Eyrie

De: Tim Winton

Narrado por: Michael Veitch

Shortlisted for the 2014 Indie Awards

Tom Keely's reputation is in ruins. And that's the upside.

Divorced and unemployed, he's lost faith in everything precious to him. Holed up in a grim high-rise, cultivating his newfound isolation, Keely looks down at a society from which he's retired, hurt and angry. He's done fighting the good fight, and well past caring.

But even in his seedy flat, ducking the neighbours, he's not safe from entanglement. All it takes is an awkward encounter in the lobby. A woman from his past, and a boy the likes of which he's never met before. Two strangers leading a life beyond his experience and into whose orbit he falls despite himself.

What follows is a heart-stopping, groundbreaking novel for our times—funny, confronting, exhilarating and haunting. Inhabited by unforgettable characters, Eyrie asks how, in an impossibly compromised world, we can ever hope to do the right thing.

©2013 Tim Winton (P)2013 Bolinda Publishing Pty Ltd

Superb

What made the experience of listening to Eyrie the most enjoyable?

Winton's use of the Australian vernacular, particularly the dialogue of the two main protagonists, makes this a book particularly suited to audio.

What other book might you compare Eyrie to and why?

In my view, every book that Winton has ever written is superb: disturbing, honest, engrossing, and compelling. This is no different.

What about Michael Veitch’s performance did you like?

Veitch *is* the voice of Keilly.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

"Courage makes better people of us all."

Any additional comments?

Buy it now ... you won't regret it.

There is something special about Tim Winton

What made the experience of listening to Eyrie the most enjoyable?

Tim Winton is an extraordinary writer who has the ability to bring characters to life to the degree that I always feel a touch of grief when I finish one of his books. This book was no exception- I will miss the characters.

Michael Veitch brought the dialogue to life with such skill I could imagine some of the scenes being used in Actors workshops. There were times that his intonation was truly captivating- so natural yet so compelling- a great resource for linguists interested in the Australian accent.

It's not the type of book that has a rip roaring story line to keep you on the edge of your seat. But it does have captivating language that makes it a worthwhile book to read if you enjoy relishing well written novels. I don't know what else to write without giving away the story so I will leave it here. Lovely

Tired - tired author and tired listener

What would have made Eyrie better?

While there were interesting parts to the story, it seemed to go on forever - appearing to build up to a climax, but then fizzing out to perhaps yet another build up. I found myself wishing the author would just get on with it. A disappointing end to the story too.

What do you think your next listen will be?

Kate Atkinson "Started Early, Took my Dog"

How could the performance have been better?

The narration was poor. One could almost imagine the author at his desk proof reading.

You didn’t love this book... but did it have any redeeming qualities?

This could have been a good book - just too long and difficult to believe that the characters would allow the child to suffer through not having police involvement. I really felt for the child and his grandmother and their situation.

Any additional comments?

A fan of Tim Winton's earlier books, I think I will give him a miss for a while.

Frustrating

The sentences in this work are great - funny (as satisfying as the afterglow from a good shit), self-depricating (what are the two best things to come out of Freo?) and highly evocative.
The paragraphs are fantastic too - really nail the feeling of being in Perth in an interminable summer. And, although I don't think they will win and tourism awards for WA, the depictions of Freo past its prime and of Perth as a site office for a mining company ring true.
The characters are well drawn - you get the feeling of what it's like to live their lives and how the little victories or setbacks influence things.
But the plot and conclusion are just so frustrating. A quick trip to Charlie Gardiner Hospital instead of home to the couch and half the problems would be solved. The other half may still need Littlefinger to push someone out the Moon Door, but that is a different story. And the ending - perhaps I could chip in a few extra bucks and get another half hour of story.
It's a bit hard to know how to rate this. If you were only to listend to a section of it, it would be great. But I did not really enjoy the story as a whole.