Jeannie Levig

Brilliantly Written & Stunningly Unexpected

Revisado: 12-31-19

This is my last read of 2019 and the best of the year!

I fell in love with Carol ANshaw's writing years ago when I first read Seven Moves, and her witty, tongue-in-cheek humor, flawed yet fascinating characters, and lyrical prose still leave me in awe at the end of one of her stories. And I have to say, this book is one of her best.

There is so much going on in this story--the exploration of a number of types of relationships, the shift in the U. S. political climate following the 2016 election, the traversing of the rocky inner landscape of the main character who's somehow lost her way on the path to middle age and finds herself scrambling for purchase to get her life on track, and a violent event that changes her forever in unexpected ways. And Anshaw manages it all with her Usual and impressive mastery of the art of writing fiction.

And the narration by Candace Thaxton & Pete Simonel is excellent and fits with the feel of the story perfectly. A true enhancement.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys an indepth exploration of the inner workings of human strengths as well as frailties and writing that keeps you hooked until the very last word...and even then, I wanted more.

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A fantastic story and production.

Revisado: 10-13-19

This book has found its way onto my top 10 books of all time list. The story is filled with shocking moments, intrigue, and deeply moving emotions and offers many insights into life and human nature. The narration is excellent. I highly recommend this audiobook for those who are looking for something unique and fantastic.

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A phenomnela book!

Revisado: 07-06-18

Wow! Where to begin? There’s so much I can’t say about it because there are so many ways to give up too much information.

Let’s start with the writing. Absolutely brilliant! Andrews opens the story with a slow, wonderfully meandering feel that seems to fit the small southern town setting but also begins the build-up of tension about why main character Lucinda has moved to Reverie, NC. There is reference to an ex-husband that she had to run from and some heartbreak she needs to heal from. From there, it slides seamlessly into what appears to be a fairly typical, well-written, and steamy love triangle between Lucinda and two very different women she meets. Which one will she choose? Then it accelerates into a curve and the events, twists, and turns of the remainder of the book leave you breathless. Through it all, Andrews’s writing is elegant, painting pictures in the mind rather than simply providing descriptions. The melodious southern drawl of Elizabeth Saydah’s narration only adds to this phenomena. It’s the perfect combination of narration, writing style, and story.

The most fascinating and amazing thing about this book is everything you don’t see coming. And there’s a lot! And Andrews pulls it off exquisitely. At the end, I sat in stunned silence, going back over every detail of the story, the only word coming to mind repeatedly being WOW!

Okay everything else I want to say is going to give too much away. In short, I highly, highly, highly recommend this book to everyone. A MUST read! I know I will reread/relisten to it many times even though I now know all its secrets, just to marvel at the artistry. The flow of the story, depth of character development and characters’ journeys, and the emotional impact are also all elements that will make me return to this book time after time.

Treat yourself to this listen, and do yourself a favor—savor it. 

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I love this book!

Revisado: 11-27-17

I've read this book countless times over the years and was thrilled to find it as an audiobook. The narrator does an excellent job with all the nuances of the characters and story line and makes it a lovely listening experience.

The story itself is multi-layered. It is humorous while at the same time has a deeply emotional appeal. It explores all the nooks and crannies of the complexities of intimacy and reveals the various ways it is possible to never really know someone, even when that someone is the person we think we know intimately.

I recommend it highly to those who enjoy books with depth of character and story line. It will make you laugh and cry and think about things you may never have thought about before.

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A Fantastic Experience!

Revisado: 02-17-17

What did you love best about The Art of Peeling an Orange?

I loved everything about this book! I know I will listen to it time and time again.

What other book might you compare The Art of Peeling an Orange to and why?

I'd compare this story to The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield and Fingersmith by Sarah Waters in terms of the feel and atmosphere as well as the twists and turns of the plot.

Any additional comments?

I just finished listening to The Art of Peeling an Orange last night--and started it again this morning--and WOW! What a great book. It was exquisitely written, superbly paced, and the characters so well drawn, I feel like they are people in my life.. It truly is one of the best books I've read in a VERY long time. I do have to say, for my sentimental heart, I appreciated the alternate ending, but having said that, I also feel it simply made it a different book, not a better one. The original ending, whereas it was unexpected and left some grieving to be done, was powerful and gave the story the element of a reminder that not all stories in life end happily by conventional standards.

Victoria Avilan is a fantastic writer. She conveys the characters and details of the plot in such beautiful writing and depth that I couldn’t stop once I started. There are so many different experiences that she portrays in ways that make the reader feel the experience rather than simply read about it—art, from the artist’s perspective; the torment of perceived betrayal; heartbreak; the all-consumption of love; the destructive nature of secrets; to name just a few. There is one element in particular that I found so vividly accurate from my own experience, but if I mention it directly, a significant plot point would be revealed. So I won’t. Suffice it to say, Avilan definitely has a gift.

I highly recommend this book to readers who love the rich texture of a deep, well told story. Now, back to my second time through The Art of Peeling an Orange.

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