Audiobook review: Mad About You
This, as were the last two, is a book I discovered in Tiny Bookshop. I like a good love story and the game's blurb sounded pretty good.
Story
Actually listening to the book, I found it has a bit too much drama for my taste. Why are all the protagonist together with these absolute garbage people?
The love story though is well told and charming. Even if some of thoughts Harriet is having toward her crush gave me «Good Intentions» vibes in a way that did not feel appropriate for the book.
I'm also not sure we needed to hear the outcome in quite so many words. The book comes to an epic climax. Stopping there and leaving the rest to the listener's imagination would have been fine, too. It's something we do not get nearly enough of these days. At least in the books I listen to.
The letter
I want to take a moment to talk about the letter Harriet writes. In the story it goes that she sits down, in the middle of the night no less and writes the letter in one go, even refuses to proof read it. Remember too, that she is a wedding photographer and not an author or a journalist who has a lot of practice. I am sorry, but that is bullshit. That letter is so well written. Clearly, these are the carefully written words of Mhairi McFarlane and not those of Harriet. Now, I am sure that this is necessary. The letter is pretty long and we get to hear all of it and were it written in a more realistic fashion, that part of the story might be hard to get through. Nonetheless, it shattered my suspension of disbelief.
But also, it is an interesting way of doing exhibition. I've not had that in too many books before, so fair enough I guess.
Social media
Social media plays a big role in this book. It gets mentioned from the beginning, reminding us that this is a contemporary piece of work.
Anyone can make up a story, paint themselves as a victim and their adversary as the abuser. Online mobs are quick to judge and ruthless in their damnation. They don't wait around to ask if there might be another side to the story.
By making this a central plot point, the book serves as a warning, to not believe everything you see online, just because it sounds sincere and plausible. A warning that can't be made often enough in these times.
Recording
The audio quality is good, as you'd expect from any modern recording. I am, however, not too happy with the performance of Chloe Massey in reading the book.
Yes, the different people do all get their own voices. But they are not very pronounced and, worse, not very consistent either. It is especially hard to distinguish what Harriet is saying out loud and what she is merely thinking in her head, sometimes making conversations hard to follow.
This might be to blame on the book in parts — there are some books that are suited better to being made into an audiobook than others.
Overall it's still an enjoyable listen, but it could definitely be better. If you're going to listen to the book, maybe check out this other recording here. It doesn't have as many reviews as the one I listened to, but they are better, particularly concerning the recording.
Who is it for
If you're looking for a romantic story and are not turned off by a bit of drama, then this is definitely for you!