Surprise me [electronic resource] : A Novel. Sophie Kinsella.
Record details
- ISBN: 9780525531791 (sound recording)
- Physical Description: 1 online resource (9 audio files) : digital
- Edition: Unabridged.
- Publisher: New York : Random House Audio, 2018.
Content descriptions
General Note: | Unabridged. |
Participant or Performer Note: | Narrator: Fiona Hardingham. |
System Details Note: | Requires OverDrive Listen (file size: N/A KB) or OverDrive app (file size: 322841 KB). |
Search for related items by subject
Subject: | Fiction. Humor (Fiction). Literature. Romance. |
Genre: | Electronic books. |
Other Formats and Editions
Electronic resources
- AudioFile Reviews : AudioFile Reviews 2018 March
Narrator Fiona Hardingham's rich British intonation complements the story of Sylvie and Dan, a happy couple who are overwhelmed at the prospect of 68 more years of marriage. Laughs abound as husband and wife work to keep boredom at bay by continually surprising each other. But when Sylvie finds out that Dan is hiding a dark secret, she realizes she'd she'd happily go back to their predictable earlier days. Hardingham's portrayal goes from chatty to introspective and wrought with worry. She's equally skilled at the high-pitched voices of the couple's precocious daughters and deftly captures Sylvie's tech-fearing boss, who says the word "selfie" as if it were foreign. The distraction in Dan's voice is evident and helps to build tension as the story reaches its climax. A.L.C. © AudioFile 2018, Portland, Maine - PW Annex Reviews : Publishers Weekly Annex Reviews
Hardingham turns in a charming performance in this light confection, capturing the winsome humor of Kinsella's novel. When young Londoners Dan and Sophie are informed by their doctor that they might both live to be 100, they begin to question whether their marriage is built to last that long. Thus is born "Project Surprise Me," in which each attempts to invigorate the marriage by surprising the other, often to disastrous and comic effect. Hardingham is at her best when handling the over-the-top humor of these situations, which range from an inedible breakfast in bed to sexy lingerie that's inadvertently revealed to the wrong person. Hardingham magnificently captures the bright demeanor of Sophie, whose people-pleasing tendencies mask long buried sadness and insecurity, as well as the working-class pragmatism of Dan and the cheerful tenacity of their five-year-old twins. The host of quirky neighbors and coworkers are rendered with affectionate individuality. Hardingham's entertaining performance subtly reveals the novel's more serious themes even as it revels in the many droll moments.
Copyright 2018 Publishers Weekly Annex.A Dial hardcover. (Feb.)