Audiobook: Leaving Time by Jodi Picoult
A Rapid Review
Leaving Time by Jodi Picoult
Publisher: Random House | October 2014
Format: Audio Download | 15 hours | Rating: 4½ stars
Audio Listening Level: Intermediate
For more than a decade, Jenna Metcalf has never stopped thinking about her mother, Alice, who mysteriously disappeared in the wake of a tragic accident. Refusing to believe that she would be abandoned as a young child, Jenna searches online for her mother, a scientist who studied grief among elephants, and pores over the pages of Alice’s old journals.
With the help of Serenity, a psychic, and Virgil, a retired detective who was an investigator in her mom’s disappearance, Jenna sets out to find the truth. Is Alice alive or dead? And what really happened that night?
The book uses alternate perspectives – Jenna, Serenity, Virgil, and Alice – a device that works well with this mystery, and also serves to engage the reader as new details are revealed and observations made from the different points of view. In addition to the mystery itself, I was fascinated by the background story of the elephants and the sanctuary.
If it seems like I’m being vague, it’s because I am! Knowing too much about the mystery would spoil the story because of the way events are revealed and how the puzzle comes together. I should have seen the ending coming a mile away, but I didn’t, and that speaks to how well the story was written and how it unfolded.
Audio production:
The audio production consisted of an ensemble cast of Rebecca Lowman, Abigail Revasch, Kathe Mazur, and Mark Deakins, each giving voice to one of the four characters. When a book is long, complex, or has multiple perspectives, I prefer having more than one narrator. It provides a better sense of each character as opposed to one narrator attempting to give a believable voice to each. And, more importantly, it makes it easy for the listener to remember who is speaking, and makes the audio more enjoyable.
Audio Sample:
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Source: Review copy provided by the publisher.
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Under My Apple Tree 
I really enjoyed this one on audio!
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Excellent audio. It was easy to follow with the ensemble cast.
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Picoult is hit or miss for me but this one sounds like a winner!
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This was my first Picoult book. I was attracted to it because of the background story on the elephants.
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I’ve got this one on my audio list, as I’ve heard really good things. I like multiple narrators at times too. And then there are the elephants. 🙂
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Leslie, I’m interested in reading or listening to this novel by Jodi Picoult. Even though I have not listened to many audiobooks,what you say about having different narrators for different characters makes sense to me. Although it may be more expensive to produce such an audiobook, it is easier for the listener. I’m glad that you enjoyed your first Jodi Picoult book. I’ve read a few.
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Loved this one:)
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I am a huge fan of hers and have read all of her adult books. My 3 favorites are The Storyteller, The Pact, and My Sister’s Keeper. This one, though, didn’t quite work for me. 2.5/4. It’s pretty unusual for me to give her anything less than a 3 or 3.5
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I really, really enjoyed the background story on the elephants. And while the mystery was good, I did feel just a little bit tricked by the ending. I will have to try some of Picoult’s backlist. This was my first one of her books.
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I see that felt tricked by thend end and I think you’ll find that with a few of Picoult’s titles. At least the ones I’ve read. I gave this as a gift but haven’t read it yet.
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