Gripping and unusual...

I'm only half-way through and I'm totally gripped by this novel! It's suspenseful and intelligent, and if it continues like this it will be one of my favourite audiobooks. The performances are brilliant too. Got to get back to it!

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15 people found this helpful

Enjoyable, but seemed to lack something.

Any additional comments?

I enjoyed this book, but not as much as I was expecting. It felt as if it was leading somewhere that it simply didn't reach unfortunately. I can't think of anything specific to criticize it other than the fact I felt baffled by some of the character motivations and their actions in places, although this is perhaps explained a little as the story develops... I'm not sure and I'm being a little too abstract.

Overall, a good story and a pleasant read, but nothing exceptional

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2 people found this helpful

Intriguing read

A mystery with a difference. Also wonderful images of Sweden. I would recommend this audio, beautifully narrated, a good purchase.

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Excellent

A wonderful, complex, story that unfolds slowly. Tom Rob Smith turns his story-telling from state to individual and it's wonderful.

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Keeps you guessing

Great storytelling, twists and turned, excellent narrators - stick with it, it's worth it.

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Good characters.

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

Yes, it was worth listening to. It had a nice pace and some good suspense,

How would you have changed the story to make it more enjoyable?

I wouldn't have changed the story because it was fairly enjoyable anyway, but I had expected it to be even better as it was recommended to me by a friend who raved about it. Maybe I would have enjoyed it more without inflated expectations?

Which character – as performed by James Langton and Suzanne Toren – was your favourite?

The character of the adopted daughter was very well written. I could see her very clearly.

Do you think The Farm needs a follow-up book? Why or why not?

I can think of a few ways it could go forward to another book, so yes, and I would probably buy it too.

Any additional comments?

I loved that it was set in Sweden, and that it was very much in the Scandinavian thriller genre.

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3 people found this helpful

Disappointing after the Leo Demidov trilogy

I absolutely adored Child 44 and its sequels, which were cleverly plotted, atmospheric and paranoia-inducing, so I couldn't wait to get my hands on The Farm. I was really disappointed. Without wanting to give too much away, I'd say that the second half of the book lost impetus and it lost its way - if you get drawn up the steep slope of the rollercoaster, you expect the excitement of being whipped from side to side and up and down, not find yourself gently riding a ferris wheel to the bottom. The writing style and the narration by both voices were just fine for me, however and based on his previous works, I would definitely give Tom Rob Smith another chance.

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Unpredictable and absorbing psychological thriller

This book is set partly in London, but the mystery unfolds in a remote rural location in Sweden. It is a very absorbing listen, a two handed narration with many unexpected twists. The descriptive writing is skilful, creating a claustrophobic and uneasy backdrop to the narrative. The characters are distinctive and the plot is clever - it is rarely clear what is real and what imagined.
The voices are excellent and believable, - a really important factor in a book about credibility and doubt.

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3 people found this helpful

Great!

Fantastic story to get lost in, especially if you like dark turns! Narrated well too, very believable.

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good listen

really enjoyed the narration and the story line. once I started listening I found it difficult to stop.

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