Three Things About Elsie cover art

Three Things About Elsie

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Three Things About Elsie

By: Joanna Cannon
Narrated by: Paula Wilcox
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About this listen

 The Sunday Times Bestseller

‘Lovely, lovely, lovely… Sue Townsend meets Kate Atkinson meets Nina Stibbe’ MARIAN KEYES

‘Powerful and profound’ Guardian

‘Another sure-fire hit’ Daily Mail

‘Funny, melancholy, acutely observant’ Sunday Express

‘Cannon is so attuned to other people’s stories… a chronicler both of the human condition and the quotidian details which speak to who we are’ Guardian

84-year-old Florence has fallen in her flat at Cherry Tree Home for the Elderly. As she waits to be rescued, she considers the charming new resident who looks exactly like a man she once knew – a man who died sixty years ago. His arrival has stirred distant memories she and Elsie thought they’d laid to rest. Lying prone in the front room, Florence wonders if a terrible secret from her past is about to come to light …

©2018 Joanna Cannon (P)2018 HarperCollins Publishers Limited Fiction Genre Fiction Literary Fiction Literature & Fiction Mystery Small Town & Rural Women's Fiction Feel-Good Heartfelt Tear-jerking Witty Suspense Comedy

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Critic reviews

"Charming, wise and profoundly human. I lived every page of this book." (Erin Kelly)
"A warm, wise novel - brilliantly entertaining - that also manages to be a timely and profound take on ageing. I loved it." (Kate Hamer)
"A real treasure from Joanna Cannon's wry and amusing world, where the long view from the day-room is at once poignant and perceptive." (James Hannah)
All stars
Most relevant  
Great read with a twist. Gripping to the end . Insight how dementia effects peoples lives

Wow

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A must read for everyone in health care or for anyone who wants an excellent read

A must read

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Loved it. The story was superb, and the narrator sounded so comforting I didn't want to stop listening. At the end, I just wanted to hug my nearest and dearest more tightly and for longer. Its a book that will stay with me for a very long time.

Did everything the summary suggested it would.

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This was a great book, the narration was excellent, I was not emotionally prepared for the last 10 minutes! Needs to be a warning so I’m not crying in my car before work 😉

I was not emotionally prepared for this

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there's a twist from the start to the end.
you will be surprised by the end of the book.

really good listen.

great book

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This is a thought provoking story revolving around Florence, Elsie, Ronnie Butler and Jack, who live at Cherry Tree care home. Miss Ambrose is the home manager and Simon is the dim handyman from the Midlands.It starts with the main character Florence taking a fall while in her flat at the care home . What follows is a story of love, loss,fear and confusion that is excellent in every way. There were twists that I saw coming but to be honest the authors skill is such that I saw them coming only a short while before they occurred. There seemed nothing genre typical, but how could there be ? How many books are set around the elderly that you may think might be interesting? This was a really good listen I found Paula Wilcox to be a really good choice as narrator. I listened to this book mainly at bed time and found her voice so soothing that I often fell asleep way before the sleep timer kicked in . This made my experience last even longer as I had to keep searching for the point I’d got to every new listen . The pace was good there were points I wasn’t sure what was going on but it’s all necessary for you to immerse yourself and understand the characters . Not sure what I mean ? Download the audiobook or get a paper copy . You won’t regret it .

The 3rd thing is most important . Audiobook version

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poor Florence I did feel for her. getting in a bit of a state. but then we all do from time to time don't we.

three things

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I loved this as much as goats and sheep. Paula Wilcox is an extremely talented narrator. Just wonderful, wonderful, wonderful

Wonderful

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This has been one of my favourite audiobooks so far (& I’ve heard 100s!) The story is beautifully written and Paula Wilcox’s narration fits perfectly.
The main character Florence is both likeable & complicated & the writer gives her a depth that brought her perfectly to life in my mind.
Although the book touches on dementia and gives the reader an insight into life in a care home, this is not what the main message is all about.
In Western society in general, I think we are often guilty of grouping together and disregarding people over a certain age. This book, however, reminds us that the frail, white haired person that you see sat staring out of their window, or standing waiting for a bus, was once young and vibrant and the stories that he or she could tell, would probably be fascinating - should we take the time to listen.
In short, I loved this book and would highly recommend.

An overall masterpiece of story telling

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I have just this minute finished this book ..... and all I can say is 'Well! Well! Well!" I don't think I have ever finished reading a book in such surprise and ready to start reading it all over again. And I rarely review any of the many books I read. Might say more when I come back down.

Well! Well! Well!

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