in either one! Don't waist your commuter listening time with this book.(FYI: the title is a weak representation of the story, and the cover graphic has absolutely nothing to do with the plot.)

113 of 119 people found this review helpful

Loved it

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

My audio books are usually in the non-fiction category since I prefer to read my fiction, but after the glowing reviews I had seen for this book, I decided to get it. I could not stop listening to it! The narrator was terrific and her English accent was perfect for the setting of the book which was in London. The characters were complex and the plot had some unexpected twist and turns. 5 stars all the way.

What did you like best about this story?

Complex plot, well-developed characters and unexpected turns

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

Yes - but at 9 hours in length - I couldn't!

13 of 13 people found this review helpful

Clever Read

Clever story of Italian family set in Brighton England, made all the more enjoyable by the reader Emma Spurgin-Hussein, whose British accent makes the characters come alive. Great story for any woman who has ever married a bully and fun story for anyone trying to understand why women stay with men long past the "due date"

23 of 24 people found this review helpful

Super fun listen

I knew nothing about this author but the book looked interesting so I bought it with zero expectations. Well, I already bought another book from this author and I'm looking forward to reading it. The silent wife it's great story. Not too dark but not too light. All the characters are real and relatable, the story has some twists but nothing totally out there and the narrator is great.

10 of 10 people found this review helpful

Great book, easy to listen to.

Fisher makes you believe how people can be manipulated and become oblivious to reality. Not a boring moment!

6 of 6 people found this review helpful

Just OK

The book was well crafted and the writing was clear and intelligent. But the story just didn't seem that important or interesting. Just another domestic melodrama...

5 of 5 people found this review helpful

Best Book I has read/listen this year !!

This book is great. I usually shy away from novels of female spouse abuse, because I have been there. But a good friend said I would love it. She was so right, completed in one session. The hope , inspiration, joy , and love made this novel great. Best book I have read all year and usually listen/read five books a week. That God for retirement, wish I had time to read more when I was younger. Worth the credit to listen or money to buy digital book, I did both.Thankyou Ms Fisher!

19 of 22 people found this review helpful

An entertaining story but narrator disappointing

I enjoyed the story about some interesting family dynamics and the lives of two sisters-in-law, who were both second wives under different circumstances. However, the Audible narrator was very disappointing. The chapters alternated between the two different main characters, but not only did the same narrator read both parts, but there was nothing at all distinguishing in her voice between the two characters. It was often difficult to tell who was talking.

17 of 20 people found this review helpful

Brilliant humor tucked into the cracks.

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Well-presented example of a battered woman using wry, but brilliant humor. This is an interesting approach to handling a devastating subject since battered women do not tell their secret.

What other book might you compare The Silent Wife to and why?

Oh, i'm not sure to which other book I would compare this just now. It's not a self--help book, but does give cause for thinking about the tone of subject matter, well after finishing the book.

What does Emma Spurgin-Hussey bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

British accent of Emma Spurgin-Hussey is delicate and true; thus, putting a glow on the story. Her quick change-of-character is appreciated and DELIGHTFULLY accurate! The ability to 'read' with correct VOICE is SO EDIFYING and clear for envisioning the players-- heightening the part being spoken. Plus Miss Spurgin-Hussey is able to maintain the character! Excellent talent, thank you. Miss Spurgin-Hussey speaks more rapidly than is customary for me @ 75, so listening with earbuds was a good and satisfying solution. We began the book on car surround speakers, then Bose (smaller, mobile speaker), but found we were missing some of the quips, the quick-witted side comments, thus, finally using a splitter with (expensive earbuds) was perfect.

Who was the most memorable character of The Silent Wife and why?

For me, Maggie! Using point of view by the two women gave a complex, but excellent addition to the style.

Any additional comments?

This little book was definitely a surprise for me also. You will note, the same comment by another reviewer, which compelled me to purchase The Silent Wife. Since listening, I find my mind returning to characters to think about them. The mark of a pretty delicious book. Well done!

8 of 9 people found this review helpful