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Town Without Mercy
- Narrated by: Cecilia Marie
- Length: 4 hrs and 33 mins
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Town Without Mercy
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Summary
Is it nature or nurture that drives Adele Baxter Warren's teenage daughter, Mercedes, to become a mass murderer? Town Without Mercy, a complete novella, is contemporary women's fiction dealing with current event drama of mass shootings and gay marriage. Told through the eyes of the mother, a TV news correspondent, Adele must find the answer, even as it takes her away from Mercedes' deathbed where she lays in a coma from the police bullet that stopped the carnage. If Adele follows the leads, the cost could be her 17-year-old marriage to same-sex partner, Jodi Warren. The townspeople of Concord Park wants revenge. They blame Adele and Jodi's lifestyle as the cause of their daughter's actions, but are they innocent of all blame?
What listeners say about Town Without Mercy
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Jessica
- 02-06-19
A powerful story
This story was such an emotional book. I really found this book interesting because I feel like we don't look at the story from the parents point if view. In some ways this was a hard story to read but it's also something that is relevant to the times we live in. I think this book can also be a great learning tool for people to how for everyone's actions their are reactions. The narrator did a great job with this story with it being a sensitive subject. I enjoyed this story and found if very interesting and touching.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance3 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- S
- 21-06-19
Quite a surprise!
I must admit, this wasn’t the kind of audiobook I would usually choose to listen to. This is probably the reason why I started it quite hesitantly and probably had trouble getting into it for the first hour or so. This might have also been because of the narrator who made it a little hard for me to engage - I can’t exactly pinpoint why, it might simply be personal preference or/and the accent.
The book is quite heavy, a tough story and nothing “easy going” you would listen to to wind down in the evening or on your commute to work. In fact, I found myself so engrossed and consumed by the story, I had trouble after to focus on the task at hand (aka going to work) - so bear that in mind when listening to it.
That all being sad, it is a very unusual, sometimes breathtaking and incredible story that should be on everyone’s list!
I found the perspective and the way the story developed very interesting and inspiring. The twists had me gasping! How would you deal with picking up the pieces after your teenage daughter turns out to be a mass murderers that decided to shoot “innocent” people at a big event?
The way the story was told was incredible. It was completely believable and i absolutely felt for especially Adele and then the whole family who was simply trying to understand what happened. This alone would serve for a great story with so much depth, but what added the extra layer was the fact that the teenage girl grew up in a rainbow family which added extra layers, extra struggles and so much extra depth. The struggles the two women had to get through, seriously hurt my heart and I felt for them every minute of it.
I also loved the way the author told the story of how the two ladies found each other - it added so much to the story and made the characters so much deeper.
What I would have loved to see was a little more introduction. I felt the story could have done with a little more “setting up” before the big action began, which would have helped to care for and engage with the main characters sooner.
I don’t want to spoil the ending - but again it had me gasping and I can’t believe how well written it was!
Also - on a side note - great title! I love the double meaning.
All in all a great book, which could have done with a little more depth to start with, but caught itself very well. The characters were believable and the story incredibly touching. Definitely worth a listen just for the story alone!
** I have received a code in exchange for an honest review **
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Mercy Griffin
- 25-07-19
A Story Truly Deserving of Five Star Reviews
Town Without Mercy is a highly recommended book! It took me a while before I was finally able to listen to this book. and when I started listening, oh boy, I just couldn't stop! The story just flowed so well that it took me right in the middle of it all. Of course, part of that was because of the powerful and emotional narration. Cecilia Marie is an outstanding narrator. And Joanne Simon Tailele is an author I would be always on the lookout for!
As a parent of teens, this is a truly eye-opening tale. The story made me take a look at my kids in different view. It made me realize that there are things that they could not be telling me and I have to be more sensitive to what they are feeling and going through.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Victoria Schwimley
- 22-05-19
Such a realistic, unfair tragedy
First I will say, I could not stop listening to this story. I was riveted, waiting to hear what would be the reason for Mercedes' actions. The narrator was outstanding. She speaks with emotion, and her voice is professional and clear, as is the quality of the recording. Next, I know a lot of LGBT couples, and I will have to say that most of them are happier and better adjusted than many straight marriages of people I know. The way these two women are treated is inexcusable, but sadly, I'm surrounded by the narrow mindedness on nearly a daily basis. Why when a child goes awry, do people automatically blame the parents, or in this case, the parents' lifestyle? Because everyone wants to believe they are better than their neighbor, as if something like this couldn't happen in their own family. I lived it. When I had a troubled teen who was getting into trouble, people told me I'd let the Devil enter my home. Other people tried to tell me I wasn't strict enough, while others tried to tell me I was too strict. Nobody ever thought to blame society or the judges who failed to follow through with their promises of punishment. It was always, "Why can't you control your child? You must be doing something that's causing this bad behavior." It's jut like this for Mercedes' mothers, and the author does an outstanding job at bringing about the realistic damage to a family surrounded by judgmental people. My heart breaks for this family, who could be any family, for any reason their community decided they weren't good enough or moral enough. I applaud this author for being brave enough to write about this subject. I was offered a free copy of this audio and requested to leave an honest and fair review, which in no way influenced my opinion.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Emma Roseman
- 22-05-19
Moving story which left me thinking
Joanne Simon Tailel wrote a deeply moving story of tragedy and love. The love of two mothers for their daughter and what was felt when tragedy hit their family. It showed how so many people can be closed minded about what they do not understand and how that can cause a teenage girl to go into depression.
Excellent job by Cecilia Marie in narrating the book and having the right tone as the situation changes.
It definitely left me thinking about what happens in the world and some of the reasons that we will never know.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Cindy
- 10-08-19
Emotional!
This book was so well written. I love how the story was from the point of view of Adele who is the mother of Mercedes, a teenage girl who is the perpetrator in a mass shooting. Town Without Mercy dealt with hate and violence, and it was raw and emotional. I feel like it's a book everyone should read since tragic events like this happen so often in our society. This book had twists and turns and an ending I didn't expect. I very highly recommend this book. Cecilia Marie did an excellent job bringing this story and these characters to life. I received this audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this unbiased review.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Foxy
- 19-07-19
Amazing story!
I wasn't sure what to expect when I got this book, but it sounded interesting reading the summary, as this isn't normally the type of book I would choose. But WOW WOW WOW this story was amazingly written and narrated. I had to listen to this book in one go as it had me hooked and I needed to know what was going to happen.
It felt so true and while I was listening to it, it felt like I was there and actually apart of the story. I had goosebumps, and was also very emotional.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Toni walker
- 07-06-19
I enjoyed this book
At first it was a bit hard to listen to as it was from the side that you don’t normally look at but overall the story was told and written really well
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- PATRICIA
- 22-05-19
Powerful and moving
Sometimes you listen to a book, and are completely caught up in it. This story by Joanne Simon Tailele had me listening in shock, frustration and compassion as I heard the story of Mercedes. "Mercy" went to a fireworks show, and instead of enjoying the display, created her own with a mass shooting. Adele and Jodi, her parents were distraught over the shooting, and shocked to find out the shooter was their daughter. Now with their daughter in a coma, the questions as to how and why need to be answered. This story so powerful and current in today's society. We all watch the news and are horrified by such tragedy. But we never take into account the family of the shooter, and what would have driven them to such a decision. Tailele takes us through twists and turns, the effects it has on relationships and communities and the victim themselves. It will stay with you and give you a different perspective.
Cecilia Marie narrates this dramatic story, letting us live through the characters. We feel Adele and Jodi's pain and insecurity as parents. Marie draws us in with her inflections and emotions, giving us a minute part of the experience these families go through. She gives a powerful performance for this well written book.
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Overall1 out of 5 stars
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Performance2 out of 5 stars
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Story1 out of 5 stars
- Jude
- 09-09-19
Good intentions are not enough
The premise for this sounded interesting (first female mass shooter in the history of the United States, told from the POV of one of her mothers, Adele) but too much wrong stuff got in the way.
First of all, the girl’s birth was a result of a date rape but the guy is treated like some kind of fling, someone Adele had a one night stand with, not the man who raped her. And maybe some LGBT parents feel bad for raising their children in LGBT families but I had a hard time believing Adele and her wife Jodi would feel okay with that man talking about their (as in his and Adele’s) daughter without correcting him, after he’s known he’s the father for all of five minutes. Add to that the whole talk about a father figure and how a lesbian activist Adele meets could have been pretty had she not tried so hard to be masculine and it was too much for me. I mean, seriously ?
Good for you if you want to write about important topics in today’s society (in this case mass shootings and same-sex marriage), good for you if you want to write about people you feel are underrepresented but maybe leave your own prejudice at the door. Good intentions are not enough.
There’s no way I can recommend this book to anyone. If you’re interested in a mass shooter’s mother’s take on her child’s crime, Sue Klebold's Ted Talk is a better use of your time.
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