Abridged Audiobook
I did enjoy this book. As with all abridged versions, I felt like I was missing something, that is the reason for the 4 stars. I feel certain the unabridged would earn 5 stars. The ending, not my favorite but it fits for the time period.
Pretty good book. The plot and characters are fairly deep, there was room to expound on the story and expand the characters in the book I felt. The child birth part blew my mind.
I actually listened to this audiobook twice and enjoyed it both times. Very good!
I loved this story. Some critics minded the very simple story-telling ie. he said, she said, I said. But that made it just more authentic for me. The narrator was excellent and the story made me feel really grateful for what we have. Julie was a survivor and a woman to admire.
I didn't know what this book was about because it was so far down on my queue that when I got it I forgot. From the time it started to the end I loved every bit of it and almost felt what it must have been like back then and thinking I could have never been as strong as the young girl was at just 17 years old. what made this book even better was the narrator. I loved her voice, it made it perfect. I have listened and read many books and this one is the first I have every written a review about.
I enjoyed this book. I agree that the accent is pretty fake, but it gives the story character. I only gave it 4 stars because the "I said" "he said" thing was driving me nuts!
I wondered for a while if this book was written for children, since there's really no character development, and things are childishly straightforward. Lots of "Mama said, (short snippet)," "Papa said, (short snippet), " "Mama said, (another short snippet)." But then there are a couple of love scenes that are decidedly not for children. I'm not sure WHO the intended audience is. Not me.
Initially,I was annoyed by the phony southern accent. It was irritating and distracting.There are sections of this story that are interesting but for the most part-it is just stupid.After listening to the book to the very end,I thought it was a waste of my time.I definitely would not recommend it.
If you can begin by accepting the simplicity of the writing and that of the narrator, and then work your way painfully through the 1st section without giving up, it will be worth your while. After Julie leaves her family home, the story begins to open up and unfolds into a more compelling tale. It's a somewhat sad story, yet the strenght of the main character leaves you with a reason to cheer.
The book was somewhat depressing, but I found that I could not stop listening to it because of the beautiful prose and the reader. There were parts that were not quite believable, but all-in-all a good read.
This book grabbed me from from the beginning. The narrator was fantastic. I loved the simplicity of the language and the way it was written. Great listening.
Loved the book! Loved the narrator! I would recommend this book to anyone.
This was one of the first audio books I ever listened to. I thought the accent of the reader made the story so much more powerful, I liked it. This was such a sad story and the writing was gripping. I think it is the kind of writing that changes you in some way, makes you see the world more clearly. Julie had to face tragedy at every turn, yet she remained strong. I never thought I would enjoy such a depressing book, but it really is an eye opener.
What captured me first was the accent of the reader. She kept that Appalachia Mountain dialect throughout the book and made it so compelling. I kept waiting for something GOOD to happen to Julie, and then I waited for the reference to the Book of Job. There wasn't a lot of joy in her young life, but what an acceptance of what is! I don't know if the book is purely fiction or not but I found it believable and enjoyable. And I loved the descriptions and Julie's observations about life.
After having read the book, I found this audio book to be very flat. The "I said", "he said", and "she said" drove me crazy. Also the flat Apalacian accent was a distraction.
Gave up on finding anything worth listening to after the first disc.
I didn't really like this book. It was pretty slow and I found myself wanting it to finish fast.
I throughly enjoy this book. Would like to read more from this author.
I didn't listen to much of the book because I do not like books written in the first person.
This was a book that made me greatful for all that I have in this life. It was a depressing story of struggle and loss. I did find the Appalachian dialect to be annoying.
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