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The Robber Bride

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The Robber Bride

Written by: Margaret Atwood
Narrated by: Bernadette Dunne
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About this listen

Margaret Atwood's The Robber Bride is inspired by "The Robber Bridegroom", a wonderfully grisly tale from the Brothers Grimm in which an evil groom lures three maidens into his lair and devours them one by one. But in her version, Atwood brilliantly recasts the monster as Zenia, a villainess of demonic proportions, and sets her loose in the lives of three friends: Tony, Charis, and Roz. All three have lost men, spirit, money, and time to their old college acquaintance, Zenia. At various times, and in various emotional disguises, Zenia has insinuated her way into their lives and practically demolished them.

To Tony, who almost lost her husband and jeopardized her academic career, Zenia is "a lurking enemy commando". To Roz, who did lose her husband and almost her magazine, Zenia is "a cold and treacherous bitch". To Charis, who lost a boyfriend, quarts of vegetable juice, and some pet chickens, Zenia is a kind of zombie, maybe "soulless" (Lorrie Moore, New York Times Book Review). In love and war, illusion and deceit, Zenia's subterranean malevolence takes us deep into her enemies' pasts.

©2011 Margaret Atwood (P)2011 Random House
Fiction Literary Fiction Literature & Fiction Psychological Women's Fiction Wedding Scary Bride Marriage
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What the critics say

"Moving amid these three women, touching up their portraits with one perfect detail after another, conjuring Zenia from their memories and tears, Atwood is in her glory. What a treasure she is, and what a fine new book she has written" (Newsweek)

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What listeners say about The Robber Bride

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  • Overall
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A Thoroughly enjoyable audio book!!!!!

A female nemesis serially enters the lives of three friends leaving havoc, heartbreak and destruction in her wake. The beautiful witchy antagonist lies brilliantly by weaving in a few stitches of truth to insinuate herself into their lives before she exploits them, steals their men, discards them and moves on. Then, to their joy she dies or does she? Read on for a masterfully told tale that makes you feel that you know these women - their ups and downs, and can identify with all of them through the detailed descriptions of their thoughts and experiences. A Thoroughly enjoyable listen!!!

#Audible1

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Canadian imagination

Margaret Atwood is an amazing writer and Bernadette Dunne spoke well.
The stories that came out of Zinnia mouth were interesting-to say the least. #Audible1 my favourite character was Karen!

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Complex story of deception by a "Jezebel".

Well written in true Margaret Atwood style. I love all of her books. When will she get the Nobel Prize for literature?

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Great villain great characters

They made us read Margret Atwood in school. It used to be one dimensional characters and heavy handed messages. But since a Hand Maid's Tale she has only got better. I highly recommend this book, and if you liked it I also recommend The Blind Assassin and Oryx and Crake,

Roz, Charis, and Tony are people who vaguely knew each other in college. They also knew or knew of Zenia. Zenia re-enters their lives one at a time and destroys them for no really discernible purpose. The characters in this novel are well developed, you actually care what happens to them. Zenia is deliciously enigmatic and evil. The story is told through a series of flashbacks as well as present day.

The narration of this story is very good. If there is one knock on this book it is the same problem that all books written before 2010 have that try to be in "present day" is that it feels a bit dated to have people reading news papers, getting messages on answering machines, and plot points that would disappear with a quick picture from a cell phone or a text message. But that is a niggle at best.

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Excellent!

Atwood is stellar. Dunne may have fallen short in some pronunciations but the performance was compelling and believable.

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#Audible1 - An Awsome Read

#Audible1

I am new to Margret Atwood. I thoroughly loved this book. I was totally taken in. I felt I was living the book. It ended way too soon. I am hooked and will try other of her books.

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beautifully woven tale

An excellently crafted tale that moves effortlessly between points of view and places in time. #Audible1

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Fun story

I really enjoyed this book. I love futuristic sci-fi stories, and this one was really fun original storyline. I love Margaret Atwood’s writing.

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    4 out of 5 stars
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Frenemies unite!

"Toxique" is the name of the restaurant in which this story begins, and the word is a dead giveaway. It's about toxic relationships, and how they blight lives. And Zenia is not the only toxic friend in the book.

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    2 out of 5 stars
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a waste if money

Boring narration...I could not finish listening. The story dragged on and put me to sleep.

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