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The Bone Clocks

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The Bone Clocks

By: David Mitchell
Narrated by: Nicky Diss, Luke Thompson, Chris Harper, Andrew Wincott, Jennifer Woodward, Sandra Duncan
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About this listen

The dazzling new novel from the best-selling author of Cloud Atlas.

Longlisted for the Man Booker Prize 2014

Run away, one drowsy summer's afternoon, with Holly Sykes: wayward teenager, broken-hearted rebel and unwitting pawn in a titanic, hidden conflict.

Over six decades, the consequences of a moment's impulse unfold, drawing an ordinary woman into a world far beyond her imagining. And as life in the near future turns perilous, the pledge she made to a stranger may become the key to her family's survival....

2014, Man Booker Prize, Long-listed

2015, Folio Prize, Long-listed

©2014 David Mitchell (P)2020 Hodder & Stoughton Fantasy Fiction Genre Fiction Literary Fiction Metaphysical & Visionary Science Fiction Heartfelt
All stars
Most relevant
Great narration, a long convoluted story which kept me rivetted throughout. But more than just a story, also an eye opener about a potential future life for Western Europe and perhaps reflecting current life in Syria and many other places.

Brilliant

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Overall I thought this book was really good. unfortunately the last but one actor was in my view awful. I found the different characters voices samey and the ones which did sound different were embarrassing. Which made it at times hard to follow. I actually brought the book and read her part myself as I couldn't listen to her. That said the actor who reads part two was brilliant and would of loved him to have read the whole book. The story was interesting, funny, sad and unput down able.

Good but have a paper copy to hand.

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I usually struggle with the fantasy genre, I find it hard to get into and prefer gritty real life novels. This book managed to be gritty and realistic, whilst also magically fantastical at the same time.

We follow Holly through her teens to her seventies, told in 6 parts spanning different times in Holly's life, with 5 different narrators (Holly herself being both the first and the last). The first part of the book was so utterly relatable that my intrigue kept me hooked through the rest of the book. It was really exciting to see where it was going and how it would come together in the end.

I listened to it in part on audiobook and 5 of the 6 voice artists were wonderful. Sadly the 5th narrator (voicing the largest section of the book) didn't gel with me at all, and I took the advice of another listener's review and bought the paperback to get through that part. I'm glad that narrator didn't come earlier or else I might have given up entirely. The others were excellent though, and I thoroughly enjoyed their performances.

5* for this epic adventure that made my cynical heart believe in a little bit of magic

Epic adventure, fantasy that comes to life

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This is book you need to pay full attention to or you'll easily get lost, as the plot is complex and there are many characters. I gave up about a quarter of the way in the first time but I'm so glad I went back to it again because I really enjoyed it.

Worth the read

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Such a big story, twists and turns all different interesting characters, I really enjoyed it.
Took me a bit of time to really understand what was going on but I think that’s kind of Deliberate.
Such good ideas for plot.
The last section of the book is so different to the rest of it, could almost be a book on its own!
Really recommend this if you like a bit of realism fantasy

Wow what a story!

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