Interesting Premise

A very good - though not necessarily great - book.

What's good: Tells a story over 30 years or so. Ties the story to the times.

What's not so good: A little too much stereotyping of Italian- and Jewish-Americans in NY.

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1 person found this helpful

What a heartfelt story

What did you love best about The Murderer’s Daughters?

How strong lulu and merry's bond was. No matter if they were getting along or at each other's throats they still remained family.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Lulu. I felt her pain and her unwillingness to forgive. I know some people say being unforgiving means you are holding yourself prisoner but in her case she did just fine. I don't think I would've done anything different than she.

What about Susan Bennett’s performance did you like?

Her ability to make me believe in the characters.

Who was the most memorable character of The Murderer’s Daughters and why?

The aunt. I can't understand for the life of me why a person so close to them made herself seem so far away. She could've helped but for her own nastiness and selfish reasons she chose not to. I guess there really are people like her in this world and that scares me.

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2 people found this helpful

Searing, uncomfortable but unforgetable

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Some would like this, others would not. I enjoyed this book in its portrayals of its main characters, who are complex, caught between their wishes and hopes to either bury the past or unable to do so.
it is not a happy book, almost Greek tragedy in scope, particularly for the first third of the book, but it is uncompromising in its portrayal of two sisters and their bond with each other and their complicated relationship with their father.

What about Susan Bennett’s performance did you like?

Susan Bennett and Angela Goethles' performances are both very good, particularly in Lulu and Merry's childhoods. Merry's voice in particular did not fit her character's aging, but there's nothing really wrong with it.

Any additional comments?

This is almost like a train wreck - you don't want to look but you can't look away. I enjoyed this book in the sense of its character portrayals, but did not enjoy what happened to these characters. There was almost too much tragedy and too much anger, but ultimately Randy Susan Meyers is an author to watch.

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Beautifully Done Story about Trauma Recovery

When I began this book, I was not sure that I could finish it because it begins with a gruesome act of violence but having read many rave reviews, I persevered and am so glad that I did. As one who works with traumatized children and families, I found the author's understanding of recovery from trauma over a lifetime of the two main characters to be true to life and incredibly interesting. While reading the book, I felt I was intimately getting a look into the lives of the two sisters, how each coped and developed. The book not only explored personality development and trauma recovery from many angles, but also explored the intricate nature of family relationships and the burden of the difficult choices people face in life. Not only is the author an extremely talented writer, but also must be a scholar of psychology, trauma and culture to be able to portray relationship and personality complexities as beautifully as she has with this novel. Bravo Ms. Meyers.

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2 people found this helpful

I don't know what I feel...

I listened intently to this book with much interest. At the beginning of the book, I started to wonder if it was a young adult book and maybe I had not noticed when I purchased it.
Eventually though (many, many, many chapters in), the characters grew into adults and I could tell it was adult fiction. The book was heartbreaking - and it never changed from heartbreaking. When it ended, I was stunned. I just stared at the car dash board (where I generally listen to these books) with my mouth open.

I think this book will appeal to certain people and others will dislike it immensely. It had appeal to me, and I am glad I read it, yet I think I might be haunted by the story forever. It is definately not the kind of book that you can assume everyone will love.

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1 person found this helpful

You won't put this down...

Meyers has gone far beyond the traditional take on domestic abuse, examining the relationship between abuser and abused. Rather, her debut novel examines what happens to the other survivors, the children. How do you grow up being know as "the murderer's daughters? How does that affect the next 30 years of your life? How do two sisters, Merry & Lulu, take care of each other while taking care of themselves? Once you hear that one of them open's the door and lets their father in, you are in for a roller coaster ride of emotions and insights that will grip you and keep you thinking, "what if" , "if only." and, "wow!" Her descriptions, beginning with the "no macaroni necklace - wearing mama" will make you both laugh and cry.

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5 people found this helpful

Loved it!

What did you love best about The Murderer’s Daughters?

The relation between the sisters.

What did you like best about this story?

The characters.

Which scene was your favorite?

The end when the youngest sister was getting ready to have dinner with her Dad in her new apartment, and the fact that in their own way each character eventually found closure with the past.

Any additional comments?

Great story, and very tragic.

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3 people found this helpful

a gripping story

What made the experience of listening to The Murderer’s Daughters the most enjoyable?

The story is poignant, kept me interested from beginning to end. Well performed. some really good phrasing.

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A change from my usual

I usually like the fast satisfaction of murder mystery and suspense . This story pulled me in from time to time not a I couldn't stop listening kind but not a dislike either.

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Excellent drama

Compelling drama that instantly captures the reader's attention. Meyer's artfully crafts the lives of two young sisters as they experience the ultimate tragedy related to domestic violence and betrayal. The author takes us through their life experiences after the tragedy and their individual coping and healing processes into adulthood. A wonderful testament to the power of love.

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7 people found this helpful