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The Farm (Audio CD) (Unabridged)
The Farm - Audio CD - Unabridged
Author: Tom Rob Smith, James Langton (Narrator), Suzanne Toren (Narrator)
The new international bestseller from the author of phenomenal Child 44 trilogy... The Farm:  If you refuse to believe me, I will no longer consider you my son. Daniel believed that his parents were enjoying a peaceful retirement on a remote farm in Sweden. But with a single phone call, everything changes. Your mother...she's not well, ...  more »
Audio Books swap for two (2) credits.
ISBN-13: 9781478953128
ISBN-10: 1478953128
Publication Date: 6/3/2014
Edition: Unabridged
Rating:
  • Currently 4/5 Stars.
 6

4 stars, based on 6 ratings
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
Book Type: Audio CD
Members Wishing: 0
Reviews: Member | Amazon | Write a Review
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kuligowskiandrewt avatar reviewed The Farm (Audio CD) (Unabridged) on + 569 more book reviews
Author Tom Rob Smith has moved away from the recurring character Leo Demidov and 1950s Russia setting of his first 3 novels, setting this standalone novel in London and rural Sweden. He has also moved away from the action/suspense scenes that were interspersed throughout his earlier work. Instead, author Smith provides us with a psychological drama involving a Swedish expatriates return the country where she spent her first 16 years. She returns to London in an attempt to convince her son to assist her against the local power base that is attempting to gaslight her or, is it that they are trying to help a woman recognize and receive needed help as she begins an escalating mental break from reality?

I found this novel frustrating. Smith, through his character Tilda, took a deliberate slow-paced explanation of the facts, at least as she saw and interpreted them. For my tastes, the pace was much too slow; basically, the first 6 of the 8 CDs in the audio version consisted of this narrative. I considered actually putting the CDs aside and moving on to something else, and do that to a book less than once a year! However, once son Daniel makes the decision to journey to Sweden and attempt to determine for himself what happened, the book turns 180 degrees. All of the background provided in the first ¾ of the book is needed to understand, interpret, and follow the plot twists for me, most unexpected in the last quarter of the novel. In my opinion, the last 25% of the book was incredible, and it needed the first 75% to serve as a base.

I must give props to the narrators of the audio version of this book. James Langton provides his talents to everything and everyone except for the mother, who is voiced by Suzanne Toren. The decision to break out this important character and provide a gender-correct separate voice for her was winning decision by the director, producer, or whoever made it.

RATING: 4 stars. This is a tough call. Id LIKE to give the author 5 stars, as this book left what I believe will be a lasting impression on me. However, I cannot award that honor to a book that I also almost quit reading halfway through. Therefore, I believe that 4 stars is appropriate.

Postscript I was surprised to learn that the book, while fiction, is grounded in real life autobiography, as the author had to deal with a similar situation between his own parents in 2009.


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