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Grief Is the Thing with Feathers

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Grief Is the Thing with Feathers

By: Max Porter
Narrated by: Jot Davies
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About this listen

In a London flat, two young boys face the unbearable sadness of their mother's sudden death. Their father, a Ted Hughes scholar and scruffy romantic, imagines a future of well-meaning visitors and emptiness.

In this moment of despair they are visited by Crow - antagonist, trickster, healer, babysitter. This sentimental bird is drawn to the grieving family and threatens to stay until they no longer need him.

As weeks turn to months and the pain of loss gives way to memories, the little unit of three starts to heal.

In this extraordinary debut - part novella, part polyphonic fable, part essay on grief - Max Porter's compassion and bravura style combine to dazzling effect. Full of unexpected humour and profound emotional truth, Grief Is the Thing with Feathers marks the arrival of a thrilling new talent.

©2015 Max Porter (P)2016 Audible, Ltd Fiction Genre Fiction Literary Fiction Grief

Critic Reviews

"An agile, life-affirming account of mourning." ( Sunday Times)
"Utterly astonishing. Truly, truly remarkable." (Nathan Filer)
"A blast and a breeze and, strangely, a delight." (Jonathan Gibbs, Independent)
All stars
Most relevant
This book helped me realise that every emotion i felt after the sudden death of my husband was acceptable there is hope I will eventually be able to carry it.

A story of hope in grief

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Beautifully written. Fierce, raw and tender. Great performance by Jot Davies. Highly recommended to all.

Superb

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An elegantly written story with nothing but raw emotion and an extraordinary performance from Jot Davies.

Recommended to all readers

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I loved every minute of this book. I could relate to the crow metaphor for grief and grieving. A far from linear experience. The ever changing perspective and emotions. Thoughts both logical and illogical, oscillating from protection to daring to confront the loss hard and courageously and somehow emerge the other side. But, there is no other side. Just the becoming used to the absence, the hole left behind by an irreplaceable loved one. Each finding their own way, to go on, even when it seems impossible. To keep living, minus the sense of disloyalty or betrayal. Creating a new life, a different life, while making meaning of the loss and where the much missed loved one fits. Finally giving ourselves permission not to forget but to get back to our lives, while maintaining the bond, whatever that looks like. This book felt like a companion, infused with knowing grief and of a shared experience.

An interesting interpretation of grief

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In the spirit of reconciliation, Audible acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.