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Title: Under the Skin
Author: Michel Faber
Narrator: Gerri Halligan
Format: Unabridged
Length: 8 hrs and 42 mins
Language: English
Release date: 07-15-12
Publisher: Canongate Books Ltd
Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 19 votes
Genres: Fiction, Contemporary
Publisher's Summary:
An incredibly powerful and unsettling thriller, here is the audio edition of Michel Fabers debut novel, read by Gerri Halligan.
Isserley spends most of her time driving. But why is she so interested in picking up hitchhikers? And why are they always male, well-built, and alone?
An utterly unpredictable and macabre mystery, Michel Faber's debut is an outstanding piece of fiction that will stay with you long after you have finished listening.
Members Reviews:
Very well done
Enjoyed the story. The narrator was excellent, very good use of different accents and intonations.
Enthralling macabre story...unexpectedly good read
Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?
Yes I have recommended it to my book club to stretch us out of our usual comfort zone. The subject matter is macabre and unsavoury, but it's a bit like a road accident...you know you don't want to look but find yourself rubbernecking anyway.
What other book might you compare Under the Skin to and why?
Cannot compare as it is the first I have read of this style
What three words best describe Gerri Halligans performance?
Competent, engaging, clear.
Could you see Under the Skin being made into a movie or a TV series? Who should the stars be?
Scarlett Johanssen is already being cast in the lead of the movie I think.
Any additional comments?
Worth stepping outside your normal reading comfort zone for this story.
Buy The Paperback Instead
Although the story was quite enjoyable, I had to stop listening with 4hrs 36mins left on the recording. The sole reason for this was the cringe worthy attempt at Scottish accents for male characters by a female, English narrator. It became painful to listen to at times, so much so that I found it necessary to sacrifice the rest of the story (which I had become very interested in completing) in order to abort mission and listen to the radio instead, (the only station I could find was running a three hour long 80's power-ballad special, which may give you some indication as to the conviction of my opinion on the matter).
I will however order the paperback in order to see the story through. Faber has done a wonderful job of creating a setting for what is shaping up to be a very dark and unpredictable story. I am very much looking forward to seeing where it goes from here.
A haunting and heartbreaking story
This is a brilliant book. It is sad and bleak but it managed to grip my attention from the very beginning. The dreary and monotonous A road is vividly described along with the majestic beauty of the Scottish landscape. The main character may not deserve sympathy but you can still emphasise with her physical pain and profound loneliness. This is a story about exploitation and how it de-humanises the victims and the perpetrators. There are parts that I found upsetting and I wished they had turned out differently. I'm glad however that Michel Faber steered his own unique path and the result is a tale that has haunted me for days.
The narration was excellent. I particularly liked the slightly Nordic accent of the heroine which fitted in so well with the landscape.
Not sure what to make of this book
I bought this following a recommendation from a friend. I struggled to get into it from the beginning and found I had to keep putting it aside to listen to something else. I get the commentary the story is trying to convey but I struggled with the execution.
