Commonwealth by Ann Patchett - 4 stars

[Barbara M]

I had no idea what to expect. Its a long book and details about 50 years in the lives of two families, split and reassembled into two step-families. The book starts with the christening of Franny, the new daughter of Fix and Beverley Keating. The party is basically crashed by Albert Cousins from the district attorney's office. He's just trying to get out of his house, away from his pregnant wife and 3 children, he needs an excuse and remembered hearing the cops talk about their friend Fix who was having a large party for this second daughter. He doesn't really know Fix and Fix doesn't really know him. At that party, Albert Cousins falls in love with the beautiful Beverley.

The book jumps from there to the adult Franny and Fix talking about the mixed families. It's quite a leap but then goes on to how the step-children came to spend summers together and got to know each other. Sometimes, the children blended together in the story for me and I found it hard to remember which child belonged to which parents. The story is filled with many little details of their lives which was fine in audio. I'm not sure I would have appreciated it as much in print. However, it is well-done in that it slowly unfolds the story of a big event in the lives of the children. It leaps in many places to them as adults and then looks back to major events in their lives.

I liked Franny and Albie, the two youngest in each family. I really enjoyed the part about Franny's relationship with the (fictional) well-known author Leo Posen and the book he wrote. All of the characters felt very real. Among the "parents" Fix was my favorite followed later by Teresa. I did end up reading quite of bit of the book in digital format along with listening to the audio in the end. I think I shall find this to be a story with characters I'll remember.

[Susie]

I thought the audio was fabulous. She had me transfixed immediately.

[Karin]

Susie wrote: "I thought the audio was fabulous. She had me transfixed immediately."

I really ought to read another Pratchett. The only book I've read by her is Bel Canto which, if I'd been rating books at that time, would have been at least 4 stars for me (not likely 5 as I don't recall LOVING it, but it is very well written and I liked it a great deal.) A good audiobook might be just the way to do this, once I'm done with the ones I already have out.

[Book Concierge]

I also listened to the audio for this book. And I recommended it for my F2F book club discussion. Love Patchett. Rated this one 4****